If you buy expensive clothes/shoes/bags and have an average income, how do you afford it?

[Popcorntwice]

Just wondering really. We have a decent income but no way could I afford some of the pricey items that some people I know, who have seemingly average incomes, can afford to buy.

I'm talking 1K Moncler coats plus Moncler coats for their kids (bought new not second hand), £150 Sophia Webster sandals for their kids, £500 The Kooples trouser suits. All bought new in places like Selfridges or Net a Porter.

How is it possible to afford these things on an average income? I find it hard to stretch the budget to New Look clothes for myself at times!

Credit cards

They either have income you don’t know about or they are getting into debt

Debt
Unearned income (e.g. inheritance)
Crime
Save / frugal elsewhere

That's it really.

How do you know what their income is ? Have they told you are you making assumptions ?

• or are you

Fake Moncler/Canada Goose etc
Sales
Debt

Save ?

Commission, my basic salary belongs to the family, my bonuses are mine

So someone I know of I don’t know her she wouldn’t be any friend of mine affords all that sort of stuff my firstly committing benefit fraud. She owns three houses, not only doesn’t declare the income for tax but doesn’t declare it to tax credits. Secondly she lives with a man who is self employed and doesn’t pay for his kids - that would dry my vagina instantly but she doesn’t seem to care. So for all the outward pretties she’s an ugly person

Maybe they buy these things instead of going on holidays or having meals out?

People wonder how I can afford to go on so many holidays on my "modest income" but it's because I spend barely anything on clothes and also watch the pennies in other areas.

I tend to spend my bonus on me.

Depends on priorities I suppose. I have a good friend who is a SAHM and gets "housekeeping" she scrimps on food so that she can buy nice clothes.

They certainly don't seem to skimp on things like holidays, food, kids activities, cars etc.

The general view on these threads is always that people run up debts, with a grudging suggestion they have more coming in that you realise. (Be it a higher wage than you realised, or grandparents paying, or benefit fraud of some sort.)

The truth is probably more to do with something I was once told when comparing- you see what people spend, you often don't see what they dont spend. You dont notice they get a takeaway or a lunch out less regularly than you, or dont go to the cinema, or smoke, or bought a house earlier than you so have smaller mortgage repayments, or get a car through work, or the several other small things that can add up to £200-300 a month.

My "good" coat cost £200 2 years ago, both kids have coats from M&S. But weve chosen a holiday that'll cost nearly £5k this year. Different people make different choices.

(This also works for the threads of "my colleagues all eat cake when it's in the office and the same as me when we go out for lunch, how are they thinner than me?" - you dont see them not having much dinner that evening)

It’s priorities, credit cards, Xmas presents.

I’ve never heard of Sophia Webster. Off to google

Debit probably! I usually socialise with working class and lower middle class people. In my circles the people who earn the least money have the newest cars and the most designer clothes. Not saying that applies to all, just my experience.

For me it's mostly only by buying second hand - we have a shit high street but one bloody great dress agency. I look out for Margaret Howell and Joseph in particular but rarely pay more than £60 a pop.

But I also save up and occasionally spend up to around £200 on something high end in the sales. It helps that I already have a lot of clothes so I don't need to buy essentials that often.

I think your spare income often has as much to do with your mortgage / rent and where you live as it has with your salary.

And I can feed a family of 6 for a week on a chicken

I have two sets of friends with average incomes and lavish spending habits but they have no mortgages. Another friend still works despite a large inheritance that only a few of her closest friends know about. I imagine her colleagues are wondering how she can afford her new purchases/lifestyle.

Income is only one part of the jigsaw.

Bluebeck - yep, it's the difference in living expenses. There's a couple across the road who bought their house nearly 14 years ago, and paid about £400k for it. The people next door to them (both houses built to the same layout/size) bought only a couple of years ago and paid over £700k. They could have a £2k difference in monthly mortgage repayments for virtually the same house.

Housing costs vary so greatly depending on when you bought, and if you had a large deposit from family /inheritance, you really can't assume you know someones' desposible income based on what you think they earn - their outgoings can be dramatically different - and you can guess wrong with people's income as well!

Up here everyone has a mulberry and moncler - all knock offs from Manchester or turkey.

1. No children!

1. Friend works in outlet store so I benefit from her staff discount

The items the woman I know buys definitely aren't knock offs. She goes to places like Selfridges to buy them. And documents jt all on social media complete with little videos on Instagram.

I probably could if I wanted to spend my money that way as I have no mortgage and DS has long since left home. DH spends a lot on his outdoor hobbies which probably is the same sort of expenditure but having no mortgage and no dependents is perhaps a reason for that sort of spending

THANKYOU ordinarysnowflake. People often wonder (to me :) how I afford my lifestyle on my wage... I’m sure some people think I’m “funded”...

I LOVE clothes. And trips. I make them a priority and don’t spend money in other areas... don’t drink alcohol, colour own hair, don’t buy coffee, takeaway, don’t buy crap at all. Walk everywhere, work overtime, sell stuff regularly, pay things off weekly... it’s doable if you want it enough :)

One or 2,things a month. Beautiful things. That get worn all the time. Overtime goes into Island dream fund, and we take trips every year. Not flash, but interesting.

When I used an expensive leather bag for work I bought a new bag every 3 years. I actually found it easy , as some people choose to spend £15 on a cheaper bag monthly , I just put that money away.