Do you have a hard time with large purchases?

**Holding Pattern** · 04-04-2010, 08:13 PM

I labor and fret, toss and turn over parting with large sums - and sometimes not so large sums...

**peanut** · 04-05-2010, 08:03 PM

I'm glad you posted this thread. I am having difficulties spending on large purchases too...even though I know they are necessary.

Our kitchen is a dive and badly needs replacing. But I couldn't stand the thought of forking over $30K for it...as quoted by the kitchen design guy. Instead we looked at what really needed to be done, broke it down into smaller tasks, and are going at it ourselves.

Right now the kitchen ceiling is our focus. Plus we have a kitchen window on order. Then we'll save up for kitchen cabinets and tradespeople for the other work that needs to be done. Once the money is in place, we'll order the cabinets, call some friends to help rip out the old kitchen, call in the tradespeople, and then install the cabinets ourselves...at least, that's the plan.

Unlike you though, we're going for laminate countertops...even though our neighborhood could easily handle a top-of-the-line reno. Truth is we aren't planning to stay here long, so we don't want to sink what little disposable income we have before DH retires in 3 years into renos. We still have a new-to-us car to buy before retirement.

At any rate...that's our planned solution. We'll see how it works out.

**PurpleSnowflake** · 04-12-2010, 12:21 AM

Update?

Yeah big things get me too.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 04-12-2010, 05:01 PM

I've been waiting for the weather to get nice again so that I keep going with the renovations. This past weekend was spent on getting the kids' bedrooms in order. The weekend before that, it was spent at my inlaws.

We decided to forgo the countertop purchase until next year. I have the items necessary to do the painting and stripping of wallpaper. However, the energy doesn't seem to be there for it right now.

It's supposed to be nicer this week, at least to the point where I can open the windows and doors when I paint. I have faith that it'll make the kitchen really nice to the point where I'm satisfied for now. We haven't called an electrician yet about the outlet for the microwave, but I should be doing that soon.

The rest of the tax return's sitting idle for now. We're not in a hurry to spend it all.

**mndtrp** · 04-27-2010, 11:38 PM

I'm frugal in most areas of my life so I can splurge in others. I don't buy soda or bottled water, and I don't go out to eat very often, in order to buy the TV and surround sound I want. I stretch and minimize the use of everything, so that we can take a honeymoon to Antarctica. I rarely make large purchases without mulling over my options for quite some time, so it's easier for me to pull the trigger. If I get the urge for a soda, I do a quick ROI calculation, and realize it isn't worth it.

So, no, I don't have a hard time with large purchases.