A good deal versus necessity

[dloveski]

Well, it was that time of year when REI has its annual 'garage sale' and my gear-head son-in-law finds the 'deals'.

Last year, it was the $69 Garmont boots---but I resisted!!! (to my regret later).

This year, it was the $59 Solomon Rush (8 and 9) in MY exact size and shell of my current boot. I caved.

Now I have 2 pair of Solomons----the stiffer Rush 9 (my current boot) and the new Rush 8 (the new one) with more flex---which may be better on powder and super cold days. And the liner is brand new, so I can swap the liner out with my custom orthotic and the lift.

Though it was a screaming deal (liners alone would have cost more), getting good deals can run up the gear tab.

So, how do Divas know when to grab the deal or to walk, knowing they have enough? Is grabbing a great deal strategic buying or an addiction?

Now, I'm setting my sights on the Auras. I am struggling with the want versus need tug---do I need these or are the Sugar Mamas, Sweet Fat Thangs, and Pocket Rockets a sufficient quiver?

Or, can a Diva never have enough ski gear?

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Good question, good thread. Ah, yes.... I walked away from a SAC deal yesterday --- tried to think of it as "strategic buying," but just couldn't bite, ultimately.

I remember my dad saying, "It's not a good deal if you don't need it."

What a fine line between want/need, eh?

 

[abc]

I'm pathetically logical. So...

I have a (loose) budget each year! And I (again, loosely) prioritize what I need most -- though sometime that priority list changes. Substracting the full price of all my "top priority needs" from the budget, I know where on the list I should allow myself to go down.

When I got a deal with any of the "top priority" items, that means I have just freed up some cash for the next batch of "medium priority" items. I can move them into the top bucket. :D

If, I got a "screaming deal" with any of the low priority items, it means I had to sacrifice one of the higher priority items. Sometimes I decide that's good enough of a deal, I'll just do that -- usually a high dollar item that I would be hard pressed to find the same deal again. No problem. I saved a lot of money the first place and I shift the priority. Otherwise, it's a punishment of my getting suckered into a pseudo "deal", the penalty being not alllowed to buy what I had budgeted for originally. Reality is, I'm not much of a gear hog to begin with, I rarely buy on impulse. Living in a small apartment also puts a lid on my "acquasition" impulse, especially bulky items that take up storage rooms.

Now, when it comes to trips, I'm not half as rational: I quite frequently exceed my "budget"... Wait, that explains why I don't buy gear on impulse! 1) I got my "impulse" satisfied doing extra trips, 2) Gears are "second priority" when compare to trips in the overall expense game. So it gets short changed. 3) When I'm too busy going on trips, I don't have time to browse online sales such as SAC. No idle browsing, no impulse buying! :D

 

[Jilly]

I'm like abc, I have a rough budget for the season. And usually there is 1 big ticket item on it. Last year boots, got a really good deal, so I was able to buy the Conquers at season end. Next season I still need skis for general skiing to replace by Z5's. Currently I'm looking at the Z6 or the Salomon Opal. The next year it will be a new suit. And so it goes. But I can be bit like MSL to - do I need it or just want it and where is the line. I'm so glad that SAC won't send alot of their stuff to Canada. I look, but don't buy, so SnowHot's carrot won't work!!

 

[num]

Or, can a Diva never have enough ski gear?

Answered your own question. Close the thread, we're done here

Seriously though, I'm the logical type who weighs it all out and only buys when I think it's worth it to me, and am unmoved by great deals on what I'm not planning to buy anyway. I'm a shopping vulture, I figure out what I want and play the waiting game and scoop up the deals on exactly what I want when I find them.

 

[Quiver Queen]

What's the deal here? Budget? What's a budget? I prefer to think of it in terms of frequent flyer miles--the more I buy, the more I get to fly. The more I fly, the more I get to ski. The more I ski, the more frequent flyer miles I earn. The more miles, the more I fly..........I think you see the pattern.

Besides which, no matter how good you think your quiver is, it can always be improved.

 

[abc]

Besides which, no matter how good you think your quiver is, it can always be improved.

Agree totally.

The only problem is:

I prefer to think of it in terms of frequent flyer miles--the more I buy, the more I get to fly.

I wish the same principle applies to my wallet, the source of all that buying & flying!

If I can make it happen like this: the more I buy, the fuller my wallet... I'll buy a whole lot more! ;-)

 

[Quiver Queen]

If I can make it happen like this: the more I buy, the fuller my wallet... I'll buy a whole lot more! ;-)

Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that, at least in my world!

 

[Consuela]

Sadly, dlove, you probably don't "need" them. But, if you bought them, you will probably use them and enjoy them.

I have to go with abc on the budget prioritization and trade off strategy. I use the same approach not just with gear, but in general with "want" type expenses. So, I might delay a gear purchase in order to buy a piece of furniture or go on a nice vacation.

Mr. C and I also play gate keeper for each other on expenses to keep us out of trouble and allow us to do a bigger variety of things. One of the few items that I can get through the budget gauntlet without tooooo many questions is safety/protection gear, given that I don't already have that item in servicable condition. So, if I don't have, let's say, a helmet, I could buy one with very little questions as long as I'm not going nuts with my choice. But once I have said helmet, I must now have very good reason to buy a new helmet. And, "it doesn't match my new jacket" is not considered a "good" reason with Mr. C.

I guess all that to say, if we lived in a less expensive area, maybe we could spend more on gear. But, since we live where we do, we must prioritize, save, and wait... and use whatever we have until that day comes.

 

[SnowHot]

What's the deal here? Budget? What's a budget? I prefer to think of it in terms of frequent flyer miles--the more I buy, the more I get to fly. The more I fly, the more I get to ski. The more I ski, the more frequent flyer miles I earn. The more miles, the more I fly..........I think you see the pattern.

Besides which, no matter how good you think your quiver is, it can always be improved.

^^^^ What she said!^^^^

Now, I'm setting my sights on the Auras. I am struggling with the want versus need tug---do I need these or are the Sugar Mamas, Sweet Fat Thangs, and Pocket Rockets a sufficient quiver?

Or, can a Diva never have enough ski gear?

You won't know unless you try them and see. If you get a great deal, then it would only make sense to OWN them to try them.
How's that for Gear Diva Logic?