New suitcase..... How much?

[BettyBloom]

AIBU to have just spent a small fortune on a cabin case?

Last time I went travelling for work my suitcase broke before I even boarded the departure flight.

I decided this time I don't want the embarrassing mishap of the wheel getting stuck or the handle falling off mid pull........how should I explain this to my DH once the bank statement comes through.

I bought suitcases for the first time ever and they are lovely. Have always had slightly broken hand me downs before but decided to upgrade.

Does he look at the bank statement? Do you have any agreement on both saying yes in relation to purchases over a certain amount?

We don't have any agreements but I can just imagine his thoughts when I tell him what the payment was for, I will get the rolling eyes and a "really?, that much for a suitcase? " response.

How much did you spend? Difficult for anyone to comment really without knowing.

I bought an IT lightest suitcase cabin bag from Argos last year for about £30 which has been great.

What’s “a small fortune”? (Just curious, feel free to not answer!)

Does spending this amount on a suitcase mean you and DH have to go without something else? If so, then you should probably have discussed it with him before purchasing an expensive case. If it’s just that you think it seems like a silly amount to spend on a suitcase then perhaps you need to present it to DH as “I know it seems like a lot, but I did some research and decided it was worth it because... [fill in with reasons e.g. reliability]”

@BettyBloom i would just eye roll back and say he doesn’t need to use it and would he like to have to run all his purchases past you? (Assuming you can still eat and you haven’t spent £1k of savings such that you can’t pay the bills etc)

@PrincessSarene it was just over £100.

No one will go without, we will still be able to eat

I don’t think that’s too bad for good quality luggage!

I was in Lisbon when my suitcase handle fell apart (irrepable). Ended up in El corte Inglés. OMG. £200 for a small cabin case. £300 for a case the size I already had. Nuts. I struggled home with my old bag after all.

I can't imagine getting value for money out of a case that cost £200+.

Divide the cost by the number of times you expect to use it. Good luggage will last 10-15 years so think of the number of trips you’d make in a normal year including weekends away and then multiple by 10. That will give you the cost per use. Then do the same with the cost of the cheap suitcase but assume it will only last 2 years. That will show that a decent case is a better buy along with the convenience of being able to rely on it.
I bought a good quality case in 2007 that has been used a dozen times each year and it is barely showing any wear compared to the cheaper case I previously had which started showing it’s age soon after purchase.

I spent £80 on a cabin size branded backpack, specifically tailored for travellers taking cabin luggage only on long trips.

I've used it for several trips around Asia and Europe over the past 3 years and it still looks brand new, it's been so worth it!

I hate spending money on luggage. It doesn't seem to matter if it's under £100 or £500 for a case, I always have bad luck and it can be only one flight before a wheel, handle or zip is broken...! They are all thrown around at the airport, I wouldn't spend too much anymore.

I don't make a dozen trips/yr.
I need different size bags for different trips, the allowed carry-on size allowed varies so much, too. And then there's the number of travelling companions & the best way to avoid charges per bag.
I wouldn't begin to know how to plan for all that in advance, much less how to plan what was good value to spend.

I got my cabin case from Primark about 11 years ago and it's still going strong