Based on current spending trends, the average woman under the age of 25 will probably spend in the region of €200,000 in her lifetime on bags, clothes and shoes.

This seemingly outrageous sum translates to around 145 handbags, 185 dresses and around 270 pairs of shoes (amounts which might even make Imelda Marcos herself turn slightly pink in the face).

The thing is that while many might argue that these numbers are outrageously out of control, the truth is that apart from the fact that being able to buy beautiful things for oneself is a major motivator to getting out of bed in the morning, it’s nice to have nice things – and lots of them.

It’s been proven again and again that women’s buying patterns are closely linked to their personal lives and emotional status at a given time, however, what is less discussed is the fact that when you buy something as a quick fix, you end up spending much, much more in the long run.

It’s better to have one quality bag that gives you pleasure than to have several and still pass longingly in front of a shop window

A clear example of this can be seen when it comes to holy grail bags such as the Hermes Birkin and Chanel 2.55. Thanks to the fact that a classic Chanel can now set you back almost €4000, with its price increasing by 10 per cent on what seems like a yearly basis, it may seem like hefty fee to pay at first glance.

However, the problem is that even if you think that you can’t afford such a bag, many women end up buying 50 bags over a couple of years and basically spend the same amount to fill “the want” that the Chanel creates.

So what to do? Indeed, my advice to women is pretty much always the same: it’s better to have one quality bag that gives you pleasure and ticks all the right boxes than to have several and still pass longingly and lingeringly in front of a shop window.

While it does take time and patience to save for one (qualities which are not very popular in the 21st century), you won’t regret making the sacrifice and foregoing other bags which will never really be able to compete with your dream bag.

Not only will the process of saving for a bag help you figure out if you really, really want it, but it will also probably save you money in the long run because you’ll pour your income into that one thing instead of making you compensate with a lot of little things.

Moreover, in the unlikely event that you get fed up of your Hermes or Chanel, you can actually make money by selling it as these two brands in particular never decrease in value and are actually seen as investment pieces.

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