How materialistic are you?

[Gunnersaurus]

I'm quite an un materialistic person myself. I get the cheapest car I can that is cheap to run. I wear clothes that is comfortable not fashionable unless I need to look good for an interview or something. Part of it is because I dont have the  money to be materialistic but also because I think you have things you need and things you want. And a lot of these things would maybe be nice but I'm not really worried.

What about you? 

[CaaC (John)+]

I spent near on 20 odd years in security work and building management in which you had to be smartly dressed in a suit & tie etc but since I retired in 2014 the suit & tie bits were hung up in the wardrobe only to be used on special occasions.

I would rather laze around in tracksuit bottoms and trainers etc and I do not spend a bomb on clothes like our son, daughter and grandsons, where our son would buy a top of the range trainers and tracksuits around the £40 quid mark, £10 or £5 is my limit.

[nudge]

Probably need to define "being materialistic" more specifically, as it likely means somewhat different things to different people. 

[Gunnersaurus]

2 minutes ago, nudge said:

Probably need to define "being materialistic" more specifically, as it likely means somewhat different things to different people. 

I suppose I mean things that generally considered nicer. Like are you worried about a nice car or are you ok with a cheap car. Nice furniture or cheap furniture. I'm not refer to comfort though. Wanting clothes that are expensive but very comfortable isn't what I'm referring to. I'm also not referring to things that may be more expensive but will last longer. 

[nudge]

Just now, Gunnersaurus said:

I suppose I mean things that generally considered nicer. Like are you worried about a nice car or are you ok with a cheap car. Nice furniture or cheap furniture. I'm not refer to comfort though. Wanting clothes that are expensive but very comfortable isn't what I'm referring to. I'm also not referring to things that may be more expensive but will last longer. 

Yeah, it's hard to define it. I think in general, all people prefer nice things over less nice ones (that isn't necessarily the most expensive ones, though), and would go for it when they can afford it. Using your examples, would I be ok with a cheap car? Sure, as long as it is not falling apart. Would I get a nicer, more expensive car if it was financially viable? Also yes, because why not, if I can afford it. 
Another example - I have recently spent over a month looking for a new apartment, and after viewing a few dozen of them in my budget bracket, I didn't move into the cheapest or the most expensive one either - I chose the one I liked  best. Could I have moved into the cheapest one? Absolutely. Does moving into a more expensive and nicer one with nicer furniture and a swimming pool makes me materialistic? I don't think so, haha.
In general, I have few material possessions (can easily fit everything into a 20kg bag within 20 minutes), but that's more or less a lifestyle choice. I don't care about fancy designer clothes, expensive jewelry, or newest phone models, and don't like buying stuff just for the sake of buying and owning it. That said, I still buy affordable yet nice clothes and shoes as opposed to the cheapest ones, I do like stylish watches, photography gear, good whisky and other things that aren't bare necessities. Does that make me materialistic? I guess we all are, to a certain degree.

For me, a truly materialistic person in a negative sense is someone who believes that money, wealth, status, luxury and material possessions are the way to attain happiness and measure one's success in life. 

[Gunnersaurus]

21 minutes ago, nudge said:

Yeah, it's hard to define it. I think in general, all people prefer nice things over less nice ones (that isn't necessarily the most expensive ones, though), and would go for it when they can afford it. Using your examples, would I be ok with a cheap car? Sure, as long as it is not falling apart. Would I get a nicer, more expensive car if it was financially viable? Also yes, because why not, if I can afford it. 
Another example - I have recently spent over a month looking for a new apartment, and after viewing a few dozen of them in my budget bracket, I didn't move into the cheapest or the most expensive one either - I chose the one I liked  best. Could I have moved into the cheapest one? Absolutely. Does moving into a more expensive and nicer one with nicer furniture and a swimming pool makes me materialistic? I don't think so, haha.
In general, I have few material possessions (can easily fit everything into a 20kg bag within 20 minutes), but that's more or less a lifestyle choice. I don't care about fancy designer clothes, expensive jewelry, or newest phone models, and don't like buying stuff just for the sake of buying and owning it. That said, I still buy affordable yet nice clothes and shoes as opposed to the cheapest ones, I do like stylish watches, photography gear, good whisky and other things that aren't bare necessities. Does that make me materialistic? I guess we all are, to a certain degree.

For me, a truly materialistic person in a negative sense is someone who believes that money, wealth, status, luxury and material possessions are the way to attain happiness and measure one's success in life. 

You can afford a flat with a swimming pool how much do you earn?!

[Tommy]

2 minutes ago, Gunnersaurus said:

You can afford a flat with a swimming pool how much do you earn?!

Never ask a woman what she earns. Or her age. It was one of the two. 

[nudge]

1 minute ago, Gunnersaurus said:

You can afford a flat with a swimming pool how much do you earn?!

That's all you've taken from my post?  

Anyway, my money is worth much more here compared to Europe, that's the whole secret. 

[Gunnersaurus]

1 minute ago, Tommy said:

Never ask a woman what she earns. Or her age. It was one of the two. 

Its never ask her age. But I've already asked @nudgethat

[Gunnersaurus]

Just now, nudge said:

That's all you've taken from my post?  

Anyway, my money is worth much more here compared to Europe, that's the whole secret. 

Ha ha no. But I did notice it. Personally I'm quite happy with the things that I have. It would be nice to have more things but I'm not that worried about it. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

It depends on the "material," tbh.

I've bought "expensive" and "nice" furniture to "upgrade" from Ikea furniture once I got married. Most of that shit was just overpriced crap that fell apart pretty quickly. For furniture give me the higher quality Ikea shit any day. Don't care about assembling it myself, I never think it's that hard it's just annoying sometimes. It's a lot better than Ikea's cheapest stuff, comparable to furniture that's much higher priced - and sometimes lasts a lot longer than stuff that's higher priced.

My car is cheaper than a lot of the other cars that I test drove and considered getting before I bought this car. But that's not really why I got it - I got the car I tried that I liked the best, it just happened to be a benefit it was cheaper than other cars I considered. I don't think I'd ever buy a car (or anything really) because it was the "cheapest" or the "most expensive."

With guitars... I like nice guitars & music gear. I've had some pretty expensive ones and I've had some cheap ones. The expensive ones are generally better made, better sounding. They aren't always the best feeling in my hands... but that's a matter of personal preference with the specs of the guitar. Having said that, there's tons of great instruments at any pricepoint in the time we live in... I ended up replacing my most expensive guitar with a guitar that is about a grand cheaper but feels much better in my hands.

With clothes, I don't like the cheapest stuff because in my experience that shit falls apart pretty quickly. And constantly having to buy clothes isn't really a great way of saving money. I dunno if that makes me materialistic as much as it makes me not like spending money on shite that doesn't last. That goes for a lot of things, tbh.

But I guess to quickly answer the question I will say: moderately materialistic. 

[Gunnersaurus]

One thing I do spend a bit more on is my knives for work. I don't buy the really expensive ones but I don't buy the cheap ones because they aren't very good. I don't actually like the really expensive ones because the handles are made of metal and hurt my hand.

Dont tend to buy the cheapest razors either because they cut your face.

My car is the cheapest one I could get at the time. It does 0 to 60 in 5 hours

[Tommy]

10 minutes ago, Gunnersaurus said:

One thing I do spend a bit more on is my knives for work.

Are you a chef?

[Gunnersaurus]

10 minutes ago, Tommy said:

Are you a chef?

Yeah not a serial killer dont worry 

[Tommy]

3 minutes ago, Gunnersaurus said:

Yeah not a serial killer dont worry 

Do you work at a Restaurant? What's your main cousine?

[Devil-Dick Willie]

I remember reading something mildly interesting somewhere. Basically it pointed out that women are generally materialistic, and the classy things men own are all things that impress women, or that men think impress women. 

Clothes, cologne, cars, nice flats, jewelry. Even if they don't know they're doing it.
Meanwhile that same single guy is eating frozen microwave dinners, playing PS4 on his 3rd hand couch a housemate left him, and sleeping in sheets his mum got him 8 years ago. 

[Viva la FCB+]

I think by nature human beings are materialistic if you define it such as having nice things. I think thats something the majority of people strive for no matter what you are talking about. I generally think of being materialistic more along the lines of what nudge has said; tying material possessions into status and a measure of success.

I definitely dont live frivolously by any means and I have my vices and hobbies and some things I do cheap out on it just really depends.  I will have to tighten up on some of my spending and  things come next year as my better half and I settle in and buy a place and have a mortgage but thats a problem for then. 

[Toinho]

As some others have eluded to, I feel I interpret materialistic as slightly different. To me it’s someone who has taste in items or possessions to show their wealth OR they must have the newest and best of everything. I don’t fall into any of the above. I feel these people also have strong connections to brands too, and advertising is targeted at these people and they are affected by it. 
 

We recently made an absolutely ridiculous purchase, one of my most expensive ever (only beaten by a house, and two cars) but it’s something that makes our house a home (and can store my partners literal hundreds of books), we got a fancy book case with a ladder and everything attached to the wall. Haha 

[Spike]

Not overly. I don't think the possessions I own define me or my worth.

[Gunnersaurus]

2 hours ago, Tommy said:

Do you work at a Restaurant? What's your main cousine?

I don't think I really have one mate. Only head chefs really have a main cuisine. But I guess I like modern European but am maybe looking at asian next. I Freelance at the moment so I can controll my hours 

[Devil]

Never been into cars at all so I've never felt the need to debt myself up to the eyeballs for a fancy motor.

Clothes, different story. Always need to feel comfortable and can't stand thinking I look scruffy. I've dropped certain designer labels when they started to be sold in certain shops that I feel devalue them.

I'm also the same with Tech, we have a Mac and my eldest daughter has a Mac book as I feel the quality is better.

[Tommy]

19 minutes ago, Devil said:

I've dropped certain designer labels when they started to be sold in certain shops that I feel devalue them.

For example?

[Devil]

4 minutes ago, Tommy said:

For example?

We have a shop in the UK called Sports direct. The sports bit is debatable as it sells everything from work wear to giant calculators.

Well recently I've been in and seen designer labels that I was familiar with but clearly a lower quality of item. Basically making a cheaper range for Sports direct.

To me that label is now dead, I can no longer wear it as its associated with Sports Direct.

It doesn't work with the Sports brands though.

[nudge]

After having lived in Asia for almost a decade, I can't take any popular fashion brands seriously, as the majority of them produce their stuff in sweatshops down here with cheap materials and cheap workforce, and sell them for ridiculously inflated prices in Europe, while the same products are on sale for a fraction of price in outlet shops here. There are exceptions for sure, but it's a massive scam overall. 

These days, if I want something nice, I just go to the tailor and get it made for me. 

[Tommy]

10 minutes ago, Devil said:

We have a shop in the UK called Sports direct. The sports bit is debatable as it sells everything from work wear to giant calculators.

Well recently I've been in and seen designer labels that I was familiar with but clearly a lower quality of item. Basically making a cheaper range for Sports direct.

To me that label is now dead, I can no longer wear it as its associated with Sports Direct.

It doesn't work with the Sports brands though.

Interesting. I never put that much thought into clothing.  I mean, I want them to look nice and suit my taste, but that's it.