So, what expensive stuff IS acceptable?

I spend half the week in rural Sussex, and half in a well-off bit of Surrey.

In Sussex we have small cars outside big houses, in Surrey it seems to be big cars outside small houses.

go figure

In my opinion, stuff that’s expensive in relation to other things that do the same job are justifiable of they do it better, or for longer, or enable me to complete whatever the given job is with more satisfaction, if that makes sense.
Arcteryx are a bunch of arseholes. They tried to reject a warranty claim on a £600(I didn’t pay that much mind you but it’s still a very expensive coat!) LEAF Alpha jacket because of blisters forming in the fabric after 6 months of ownership as apparently the warranty covers their construction of the item but not the stuff it’s made of. After a lot of ever shirtier emails I got a replacement which ended up being sold unopened. I’ll never buy from them again.

Edukator – Troll
Stuff that is slightly more expensive because it is locally made, British made, European made (but not Swiss made because Switzerland is a financial rogue state).

Food stuff that is slightly more expensive because lower productivity resulted from better conditions for animals and less chemicals/drugs being used. Local seasonal fruit within reason.

Stuff that has a lower environmental impact (which doesn’t always mean lower carbon footprint).

Stuff that is healthier, for example recycled polyester or hemp insulation is more expensive than glass fibre but they are healthier to work with. A petrol car even if it has a marginally higher CO2 rating.

Stuff from companies with better corporate ethics. No Nestlé (they’re Swiss anyhow), no mains gas connection, no Apple (but lots of locally grown apples)

Hair shirts

Switzerland is a financial rogue state

So’s the UK, so logically we should be supporting the Swiss, surely?

Artwork. Its ok to spank serious money on artwork, because you can buy something you really love, and get to look at it all the time while tilting your head slightly, scratching your chin, furrowing your brow and looking thoughtful.

Admittedly it doesn’t tell the time though.

Maybe a nice clock then

Its ok to pay more for something when it results in more pleasure being derived directly from its function or its form. Not just becuase you want to look like a billy big balls to other humans.

And who exactly is the one that gets to decide which of these cases apply? The owner or observer?

And here we come to the real problem, people might have tastebuds firmly wedged up their arse and buy truly horrific shit (such as the shite that passes as a light fitting these days) but does that make them bad people simply for having different tastes to you? Or does it come back to money and the sense of entitlement some people feel they have in telling other folk how they should be spending it?

As for investing in a watch, invest away. If it does better than a savings account then you would be stupid not to, it isn’t like the fabric of your watch can collapse overnight unlike the fantasy of your savings (£80000 fcs compensation notwithstanding). At least with a watch you have something tangible to hold on to should the worst happen knowing that at least someone, somewhere in the world will give you a few sheckels for it unlike a wheelbarrow full of Reichmarks. Even if it never appreciated in value you would still be better off.

As for art, don’t get me started on that pretentious bollocks (liking different things shocker…)

I would agree with things that go bang.
Also on a slightly more day to day note, Wellies. Cheap ones are crap if you have worn nice ones.
However to all of this, better than expensive is expensive stuff bought cheaply.

… is ok, and has a great logo, but it’s seriously overpriced.

Like. most . of. the. stuff. mentioned. in. this. thread.

And anything that pisses off the jealous types.

Wellies. Cheap ones are crap if you have worn nice ones.

You are David Cameron and I claim my free sandbags

😉

servants, can’t have too many

Match air pistols.

This one has transformed my shooting.

And anything that pisses off the jealous types.

that’s priceless, an intangible benefit that keeps on giving long after the frisson of excitement at the moment of purchase fades.

Ice tools.

Nice Steyr. I’ve had a few FAS pistols in the past but always wanted to try a Steyr after owning an LG110 rifle.

I said I’d report when I hit Shiny Town…

Only seen one massive watch so far, but two mates have just ordered new cars.. cos the ones they have they bought this time last year, nothing new there then.

So sadly it’s a disappointing report for y’as all.

Why is there a pressure gauge at the end of that pistol? Surely that means you have to look down the barrel to check the gauge :-/

Wooden children’s toys

bencooper – Member
Books. You can’t have too many books.

Leather-bound books?

Boats, youre allowed to spend whatever you like on boats.

Italian speedboats?

BadlyWiredDog:

Nice tools.

FTFY. 😉

Cheap wellies are worn by people who do the gardening in them or take a stroll in the park. Expensive wellies are worn by those that have to work in them all day, walk long distances or want to look cool at Glastonbury.

@bikebouy Shirley they are advertising the fact they where uncertain about their bonus, those in the know ordered their boats and cars last year for delivery in the Spring 😉

As far as I have observed on here its not acceptable to buy expensive bikes or spend extra by buying from fhe LBS, stuff has to be used or bought off the cheapest possible internet supplier ideally a foreign one

And anything that pisses off the jealous types.

Yeah, that’s it, it’s jealousy that makes people laugh at you.

GPS running watches

Car winter tyres for those two or three days a year the temperature falls low enough to warrant their use.

Leather-bound books?

My sofa isn’t leather.

Years ago we rented out our house for a TV company to make a commercial. They liked our living room, apart from the bookshelves.

“Have you read all those books?”
“Yes.”
“Really?!”
“Yes – many of them several times.”
“Well, most people don’t read much – do you mind if we put wall hangings over most of them?”

Nothing wrong with buying expensive kit.

But buying kit just because it’s expensive makes you look like a knob.

I think that’s about it?

Italian speedboats?

yep, they’re definitely allowed,as are scandinavian boats. The more impractical the better.

I disagree with the cheap wellie comment. I’ve had both expensive and cheap wellies and worked in both, but the cheap pair still live and are waterproof, whilst the expensive pair have fallen apart. I’ll admit that they were no _really_ expensive ones (I.e. Le Chameau), but they were not cheap.

Tools. It’s ok to spend money on good quality tools.

Good quality chocolate,
Shoes
Boots
Curtains – yes curtains. If you buy good fabric and have them made up professionally by someone who measures properly and knows what they’re doing, the curtains will last for years.

As opposed to my IKEA ones that have crumbled to dust in a matter of months 😉

molgrips – you’ll be using them to clean your bike with next year 😉

Curtains? We don’t have those, proper wooden shutters here. 8)

83 years old.

Leather-bound books?

Or a leather bound Binner

Or a leather bound Binner

<adds that to the Never Google Again list>

Bike parts of course .
Probably cordless power tools as cheap ones are usually rubbish
Engagement rings I would imagine pass the ‘J.Christ , I could buy a new bike for that and its tiny, but I just got to have it ‘ test. maybe .

Hair shirts

Well, I’m due to receive one made from Yak hair*, and it ain’t cheap.
*actually it’s Yak wool, but I won’t let that get in the way. 😉

Old stuff? 1930s,40s,50s (some 60s kit) cars or bikes or boats or aeroplanes…
And tools, though nowadays great tools can often be bought for much less.

A nice ring,