The "Joneses" threads got me to thinking. Do you automatically assume that people with the "toys" (boats, fancy cars, designer clothes, etc.) are in debt or covering for an empty life? Is this your experience?

If someone can afford them, is it wrong to have "toys" or trappings of the good life?

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Personally, I don't think it's wrong for people to buy "toys" or anything that they choose for their family. It's truly none of my business.

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I don't assume that just because people own "toys" that they're in debt or covering for an empty life. I live in an upper middle class suburb with lots of people who make lots of money. So I just assume that these people have worked hard and gotten good jobs and can afford the things they buy. Might they have some credit card debt? Sure, but I also know that many of them have salaries to support their lifestyle. I also don't think that means they have an empty life. Many of the these people seem very happy to me.

And no, I don't think it's wrong to buy it if you can afford it. If you've worked hard, put yourself through college (or whatever), made good life choices about spending and investing money, then I think people have every right to spend their money as they see fit. JMO

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We have had people make comments because we have a boat with a trailer, camper, and a four wheeler with a trailer. We have these things because we caught a great deal. The boast and ATV we got from a friend that wanted to get rid of them so he sold them to us cheap. They are used and not in perfect condition, but they serve their purpose. Same thing for the ATV trailer and the camper. They are in excellent condition and we got them from friends wanting to get rid of them. We are not well of by any means. We only have them because they were cheap. These are not things that we would have gone out and purchased brand new. BUT, because we have things like this, we get comments. Even from DH's family.

I think that the biggest thing is how you use them. If your using them as a statement of "I'm better than you" then it's wrong. However, if you can truly afford them and don't rub it in other's faces then to each his own. So what I'm saying I don't really want to see people make a big deal about what you have or don't have, if you have it great, but don't judge me on what I don't have. I know that people have judged us b/c we have a boat, but old vehicles. That's our business, we don't go oh look at our boat all the time. Our boat is for fishing we enjoy salmon and trout fishing on the great lakes and our boat reflects that. What people don't know is that we got the boat to help my husband's brother who still had a loan on this one and wanted a different one. Now our boat is paid off. I don't think it's wrong to have toys so long as they are not a statement of wealth.

Wow, good question.. and NO! Actually, when I see people drive by with nice boats, cars, etc. I think MAN! I want to win the lottery! lol I think those people probably have really nice jobs, a good savings going... and are doing well. Which is our goal. lol My dh has been DYING to get a boat for YEARS!!!

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~~Ember~~
Mommy to Bailey 10/02, Brooke 9/04, & DJ 6/06

I don't think it's wrong to have the toys if you can afford them. I guess even if you can't afford them it's not wrong to have them, if that will make you happy. It's just my dh and I don't choose to buy the toys if we can't afford them. We would never go into debt because we need that new yacht because so and so has it. If they want to live their lives like that go right ahead, but it's not the life we choose to live.

Now, we just can't figure out why all these people seem to have to have a Hummer or the H3! I mean of all the cars/vehicles out there why REALLY do people buy these? I don't think they are very practical and although we do live in Western Pennsylvania I see no real use for the vehicle.

When I see someone enjoying their "toys", I think "Wow! There is someone embracing life!" And, I think it is wonderful. But, I like to see the "toys" being used for enjoyement not "trophies." What I really hate is when I see someone with "toys," then I hear them complain that they can't make ends meet!

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Homeschooling Mom to Daniel (13 Years), Andrew (10 Years), Stephen (8 Years) and Emily (4 Years)

I have enough problem keeping up with my own life, I don't have time to worry about other people's!!!

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~Happiness is a large family~

Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. James 1:19

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24

Ember, I agree with you. Setting goals I think is the way to go. I think maybe too many people have the I have to have this now attitude and set no goals for themselves, they just do everything right now, no matter what it takes sometimes. My dh and I started out 12yrs ago with NOTHING. I mean in our apartment we had his bedroom and dining room set and that's it. Nothing in the living room except a weight bench. At first we blew our money on stupid things then we grew up a little. We made a point to move into a 2bedroom apartment within the next year and slowly start buying stuff to furnish it. We had then decided to have a baby and although dh really wanted to have a house first our ds came and 4mo later we moved into our first home. Then from that point it was to fix up our house and sell it 8-10yrs later, which we did 5yrs later. Now that we have moved our next goal is to have the money to get the boys into college! I guess for us it was all about baby steps, getting everything WE wanted in life and doing it at our own pace.