• Perfumes

  • The member still hasn't selected the perfume she/he is currently wearing

  • pingui
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Philadelphia, PA
  • Registered: 2011-12-01
  • Posts: 394

Re: To buy or not to buy?

I say go for it if it is truly in your budget to do so. I agree also on finding ways to cut expenses during this time as well.

As for furniture, (and I used to work as an interior designer), you can find some great deals in thrift stores, in dumpsters, and even tag sales. You can use paint , new handles, and 1 yard of fabric to create a gem on little money.

In college, I jumped into a dumpster to pull out a beautiful coffee table that just needed the top to be refinished. I had never refinished anything, but went to the hardware store, asked questions, and then did it myself! I had a new coffee table for $15.

  • Registered: 2012-05-17
  • Posts: 1

Re: To buy or not to buy?

I must say I understand your plight. But, honestly, do you love the perfume more than your boyfriend? I'm going to go with probably not. Is a frag, however irresistible worth incurring his wrath? Also....probably not. Why not drop hints about this precious last bottle on earth? You may be pleasantly surprised.  wink And, if he still thinks the large bottle is too pricey, go with the smaller! That way you'll both be happy.

"A woman's perfume tells more about her than her handwriting."
~Christian Dior
  • From: Turkey
  • Registered: 2011-08-10
  • Posts: 1,916

Re: To buy or not to buy?

Sweetie, this wont cause to a fight and you know this..he will just become a little angry (as my hubby) and then you will explain him why you bought it with all your cuteness wink

As you know, I have bought my first Serge Lutens last month in Germany (despite my financial problems because of our new house) since I didnt know when I would have the next chance to buy it or if I would ever have the chance..

So, both of us know that you will get it sooner or later..in fact on Saturday  47

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2011-05-09
  • Posts: 561

Re: To buy or not to buy?

let us know what happens. i would get the decant at least you have something.

  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2010-10-15
  • Posts: 1,666

Re: To buy or not to buy?

rondine wrote:
DarkClarissa wrote:

Is your relationship worth risking for a perfume? If you do it without telling him...you might ruin whatever trust you have between you.

Trust is the cornerstone of any decent relationship.

Talk to him.

  26



Men don't leave because women make some unplanned purchases. When a man is in love he forgives such trivialities as long as he sees his woman HAPPY (!!)

I voted 'yes'.

So, so true, Rondine.  You are right once again, my fellow Zed Lepellini fan.  . . . I am a traveller of both time and space, to be where I have been.

"Rage, rage against the dying of the light!" "(And) always smell as nice as possible."  (From prologue of Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins)
  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2010-10-15
  • Posts: 1,666

Re: To buy or not to buy?

MrsLetterO wrote:

Methinks this little conundrum is being taken too seriously.

Nobody is going to starve in a week! Whip up some recession specials. The joy of having nice things at the expense of something else is how we learn value.  rock

Peace out. Haha.

Good one, Mrs. L!

It's all part of the highly overrated thing we call Adulthood, right?  lol  Making your choices and living with the consequences . . .

And yeah, recession specials, lol for some, top ramen, for me would be brown rice and beans, maybe some broccoli and squash, there's hardly anything cheaper (or healthier too!)

"Rage, rage against the dying of the light!" "(And) always smell as nice as possible."  (From prologue of Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins)
  • Registered: 2010-07-10
  • Posts: 530

Re: To buy or not to buy?

rondine wrote:

I heard or read it somewhere recently (don't remember where), the right answer is the one which side you wish for the moment you are tossing a coin and while it's still up in the air  smile So what do you think?

Thank you for posting this Rondine.  As a person who has dithered on the fence on several occasions, I see this as a gem and so true.

Good luck with your decision Ineverwas, and let us know what you do.

Formerly 'perfumecollector'.
  • From: EU
  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 4,774

Re: To buy or not to buy?

rondine wrote:
DarkClarissa wrote:

Is your relationship worth risking for a perfume? If you do it without telling him...you might ruin whatever trust you have between you.

Trust is the cornerstone of any decent relationship.

Talk to him.

  26


Men don't leave because women make some unplanned purchases. When a man is in love he forgives such trivialities as long as he sees his woman HAPPY (!!)

I voted 'yes'.

Yay! Totally agree hjarta

But I did tell him anyways, today, and he was okay with it (I promised to be very nice and sweet this week)

Last edited by ineverwas (2012-05-18 05:07:03)

Myers Briggs: INTP  |  Enneagram: 5w6 sp
  • From: EU
  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 4,774

Re: To buy or not to buy?

rondine wrote:

I heard or read it somewhere recently (don't remember where), the right answer is the one which side you wish for the moment you are tossing a coin and while it's still up in the air  smile So what do you think?

Very very true... I read this somewhere too and I often use it for deciding what to do. Don't know why I haven't in this matter, most probably because I already knew I wanted to buy it, I just didn't know if it was a the best decision.

Myers Briggs: INTP  |  Enneagram: 5w6 sp
  • From: EU
  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 4,774

Re: To buy or not to buy?

candymarie wrote:
MrsLetterO wrote:

Methinks this little conundrum is being taken too seriously.

Nobody is going to starve in a week! Whip up some recession specials. The joy of having nice things at the expense of something else is how we learn value.  rock

Peace out. Haha.

Good one, Mrs. L!

It's all part of the highly overrated thing we call Adulthood, right?  lol Making your choices and living with the consequences . . .

And yeah, recession specials,  lol for some, top ramen, for me would be brown rice and beans, maybe some broccoli and squash, there's hardly anything cheaper (or healthier too!)

True that ladies!

When I said 'food money' I didn't mean that I would starve for a week (sorry if that sounded dramatic, my bad) - of course I won't be eating out but it won't be that dire either. I do have money saved for rent and other bills this month so I'll dive into that a bit - which is kind of bad but... well...  glad . Plus my boyfriend has his own money - we don't keep our budgets together yet but we're thinking about having a common one for the house - which obviously I'll be contributing zilch to this week  glad

He's much more self-controlled than I am, he's the financially cautious type always having his savings for rainy days. But it's true when it comes to mobile phones and laptops, he can go overboard too.  glad

So it'll be chicken and rice for the next 7 days for me.  tongue

I'm buying the lovely bottle this evening, hope it will still be there waiting for me (nervooouusss!).

Last edited by ineverwas (2012-05-18 05:20:38)

Myers Briggs: INTP  |  Enneagram: 5w6 sp
  • From: Bulgaria
  • Registered: 2011-06-19
  • Posts: 1,088

Re: To buy or not to buy?

ineverwas wrote:
candymarie wrote:
MrsLetterO wrote:

Methinks this little conundrum is being taken too seriously.

Nobody is going to starve in a week! Whip up some recession specials. The joy of having nice things at the expense of something else is how we learn value.  rock

Peace out. Haha.

Good one, Mrs. L!

It's all part of the highly overrated thing we call Adulthood, right?  lol Making your choices and living with the consequences . . .

And yeah, recession specials,  lol for some, top ramen, for me would be brown rice and beans, maybe some broccoli and squash, there's hardly anything cheaper (or healthier too!)

True that ladies!

When I said 'food money' I didn't mean that I would starve for a week (sorry if that sounded dramatic, my bad) - of course I won't be eating out but it won't be that dire either. I do have money saved for rent and other bills this month so I'll dive into that a bit - which is kind of bad but... well...  glad . Plus my boyfriend has his own money - we don't keep our budgets together yet but we're thinking about having a common one for the house - which obviously I'll be contributing zilch to this week  glad

He's much more self-controlled than I am, he's the financially cautious type always having his savings for rainy days. But it's true when it comes to mobile phones and laptops, he can go overboard too.  glad

So it'll be chicken and rice for the next 7 days for me.  tongue

I'm buying the lovely bottle this evening, hope it will still be there waiting for me (nervooouusss!).

30 You are so sweet!

Last edited by Hrisi (2012-05-18 05:25:58)

“You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”
Stephen King, the best contemporary autor!

Hrisi's Website

  • From: EU
  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 4,774

Re: To buy or not to buy?

PerfumeWhore wrote:
ineverwas wrote:

Just found the (probably) last bottle on Earth of discontinued http://fimgs.net/images/perfume/m.10779.jpg  L Artisan Parfumeur Jour de Fete, which I absolutely LOVE... and I'm thinking about buying it this weekend, BUT it will cost me my food money for the whole week because it's darn expensive... AND my boyfriend will kill me if he finds out (because we're supposedly saving money for buying furniture and stuff for our new apartment)...

...but I love it and it's discontinued and extremely hard to find anywhere...

So... should I splurge or not?

  36

If I read carefully, I see that you KNOW you are getting it without telling him and you will let him find out when and if he finds out. You are not asking for a life lesson. So why is everyone telling you whether or not to "talk to your boyfriend", "say the truth", "who controls finances in a relationship" ... blah blah........... There is nothing serious here. You simply feel a little guilty buying this right now, but at the same time feel like splurging a little. If you buy it, you will find a way to balance it to make up for the $. If you don't buy it, you will still find a way to balance it to get it later. I don't think the issue here is you wondering if you should tell your boyfriend, or even better (or worse), ask him for permission, right?

Haha, definitely so... apparently many of us feel guilty towards our partners for splurging from time to time... and we need some validation for doing so. Which is what I was secretly hoping for too, everybody going 'sure, go ahead, life is short, buy it etc." - what surprised me is how much the relationship got into discussion.

Which is not a bad thing, in fact in made me more aware that if I am honest and tell him, things might work out for the better. So I did tell him, I probably wouldn't have done that otherwise - and it wouldn't have been much better or much worse, but I think it's a bit easier this way. And it's nice that he knows and I won't have to hide it from him or hide the fact that I'm short of money which would raise questions.

My curse (or luck) is that I'm being payed weekly so on one hand I can never run out of money for a long time and on the other hand I can't really splurge spontaneously because I need to save for bigger purchases.

Myers Briggs: INTP  |  Enneagram: 5w6 sp
  • From: EU
  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 4,774

Re: To buy or not to buy?

serchina wrote:

Sweetie, this wont cause to a fight and you know this..he will just become a little angry (as my hubby) and then you will explain him why you bought it with all your cuteness  wink

As you know, I have bought my first Serge Lutens last month in Germany (despite my financial problems because of our new house) since I didnt know when I would have the next chance to buy it or if I would ever have the chance..

So, both of us know that you will get it sooner or later..in fact on Saturday  47

Yes we will...  47

Myers Briggs: INTP  |  Enneagram: 5w6 sp
  • From: EU
  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 4,774

Re: To buy or not to buy?

pingui wrote:

I say go for it if it is truly in your budget to do so. I agree also on finding ways to cut expenses during this time as well.

As for furniture, (and I used to work as an interior designer), you can find some great deals in thrift stores, in dumpsters, and even tag sales. You can use paint , new handles, and 1 yard of fabric to create a gem on little money.

In college, I jumped into a dumpster to pull out a beautiful coffee table that just needed the top to be refinished. I had never refinished anything, but went to the hardware store, asked questions, and then did it myself! I had a new coffee table for $15.

I love this idea! Thank you pingui...

And not necessarily because it cheaper, but some older furniture pieces have an amazing design and are totally worth reconditioning.

Myers Briggs: INTP  |  Enneagram: 5w6 sp
  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2009-08-23
  • Posts: 1,029

Re: To buy or not to buy?

Buy it, and enjoy!  If you don't you will surely regret it.

  • From: Kuwait
  • Registered: 2010-12-20
  • Posts: 3,236

Re: To buy or not to buy?

51

I voted for (No) , in spite of I passed in the same situation and chose No.1  rodna,, but then I discovered that I was wrong  tongue

daisymargueritte wrote:
ineverwas wrote:

As for food - who needs it when you have perfume, right?  tongue

  45 We'll be slim & nice smelling, yay!

“Being attractive through simplicity is the game of clever women only”
  • Registered: 2012-05-16
  • Posts: 19

Re: To buy or not to buy?

I have voted for not buying it. Anyway its discontinued and u will not get another bottle later. So why fight with your boyfriend for something which u cant have for the rest of your life??

  • From: NLs
  • Registered: 2011-12-23
  • Posts: 493

Re: To buy or not to buy?

30 Roses wrote:

This is not the last bottle-- you only fear that it may be. There are always more that show up on eBay from time to time. Save your money so that when the next bottle shows up, you will be able to buy it without all the stress.

Or-- sell something to pay for it.

This is about the best reply sofar.. so am saying +1!

Your relationship with your bf is one of trust. How can someone trust you when you belie that trust and still buy something expensive when you're then coming short on money for food? Food IS a basic necessity, whereas whether you like it or not, fragrance is a luxury item.

Get a decant, sell something to get it or just realize that there will always be other opportunities .. and, gasp, you may find something else that you'll be 'dying to get' .



ETA: ah, I see you've decided to get it and ... talked about it w your friend. Glad to see it was as dramatic re food budget as you made it sound.
It made me realize I should start budgeting my expenses too.. while I know exactly how much I paid for each fragrance (samples too!) I haven't done basic budgeting in eons. This hobby is starting to cost me more than I realized, which makes it important to apply budgets again.. having chunks of money devoted to each 'slot' is best .

For now I've allotted a maximum of €100 /mo and aiming for an average of €50 or when I go over, have to limit the next month.

Enjoy your new acquisition!

Last edited by Espi (2012-05-18 07:35:15)

"The result was not a diet so much as an invasion—the infiltration of perfume into nearly every aspect of my life touched by food."
  • From: NLs
  • Registered: 2011-12-23
  • Posts: 493

Re: To buy or not to buy?

pingui wrote:

I say go for it if it is truly in your budget to do so. I agree also on finding ways to cut expenses during this time as well.

As for furniture, (and I used to work as an interior designer), you can find some great deals in thrift stores, in dumpsters, and even tag sales. You can use paint , new handles, and 1 yard of fabric to create a gem on little money.

In college, I jumped into a dumpster to pull out a beautiful coffee table that just needed the top to be refinished. I had never refinished anything, but went to the hardware store, asked questions, and then did it myself! I had a new coffee table for $15.

Quoting this one: furniture can be had at awesome prices in thrift stores.. we had a perfect leather 2 seater couch for 3 years which my FIL had found abandoned on the street (to be picked up as 'large waste') and gave to us. When we had enough of it, we also put it on the street curb to be picked up by as 'large waste' and.. likewise it disappeared before the company even arrived.

People get fed up with their furniture before it's used up and you can get really nice stuff for little money. Even when you insist on new, there's always the budget option of getting IKEA furniture (which is done by like 50% of people here)

"The result was not a diet so much as an invasion—the infiltration of perfume into nearly every aspect of my life touched by food."
  • Perfumes

  • The member still hasn't selected the perfume she/he is currently wearing

  • whiteshoulders
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2011-05-08
  • Posts: 4,600

Re: To buy or not to buy?

Enjoy your perfume.  Chicken And rice for a week sounds good; we would eat that anyhow!

Start a fund for these purchases and put a small amount in each week!

A true friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.
  • From: NLs
  • Registered: 2011-12-23
  • Posts: 493

Re: To buy or not to buy?

Heehee.. take a jar like Udaria always loves to point out, to make it visual!

Sometimes it is really difficult to learn with non-physical money.. nowadays we rarely pay cash for our purchases and because of this, money becomes harder to 'budget' since it is not as visual as it used to be for our (grand)parents: except for their savings /bank account, they just had the physical money to deal with and when that was gone.. everything was gone.

Much easier to budget that way!

"The result was not a diet so much as an invasion—the infiltration of perfume into nearly every aspect of my life touched by food."
  • From: EU
  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 4,774

Re: To buy or not to buy?

Thank you for your replies and wise advice everyone!

I have just purchased the bottle (which was the last they had) and I'm extremely happy and elated of course (YAY!). Plus a ton of samples from L'Artisan and Annick Goutal to go with the purchase.

I have also told my boyfriend and got his okay before buying it  superglad . With a liiiiittle lower stated price than the actual one  tongue

Well, anyhow, I'm very happy and I don't think there will be any regrets over this one! It's a beauty and it was supposed to be mine and sooner rather than later!

Love you all for participating and helping me!

  11

Last edited by ineverwas (2012-05-18 10:43:45)

Myers Briggs: INTP  |  Enneagram: 5w6 sp
  • Registered: 2010-10-06
  • Posts: 1,045

Re: To buy or not to buy?

ineverwas wrote:

Thank you for your replies and wise advice everyone!

I have just purchased the bottle (which was the last they had) and I'm extremely happy and elated of course (YAY!). Plus a ton of samples from L'Artisan and Annick Goutal to go with the purchase.

I have also told my boyfriend and got his okay before buying it  superglad . With a liiiiittle lower stated price than the actual one  tongue

Well, anyhow, I'm very happy and I don't think there will be any regrets over this one! It's a beauty and it was supposed to be mine and sooner rather than later!

Love you all for participating and helping me!

  11

Woohoo!! Good on you! I`m glad it has turned out alright after all, definitely no regrets then!

Enjoy your new perfume glad

  • Registered: 2011-09-01
  • Posts: 386

Re: To buy or not to buy?

Very happy for you!

But come on! Have pity on us, wont you tell us how much?  79

  • From: EU
  • Registered: 2010-01-23
  • Posts: 4,774

Re: To buy or not to buy?

PerfumeWhore wrote:

Very happy for you!

But come on! Have pity on us, wont you tell us how much?  79

Haha, I'll tell you: $170

Myers Briggs: INTP  |  Enneagram: 5w6 sp