Author Topic: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On  (Read 18388 times)

toodleoo

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21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« on: November 24, 2014, 06:30:20 PM »
http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/11/21-women-on-the-dumbest-things-theyve-bought.html

“Fucking brunch. Fucking brunch is the reason I will never own property.”

At least some of these women seem like they are starting to get it...

kkbmustang

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2014, 07:57:28 PM »
http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/11/21-women-on-the-dumbest-things-theyve-bought.html

“Fucking brunch. Fucking brunch is the reason I will never own property.”

At least some of these women seem like they are starting to get it...

That was my favorite one.

brooklynmoney

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2014, 09:14:07 PM »
Serpentstooth I'm a chronically unfashionable and uninterested in clothing NYC lady who does something very similar for work. It is totally possible to live here and never spend $500 on purse or shoes etc.

senecando

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2014, 09:35:14 PM »
I'm an NYC woman and wow this is not my reality. I do splurge on a railroad pass instead of subway (it's twice as much) but it fixed my chronic backaches, so IDGAF. I'm really bad at being a New Yorker. My skirt and top are from Gap cost $18 total and I've accessorized with a lurid pair of handknit striped socks and some extra-frumpy nun shoes. And ironically, I work in PR.

I'm trying to piece together the railroad helping your back. Is it that you get to sit in the rail car? I have literally no idea. What makes it better?

senecando

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2014, 09:44:37 PM »
Rad, makes sense. The railcar reminds me of Star Tours at Disneyland.

Pooperman

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2014, 05:15:44 AM »
On the original brunch topic, an old coworker I was having lunch with a couple months ago told me how inexpensive the lunch was ($40 a person!!!). I asked what expensive was, she said "I've had brunches that cost $200, this isn't expensive." 😳

eyePod

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2014, 07:12:19 AM »
On the original brunch topic, an old coworker I was having lunch with a couple months ago told me how inexpensive the lunch was ($40 a person!!!). I asked what expensive was, she said "I've had brunches that cost $200, this isn't expensive." 😳

There's a brunch by us on Sundays that is $25 at a super fancy restaurant. We're having trouble justifying it, but figure it'll be a nice one to bring our parents to because it does have crab and all that. I don't like seafood, but I bet my family can eat enough crabs to justify the spending.

This one is my favorite
Quote
15. “I spend money on makeup, blowouts, and nail art, in huge part for the Instagram likes. It is probably the saddest thing about myself.” —Naomi, 27

I have no idea what a blowout is but I have a few guesses and they're not pretty. Hint: they involve a toilet.

I'm probably wrong though.

sheepstache

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2014, 07:20:52 AM »
Perhaps this crowd would enjoy the recent NY Times op-ed Brunch Is for Jerks.

GuitarStv

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2014, 07:35:57 AM »
I have no idea what a blowout is but I have a few guesses and they're not pretty. Hint: they involve a toilet.

I'm probably wrong though.

Our baby had a blowout once when he filled his diaper and kept on pooping.  I wouldn't pay money for one myself.

greenmimama

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2014, 08:19:49 AM »
On the original brunch topic, an old coworker I was having lunch with a couple months ago told me how inexpensive the lunch was ($40 a person!!!). I asked what expensive was, she said "I've had brunches that cost $200, this isn't expensive." 😳

There's a brunch by us on Sundays that is $25 at a super fancy restaurant. We're having trouble justifying it, but figure it'll be a nice one to bring our parents to because it does have crab and all that. I don't like seafood, but I bet my family can eat enough crabs to justify the spending.

This one is my favorite
Quote
15. “I spend money on makeup, blowouts, and nail art, in huge part for the Instagram likes. It is probably the saddest thing about myself.” —Naomi, 27

I have no idea what a blowout is but I have a few guesses and they're not pretty. Hint: they involve a toilet.

I'm probably wrong though.

A blowout is when you pay a hair stylist to wash and blow dry your hair straight, usually using a straightener also.

MrsPete

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2014, 08:27:56 AM »
Hmmm . . . I cannot relate to that article AT ALL, and I can't even define some of the terms.

GardenFun

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2014, 08:34:57 AM »
I have no idea what a blowout is but I have a few guesses and they're not pretty. Hint: they involve a toilet.

I'm probably wrong though.

Our baby had a blowout once when he filled his diaper and kept on pooping.  I wouldn't pay money for one myself.

Oh my gosh, I am crying here!  I am going to ask DH tonight what he thinks a blowout means.  ;-)

Greenmimama is correct.  Basically, you don't have hair styling skills (even though the same hair has been on your head your entire life), so you pay someone to wash it and dry it for you.  No cuts, no color.  Just wash and dry.

Scandium

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2014, 09:24:54 AM »
Quote
drugs, besides pot, because pot encourages not going out. Pot is a good investment.” —Erin, 31

That's my favorite

Kriegsspiel

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2014, 09:28:00 AM »
They were all pretty funny. The line return in #21 is very well placed (on my little netbook, anyways):

Quote
21. “I celebrated my job by buying a pair of Louboutins, and then got laid

off six months later. Ha! Ha! Ha!” —Melanie, 27

sheepstache

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #14 on: November 25, 2014, 09:30:10 AM »
Quote
drugs, besides pot, because pot encourages not going out. Pot is a good investment.” —Erin, 31

That's my favorite

I mean, you know what movie prices are like in New York? In terms of cost per hours of entertainment, it's pretty economical.

I mean, I've heard.

Doubleh

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2014, 10:11:27 AM »
Serpentstooth I'm a chronically unfashionable and uninterested in clothing NYC lady who does something very similar for work. It is totally possible to live here and never spend $500 on purse or shoes etc.

Every time I'm somewhere else I'm struck by how much more groomed NYC ladies are. It's not that they're working with prettier raw materials, but the blonde highlights and Lulu lemon and "I spend a lot of time in the gym to look like this" look is much more prevalent than elsewhere. In Seattle it's more like, "This is my good polar fleece and jeans, so I'm totally dressed up."

OMG you're cracking me up!  I am a native Seattlite and feel SOOOO out of place in NY.  Don't forget the Birkenstocks and your gortex shell.

I will also note I have never had/will never have a mani/pedi.  I didn't even know what those were until I moved to NYC.

As a Londoner who just visited NYC for the first time and is now in Seattle area visiting the in laws this made me laugh out loud, so true!

London is pretty fancy but NYC definitely takes it further in terms of everyone looking like they've stepped off an advertising shoot. As an example Barbour wax jackets are apparently fashionable in boh cities, but in NYC they all look brand new. In London you would be laughed at for that, the ideal there is that the jacket should look like it was inherited from your grandfather and is regularly used as a bed by a Labrador.

I have to say though, those pics of the subway looked like they would be considered half empty in London - not to mention Tokyo where the seats actually food away at rush hour so the entire train is standing room only!

eyePod

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2014, 10:34:44 AM »
Serpentstooth I'm a chronically unfashionable and uninterested in clothing NYC lady who does something very similar for work. It is totally possible to live here and never spend $500 on purse or shoes etc.

Every time I'm somewhere else I'm struck by how much more groomed NYC ladies are. It's not that they're working with prettier raw materials, but the blonde highlights and Lulu lemon and "I spend a lot of time in the gym to look like this" look is much more prevalent than elsewhere. In Seattle it's more like, "This is my good polar fleece and jeans, so I'm totally dressed up."

OMG you're cracking me up!  I am a native Seattlite and feel SOOOO out of place in NY.  Don't forget the Birkenstocks and your gortex shell.

I will also note I have never had/will never have a mani/pedi.  I didn't even know what those were until I moved to NYC.

As a Londoner who just visited NYC for the first time and is now in Seattle area visiting the in laws this made me laugh out loud, so true!

London is pretty fancy but NYC definitely takes it further in terms of everyone looking like they've stepped off an advertising shoot. As an example Barbour wax jackets are apparently fashionable in boh cities, but in NYC they all look brand new. In London you would be laughed at for that, the ideal there is that the jacket should look like it was inherited from your grandfather and is regularly used as a bed by a Labrador.

I have to say though, those pics of the subway looked like they would be considered half empty in London - not to mention Tokyo where the seats actually food away at rush hour so the entire train is standing room only!

In Japan there are people whose job it is to shove more people onto the train at rush hour! The pictures make me want to lie down in a dark room with a damp cloth on my head, though I suppose one can get used to anything.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NGlbwmF2Lh4/SnE8dg4EsLI/AAAAAAAAFIk/HBIyDoFl98E/s400/03.jpg

I was confused when Barbours became a trendy thing. My father has an ancient one he wears when walking around the woods and splitting firewood and stuff. It's very...worn in. They have pockets to shove your duck carcass, for heaven's sake! Not a fashion garment, to me!

Nothing will beat Beijing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifa9rdb4iH4 or India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzgabAhzDYM!

MgoSam

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2014, 10:52:38 AM »
My cousin told me that I shouldn't even think about retiring unless I have $3 million, he lives in Long Island. This article explains a lot of the difference in our lifestyles.

Chranstronaut

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2014, 10:56:18 AM »
I heard a talk radio host say that Seattle transplants are happier ...

Once you develop the ability to acquire a year's supply of Vitamin D between June and August, you're good to go! 

To be fair, we have our own silly expectations.  Spent hundreds on the trail shoes you only wear to work?  Awesome!  Let me put on my Arcteryx rain shell before we head to brunch, we might need to wait outside until one of the four tables inside opens up.

NumberJohnny5

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #19 on: November 25, 2014, 05:16:51 PM »
Nothing will beat Beijing!

Been there, done that, forgot to get a t-shirt. Everyone's really nice and polite on and off the train/subway, but once those doors open....

Oh, and speaking of dressing nice...I've yet to be anywhere where people are more fashionable than in Beijing. I remember we went to a mall (I forget how many stories, 10+ maybe), and kept thinking we'd eventually hit the non-clothing floor. We never did.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2014, 05:19:42 PM by NumberJohnny5 »

lielec11

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #20 on: November 26, 2014, 09:33:08 AM »
My cousin told me that I shouldn't even think about retiring unless I have $3 million, he lives in Long Island. This article explains a lot of the difference in our lifestyles.

I am also a current Long Island resident and I cannot WAIT to get married next year and explore cheaper places to live like North Carolina. I tried to convince the fiance to consider the PNW, like Oregon, but she wouldn't entertain that due to family ties on the east coast... sigh ....

Anyway, this one stuck out to me...

Quote
When I moved to New York, I had this really fucking dumb Carrie Bradshaw ideal of how I should dress and act.

...because that show is a guilty pleasure of the fiance and I cannot imagine how many woman have been set back due to believing this is how they NEED to live to survive. Such mind numbing worthless "entertainment". Also, the way these woman talk that were interviewed, it seems it will be years until they can turn their lives around. Sad really.

To touch on the NYC subway topic....after watching that video in Beijing now I know why most eastern-type Asians are so rude on the subway. By eastern I mean those that recently immigrated here and barely speak a lick of English. Not being racist, just what I've noticed.

LalsConstant

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #21 on: November 26, 2014, 09:40:14 AM »
What a strange premise for an article.

"19 Carson City Men Bemoan Their Terrible Former Jobs"

"23 Budapest Hermaphrodites Speculate On The Worst Lie They Ever Told"

Etc.

MrBuckBeard

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2014, 12:32:07 PM »
Here's my own dumb confession: I used to justify my spending because of stories like this. 

"Yeah, look, I know I spend $30 a week on lunch.  But that's five meals, five lunches.  Frank over there spends $30 on one meal.  And we make the same amount of money.  So I'm being wiser with mine."

I'm sure it won't affect people here on this blog, but that's my worry.  Someone reads how idiotic it is that this woman buys $20 mac 'n cheese meals just a few blocks from her home, and they then subconsciously rationalize that $10 meal they have.

I'm deciding for myself, it's okay to go out and eat, if that's what you want.  In fact, it's super nice to do that.  But it's got to be something in the budget, at least for me.  Which means, it's something I can do later, once I've cleaned up this credit card mess I've left myself.

Gerard

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2014, 08:42:46 PM »
"19 Carson City Men Bemoan Their Terrible Former Jobs"
"23 Budapest Hermaphrodites Speculate On The Worst Lie They Ever Told"

I have to confess I would probably read both of those.

mm1970

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #24 on: November 27, 2014, 09:12:55 AM »
I have no idea what a blowout is but I have a few guesses and they're not pretty. Hint: they involve a toilet.

I'm probably wrong though.

Our baby had a blowout once when he filled his diaper and kept on pooping.  I wouldn't pay money for one myself.

Oh my gosh, I am crying here!  I am going to ask DH tonight what he thinks a blowout means.  ;-)

Greenmimama is correct.  Basically, you don't have hair styling skills (even though the same hair has been on your head your entire life), so you pay someone to wash it and dry it for you.  No cuts, no color.  Just wash and dry.

Made me laugh so hard I'm crying.  Our 1 year old had a blowout on an 8 hour car ride, about one hour from our destination (MILs house).  The 7 year old was giving us a blow by blow "I can see it leaking out the side, he's reaching for it!".  Yes, we did an emergency diaper change on the side of the NY Thruway, about an hour from Schenectady.

It's pretty common here for blowouts to be offered as "prizes" at school functions.  We have a few moms who own or work for salons.  I just shrug because my hair is so stick straight, it would be lost on  me. 

mm1970

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #25 on: November 27, 2014, 09:14:46 AM »
Also funny: my neighbor up the street has 4 grown daughters.  2 live in NYC.  One supports herself as an artist by working 2 days a week as a waitress.

Anyway, one of the sisters who doesn't live in NYC was telling me that neither woman has ANY food in the fridge. They eat out EVERY meal.  They only go out and get milk when their mom is visiting.


pachnik

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #26 on: November 27, 2014, 09:18:12 AM »
Just for fun, I asked my husband what he thought a blow out was. 

Answer 1 - a very uneven hockey score such as 7 to 1 (obviously we are in Canada)
Answer 2 - when your tire blows out

I told him he was close but that it was having your hair washed and straightened/dried at a salon.  He just kind of looked at me.  I also have arrow-straight hair.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2014, 09:22:22 AM by pachnik »

ms

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #27 on: November 27, 2014, 09:36:25 AM »
Walking through the PATH here in downtown Toronto, I pass a mani place, a blow bar and a wax bar on my way to work.  There's always women there, sometimes the mani place is full.  Yeah, it would be nice to blow some money to have a nice manicure for work or right before the weekend or even if my hair was prettier than it is.. but bah.  No way am I going to actually do it.

So it's not just a NYC phenomenon.

GrayGhost

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #28 on: November 27, 2014, 10:39:38 PM »
I lived in the NY area for five years in college, and the best thing about it by far was the diversity. You can go to little Russia one weekend, then the next weekend, go to little India, then little Jamaica, etc etc etc. None of these things require shoes with French looking names or brunch. You can eat really well, and I mean superbly well, on $25 in NYC. That's a lot of money when you do it a few times a month, but I think it's worth it.

Spondulix

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #29 on: November 28, 2014, 02:50:14 AM »
I think most of these things would apply to women in Los Angeles, too. Except substitute "spending money on a taxi" to "wasting money on gas/parking to drive across town - especially during rush hour". Driving into Hollywood on a Friday night, parking, and one drink could easily cost $30!

MB1443

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #30 on: December 09, 2014, 06:21:57 PM »
Serpentstooth I'm a chronically unfashionable and uninterested in clothing NYC lady who does something very similar for work. It is totally possible to live here and never spend $500 on purse or shoes etc.

Every time I'm somewhere else I'm struck by how much more groomed NYC ladies are. It's not that they're working with prettier raw materials, but the blonde highlights and Lulu lemon and "I spend a lot of time in the gym to look like this" look is much more prevalent than elsewhere. In Seattle it's more like, "This is my good polar fleece and jeans, so I'm totally dressed up."

That's funny.  I moved to NY from the southeast and was shocked at how rough and ungroomed the woman seem.  And I live on the UES.  I find they wear expensive clothes but don't really take care of themselves.  Growing up with a southern upper class mother is on another level. 

MB1443

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #31 on: December 09, 2014, 06:25:37 PM »
Walking through the PATH here in downtown Toronto, I pass a mani place, a blow bar and a wax bar on my way to work.  There's always women there, sometimes the mani place is full.  Yeah, it would be nice to blow some money to have a nice manicure for work or right before the weekend or even if my hair was prettier than it is.. but bah.  No way am I going to actually do it.

So it's not just a NYC phenomenon.

New yorkers always think every single thing they do is unique and no one else in the world or US does as well.  What,people in new orleans go to brunch?  Women in DC have their hair blown out?  Mani/pedi?  Hell you can eat almost any cuisine in any mifsized city in america. 

MB1443

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #32 on: December 09, 2014, 06:28:44 PM »
Also funny: my neighbor up the street has 4 grown daughters.  2 live in NYC.  One supports herself as an artist by working 2 days a week as a waitress.

Anyway, one of the sisters who doesn't live in NYC was telling me that neither woman has ANY food in the fridge. They eat out EVERY meal.  They only go out and get milk when their mom is visiting.

You work longer hours and your kitchen size isn't large enough to cook well.  I spent 2k a month out of college years ago for a shit hole and had neithr kitchen counters or a dishwasher.  You're paying that rent to enjoy the city,not sit in a tiny apartment. 

MB1443

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #33 on: December 09, 2014, 06:32:46 PM »
I feel like a lot of spending in NY is driven by the fact home ownership in Manhattan is so unattainable.  Manhattan is the operative word.  The average one bedroom apartment is over one million.  And this is a coop most likely,meaning you can't put a mere 20 percent down.  We are talking 50 percent.  Then there are the taxes!  It justifies just paying your rent and enjoying the city. 

gimp

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #34 on: December 09, 2014, 07:08:22 PM »
Movie tickets were $25 for two in 2010. Don't want to think about what they are now.

PNW is really awesome if you like the weather. Very similar people (educated/overeducated), except less stress and hustle and bustle. If you work ten years in a high COL area you can move to the PNW and buy a house... cash... with a heated three-car garage with room to install a lift, and four bedrooms for all your kids, and a big yard for them to play with the dog... living in the bay area, ain't that some shit I could get behind. Less brunch, more... well, hiking some ridiculously beautiful mountains or going to the coast or whatever. Really, it's quite lovely, especially if you've spent a long time in a place like NYC.

Brunch is always weird. Who invented this notion of getting up on a lazy weekend to drop a bunch of money on food you can cook at home? Great way to seal the deal with a girl on a weekend morning, though, after she stays over. :) Have I mentioned that there are places in Portland where you can go a make-it-yourself bloody mary bar for brunch, $3 per? That's pretty fucking good. It sure beats $25 per (your bloody mary gets loaded enough to become a breakfast in itself.)

Megma

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #35 on: December 09, 2014, 08:13:56 PM »
Quote

I am also a current Long Island resident and I cannot WAIT to get married next year and explore cheaper places to live like North Carolina.

Yes come to North Carolina! BF and I moved to NC (triangle area) from Washington, DC last year, in part because of the lower cost of living and still reasonable salaries, job market and we love it. We were up visiting friends after being in NC for a year and with the traffic, crowds and crazy expensive everything and were so glad we had moved.

You can definitely go out for a nice brunch for $20/person including at least one mimosa. The first meal we ate out here was like $22 at a "normal" mid-range place and we were shocked when the bill came, the same meal in DC would have been at least $40.

skunkfunk

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #36 on: December 10, 2014, 07:14:19 AM »
They were all pretty funny. The line return in #21 is very well placed (on my little netbook, anyways):

Quote
21. “I celebrated my job by buying a pair of Louboutins, and then got laid

off six months later. Ha! Ha! Ha!” —Melanie, 27

What the hell? I just googled that and one come up for $7k. It looks exactly like every other profoundly uncomfortable shoe I've ever seen. Do people notice if you are wearing that?

Hell I just played a gig at the "Fortune Club" last night (fancy country club) and could not tell the difference between what those people were wearing and the cheap shit I see every day.

boy_bye

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #37 on: December 10, 2014, 07:20:32 AM »
They were all pretty funny. The line return in #21 is very well placed (on my little netbook, anyways):

Quote
21. “I celebrated my job by buying a pair of Louboutins, and then got laid

off six months later. Ha! Ha! Ha!” —Melanie, 27

What the hell? I just googled that and one come up for $7k. It looks exactly like every other profoundly uncomfortable shoe I've ever seen. Do people notice if you are wearing that?

Hell I just played a gig at the "Fortune Club" last night (fancy country club) and could not tell the difference between what those people were wearing and the cheap shit I see every day.

some people do notice louboutins -- they have a very distinctive, coveted red sole.

and although you didn't notice the difference between what the country club people were wearing, and what everyone else wears, i guarantee the country club people notice the difference ;)

skunkfunk

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #38 on: December 10, 2014, 07:23:08 AM »
They were all pretty funny. The line return in #21 is very well placed (on my little netbook, anyways):

Quote
21. “I celebrated my job by buying a pair of Louboutins, and then got laid

off six months later. Ha! Ha! Ha!” —Melanie, 27

What the hell? I just googled that and one come up for $7k. It looks exactly like every other profoundly uncomfortable shoe I've ever seen. Do people notice if you are wearing that?

Hell I just played a gig at the "Fortune Club" last night (fancy country club) and could not tell the difference between what those people were wearing and the cheap shit I see every day.

some people do notice louboutins -- they have a very distinctive, coveted red sole.

and although you didn't notice the difference between what the country club people were wearing, and what everyone else wears, i guarantee the country club people notice the difference ;)

Okay so what makes a red sole worth more money?

You're saying the only reason they can tell the difference is because they have researched it, most likely with their wallets. The only thing making them worth more is that people who want to buy expensive stuff decided they were cool?

boy_bye

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #39 on: December 10, 2014, 07:51:21 AM »
They were all pretty funny. The line return in #21 is very well placed (on my little netbook, anyways):

Quote
21. “I celebrated my job by buying a pair of Louboutins, and then got laid

off six months later. Ha! Ha! Ha!” —Melanie, 27

What the hell? I just googled that and one come up for $7k. It looks exactly like every other profoundly uncomfortable shoe I've ever seen. Do people notice if you are wearing that?

Hell I just played a gig at the "Fortune Club" last night (fancy country club) and could not tell the difference between what those people were wearing and the cheap shit I see every day.

some people do notice louboutins -- they have a very distinctive, coveted red sole.

and although you didn't notice the difference between what the country club people were wearing, and what everyone else wears, i guarantee the country club people notice the difference ;)

Okay so what makes a red sole worth more money?

You're saying the only reason they can tell the difference is because they have researched it, most likely with their wallets. The only thing making them worth more is that people who want to buy expensive stuff decided they were cool?

basically. i've never worn a pair of those shoes, but they are supposed to be beautifully made and quite comfortable for heels. being able to afford that level of quality confers status among people who notice such things. for me, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i read a book a few years ago called "deluxe: how luxury lost its luster," about how luxury items like these are almost all made in china now, by the same manufacturers who make items for everywhere else, so i'm guessing that the actual quality is less important nowadays than the assumed quality, and the status conferred by that quality. as long as the red sole is there, the actual quality doesn't matter as much...

eyePod

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #40 on: December 10, 2014, 08:21:02 AM »
They were all pretty funny. The line return in #21 is very well placed (on my little netbook, anyways):

Quote
21. “I celebrated my job by buying a pair of Louboutins, and then got laid

off six months later. Ha! Ha! Ha!” —Melanie, 27

What the hell? I just googled that and one come up for $7k. It looks exactly like every other profoundly uncomfortable shoe I've ever seen. Do people notice if you are wearing that?

Hell I just played a gig at the "Fortune Club" last night (fancy country club) and could not tell the difference between what those people were wearing and the cheap shit I see every day.

some people do notice louboutins -- they have a very distinctive, coveted red sole.

and although you didn't notice the difference between what the country club people were wearing, and what everyone else wears, i guarantee the country club people notice the difference ;)

Okay so what makes a red sole worth more money?

You're saying the only reason they can tell the difference is because they have researched it, most likely with their wallets. The only thing making them worth more is that people who want to buy expensive stuff decided they were cool?

basically. i've never worn a pair of those shoes, but they are supposed to be beautifully made and quite comfortable for heels. being able to afford that level of quality confers status among people who notice such things. for me, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i read a book a few years ago called "deluxe: how luxury lost its luster," about how luxury items like these are almost all made in china now, by the same manufacturers who make items for everywhere else, so i'm guessing that the actual quality is less important nowadays than the assumed quality, and the status conferred by that quality. as long as the red sole is there, the actual quality doesn't matter as much...

That's neat! I'd heard of Outlet stores actually having lower quality goods than the real stores, or Walmart forcing companies to make items with cheaper materials but have the same model # (so they could charge less), but hadn't heard of everything being the same, just with different tags. Lexus got hosed with this in the 90's where they thought they could just make a Camry and plop a lexus logo on it and sell it for more. People kind of noticed...

sheepstache

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #41 on: December 10, 2014, 02:07:56 PM »
At some point, people are simply paying for the perceived status/luxury and not for quality. I'll believe that $70 shoes are better than $7 shoes I highly doubt $7000 shoes would be 100x better than $70 shoes.

I will put money that both of those shoes are made in China, with the same materials, machines and workers. You are more than likely paying for the branding. 

As far as the super expensive shoes, I don't ever see any value on something like that but a lot of them are hand made using top quality materials. No, I don't think ANY shoe, EVER, is worth more than say $200 and this is for Timberland boots which are guaranteed for life(up to certain aspects).

But the thing with that, and with the 'oh, everything's made in china' issue, is that companies can just pick the inventory that seems to be higher quality.  If they try a batch that's a dud, those can get sold on to some no-name Payless line. If Payless is selling something that's actually super sweet, some middle-of-the-road brand can buy that line and re-brand it.  When you're buying a trusted brand, you're just buying the curation. But the curation might be getting you better shoes. People are just disenchanted because there's no longer this idea that companies are carefully designing shoes from scratch and building them in their own factories. But so long as Timberland and Nike etc. have brand identity to protect, there's a good chance you're actually buying a higher quality product from them.

mm1970

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #42 on: December 10, 2014, 02:49:09 PM »
Also funny: my neighbor up the street has 4 grown daughters.  2 live in NYC.  One supports herself as an artist by working 2 days a week as a waitress.

Anyway, one of the sisters who doesn't live in NYC was telling me that neither woman has ANY food in the fridge. They eat out EVERY meal.  They only go out and get milk when their mom is visiting.

You work longer hours and your kitchen size isn't large enough to cook well.  I spent 2k a month out of college years ago for a shit hole and had neithr kitchen counters or a dishwasher.  You're paying that rent to enjoy the city,not sit in a tiny apartment.
So, I lived in DC out of college and paid a bunch and didn't know how to cook, so I ate out a ton too. But boy, I wish I hadn't.  I did, at least, know how to make a sandwich or a bagel, so I only ate out weekdays.

capital

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Re: 21 NYC Women Confess the Dumbest Thing They Spend Their Money On
« Reply #43 on: December 15, 2014, 11:13:20 PM »
At some point, people are simply paying for the perceived status/luxury and not for quality. I'll believe that $70 shoes are better than $7 shoes I highly doubt $7000 shoes would be 100x better than $70 shoes.

I will put money that both of those shoes are made in China, with the same materials, machines and workers. You are more than likely paying for the branding. 

As far as the super expensive shoes, I don't ever see any value on something like that but a lot of them are hand made using top quality materials. No, I don't think ANY shoe, EVER, is worth more than say $200 and this is for Timberland boots which are guaranteed for life(up to certain aspects).
Many expensive shoes and boots (especially men's shoes) are actually built in first-world countries, and designed to be resoleable and otherwise repairable, so they can last many years.

Of course, above a certain point, one gets into diminishing returns. But many $300 (retail, but never pay retail!) boots are significantly nicer, and can have a much longer life, than $100 and many $200 boots.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!