The first luxury item you bought?

[gsganzer]

My biggest fear is that someday my wife sells all my stuff for what I told her I paid for it!

 

[kenmbz]

My grandfather painted scenes of Portugal and Spain and all around the Northeast (covered bridges, houses etc).
We hope to sell more of them as there are hundreds already out there.
My brother and I don't want a lot of money for them and we are keeping many in the family.

None of them are family, is that what is stopping you Moss?

 

[MossRoad]

Moss,
Are you destroying them because they depict family scenes? That's the only reason I might see to destroy them. Otherwise, let someone else enjoy the art, even if you gave them away for free.

In general, art has meaning to its creator. They make it for themselves, not others. On the other hand, there are commercial artists that sell their works, or do commissioned work for others, or just give it away as gifts. My parents did a lot of that as well, and plenty of their works are out there and enjoyed by others.

The specific items we're going to give a viking sendoff to are quite personal, and all of my siblings agree they should not go out in public. And....

 

[MossRoad]

My biggest fear is that someday my wife sells all my stuff for what I told her I paid for it!

I told my wife to enjoy all of my stuff with her new boyfriend after I croak.

 

[MossRoad]

My grandfather painted scenes of Portugal and Spain and all around the Northeast (covered bridges, houses etc).
We hope to sell more of them as there are hundreds already out there.
My brother and I don't want a lot of money for them and we are keeping many in the family.

None of them are family, is that what is stopping you Moss?

Nope. It's all personal stuff that's getting the viking sendoff.

Maybe if I tell folks what we're keeping, they'll be satisfied...

Many landscapes and portraits will be kept.
Some abstracts will be kept.
Many architectural renderings will be kept.

My father was a photographer (and a demolitions officer, and a small arms instructor, and a welding inspector, and a chemical warfare instructor) in WWII in the south pacific. The film would melt or overexpose before they could successfully develop it because it was so hot in New Guinea. So the army enlisted painters. My dad, being a watercolor painter, had to make quick charcoal sketches of what he was seeing, then color them in later and send them off up the chain. He got most of them back. Some were even in a national show in D.C. Those will be kept.

 

[ponytug]

Nope. It's all personal stuff that's getting the viking sendoff.

Maybe if I tell folks what we're keeping, they'll be satisfied...

Many landscapes and portraits will be kept.
Some abstracts will be kept.
Many architectural renderings will be kept.

My father was a photographer (and a demolitions officer, and a small arms instructor, and a welding inspector, and a chemical warfare instructor) in WWII in the south pacific. The film would melt or overexpose before they could successfully develop it because it was so hot in New Guinea. So the army enlisted painters. My dad, being a watercolor painter, had to make quick charcoal sketches of what he was seeing, then color them in later and send them off up the chain. He got most of them back. Some were even in a national show in D.C. Those will be kept.

Yes, Viking funeral, or library of congress would be my vote.

 

[masseyrider]

Luxury items?
It all depends on stage of life.
Around 10-11 I wanted a TV in my room.
I saved up and bought a 12" B&W RCA.
Got to watch Benny Hill at 11pm.
At 18 I had saved enough to buy my dream car. A new Smokey and the Bandit Trans AM. Just over $8k all in.
At 21 Ma and Pa helped me buy my first house. Took me 4 years to pay off my half while going to University. $48500+ interest and lawyers.
Next was a divorce at 30. Aboot $250K.
Like the joke asks, "why is divorce so expensive?" "Because it's worth it"
After Ma and Pa died a 2006 Ford GT. $175K all in.
Pa had said life was short and to buy myself something extravagant that I never would otherwise.
What is a luxury evolves over time.
Something that I partake in almost everyday is good food.
Not necessarily expensive but quality good that I enjoy.

 

[FullMetalBucket]

Growing up in the North East the first thing that comes to mind is a snow blower. Shoveled snow by hand as a kid and we didn’t have a small driveway.

 

[BackRoad]

First married, we wrote down future dream purchases on our bathroom mirror.

My wife's was an ironing board.

It was easier back then to be a hero...

 

[not2old]

My divorce lawyer........

My divorce lawyer gave me a real dirty look when I mentioned that she just put the automatic transmission guy in second place.

 

[CalG]

I recall the first clothes washer I bought.

It was the day after my wife asked ME to take the laundry to the laundry mat.

I'ld always done my own wash, but keeping track of colors, whites, and delicates was more than I could wish on an enemy.
Scored BIG POINTS with the wife too!

 

[jyoutz]

Luxury item isn’t the right word but I didn’t know what else to call it. The first thing you ever bought that made your life easier, had an impact you remember. Maybe it’s a chainsaw, tractor, house etc.

For me I was about 27 and renting a house. Up until this time I had been going to laundromats since I was 21. This rental house had a washer and dryer hook up and I bought a used pair. I don’t remember the exact cost but probably $200 for both. If you ever had to do laundry at a laundromat on a regular basis you understand. For me that was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

I think that was also my first luxury item bought.

 

[MossRoad]

Yes, Viking funeral, or library of congress would be my vote.

There are already some in the library of congress, along with many more works by other combat artists.

 

[MossRoad]

Growing up in the North East the first thing that comes to mind is a snow blower. Shoveled snow by hand as a kid and we didn’t have a small driveway.

I've mentioned this before....

When I bought a house with my fiancé and moved out the summer before our wedding, my dad bought the following:
- A Toyota Landcruiser FJ40 with a snow plow.
- A walk behind snow blower.
- A Simplicity lawn tractor with a mower, snow blade and snow blower.
- A trailer for the tractor.
- A leaf blower.

Of course, I asked him why it took him so long to ditch the hand tools, tarps and push mower that we'd used for decades and his answer was simple....

"We had you!"

 

[MossRoad]

My divorce lawyer gave me a real dirty look when I mentioned that she just put the automatic transmission guy in second place.

Had to think about that one for a minute....

 

[riptides]

..had to be my first car. Which was parked at my parents house for over two years as I traveled overseas. I ended up in a electronics marketplace one day and decided I needed a stereo update for it. So I bought a rack of Alpines that came home with me. I hand carried them through customs which promptly got me into the back room as they went through the screening. Somehow customs just did not believe I was an American citizen.



I still have these components in a box, in the barn. I did manage to get them in my car for a few years when I returned stateside. I should make a cabinet for them and see if I can get real music in the barn. LOL.

 

[Oaktree]

To me Enron is a great name! LOL.

Not such a great investment though.
Somewhere I have a foam rubber light bulb with an Enron logo on it. No idea where I got it, probably at a trade show somewhere.

 

[Oaktree]

I bought a Marantz receiver in 1975, and good speakers. All my buddies were still listening to cheap stereos. I had it reconditioned a few years ago (new capacitors, bulbs, etc...) and I put in new woofers for the speakers. I'm still enjoying the full/quality sound of that system today.

I still have mine too. It's a Sansui, so it was a cheap system at the time, but still considered a "luxury item" so somone making $10,000/year.....

Nothing like a good stereo, though it seems to have been more of a boomer and maybe older Gen X thing. Almost can't give that stuff away anymore.
I still have the Sansui receiver I bought back in the 70s, I wouldn't consider it a "cheap system". Don't remember what I paid for it, but it made a fairly substantial dent in my bank account. Been thru quite a few sets of speakers over the years, but the receiver's stayed the same. Just went thru and re-capped it maybe 5 years ago.

Am I the only one who hates overpaying for a sandwich or a doughnut but has no problem shelling out big money for a piece of jewelry when it's a good deal?

Maybe. I've never had the slightest interest in jewelery. Closest thing would be my wedding ring, which only gets worn on special occasions (anniversary, etc.).
Don't like overpriced food either.

 

[masseyrider]

..had to be my first car. Which was parked at my parents house for over two years as I traveled overseas. I ended up in a electronics marketplace one day and decided I needed a stereo update for it. So I bought a rack of Alpines that came home with me. I hand carried them through customs which promptly got me into the back room as they went through the screening. Somehow customs just did not believe I was an American citizen.

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I still have these components in a box, in the barn. I did manage to get them in my car for a few years when I returned stateside. I should make a cabinet for them and see if I can get real music in the barn. LOL.

I bought a Jensen system for my TA. Between the head unit, equalizer, amp, speakers it cost me something over $1700. Back then I brought home aboot $160/week.
Then someone stole it while I was at the local watering hole.
Insurance said it wasn't covered because it was aftermarket and I hadn't recorded the upgrade.
Since then factory is sufficient.

 

[Oaktree]

First married, we wrote down future dream purchases on our bathroom mirror.

My wife's was an ironing board.

It was easier back then to be a hero...

Gotta say, my wife's pretty good in that regard. Other than what I consider a fancy car, she's not real big on luxury items or bling. A couple years ago a dustbuster-type vac was at the top of her Christmas wish list (got her a Ryobi one so the battery is compatible with my cordless tools).
Then again, we're both in our mid 70s, and not looking to accumulate more "stuff" that just takes up space. Except dishes. She seems to have a thing for dishes.