I agree with betterquilter. Lol. I also never pay interest and at my advanced age I would hate to be saddled with a house payment..taxes are severe enough! My late husband still gets me in trouble though. I can hear him say to buy it if you want it.😁. He was a great gift giver so I have more jewelry than I need and other than a new pair of jeans and a t-shirt now and then, I am set. My fixed income seems to get smaller every year but I was always thrifty so all is well.

I'm on your page! I've been retired for almost 2 years. Before I retired, my husband custom built my sewing room. It is amazing and pretty too! I have everything I need until something else pops up. I bought a new machine and a longarm before I retired - that was a great decision. I actually have a monthly budget for my quilting needs. I put that in place myself and maybe I should have done that awhile ago. That being said, if it looks like I need it, want it and can figure out how to get it (without going into debt or paying finance charges) its probably going to happen! So yes Spoiled Quilter it is or better yet, as Tartan says "you have your priorities straight" and I agree with that!

I don't worry about what others think or say. They don't finance my life, it truly is none of their business.

Me! I've only got myself to answer to (no husband, no kids or grandkids, not even a pet). Wow, that makes me sound like a lonely old spinster doesn't it? LOL :) Anyway, when I see something I want I usually buy it, within reason. I've been trying to cut down on quilting purchases lately because I will never use up everything I already have, but if I see something really special, I break my own rule. And I've gotten heavily back into garment sewing so I'm having a field day buying fabrics for that! Whatever, we only live once!!

Love it! Who needs those things when you can buy fabric? : )

I don't count myself as spoiled as much as fortunate. If I see fabric I really like I will buy it without a plan as to its use (spoiler alert!: I have never had a plan for any of my fabric purchases). However, not wanting to be haunted by my mom - I try not to pay retail very often. I will spend more money for quality shoes, undergarments, eyeglasses, etc because quality lasts much longer. That goes for fabric (quilt shop quality only) and thread (aurifil or superior) as well.

On the other hand my clothes are all thrift store, my makeup all drugstore, my jewelry made by my sister, and my only ring, my wedding band, cost $30. We use credit cards for travel miles but pay the balance off each month. We started our marriage off right by skipping going into debt - a justice of the peace is much cheaper than a wedding and you are still just as married.

My husband and I have shared a car for 25 years & our current car is 11 and has 75k miles. We don't have children but do have 6 cats. Note to others: free cats are never cheap. : )

We rent and always will - many see this as a waste but at least we aren't tied down or responsible for repairs (my husband is brilliant but not handy) and upkeep (we've lived in Wisconsin for 27 years and have shoveled snow - priceless!).

Would the money I spend on fabric be better put into my 401k? Definitely! But living only for tomorrow means not living and enjoying the now. I am okay with the trade off - Ha! future Kelly can deal with it. Sorry future me, but at least you'll never want for fabric! Responsibility is good in moderation.

If I were to be given a gift card for any store I would hope it would be a fabric shop or book store. I can easily justify spending $50.00 at either place but can't get excited about spending the same on a new pocketbook or pair of shoes. I find shopping for clothes very boring. My weakness is fat quarters and I'm now at a spot where I have to force myself to buy nothing else except backing and binding until I make something useful out of all my fq's.

this is so funny!

I can relate, now that I am retired, I have found things that I don't even remember buying! I worked midnight to 8am, sometimes had to work to noon or 4 pm, so many days were a blur - my husband says I was sleep shopping!! fortunately, my husband is still working, and I have a great retirement income, so add me to the list of "spoiled quilters" who work on a cash basis! No fancy clothes, or accessories here, no smoking or alcohol - I do have to admit to a nice sports car, but it was paid for the day I drove it home.

I am also retired, and being the primary breadwinner in our household, I have always been frugal. That has definitely not changed as it is just in my DNA. I will buy what I want, but like everything I do buy, the value must be, in my mind, equal to the price. I do not pay "retail" for fabric - and I sew not just quilts but clothing for myself, my friends and some of my family. I have not for one day been spoiled, as I have worked for everything that I have. I have been very lucky in my life to have had a great career, the ability to save for a good retirement, and a very wonderful husband.

I was with you until the no makeup part. How does that make sense in TX? I need sunblock and spf powder foundation in New England just to survive the interior task lighting in winter.

hugs,
charlotte

I hear you about shoes. My feet are long and extremely narrow. Shoes are, and always have been, difficult for me to find. And when I do, they have to last forever.

I once got a pair of narrow shoes at a discount store, $95. The cashier was shocked by the price and said she would never spend that much on shoes. For me, $95 for a pair of well fitting, comfortable shoes was a pittance! It was a good brand, too!

If I'm not willing to "spoil" myself, who will be? This summer my 'spoiling' myself resulted in a huge smile from a very quiet, extremely sweet 13 year old grand nephew. He was thrilled with his guitar quilt - his new and favorite hobby. That's the big spoiler for me - seeing that kind of smile and happiness over being thought of.

That said, my stash and quilting equipment will 'live' long after I am gone. Someone will get it for free or for a very good price. Good for them. In the meantime, I get to use it and make someone happy now and then. All is right in my quilting world.

I'll admit to being in the spoiled/blessed/fortunate bunch. More and more I'm into "experiencing" than in acquiring.
I'd rather experience new memories than a new "thing" with our money. That being said, I am not a big spender on
any one particular category, not even quilting, and we aren't in debt. Admittedly, though, one of my hobbies is finding new-to-me restaurants for lunch. Crazy, right? I love to go out with family or friends to a place I've "found" and tried on my own. Hubby teases me about knowing all the restaurants in the tri-county area. I'm spoiled that way, but again, it's an experience.

You are not spoiled. Different priorities. I have a beautiful Leather Coach purse. Oh wait - it was a gift to my daughter from her brother (he can afford it). She got tired of it and gave it to me! LOL I don't buy many clothes either and barely any of those other things and when I do, I spend as little as possible. I hate to shop, for anything (have to eat) - except for fabric. I look good enough in public. Have a couple of decent outfits for special occasions, but don't need more than that. Quilting is my passion. I do lots of charity quilts, I can sew daily and never get bored. You are not spoiled.

We all choose what is important to us. I prefer spending money on quilt supplies versus golfing, eating out, going to the spa, etc. Everyone has their own personal budget. It is nobody’s business how we spend it as long as we are not asking them for money.

I am a spoiled quilter but not in the same way you mentioned. Money is always an issue since we are both living on a very fixed income. I can't buy much, but if there is something I really want or need, my husband will always tell me to go ahead and get it. The main way I am spoiled is that DH never complains about the time I spend quilting. Having a chronic illness, I have limited amounts of energy and ability to do things. If I quilt I can't clean or cook, or much of anything else, but he never minds that I choose to quilt. He encourages me to do it because he knows it has so much to do with my well being.

My mother used to say " people always try to manage other people's money...it's so easy to do !" Bottom line..your life, your money. Your friends don't have the right to chime in on how you spend it unless asked. As for me..I buy what I want, when I want. It's nobody's business.

While working, all things quilting was my therapy (have a stash) and I used a credit card. Never did pay off the mortgage, sold the house and this one has a mortgage. When I retired, I paid off credit cards and closed the accounts. DH has a credit card (he's much more careful than I was), so on line purchases of medicines and books go on his card. Other purchases on the card are approved by him first.

Now that I'm retired and 70 yrs old, I'm thinking I'll never use even 1/2 of my stash. Wish I'd been more careful with purchases. It's not going to set tossed, the stash is doing therapy as fast/easy charity quilts. I'm willing to try combinations that are a little risky-someone will love it.

Define spoiled. I take it to mean that a person has been damaged by over indulgence. I’m betting that doesn’t apply to anyone of you who have replied that you are able to purchase whatever you wish. I think fortunate is a better adjective than spoiled.

One of the best responses so far.

I wonder how these "friends" would react if the OP called them "spoiled" when they purchased a new purse when the existing one wasn't worn out? Or went out to dinner on a weeknight because they didn't feel like cooking?

Spoiled has a negative implication, and unless they were laughing (and kidding) at the time, to me these "friends" come across inappropriately judgemental.