Teacher Finance

Helping you live big dreams on a small salary

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertising
  • Hire Me
  • Guest Post Policy
  • 2015 Goals

Do You Judge a Woman by the Bag She Carries?

June 18, 2012

Yesterday my sister and I made a quick trip to Wal Mart to pick up a few random beauty supplies. We found what we needed, got in line, paid for our stuff, and left. As we were getting back into my car, I noticed that we were both carrying high-end handbags and wondered if anyone shopping in the Wal Mart had also noticed….for a fleeting second, I wondered how many people made assumptions about our relative wealth/income based on the bags we were carrying.

I suppose this is also true of cars, clothes, and electronics, but the whole “were they judging me by my bag” thought reminded me of how ridiculous it is to try to guage peoples’ wealth by the stuff that they have. Take our handbags for example: I was carrying an all leather cross-body Coach bag and my sister was carrying a Marc by Marc Jacobs. They’re both beautiful and very expensive, but they don’t tell you a damn thing about how much money my sister or I make. Both bags retail for about $400, but I got mine at a Coach outlet with birthday money for $120 and my sister bought hers on sale at Bergdorf’s with a giftcard she got from her former boss – her total out-of-pocket cost was only $5! Sure, we’re both doing ok financially (she makes a lot more money than I do!) but neither of us is in a financial position to pay full retail price for either bag.

But…it’s still very tempting to try to evaluate how others are doing financially based on the stuff they’re wearing/carrying. I find myself doing it frequently, even though I know it’s completely baseless…sometimes I do it without even realizing fit, like when I was at bar a few weeks ago and a woman carrying a Fendi bag was complaining about the outrageous drink priices (they were, but I immediately, unconsciously jumped to “but that lady is carrying a freaking Fendi – why does she care about paying $15 for a cocktail?!”)

What about you? Do you judge other peoples’ wealth/income by the stuff they have, even if you don’t mean to?

Submit to redditShare on Tumblr Share

Spending

Follow Me

Disclaimer

I am NOT a financial professional, and any advice, thoughts, or comments shared on this blog should be taken only after careful consideration by the reader and consultation with her financial adviser.

Top Posts

  • “Parents, Step Up!”
  • Summer Blues, Moving Anxiety, and Freelance Writing:…
  • Four Ways Of Making Money That Totally Mystify Me
  • The Joy of Indulging in Frivolous Spending
  • Miscellaneous Updates, Including My Giveaway Winner!

Archives

  • ►2022 (1)
    • ►March (1)
  • ►2020 (1)
    • ►October (1)
  • ►2018 (2)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►February (1)
  • ►2017 (7)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►July (1)
    • ►May (1)
    • ►March (1)
    • ►January (3)
  • ►2016 (8)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►October (2)
    • ►July (1)
    • ►June (1)
    • ►March (3)
  • ►2015 (30)
    • ►November (2)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►July (1)
    • ►June (1)
    • ►May (7)
    • ►April (2)
    • ►March (8)
    • ►February (2)
    • ►January (6)
  • ►2014 (28)
    • ►September (1)
    • ►August (3)
    • ►July (2)
    • ►June (5)
    • ►May (6)
    • ►April (5)
    • ►March (1)
    • ►February (1)
    • ►January (4)
  • ►2013 (91)
    • ►November (8)
    • ►October (2)
    • ►September (4)
    • ►August (4)
    • ►July (11)
    • ►June (7)
    • ►May (13)
    • ►April (12)
    • ►March (7)
    • ►February (11)
    • ►January (12)
  • ►2012 (153)
    • ►December (9)
    • ►November (8)
    • ►October (10)
    • ►September (10)
    • ►August (11)
    • ►July (9)
    • ►June (11)
    • ►May (13)
    • ►April (21)
    • ►March (22)
    • ►February (19)
    • ►January (10)
  • ►2011 (80)
    • ►December (9)
    • ►November (6)
    • ►October (8)
    • ►September (10)
    • ►August (6)
    • ►July (5)
    • ►June (5)
    • ►May (7)
    • ►April (5)
    • ►March (9)
    • ►February (5)
    • ►January (5)
  • ►2010 (77)
    • ►December (7)
    • ►November (5)
    • ►October (7)
    • ►September (5)
    • ►August (3)
    • ►July (9)
    • ►June (8)
    • ►May (6)
    • ►April (5)
    • ►March (7)
    • ►February (8)
    • ►January (7)
  • ►2009 (92)
    • ►December (6)
    • ►November (12)
    • ►October (10)
    • ►September (8)
    • ►August (8)
    • ►July (6)
    • ►June (11)
    • ►May (7)
    • ►April (15)
    • ►March (8)
    • ►February (1)
  • Icon Making Sense of Cents

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Musings of a Midlife Mom

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Money After Graduation

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Well Heeled, With a Mission

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon When Life Gives You Lemons

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon My Open Wallet

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Budgets are Sexy

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Punch Debt in the Face

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Frugal Beautiful

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Blonde on a Budget

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Modest Money

    Close preview

    Loading...
  • Icon Rockstar Finance

    Close preview

    Loading...

Copyright © 2023 Teacher Finance · Site by Nuts and Bolts Media

Copyright © 2023 · Daily Dish Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in