>Bag lust and other thoughts

>I am lusting after this bag from The Sak (in teak).

Of course The Sak is not quite Kate Spade or Coach (or Marc Jacobs, swoon!) but the bag is genuine leather, in the size and color I’ve been looking for in a more comfortable price range for me. It’s also a very soft, buttery leather; I’ve seen it in person. Currently this bag is selling for $104.25 with free shipping and a free gift. But I still do not have the funds for it.

You see, in February of this year, my company announced that everyone would go on a mandatory 10-day furlough. It’s essentially a 3.8% pay decrease in exchange for an extra 10 days off for the year. And there is a chance that we could get another 2, 3 or even 5 days of furlough at the end of the third quarter. This almost 4% pay cut has really cut into funds I used for shopping and eating out. And I’m a web editor. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, accountant or CEO. Hubby and I have a long way to go before we hit 6 figures together.

So, I’ve signed up on a few Websites to provide English/language arts tutoring and pet sitting for people in my area. No babysitting. I’m sure I would get more business with that, but it’s been so long since I’ve babysat children. Maybe I will work that into my offerings at some point, but right now it’s tutoring and pets. So 2 nights ago, I got my first bite, from a young couple with 4 dogs who will be gone to the beach next weekend. And it just so turns out that the total amount of money I will make from them in 7 visits to check on their pooches is the exact same amount as the purse I’m coveting.

But, I’m trying not to covet. My mother and I are purging this summer; getting rid of “stuff.” We both know that we won’t be in Alabama forever and who wants to add to moving costs with endless amounts of stuff that we never use? If I were to get this bag, I think I would have to, at the very least, go through all of my current purses and bags and purge the majority.

There’s one bag that stands out. I have a Dooney & Bourke barrel bag circa 2004. Remember when the logo bags were really in and Dooney had the multicolor logo design with a black or white background?

It’s still selling for $155 at Zappos.com. It’s waterproof bag too. I loved that bag. It was the first “expensive” bag I had ever owned and it made me feel very grown-up during my last year of college. But over time, some bubbles formed between the protective waterproof layer and the leather layer. And then, during my very last week of college, when I was out celebrating my graduation with my now-husband, a guy tried to steal it from me.

The guy didn’t get it. He ran from across the street and came up behind me and tried to surprise me, but I had the bag on my shoulder the same way as the mannequin in the photo above, clutching the straps with my right hand. And ladies, you know when you are holding your bag that way, it is very secure.

The guy actually dragged me down on the ground trying to get the bag, but he still didn’t get it. My now-husband ran after him through the Publix parking lot and lost a flip-flop in the progress. The guy was never arrested.

What should I do with this Dooney bag? I still have it, but I haven’t been able to wear it since that incident. One of the straps was torn a bit during his attempt to yank it from my arm. I had terrible bruises all up and down my right arm for 2 weeks. I had to receive my diploma with those horrible bruises on my arm. Luckily those robes are long-sleeved.

As for my other bags, I should be able to toss most of those pretty easily. I’ll hold on to my brown Fossil, to my blue Coach, to most of my Veras. But the rest can go, if I can just get this new bag. Or should I even get it? I, like everyone else, question every purchase so much more than I used to, and regret some of my past purchases. I’m working on paying off credit card debt, but it’s a tough road. I have the right outlook, but not the right income to match.