Happy Friday: Vera Bradley Splurge
Sent from reader, Joan:
Hi Collin! I’ve been a long time reader of your site and I just have to share what a cheapskate I am. I know you don’t really care for Vera Bradley stuff but I’ve wanted a Vera Bradley backpack purse for 10 years! That’s right—10 years. Over the years, I’ve seen you post sales for Vera Bradley but the prices just weren’t low enough for me. I’ve also looked at Vera Bradley retailers in person but their prices have been too high for me too. You see, these little backpack purses retail for $89. That is just crazy to me!
I always dreamed I’d find an amazing deal on a Vera Bradley purse but it just never happened and 10 years went by. Well, I turned 40 and my husband knows about my dream of getting a Vera Bradley purse and he said, “just go get it, whatever the price”. Due to our frugal lifestyle and working hard, we can easily afford this. So, I finally bought one for $50 including shipping on ebay. I absolutely love my new purse! I look back at how silly and stubborn I was to wait so long to get something I’d enjoy so much! I’ve learned that paying a little more for something you will enjoy for years to come shouldn’t be a big deal if you can afford it. Tell your readers to realize that even though it is fun and rewarding to live a frugal lifestyle, they should treat themselves once in awhile if it doesn’t “break the bank”.
HAPPY FRIDAY! 😀
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Love Vera! Enjoy your bag Joan! 😄
I love this story! Congrats on the new purse Joan! glad your husband pushed you to get it 😉 happy Friday all!
Even though I don’t need the competition, you should check out shopgoodwill.com, they have alot of new VB items and you can even search by city so you can pick up at a local sorting facility and save on shipping.
This sounds great, thanks for the tip!
So true! You just convinced me to buy a travel wallet I’ve wanted for over a year. Thanks 😉
Love it! I got one of those backpack bags for around $30 last year. If you sign up for their emails they send a $20 off email every month or so-stack that with a good sale for awesome savings!
Good for you Joan! 🙂
I agree…if you can sometimes afford to, enjoy yourself! Life is too short.
Wow…you don’t look 40! Happy Birthday and enjoy your purse 🙂
That’s exactly why I coupon – so I can afford the little luxuries in life!
Lol. In college, my bff would always ask me “How do you afford everything u do?” And I used to tell him bc I worked 3 jobs, which I did. But what I never told him (idk y, maybe bc I was embarrassed being so young always using coupons, maybe bc his family is wealthy…) was that I ALWAYS used coupons on things I needed and splurged/ enjoyed things I wanted. Now as young adults, he knows my secret and LOVES That about me. Whenever we go places or do something, he tells me “I admire that you save so much on things you need so you can afford to buy things you want.” Like my Coach bags 😉
Love it!!! The one reason why I coupon to save money….COACH!!! Love love love my coach purses!!!!
Ha ha I also coupon and use my hard-saved money to buy Coach! Especially those nice full-price style gets deleted and shows up clearanced on Coach’s official outlet website. No guilt at all!
Agreed (and, congrats)! 🙂
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your pretty new purse!
Love this story! My grandmother is 85 and her mother is currently 105! One thing they taught me is a bargain isn’t always a bargain if you don’t need it. They taught me to save until you can get things you really enjoy instead of filling up your house with a bunch of “bargains”—–surround yourself with things you love.
Awesome advice! Enjoy your grandmother & great grandmother–wow, what longevity they have. 🙂
I absolutely agree with Joan. For us, being frugal in most areas of our finances allows us to indulge other places we normally wouldn’t be able to. I am ok if that makes some of my efforts a “wash” because life is too short to not enjoy the things that make you happy.
So true! I learned a few years ago I had to quit being so cheap and splurge on things sometimes. I use to always admire things and go years wanting them but wouldn’t ever buy them. I finally gave in and bought a pair of silver jeans I had wanted so bad and they’ve paid for themselves!!! Sometimes it’s worth the price if you enjoy it!!
Gordmans is a great place to find awesome deals on silver jeans.
I don’t have one of those- or I’ve never heard of it?? I did wait until these went 1/2 off at a local boutique though.
Yay for you!! 🙂 I agree!
What an awesome story and great advice!!
I’m so glad you were finally able to get the bag you wanted!! Cute print too! 🙂
a great story that many of us hipsters can relate to! Happy Birthday! 🙂
I learned this lesson too. Especially with shoes. I’ve always purchased cheap shoes- but I play a lot of sports, and the wear and tear on your joints and muscles is tough. My dad bought me this really expensive pair of cleats Id always wanted for Christmas one year, and it made all the difference in the world! My knees no longer throbbed after an all weekend tournament. It’s important to spend more on things that impact your long term life!
I’m glad you went out and got the bag. It is worth it to treat ourselves from time to time.
Frugality is awesome – because when you do splurge, you totally appreciate it! Enjoy it Joan!
Great advice! Happy birthday and enjoy!
This is such an important thing to remember. Thanks for sharing!
I get all mine from thrift stores for usually under 10 dollars. I have over 30 Vera Bradely items. I’m obsessed, lol
from one of my favorite episodes of Parks and Rec, it’s definitely good to “treat yo’self!”
kudos to you for getting yourself something you wanted, but kudos to your husband for recognizing you deserve a treat! next time you want something, don’t wait ten years. life is too short, and those little joys make all the difference. I love how happy you look! forty smorty…..you look 25!
Dude, hit up some garage sales! All of my Vera Bradley is brand new with tags from sales. Including that very backpack, $10! I use and abuse these things, they’re like spandex, you can shove so much into them. It is so fun to treat yourself though, I’m happy for you!
I find them at Goodwill all the time for less than $10. Since you can wash them, I don’t mind buying second hand. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
They do wash so easily! I got a new with tags make up cash for $2 and a new with tags pencil case for $1 just today!
Great lesson! Thank you for sharing and happy birthday! My husband and I both work full time and we have a 5.5yo daughter and I’m realizing that often it’s worth an extra dollar or two to go to the closer, smaller, more customer friendly stores because it means a calmer, less frustrating evening with more quality time for all of us. I’m also realizing that Pinterest-y goodie bags for holidays aren’t really that important to my daughter… And her Easter basket (and Christmas stocking and birthday presents) just needs “stuff” not a theme… I don’t want her memories to all involve shopping carts and aisles while I look for a great deal on the “perfect” whatever.
So true. I unfortunately spent the first three years of my now 4 yr old daughters life compulsively double couponing. When our local grocery store did away with it I found our life and family time more relaxing. I still coupon but limit it to grocery items by in large quantities.
Well said MommySpendsLess!
I’m glad you bought your backpack ! I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2014 I had a masectomity in October 16 ! And I’m doing great but, since that day! I decided to live and get the things I want! I turn 47 today! I have 4 daughters and 1 granddaughter and I’m the only daughter girl to my mother! So, I decided to go buy my girls and granddaughter a charm each and to my daughters a mk wallet and my mom a bracelet with a charm and BBW candles and a plant ! And to my mother in law a plant some BBW candles and give her $$ ! There were all suprised I told them this is a present for my birthday to you all!! Thanks to all Collins posting I was able to get even clothes from lane bryant ! Live is short 🌺🌺🌺!!
I’m so glad you are doing well! Blessings to you and your family.
God bless you, Edy! Keep on fighting!! 😇
I hope you feel better, Allah (God) bless you.
I just got brand new fryes for $126! 🙂
I splurged on some Fryes recently too! They’re beautiful shoes. Hope you are enjoying yours too. 🙂
Where?! 🙂
I love vera. I’ve been only carrying wristlets for the last year. They had buy one sale item get one sale item free. I bought several and used a coupon. Then I sold extras on ebay and used profit to pay for the 2 wristlets I wanted
Love it,thanks Joan enjoy happy 40th.I have two more yrs to 40.thanks hipsters! and h2s.
Good for you. Life is too short to not enjoy it. You have a beautiful smile 😀
Happy Birthday Joan!!! Enjoy your bag!!!
Hey… if you think about it, you can say it was $40 out of pocket with the $10 GC for being this Friday’s “Happy Friday” 🙂
Your story is so similar to my story! I have been wanting a classy Coach purse for 7-8 years but could not justify spending over $100 for a purse, let alone $200-$300. Waited for sales after sales, but nothing came close to what I would feel comfortable paying (especially now, since I’m a student again). Finally, I was at my local Goodwill a few weeks ago and to my amazement, there was a beautiful, but dirty classic Coach purse behind one of the glass cases. I had to ask one of the attendants to let me look at it. The price was $35! The purse was in perfect physical condition, aside from the dirtiness. I inspected and pondered for a while and even though I really wanted it and it was a fantastic price, I really didn’t NEED it (remember… still on student budget). In addition, I wasn’t sure if the dirt marks would wash off. I told the attendant that I even thought I really wanted it, I think I would pass on the purse and returned it to him. He had obviously watched me ponder over the purse for a while and asked me “would it help your decision if mark the bag down to $17.99?” It was apparent at that point that he was one of the managers or had a position close to manager. I didn’t hesitate when I said yes and thanked him! I was so ecstatic! Purchased the Coach purse and brought it home immediately to hand wash. The dirt came right off the bag and I was left with a $18 classic Coach purse that looked like it was in near brand new condition that I’ve been wanting for years! WOoT! 🙂
I love coach bags too and have found several at goodwill on my half price days. I have found that u can put them in a pillowcase and wash them in the washer and dry them in the dryer and they come out great. My best find was a louis vuitton which had a Broken zipper so the manager marked it down to $25. But i really want to splurge someday and get a new LV bag but that would mean spending around $1200 and that is crazy!
First off, happy birthday to Joan! Love the new purse! I love this post. I sometimes have a hard time spending a lot on one item, but could spend the same amount easily in tons of cheap junk items without realizing it. I have to remind myself there is a big difference in being frugal and being cheap. Enjoy your new purse, and make sure to find a good spot in it for your coupons! 🙂
Cute! 🙂
Happy Birthday Joan!! Enjoy that cute purse!! 🙂
I actually bought a pair of slippers for 7.99 free shipping too and when i look at amazon its 24! I grabbed it right away. Its perfect for my vacay in Philippines. Thanks for posting such good deals like this!
Congrats Joan!
Thank you Joan, for reminding us to treat ourselves every once in a while.
Absolutely LOVE this post! Thanks for writing in, that is an important message <3 Congrats on your bag…I love it 🙂
Happy Birthday Joan! As other hip2savers have said- enjoy your splurge, and don’t wait another decade to treat yourself!
Congrats and enjoy the heck out of that bag! I love to save where I can to splurge on what I want! Case in point, I’ve been saving my ebates money for a while and today I got a 20% coupon to ulta that didn’t exclude the tria hair removal laser that I’ve wanted for so long. With hubby’s blessing I bought it and can’t wait to get it! Plus I went through ebates again… Haha.
Wow, thanks everyone for all the support and warm wishes! You guys all rock!! I did see some deals on Vera Wang as the 10 years went by but the “print” just wasn’t the one I wanted. Have you noticed that some of her prints are busier or less attractive colors? It seems like the nicer prints are always full price or close to it. I’ve even looked at thrift stores but I’ve never seen VB at a thrift store. It was hard for me to spend $89 when the purse isn’t even leather! There must be a huge “mark up” on these! Well, I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never let 10 years go by like that again. When you’ve got two little kids to chase around time sure does fly by. You gotta “treat yo self” sometimes, you know.
My favorite Park and Rec episode!
oops. I said Vera Wang. I mean Vera Bradley. I always get their names mixed up by accident.
Love your smile and enthusiasm – happy birthday!