Do you own these sorts of things?!

[featherrr]

And if so what do you earn? I am in a professional career but don’t earn masses, it’s only really at the top when you tend to start making a lot. That said we are all on above minimum wage and salaries in range of 50-70k.

Everyone I work with has designer bags, coats from Reiss, Nike Air trainers etc. I have none of these and it wouldn’t occur to me to buy them as I would find it a huge outlay on my salary (mid range of the above). Do people just spend this? Even on a modest income? What do you sacrifice to buy it? I am in rented which is 1500 a month so maybe that is the difference?

I earn more than that at the moment, but still had designer bags when at a lower salary. Often bought at outlets but a few full retail. They are my indulgence and I enjoy them.

I don't spend money on hair/nails/botox and a Reiss coat wouldn't go near me. If I were slimmer I might spend on fancy brands but I'm not that fussed. When I was younger I was obsessed with having the right jeans etc but changed as I got older/fatter.

I don't have kids, which are a far bigger expense. I expect I've spent less on all my bags than a years worth of nursery fees.

I don’t own designer bags and don’t even know what a Reiss coat is. I do have a couple of pairs of Nike air trainers but they were only £60-£80 in the sale which I don’t think is unreasonable for trainers. I earn just shy of £40k.

I'm poor 😂 and even I've got a decent coat and a (2!) pairs of air max!
25quid trainers don't last long.

Yes to trainers - but biggest soend was £146 - sports equipment
No to designer bags/clothes
My most expensive outfits are Sweaty Betty including jumpers and raincoat.

I have a designer handbag that cost £1400, I love it use it every day and it's big enough to cart stuff around for the kids.

I don't have the other stuff, designer trainers seem to make my feet look 10 times bigger but I have been eyeing up the NB ones but again, they look huge so I doubt I'd like them on me.

I'm happy enough with my handbag

Vinted is your friend here!

No interest in designer handbags but as I've got older I do spend more on clothes and shoes/ runners. They last and some quality general everyday items such as coats/ jumpers/ shirts etc can last year's. Fast fashion isn't sustainable. I would rather spend £200 on a decent coat than £50 on one I've to replace every year. There is a massive difference in quality

I don't have anything expensive at all and buy all clothes and almost all shoes secondhand, have done for many years. But our household income is under 50k and anything spare goes on the kids, maintaining two old but reliable Skodas, or very slowly renovating the house.

I do feel a bit sad that I never had that spending power even pre kids, but was in a poorly paid entry level job after uni then went self employed and worked for now ex h's business for many years.

On Mumsnet there is often bewilderment that people spend different amounts of money on things, and that people like to use their disposable income on stuff of their choice, whether that is holidays, experiences, cars or clothes etc. And there is a splash of inverse snobbery sometimes thrown in!

Just buy what you like and ignore the opinions of others. It doesn’t matter.

I have a couple of designer bags, but 100ish ones bought in sales, not super expensive - I also just ordered a made to measure leather jacket for 300 but that'll last me for years. These aren't frequent purchases though

I buy nice clothes from expensive designers that I love and that last a long time and make me feel confident BUT I buy them second hand on vinted!

I'm comfortable financially but I don't buy those things. I would if I wanted them but I don't.

i was going to say similar. I own a 5,000 sewing machine (didn't pay that!), my laptop cost more than that and you do not want to know what I spend on plants for my garden but I don't do high end fashion.

I'm comfortable but don't buy fancy stuff because I have little interest in 'stuff' fancy or otherwise.

i have a senreve backpack which cost over £600 (gift from my DH). Dh also once bought me a longchamp leather handbag years ago which was around £250 in the sale

We earn £121k combined but at that time was earning £80k combined with a £1020 mortgage (now increased to £1282). We bought it just after the pandemic and we had saved a lot of money.

I don't own anything else expensive though

No. I don't do "stuff" really. I spend a lot of money on travelling though.

I think the issue is that salary doesn’t necessarily tell you much about what disposable income someone has. Do your colleagues have partners earning too? Children? Rent or own a house? Share housing costs with flatmates/partner? Do they have children? Debts?

Your rent is around half your salary which is pretty high. e.g. I earn a similar amount but share a £1000 mortgage (lucky to get gifted a deposit) with my partner who’s also on a similar salary. I could afford the items you mentioned but tend to spend disposable income on holidays

Would you like to be able to spend more on clothes or were you just curious? Is there any way you can lower your housing costs to have a bit more disposable income (to spend on clothes or otherwise!)

Designer clothes don’t interest me, so no. My wealthy friend gets swept up in what’s fashionable for rich people to own and he’s bought some utterly hideous items imo. The Tod’s loafers at £500 a pop were especially repulsive.

i spend loads on holidays though, each to their own.

I wouldn't buy any of those things regardless of salary. I have no interest in handbags or trainers. I have some designer clothes (not Reiss) because I liked the item and it was good quality but they were all Vinted bargains.

I spend loads of money on theatre and cooking stuff though!

@featherrr Im retired. DH earned a lot, DD now earns a lot. I have a Chanel bag and so does DD. Mine cost £2,200. They are now £5000 plus second hand on Vestiaire. Much more new. Yes. I love it. Ive always loved fashion and both Dads do too, That doesn’t mean we don’t like other activities!

I don’t think £300 is a lot for a coat - it’s high street prices. Buying a classic coat (I have a Max Mara wrap cost) lasts forever. As I’m older I’ve got many items bought over many decades. So handbags and jewellery were my favourite items. Not buying so much now and we like travel and cars! Jewellery still interests me. All sorts of things and activities interest us. Plus I’m very aware I’m lucky,

However DH ran a business that employed many and was very successful but that comes with stress too. Lots of people depended on dh for their mortgages.

I do understand what you mean OP. They are not super top luxury brands but they're more than your everyday Next, M&S etc.

Are you single? That makes a big difference to how much money you've got spare obviously, if you're paying for everything yourself. Many of my colleagues are married/have a partner to split costs with so they do have a bit more disposable.

I spend a decent amount on coats and shoes - not those brands but in the same or higher cost ballpark. More interested in function than style, but good quality outdoor brands cost a lot. I earn a similar amount to OP but I buy things that last and rarely replace so cost per wear is not too high.

I have a few designer bags, I don't actually use them any more as I find leather too heavy. Bought in sales/with vouchers, bought 5-10 years apart so overall spend on bags over the years isn't high.

No because those aren't my priority. I've got decent walking shoes that I shopped around for that are three years old and should last for some time.

I've bought myself one pair of linen trousers this year and I think that's all for fashion wear.

The next thing that I'm shopping around for is a good raincoat (one that works!) but that will wait until I've found the right coat at the right price <100.

The teens have converse or vans, usually sale ones. It's down to being able to go shopping and buy what they're familiar with. Nearly everything else they've bought second hand. They've never been brand conscious either though.

I think these designer items are for idiots, tbh. They are not made with threads of gold, why on earth are they so expensive? I could easily afford them, but I just have no interest in them, and would feel like I'd been royally ripped off. I get some fantastic clothes from ebay, at a fraction of the cost. I treated myself to an expensive nail varnish (high end brand, can't recall which), before we went on holiday, thinking it would last better : it was crap! Chipped off the same day. Total rip off.

The very rich people that I know, are quite scruffy. They have nothing to prove. I think people with designer stuff are "new money".

I used to earn in this range, and yes, wouldn’t have considered a Reiss coat every year an extravagance- they’re good quality, and you need a nice coat, and bag, shoes to wear to the office. Used to even shop there on new graduate salary for suits etc.

Post kids, and esp on Mat leave and as a SAHM I don’t spend as much, as stuff just gets ruined with sticky fingers, plus need more weatherproof coat for long trips to the park etc, and don’t often bother with bag, just stick phone and keys in pockets.