Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

How do I justify spending so much?

S

Slothapotamus

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 17, 2008
94
0
UK
My credit card peeps just kindly increased my limit without me asking. Now, I've always wanted a "real" guitar. I have a Fender Mexican Strat, and although it's good, it goes out of tune easily, the pickups sound a bit weak, etc. I've always wanted a genuine American made Strat or Tele (I've just seen the new Tele's Fender released and the Transparent Crimson Red looks fantastic).

My desire for one of these guitars is weighed against the price tag of £799. I'm so tempted just now, but the rational part of me is saying no. Luckily I'm single so I don't have a wife nagging me for bringing home a stupidly expensive guitar. Should I? Shouldn't I?
 
Can you afford to pay it off in a reasonable amount of time? (like say a few months and definitely less than a year) If so, hell, go ahead and treat yourself. :)
 
I couldn't justify it. (apparently iBlue can, but she can't hide the fact that she's american... :) ) I just hate to buy things on credit, making large purchases I don't mind, but only with the money that I have. Will this guitar still be available for this price in a few months time? Better start saving then.
 
oblomow said:
... (apparently iBlue can, but she can't hide the fact that she's american... :) )....
Click to expand...

Huh? Not sure what that has to do with anything. :confused:

I was under the impression that he is having problems with his guitar now and has wanted this other one for a while. I agree that it's better not to use credit but if a person can use it responsibly and pay it off promptly, I don't think it's so bad.
 
Credit cards should be treated as a charge card.

If you can not pay it off at the end of the month and have to carry a balance then you are screwing youself.

If it is more than you could afford to pay off at the end of the month then you can not justify it. Save up for it so you could pay it all off at once.
 
iBlue said:
Huh? Not sure what that has to do with anything. :confused:
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I have the impression that buying things on credit is much more common in the US than in Europe.
on topic: If he's really having problems with his guitar and he depends on it for his work then I agree. Otherwise I would wait until I had the money.
 
Sell your Mexican, and start saving. By the time you'll have found a buyer, maybe you'll have enough money to get the Crimson Tele.
 
oblomow said:
Sorry, but I have the impression that buying things on credit is much more common in the US than in Europe.
on topic: If he's really having problems with his guitar and he depends on it for his work then I agree. Otherwise I would wait until I had the money.
Click to expand...

Yeah, sorry but that is generalizing just a bit too much. That may be true but I'm pretty sure there's people in debt all over the world, and I certainly did not give the advice to buy unless he could quickly pay it off. Not sure how this topic needed to take this tangent anyway.
 
I think it's a really bad idea to spend money you don't (yet) have. One time or another, you'll have to pay.
 
iBlue said:
Yeah, sorry but that is generalizing just a bit too much. That may be true but I'm pretty sure there's people in debt all over the world, and I certainly did not give the advice to buy unless he could quickly pay it off. Not sure how this topic needed to take this tangent anyway.
Click to expand...

Why shouldn't this topic take this turn? We have opposite views, you think it's not bad to buy on credit if he's able to quickly pay it off. I think he should only buy it if he has the money. I agree there's people in debt all over the world, but if it's for 'luxury' items I think they made the wrong choice. And I do think that making that choice has a cultural basis (although I see a tendency in the NL to do this as well).
 
oblomow said:
Why shouldn't this topic take this turn? We have opposite views, you think it's not bad to buy on credit if he's able to quickly pay it off. I think he should only buy it if he has the money. I agree there's people in debt all over the world, but if it's for 'luxury' items I think they made the wrong choice. And I do think that making that choice has a cultural basis (although I see a tendency in the NL to do this as well).
Click to expand...

Actually the only real opposing view we have is that you seem to think my not instantly hating the idea of credit is based upon my having lived in america. That was the direction I didn't care to see this thread fall into, but I understand your point.

It's true that the line between wants and needs is easily blurred more and more these days, in many places round the globe. For the most part, I agree with what you've said, but I never intended for my advising the OP to treat himself if he can afford it to turn into something quite this serious. :p
 
I say if you can afford to pay it back and not pass the debt on to your family when you die then go ahead and enjoy!!!

When I first got my £700 MacBook I felt like I payed too much, what with the £300 PCs and OSx86, but after a few days I couldnt be happier with a computer!*

*Unless, of course, if was a full speced up Mac Pro! With 15GB RAM, 2TB of storage and 8 quad core extreme Intel processors!
 
If you can pay it off in 2 (3 is pushing it) months, go for it.

Otherwise, start saving your change.

and obviously the OP believes in using credit, otherwise he wouldn't have a credit card. end of credit/no credit argument.:cool:
 
Slothapotamus said:
My credit card peeps just kindly increased my limit without me asking. Now, I've always wanted a "real" guitar. I have a Fender Mexican Strat, and although it's good, it goes out of tune easily, the pickups sound a bit weak, etc. I've always wanted a genuine American made Strat or Tele (I've just seen the new Tele's Fender released and the Transparent Crimson Red looks fantastic).

My desire for one of these guitars is weighed against the price tag of £799. I'm so tempted just now, but the rational part of me is saying no. Luckily I'm single so I don't have a wife nagging me for bringing home a stupidly expensive guitar. Should I? Shouldn't I?
Click to expand...



iBlue said:
Can you afford to pay it off in a reasonable amount of time? (like say a few months and definitely less than a year) If so, hell, go ahead and treat yourself. :)
Click to expand...


I agree with iBlue, if you can afford to pay it of over 6-12 months then I say go and treat yourself.

oh and off topic but on the the subject of debt... Debt is only a problem if you can not afford to pay it off...
 
Buy it only if you can pay it off in 30 days and, more importantly, the wife agrees.
She won't I'd guess, if it puts you in debt you can't service.
Want it? Save up.
Want a future justifiable divorce? Buy it now. And pick up a few pedals and a nice amp. You'll need something to do when you're sitting in your one-bedroom flat with no wife, no food, and endless hours wondering how you'll make the support payments.
Maybe you can write a song about the experience?
:)
 
MattG said:
Just keep telling yourself "I'm worth it"

:D
Click to expand...

See, THAT'S the problem. Perhaps he should be thinking "Are WE worth it?"
Sure, your own soul is incredibly important, but lines have to be drawn, and this steps over it. Lack of dough or mismanagement of dough destroys marriages EVERY time.
 
calculus said:
It won't last if he buys that guitar though...
Click to expand...

He should buy the guitar, get famous, get groupies and then it won't matter if he is married or not ;). He can alway find paradise by the dashboard lights!:D

Seriously tho...buy the guitar. If it takes you a year to pay it off so be it. There is nothing like music, or making music to calm the soul. I've been playing for 25 years,(16 professionally before I changed careers and became a sysadmin). It's hard to make good music (what ever your definition maybe) with a crappy instrument...it's frustrating and makes youwant to walk away from it. If you don't buy it I suspect that you may regret it down the road..and dont' sell your current one...it's a good way to look back and see where you started. Also, have you though about buying a used American tele/strat. It does have the advantage of the wood being warmed up already and the price for an equally good instrument will be less.

Cheers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back