More money than sense...

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SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Should it not be the other way? If i was to spend 5k i would think i would have a lot more pleasure with it should last a life time whereas something with a petrol engine in it costing 5k would only last a few years,cost more to maintain and be nothing more than a means of transport?

Once you get above the most basic quality level of any item, where there are major compromises made, there is very little direct relationship between price/quality/pleasure factors. If people bought one super-quality version of some object and then kept it forever, I might agree with your reasoning. But they generally don't - and "serious" cyclists are the worst lot going for incessantly chopping and changing from one very expensive bike to another very expensive bike just because something has appeared in a different colour scheme or with one minor component change to last year's model. The marketing people who work for the manufacturers must laugh long and loud at just how easily they can persuade people to buy a brand new version of something they already have a perfectly good example of, every year or two.
On the plus side though, all this fickle consumerism does keep the secondhand market supplied with stock to choose from.
I do know one thing though; the bloke driving his £5k car is a hell of a lot warmer and drier and more comfortable whilst travelling about in the crappy weather we've been getting lately, than the bloke riding around on a £5k bicycle. My view that very expensive bike buyers are getting mugged off remains unchanged.
 

Cuchilo

Prize winning member X2
Location
London
Once you get above the most basic quality level of any item, where there are major compromises made, there is very little direct relationship between price/quality/pleasure factors. If people bought one super-quality version of some object and then kept it forever, I might agree with your reasoning. But they generally don't - and "serious" cyclists are the worst lot going for incessantly chopping and changing from one very expensive bike to another very expensive bike just because something has appeared in a different colour scheme or with one minor component change to last year's model. The marketing people who work for the manufacturers must laugh long and loud at just how easily they can persuade people to buy a brand new version of something they already have a perfectly good example of, every year or two.
On the plus side though, all this fickle consumerism does keep the secondhand market supplied with stock to choose from.
I do know one thing though; the bloke driving his £5k car is a hell of a lot warmer and drier and more comfortable whilst travelling about in the crappy weather we've been getting lately, than the bloke riding around on a £5k bicycle. My view that very expensive bike buyers are getting mugged off remains unchanged.
John , I started to get messages from other skint people so decided to edit my message .
I have an i phone 5 i can donate to you to try and bring you back into the London fold . I also hire private bins you are welcome to have a scout about in to see if there is anything you would like .
 
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bpsmith

Veteran
I just don’t get the saying tbh.

1. If you can’t afford to buy one then you just can’t buy one, whether you like it or not. Sadly, such is life.

2. If you can afford to buy one and you like it, and there’s no more important spend that you really should spend on first, then go for it.

3. If you have the cash, but don’t like it, then don’t buy one.

4. If you have the cash, but prefer to share it with others, then good on you and don’t buy one.

5. If you have the cash, like it, but it floats your boat more to see the money sitting in a bank account and you continue to do this with every item you fancy, then don’t buy one.

SURELY, the ONLY time you have “more money than sense” is actually Option 5!?!

Dying with a bank full of cash, is not a good way to go.

Similarly, living your life complaining that others can afford things that you really want too but then not using that time to try and earn the money to buy something you’d love, is just bonkers!

Don’t waste your lives complaining about others. Let them enjoy what they have worked hard for and either do the same or accept that these things don’t always make you happy and enjoy what you actually do have.

Remember, there’s always a trade off. Those who work to earn lots of money, often have to give up something else to do so. There are very few who have everything put on a plate for them, despite what some people think.

There are also some people who, no matter what they do, it just never works out. This may be down to physical or mental complications, or just sheer bad timing, or somewhere in the middle. Life is tough, but strangely enough most of these people rarely complain. :smile:
 
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Once you get above the most basic quality level of any item, where there are major compromises made, there is very little direct relationship between price/quality/pleasure factors. If people bought one super-quality version of some object and then kept it forever, I might agree with your reasoning. But they generally don't - and "serious" cyclists are the worst lot going for incessantly chopping and changing from one very expensive bike to another very expensive bike just because something has appeared in a different colour scheme or with one minor component change to last year's model. The marketing people who work for the manufacturers must laugh long and loud at just how easily they can persuade people to buy a brand new version of something they already have a perfectly good example of, every year or two.
On the plus side though, all this fickle consumerism does keep the secondhand market supplied with stock to choose from.
I do know one thing though; the bloke driving his £5k car is a hell of a lot warmer and drier and more comfortable whilst travelling about in the crappy weather we've been getting lately, than the bloke riding around on a £5k bicycle. My view that very expensive bike buyers are getting mugged off remains unchanged.
You assume people who buy >£5k bikes have one car and one bike. Bless.
 

davidphilips

Veteran
Location
Onabike
Theres an old saying a fool and his money are easy parted, everyone makes mistakes but few have more money than sense at least not for long, but the big question remains would it be wise to buy a 5k bike?

My view is if you really like bikes and have somewhere safe to keep it and the funds then yes why not? A new bike costing £100 from a supermarket may do for short runs around town, A 1k bike may last and go just as well as a 5k bike but life is short and 5k may seem a fortune to some but i know guys that smoke or drink that in a year so to me the 5k bike would be a much better spend than either.

Every one to there own view, any one on a bike should it be a freebie from freecycle or a new expensive bike to me has made a good move just enjoy cycling and reap the health benefits and join the club of not endangered species but species in danger.
 

Justinslow

Lovely jubbly
Location
Suffolk
Funny that reminds me of a guy i cycle with , Any time i say something about a bike he asks me where i found it out from or can i prove it provide links etc, then if i say i seen something on the internet or utube he says do you believe every thing you see on the internet?
Errrr yes, particularly here.
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
I just don’t get the saying tbh.

I understand the saying perfectly. Essentially it's about people who have decent money coming in, but don't spend it wisely or strive for any value for money in their spending. They just waste money and spend frivolously and have very little to show for it after it's been spent.
For example, I know people who spend money like water; they run expensive cars, go on expensive holidays, buy expensive clothes etc - BUT, and here's a big but, they still live in rented accommodation, have no financial investments, no private pension, and bugger all savings in the bank. Some are seriously in debt and spend a fortune on loan/CC interest repayments. Their existence is all about projecting a certain image of wealth, but it's an illusion, in reality they haven't got a pot to pee in that actually belongs to them. On the other hand, you could be forgiven for thinking I was living hand to mouth, because I don't splash cash around, whereas I do have my own paid-for house, investments, pension, and savings. I'm happy to spend on the right things but if and only if, I believe that what I'm spending on offers VFM and the thing I'm buying has some intrinsic value.
 

Justinslow

Lovely jubbly
Location
Suffolk
I understand the saying perfectly. Essentially it's about people who have decent money coming in, but don't spend it wisely or strive for any value for money in their spending. They just waste money and spend frivolously and have very little to show for it after it's been spent.
For example, I know people who spend money like water; they run expensive cars, go on expensive holidays, buy expensive clothes etc - BUT, and here's a big but, they still live in rented accommodation, have no financial investments, no private pension, and bugger all savings in the bank. Some are seriously in debt and spend a fortune on loan/CC interest repayments. Their existence is all about projecting a certain image of wealth, but it's an illusion, in reality they haven't got a pot to pee in that actually belongs to them. On the other hand, you could be forgiven for thinking I was living hand to mouth, because I don't splash cash around, whereas I do have my own paid-for house, investments, pension, and savings. I'm happy to spend on the right things but if and only if, I believe that what I'm spending on offers VFM and the thing I'm buying has some intrinsic value.
That’s what’s known as a “tightwad” ^_^

I’m not too dissimilar to you, in fact if I do make any sort of purchase I tend to over analyse for days even weeks before buying, then after buying feel incredibly guilty about it.
If I couldn’t see “value” in what I’m buying I just can’t do it.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
I understand the saying perfectly. Essentially it's about people who have decent money coming in, but don't spend it wisely or strive for any value for money in their spending. They just waste money and spend frivolously and have very little to show for it after it's been spent.
For example, I know people who spend money like water; they run expensive cars, go on expensive holidays, buy expensive clothes etc - BUT, and here's a big but, they still live in rented accommodation, have no financial investments, no private pension, and bugger all savings in the bank. Some are seriously in debt and spend a fortune on loan/CC interest repayments. Their existence is all about projecting a certain image of wealth, but it's an illusion, in reality they haven't got a pot to pee in that actually belongs to them. On the other hand, you could be forgiven for thinking I was living hand to mouth, because I don't splash cash around, whereas I do have my own paid-for house, investments, pension, and savings. I'm happy to spend on the right things but if and only if, I believe that what I'm spending on offers VFM and the thing I'm buying has some intrinsic value.

What if you earned 5x times as much as you do now?
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
I see little point in spending more money than you need to - even if you have lots of it - back to my point about long life milk - why waste money paying double for the same product?
 
I understand the saying perfectly. Essentially it's about people who have decent money coming in, but don't spend it wisely or strive for any value for money in their spending. They just waste money and spend frivolously and have very little to show for it after it's been spent.
For example, I know people who spend money like water; they run expensive cars, go on expensive holidays, buy expensive clothes etc - BUT, and here's a big but, they still live in rented accommodation, have no financial investments, no private pension, and bugger all savings in the bank. Some are seriously in debt and spend a fortune on loan/CC interest repayments. Their existence is all about projecting a certain image of wealth, but it's an illusion, in reality they haven't got a pot to pee in that actually belongs to them. On the other hand, you could be forgiven for thinking I was living hand to mouth, because I don't splash cash around, whereas I do have my own paid-for house, investments, pension, and savings. I'm happy to spend on the right things but if and only if, I believe that what I'm spending on offers VFM and the thing I'm buying has some intrinsic value.
I know some rich people who spend lots of cash as well as owning houses, have investments and pensions. There’s quite a lot like that. Probably who the bike is marketed at.
 
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