Stories of high-end handbag shopping are, by their very nature, usually those of wealth and indulgence. Not many people who make normal, five-figure livings are buying four- or five-figure bags at any notable clip, and saving up for things can be tough to do. Today, on our latest edition of Closet Confessionals, we’re talking to someone who beat the odds: a 29-year-old who bought a Birkin after several years of diligent saving, in addition to other designer bags that she’s bought, usually at the rate of one per year. She’ll tell you all her secrets below.
If you want your bag habits considered for inclusion in our weekly feature, all you have to do is smash that button directly below, and give us as much detail as you’re comfortable with! Don’t worry, we’ll keep you anonymous.
[sc_cc_callout]The Basics
Age: 29
Gender Identity: Female
Location: Toronto
Occupation: Financial Analyst and CPA student
Industry: Healthcare
Income: $57,700 (household)
The Bags
Are you a PurseForum member? Yes
How many bags do you own? 16
How much is your collection worth? $30,000
What is your most expensive bag? My Hermès Birkin 30cm
What are the most important brands or pieces in your collection?
– my very first designer bag, which was a Gucci tote
– my Hermès Birkin, because I have never worked so hard to save up for and chase a bag
– my Chanel Classic Flap Bag in black, because it was purchased on a very special family trip in Paris
– my bags all have a story behind the purchase and remind me of very specific moments in my life, which is why I love designer handbags and also why I love hearing about other people’s bag stories
What age did you get your first designer bag, and what was it? I was 17 years old when I got my first designer handbag, and it was a Gucci tote with light gold hardware. My family was going on a trip overseas and planning on stopping over in Milan along the way. When I found out we would be stopping in Milan, I started planning out a designer bag purchase because some of my friends had gone on a trip to Italy the year before and purchased Gucci because since they were cheaper there. I started saving up my weekly allowance every week about five months before the trip. Also, each time we travelled as kids, my dad would give us a $100 to use as spending money on whatever we wanted. I religiously saved my allowance money and banked on getting $100 for the trip to cover the tote bag. I still have the bag today and have always kept it for special occasions because at the time, I didn’t know when I would purchase my next designer bag, so I kept it in pristine condition.
The Shopping
How often do you buy new bags? I buy a new bag once a year; I tend to save up all year and then treat myself to a new bag at my birthday. There have been a couple of years where I bought a couple because I managed to score great deals on bags I was eyeing and had enough to do two as a result, because of the money I had set aside.
Which stores do you frequent the most? I love browsing around Chanel, their bags are so girly and beautiful. I also love browsing Fashionphile because you can sometimes find bags that have been on your wishlist forever, or a great deal on a bag or accessory you have been eyeing. In Canada, we also have a department store called Holt Renfrew that has a bunch of designer collections under one roof.
Do you ever buy second-hand bags? Where do you buy used? Yes, definitely. I’m all about finding the best price for a handbag in great condition. I have bought from Fashionphile, eBay, and local consignment shops in Toronto and Montreal, such as Haute Classics and Own The Couture. Both of which have websites and ship worldwide!
Do you sell old bags to pay for new purchases? I have done this, but rarely because I put a lot of thought into the bags I buy, so I rarely feel like I’m not getting a ton of use out of a bag. When I wanted to buy an Hermès Birkin, though, I knew I would have to let go of a bag—since a Birkin is so expensive, I couldn’t justify not letting go of at least one of my less-used bags. I like selling my bags on eBay because I can control the selling price and which offers I’m willing to accept. I have also sold items on Fashionphile when I don’t want the hassle of managing a sale myself.
Who influences your buying decisions? I get I influenced a lot by my favourite bloggers and Instagrammers. I first started falling in love with designer bags during the pre-blog times, and I got influenced a lot by what I saw other people wearing about town. For the longest time, I have had this running list of designer bags that I have deemed as classics that every girl should have, so my buying decisions were largely based on this at first, and now I’m more influenced by bags that fit a certain purpose or activity type.
Are sales associate relationships instrumental to your shopping? At most brands, no, because I don’t feel I have the personal income to support buying a bag every few months or so. Where I live, I feel like sales associates are not interested in maintaining a good relationship unless you plan on shopping with them often. However, at Hermès, having a good relationship with a sales associate is key to getting your dream bag and I love my sales associate there, I could chat with her for hours about anything and she genuinely enjoys helping all customers!
Why do you enjoy shopping, beyond just acquiring something new? I enjoy shopping because I love being able to walk around and see how stores display merchandise and style different looks. I love watching what people get drawn to and how others style their purchases. I love hitting the malls at the start of new seasons, especially fall, because every store gets reset and it’s such a great chance to scope out what the trends of the season will be.
The Money
Who pays for your bags? At the start of my collection, I got a couple of bags as gifts from my parents, such as my Louis Vuitton Neverfull and my Chanel Classic Flap, which was a gift for graduation. However, every bag since then, including the Birkin, I have paid for myself!
Do you set aside a budget for your bag purchases? Yes I do, I tend to figure out the price of my next bag, including the tax, if I were to purchase brand new, and then will divide that up by 52 to save up for it over the course of a year and treat myself at my birthday! My Birkin was the exception, I saved up for about 2.5 years since it comes with a hefty price tag, but it goes to show that you don’t have to buy your dream bag right away, it’s totally possible if you plan it out and are patient to wait for the results.
The Taboo Topics
Have you ever purchased a counterfeit because you couldn’t afford a designer item? Yes, when I was much younger, I purchased a bag when I was visiting New York. Now, looking back, I would not purchase a counterfeit because I understand that there are so many negative aspects to buying a counterfeit. Not to mention, the good ones are still pretty expansive, and you can never sell them to recoup your cost. It’s better off to save a little more and buy the real thing.
Do you ever hide purchases from your significant other? Not really, I tend to talk about bags I want to acquire to my friends or family and my husband, so he usually knows about an impending purchase. Sometimes when I buy something but don’t plan on wearing it right away, then I might. For some reason, I always like keeping things new until I can debut them for a special occasion, so I usually I reveal to him at that time as well, if I haven’t already told him.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to afford a bag? When I was saving up to buy my Birkin, I cut out buying almost everything I didn’t necessarily need to divert all my disposable income to my Birkin fund. I also set up a separate savings account and titled it “Birkin Fund.” I pretty much cut out all frivolous purchases; previously I would go to the mall monthly and buy a couple of high-end makeup products or some new clothes, but didn’t really need any of these items, they were bought more for fun and want. This would typically amount to a few hundred a month, and once I cut this out, I was able to save for a bigger goal much more easily and it added up pretty quickly.
I also cut out eating out as frequently and started packing my own lunches. I would still go out for dinner/treats a couple times a week, but packing lunch in advance helped also save about $200 a month.
All these little changes allowed me to save up for a Birkin and also helped me not buy things that I would toss after a couple of seasons. As I have grown, I have realized I would rather have a few good quality investment items than stuff that will only last me a few months.
Do you think your shopping is ever a problem? When I first got my first full-time big girl gig, I thought, “Wow, look at all this money,” and bought a lot of stuff, and then I quickly smartened up and realized I was an adult with responsibilities and couldn’t afford to continue doing that if I wanted to hit other goals in life. I then started becoming a lot more serious about my shopping and spending habits.
The Rest Of It
Any other expensive hobbies or passions? At the moment, no. I’m currently studying to get my CPA (accounting designation) in addition to working, so don’t have a lot of time to devote to other hobbies or passions. Unless you count being a foodie. I love trying out new restaurants and food places, but wouldn’t say it is an expensive hobby because I enjoy eating at any place regardless of price, as long as the food is good, and generally consider a meal that is over $40 to be expensive.
Anything else?
My advice to young women dreaming of buying a designer handbag would be to just start saving, even if it is just $10-$20 a week—that is anywhere between $500 to $1,000 a year, and you’ll be able to purchase your handbag sooner than you think! Another perspective is thinking of it like this: a couple coffees a week, or an item you’ll be able to enjoy for years to come? This also works for any other savings goals, such as a retirement fund or emergency fund. Once you get comfortable with the idea of saving, it gets so much easier to do more!
Good for you, girl! Amazing story.
Smart strategy – I really enjoyed reading this one.
Oh my, she bought a purse that’s 20% of her household’s yearly income. That’s insanity.
Yes, maybe, but she did it the right way: saving for it instead of putting it on credit. She had a dream and she planned for it, and she got it.
I kind of agree with you. I have always thought that Birkins (or Hermes in general) is for people whose $10K-$15K is pocket change – usually people who make 7 figures (or 6 figures too, why not). But at the same time, I see her purchase as a reward for being able to save that much to buy her dream bag. Some people save money to buy a car, a motorcycle, jewelry, etc… so, if you see it that way, it’s not that crazy to think she spent 20% of her income on a bag that, in fact, is a better investment than a car.
A handbag is not an investment.
Luxury handbags absolutely can be an investment. If you buy smart and take care of them, they absolutely can appreciate. A new medium Chanel Flap in 2000 was only $1500, today it’s $5000 – if you had one you barely used or took extremely good care of, you would likely be able to sell it for at least the price you paid if not more – for a retail good, that’s in an investment. Hermes bags as well – because they are limited who can purchase (Birkin’s, Kelly’s, Exotics), they sell for well in excess of retail value on the 2nd hand market. Now Coach, Kate Spade, Tory Burch – no those are not investments, but LV, Prada, Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, YSL, Celine, etc.. yes they absolutely can be investments.
Brand new cars depreciate faster than some handbags. Chanel flaps, Birkins, and Kellys hold their value far better than cars.
A Birkin can be.
If you love something enough, the rest becomes background noise.
Yeah, I don’t know. I feel like she already had a good amount of money to begin with (outside of her salary) or her necessities were covered by her husband or parents since all she had to do was stop buying makeup and cut out eating out for 2 1/2 years. Personally, I would have to cut out an organ in order to be able to afford a Birkin in the same time frame (I am not above doing this. Lol. Just kidding. Or am I?)
Why does everyone assume it’s a husband or parents? Does no one have income outside their salary? I don’t think there’s anything wrong if it is the case, but she may have saved her paychecks from her after school job, bought real estate with it, and have rental income. We don’t know and I think it’s assumptive to immediately jump to their has to be someone else footing the bill.
I thought the same thing, if her parents or husband didn’t give any money directly, they probably helped in the way of a paid off house/flat, car, education or other necessities.
I would expect that a husband would help pay for housing where they both live though! Remember as well that she’s Canadian so her education is cheaper than in the US.
Loved this- I am a CPA too and wish her luck in her test preparation, it takes a lot of time. When she passes it, she should award herself with another bag!
Me too. I am currently studying for it and It’s so hard especially juggling work and family life. Hubby is already saving for my gift and I can’t wait. It is what motivates me at times??
I just passed my CPA exam and I rewarded myself with my first luxury bag. Having it waiting for me at the finish line was great motivation!
Awesome. Congrats. It’s no easy accomplishment and you deserve your bag.
Congratulations! You’ll be able to always make a living until you retire!
Love the saving up approach rather than charge and pay later. Have to work on that myself.
Wonder where she got her birkin! Hard to tell from the article. Sounds like it could’ve been a reseller, but she was also developing an H SA relationship. So in the end, how much did she end up having to spend to get her B?
We can ask her and follow up!
@PBMegs:disqus were you ever able to get an answer on this? In a similar situation and am very curious!
yes! Birkins are notoriously difficult to purchase even if you have the money. I’m very curious if she did get it directly from Hermes, how and what was the process. Thank you!
I wish we had gotten some clarification on that. To me, it sounds like she got it from the Hermes store since she mentioned developing a relationship with an SA.
This was my favorite Closet Confessional! I feel like I can learn from her because I’m always buying too many bags, too many jeans, etc. etc. Thank you for sharing!
I really enjoyed this one – she has me thinking maybe I should just really start and save for a Chanel 🙂
hahahaha i love this
i nearly cracked up when seeing ‘a couple coffees a week, or an item you’ll be able to enjoy for years to come?’……being a coffee addicy i was like..hmmmmi get your point..but coffeee.. definitely coffee hands down..lmfao
haha for a coffee lover, yeah, a couple coffees a week makes you happy why not…I stopped purchasing so many bags have found switching between bags is kind of annoying plus bags I like are too expensive. I could indulge good coffee every single day for the price of one bag.
Eva: My comments weren’t meant for you. I was attempting to respond to the negative comments, which yours was not. Apologies!
I applaud anyone with the sensibility to prioritize and consciously make a mature decision re: how to spend their money. She worked hard in order to buy her dream bag! Also, she put herself out there by submitting to this site. Wouldn’t it be such a kindness to treat her with courtesy and respect?
Kind of off topic for this particular article, but I wonder if you can publish a summary report on the stats for all the closet confessionals? Like a bar graph of the distribution on income, or age, etc. Really curious what that looks like – I think we are going to see the majority are in the six figures for income for example but it would be very cool to see the data to support or disprove that!
Once we have a bigger sample size, we can see to try and turn the available data into charts!
Furthermore would there be any correlation between the different data fields? Like for example income vs number of bags / purchase frequency / value of bags. What about if there’s a difference in most valued possessions’ brand compared to age groups? Or the first designer bag brand vs age…I wonder if we can see any interesting trend or if there’s absolutely no trend.
This is a wonderful idea! I would love to see this too!
This is my favorite one so far too! As a 20 something professional with a 5 figure salary, I can 100% relate. I limit myself to 1-2 bags per year in the $3-5K range. I would love to save up for a Hermès one day. I don’t see how saving up for this is any different than saving up for other big dollar items like watches or jewelry.
Great story !! Inspiration! However am I the only one who doesn’t like Birkins ??! I find them utterly boring ! I’d rather get an amazing Chanel or ysl bag !!!
Love her saving strategy! Not every one can afford a Birkin so it was truly amazing to live in her shoes for the moment. I must say, I wish that my parents gifted me some designer bags! She definitely got a head start in the game!
I can’t afford a Birkin but I do believe if I could – I’d never get one. Just too showy for me.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Who in their right mind would pay anything over $1000 for a PURSE?? This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard! I love Coach bags because they’re stylish, pretty, and not ridiculously overpriced!!
Yeah, let’s spend a crap ton of money on a bag for the sake of fashion and because it’s the “wanna be” celebrity mentality.
I’m a professional working in healthcare, have my MBA, and my husband and I make well over 6 figures a year, but would I ever pay a ridiculous amount of money on a PURSE, and it’s due only to paying for the designer name?? Hell no!!
Think real hard on that one…..is the logo and name worth it? No thanks, I’ll keep going on trips, taking care of kids, and enjoying better things in life.
Maybe you’re in the wrong forum?
How can you be so toxic as to criticize a person that’s putting themselves out there just to share their experiences with fellow Bag lovers? Can you imagine treating a person like this to their face?
These confessionals… all of them… have been fantastic.
I finished this really good article, with a good point, for those that have a goal of owning something like this Birkin. As soon as I finished reading it, and started on the comment section, I thought to myself there will be SOMEONE who will make a comment using the phrase “who in their right mind”…and almost stopped myself from reading the comments, because netizens, who are anonymous, have become the bane of the civilized exchange of opinions, blatantly so. Most of the times their nom de plume will reveal their attitudes even before reading what their opinion is, and you did not disappoint. “Stupidisasstupiddoes” is charming, and disparaging.
This young woman sounds level headed, sets goals, working towards a great occupation, does not impulse buy, AND is spending her own hard earned money. There is NOTHING about her description of her circumstances that convey “I’m a Paris Hilton wannabe”…yet you managed to overlook all of that and get right down to your bottom line …”I am CLEARLY better than you, in all ways, on all days.” Why ON EARTH on are you even on a site that is called “purseblog”, which is ALL ABOUT high end purses, to begin with? It is not your desire, ever, to purchase what is a treasure to other people. Simply put, her story is her story, your story is your story, and your story seems to belong on a blog that would be entitled “I am awesome, I am smarter than everybody else, and feel free to accuse strangers of being stupid fools.”
Check yourself: do you have a good reason for reading this blog? Go on your trips, take care of your kids, and enjoying the “better things in life”. I personally have worked my ass off forever, and fully believe that I earned every “better things in life” that I choose to purchase. And then will pass them on to my granddaughter, my Prada’s, my LV’s, my Goyards, my Burburry’s. I actually remember the stores in Paris, New York, London, and San Francisco, where I made my purchases, and the process of choosing the perfect treasure. These bags WILL retain their value, that is a proven fact. My granddaughter will have the memories that they belonged to her grandmother. I also have two amazing daughter in laws that yearly receive a piece of my “good jewelry”, I am getting so much pleasure at gifting the mother’s of my incredible grandchildren gifts of family jewelry, that are far out our their price range, at this point in their lives, that, have been treasured once, are being treasured again, and then will be passed on to a third generation. I am neither foolish, nor “stupid is as stupid does”.
Now please research other blogs, where they will welcome your acidic and pompous views.
Well said! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thank you for this comment!!
I truly feel exactly like you! If someone is here to criticize this confessional – they are definitely on the wrong blog/site
I think you might be on the wrong site.
You might want to see a doctor — that chip on your shoulder is affecting your posture.
This is a blog and forum for people who love handbags. If they choose to spend more than the amount YOU have decided is appropriate, that’s their business. Some people spend money on cars, on fancy trips, on golf clubs, on whatever. It’s THEIR money and THEIR choice. Moreover, you have NO idea why people buy a bag for more than $1000. Maybe they enjoy the fine European craftsmanship of a handmade Moynat bag. Maybe they like buying a bag that will hold its value and look good for years. To assume the owners of fine handbags are blindly following a celebrity culture is nonsense.
FWIW, I know people who think buying a Coach bag is an incredible waste of money. So you should never buy another one — after all some stranger is looking down their nose at you.
Moreover, Coach probably isn’t all that thrilled to have someone like you pushing their brand. I doubt that Coach wants to be known as the bag of choice for arrogant, judgmental jerks.
My favorite confession so far – I can relate to her so much. I applaud for her discipline and achievement! Not sure why so many comments are judging her purchase and bag expense/income ratio – she planned the purchase, cut back expenses and saved for it; she didn’t take on debt or ruin anybody’s life – why can’t she buy what she wants?
I enjoyed reading this because she has a “normal” income and buys her bags in a smart way – thoughtfully and without debt. She also offers great advice at the end, which tells me she is contributing to other savings goals in addition to saving for the occasional splurge. Kudos to her parents. Even with an HHI on the higher side my husband and me pay ourselves first before we make large discretionary purchases. You can’t live in a purse when you retire.
Yasss girl! Good for you! Enjoy your purchases!
OMG, I feel like I could have written this confession myself. We sound alike….except for the Hermès purchase…lololol. Nice confession.
She’s amazing! My next – and last! – bag is a Birkin. I’m so excited that I’m totally ok with waiting a couple years for it. She also has a great strategy!
This story I can relate to! Her strategy to purchase her Birkin & the fact that she doesn’t splurge on more than 1 a year is relatable. Let me go start my bag fund!
I find these so interesting as everyone seems to, since these confessionals get the MOST comments of all the blog articles! And even though there are some snarky comments, I think that’s the draw, applying our value system to the person who just “confessed.”
My take on this young lady is that she seems super thoughtful and deliberate when she purchases things, which seems very mature. And she chooses timeless pieces, too, which I think is cool. HOWEVER, as someone much older than her, I just hope that she takes at least as much as money as she is putting into handbags, and funds her Roth IRA !! Or even just index funds… If I could only go back in time and do that……!! But judging from what a planner she seems to be, I’m sure she is also quite smart with savings!
Keep these confessionals coming!
This is definitely some of our most engaging content and I am not surprised by that. These stories surprise and/or resonate with a lot of our readers. Check back in next week at noon EST for another installment!
Loved this closet confessional! I totally relate to her (age, income, saving strategy, etc.)! Kudos on getting your Birkin!
Thanks for posting a Canadian example…we are heavily taxed so whenever I see an American example I think “yea but their income is the same on paper but double in the bank”.
Also – I wonder she ever wished to use that money for other things like a vacation or such.
She’s so smart, money savvy, and very determine. I like her attitude. Wish I could be half strength.