Exploited?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 215
My husband tells me that we women are exploited and no man would pay what we pay. The issue came up over a cone thread holder which I bought at Joann's and was disappointed to find that it was flimsy plastic (at $6.99!! but I did use my 40% off). He was making reference to my new Accuquilt cutter (which I got at Amazon at what I thought was a large discount over the listed price). He considered it over-priced even at that (and also plastic and flimsy),no man would buy it. I was reading about over-priced magazines and wondered if we really are exploited, what can we do about it?
#2
Stop buying into every fad and whimsy item. Women love to shop and will buy anything.
I am selling the stash that resulted from my buying frenzies and now shop only with an item in mind. For instance, I was at a wholesalers sale today and bought only some fabrics I needed for a quilt. Ordinarily, I would have bought BIG just because it was so cheap! Prices have gone up significantly because quilters are pretty much a captive audience. We love to "brag" about our stashes even if we only accumulate. I've resigned from that and will not get caught up in it again. My money is better spent on enjoying life than being tied up on a shelf in a closet.
I am selling the stash that resulted from my buying frenzies and now shop only with an item in mind. For instance, I was at a wholesalers sale today and bought only some fabrics I needed for a quilt. Ordinarily, I would have bought BIG just because it was so cheap! Prices have gone up significantly because quilters are pretty much a captive audience. We love to "brag" about our stashes even if we only accumulate. I've resigned from that and will not get caught up in it again. My money is better spent on enjoying life than being tied up on a shelf in a closet.
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 9,319
Originally Posted by Limey
My husband tells me that we women are exploited and no man would pay what we pay. The issue came up over a cone thread holder which I bought at Joann's and was disappointed to find that it was flimsy plastic (at $6.99!! but I did use my 40% off). He was making reference to my new Accuquilt cutter (which I got at Amazon at what I thought was a large discount over the listed price). He considered it over-priced even at that (and also plastic and flimsy),no man would buy it. I was reading about over-priced magazines and wondered if we really are exploited, what can we do about it?
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Finger Lakes, NY
Posts: 1,873
I totally agree with shequilts. Simplify, simplify, simplify. It's amazing how well you can do without all the gadgets. I only buy what i need (except an occasional quilting book) Didn't used to be that way but when we retired and downsized i realized how much i really had. Why buy fabric at any price if you never use it. DH went on a diet too.
#6
My husband spends money on bullets and guns. He blows through money and has only holes on a target to show for it. At least I have a finished product that is usable. Not only that, but I can do my hobby all the time... taking it with me if I want, whereas he has to leave home and go out shooting.
#7
Value, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. If you like and you use it, it has value. Just like a drill, a barbque, and Harley or a vintage car.....I don't think we are exploited by fabric/quilting/sewing anymore that we are by any other item on the market. We can, however, be aware of what we NEED versus what we WANT and be prudent about what we spend our money on. Cheap tools often (not always) result in cheap results. In this economy being a smart shopper is immportant.
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Middle TN
Posts: 1,627
Originally Posted by GrammaO
Value, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. If you like and you use it, it has value. Just like a drill, a barbque, and Harley or a vintage car.....I don't think we are exploited by fabric/quilting/sewing anymore that we are by any other item on the market. We can, however, be aware of what we NEED versus what we WANT and be prudent about what we spend our money on. Cheap tools often (not always) result in cheap results. In this economy being a smart shopper is immportant.