I feel a bit silly but I'm really upset about this financial mishap

[plain jane]

Our up-coming move is really hard on me for a great number of reasons so to off-set that a bit dh agreed that we would treat ourselves to a new leather couch and loveseat if we could find one at a price we could afford.

 

We have been shopping around a great deal and finally stumbled across a set that we both love. It's relatively inexpensive for being all leather, the store is very reputable and both the couch and loveseat recline. It's a bit more than I was hoping to spend but definitely a better value in the long run.

 

Lemme first say that this purchase is a BIG DEAL for us. We have been Dave Ramsey folk for a long time and while we don't struggle to make ends meet, we do live on a fairly tight budget. We NEVER splurge on items like this and I know that we never would if it weren't for this move. Anyways, this store doesn't have a lot of sales and the financially minded, Dave Ramsey part of me feels terribly guilty for this purchase so I've been procrastinating. I've been popping into the store every now and then to ooogle over the couch and to convince myself that it is okay to allow myself this splurge. We didn't go last week because of unexpected company (and a bit un-welcome but that is another story) so I popped into the store yesterday for a brief moment. I almost died when I found out that the set we've been eyeing was on sale last week for 10% off!!! :cursing: It was some sort of manufacturers rebate and we simply can't get it at that price this week. Believe me; we tried.

 

I'm devastated. I know it's only a few hundred bucks in the grand scheme of things but to *us* it's a lot of money. I could have bought a lot of other things that we need with the money we could have saved. :glare: In fact, that sale may have made the difference in us getting a couch at all due to the fact that we have had some unexpected expenses come up.

 

I feel so guilty because I did want to go to the store last week on no less than 3 occasions but we had that company & I was reluctant to spend the gas money. All I want to do is this: :banghead: :banghead::banghead: -only 100 more times.

 

If I was reluctant to buy the set before, I'm even more so now, knowing that I could have had it for 10% less had I purchased it 2 days ago. Now I just don't know. Do I buy the set and suck it up? Or do I take it as some sort of "sign" that it wasn't meant to be and move on??

 

Thanks for letting me vent. I know there are *far* worse problems that each of you face every day. To me this couch was more than just a couch though. It was a rare splurge on something that *I* really wanted and it really was something that was helping me cope with the idea of this move.

[Ferdie]

I can not believe your sales rep didn't call you to tell you it was on sale!! They work on commission and are usually very hungry to make a sale.

 

I would go back to the store and tell your sales person how disappointed you are because you have the cash to buy the couch at the 10% off price and not a penney more.

[Michelle in AL]

Could you ask to speak to the store manager or owner about getting the discount? Maybe if you talked to a regular employee, they wouldn't allow it, but the store manager/owner may. I've never paid full price for furniture, we've always been able to negotiate pricing.

Also, you could look into purchasing it from another store. Go online and try to find a better price there, print out the price and bring it to the store. We just did that on a leather sofa we just purchased and got at least $200 off.

[OnTheBrink]

Furniture mark-up is HIGH. Talk to the store manager and see if he'll give you a discount. Either he makes a sale or he has stock in his warehouse. I'm betting he'd rather take a smidge of a loss over an entire loss of not making a sale.

 

And, shop around. I bet you can find a similar or even same set at another place, maybe even for a better price.

[elegantlion]

My advice, wait until you move and then buy the furniture. You'll spend 10% paying to have it moved and then several days of stress making sure your brand new furniture doesn't get damaged in the move.

 

This week I bought my ds some Devil's Food cookies, they are a rare treat. I love them! My dad and I used to split a box when I was a kid. I'm working on cutting back on sweets so i wasn't going to eat any. Ds was more than willing to share and yesterday he came and opened the box at my desk so they were right there in front of me. I saw them there, gleeming chocolate coating, sitting all organized in their little container. I wanted one, ds was offering, I would have taken it. I told him "I love you, but these are a real temptation for me right now, would you not have them around me, thank you."

 

So Jane, tell your couch, "I love you, but you're a real temptation for me right now, would you not let me be around you, thank you." There are so many unexpected expenses that can come up in a move. I say save your money, you'll probably find something better down the road.

[farmgirlinwv]

We don't splurge on things like this either. We are also getting ready to move and will be buying a new couch/loveseat and dining room table. I am also a bargain hunter and we will be paying cash as well. As a matter of fact I will buy the dining room table used. I would feel the same as you do. I would keep watching to see if there is another sale coming up before your move. Also, you could speak w/ the manager towards the end of the month and tell him you're paying cash and want a 10% discount. If he needs to make his quotas he might go for it.

 

Otherwise, I try to remember how truely blessed we are. How absolutely spoiled we are by many standards. Ask your dh what he wants to do and just do that w/ peace about it.

 

I completely understand how you feel though!

[nutmeg]

I could have bought a lot of other things that we need with the money we could have saved. :glare: In fact, that sale may have made the difference in us getting a couch at all due to the fact that we have had some unexpected expenses come up.

It sounds to me that you are not in a position to be buying this furniture, at any price. From the sentences I highlighted above, it sounds like you are rather close to the edge, and ought to put aside this want to take care of your current needs.

 

I'm sorry you are having a rough time with this move. Perhaps it might be better to make this purchase after you are in your new space a while? :grouphug:

[melissel]

Or do I take it as some sort of "sign" that it wasn't meant to be and move on??

 

Whenever something like that happens to me, I chalk it up to this. It makes me feel better, and very often, something else does come along--an alternative Craigslist or Freecycle, or the money gremlins show up shortly after and we're glad we had that money on hand instead.

 

I totally hear you about wanting a new couch though. Our has been old and ratty for a long time, but it was still comfortable, and with two small kids, we just can't justify buying a new one. But in the last few months or so, the couch has gone from "beat up and comfy" and "beat up and torturous"! The wood is poking through, the cushions are sitting all wrong, and it's getting to have kind of a funky smell :blink: But just the other day, I found black marker on the seat from an errant toddler drawing. I would have been so ticked to find that on a new couch!

 

So I sympathize. Have you been keeping an eye on Craigslist for great deals? Someone I "know" on another board scored a leather couch from Restoration Hardware for like, $100 because the owner was moving and needed to get rid of it right away. When her DH got there to pick it up, the guy brought out a matching chair that he decided not to take along, and threw it in for free.

 

Maybe a deal like that is lurking in your future???

[Mom2GirlsTX]

I agree with the other posters, especially about the markup on furniture being ridiculously high. If they won't give you a 10% discount I would walk. I also would not buy a sofa until after you move, paying to move something new and having it get marked up/damaged in the move is no fun! I would definitely advise you to wait until after you move to purchase.

[*anj*]

Hear, hear!!!

I think that this is excellent advice. Wait a little longer, and if it still seems right after the move, buy it then. And I also agree with others who said that furniture salespeople are like car salespeople. They can always offer you a better deal, but they will only do so if you hold their feet to the fire. Stand firm!!! :D Oh, and I don't think you're silly at all. I commend you for taking a deep breath and thinking the purchase through.

 

My advice, wait until you move and then buy the furniture. You'll spend 10% paying to have it moved and then several days of stress making sure your brand new furniture doesn't get damaged in the move.

 

This week I bought my ds some Devil's Food cookies, they are a rare treat. I love them! My dad and I used to split a box when I was a kid. I'm working on cutting back on sweets so i wasn't going to eat any. Ds was more than willing to share and yesterday he came and opened the box at my desk so they were right there in front of me. I saw them there, gleeming chocolate coating, sitting all organized in their little container. I wanted one, ds was offering, I would have taken it. I told him "I love you, but these are a real temptation for me right now, would you not have them around me, thank you."

 

So Jane, tell your couch, "I love you, but you're a real temptation for me right now, would you not let me be around you, thank you." There are so many unexpected expenses that can come up in a move. I say save your money, you'll probably find something better down the road.

[Tammyla]

:iagree: Very good plan. I'd talk with that sales manager and tell him to call me when he can match that sale price. I've been surprised many a time at the end of a month with that phone call.

 

My advice, wait until you move and then buy the furniture. You'll spend 10% paying to have it moved and then several days of stress making sure your brand new furniture doesn't get damaged in the move.

 

This week I bought my ds some Devil's Food cookies, they are a rare treat. I love them! My dad and I used to split a box when I was a kid. I'm working on cutting back on sweets so i wasn't going to eat any. Ds was more than willing to share and yesterday he came and opened the box at my desk so they were right there in front of me. I saw them there, gleeming chocolate coating, sitting all organized in their little container. I wanted one, ds was offering, I would have taken it. I told him "I love you, but these are a real temptation for me right now, would you not have them around me, thank you."

 

So Jane, tell your couch, "I love you, but you're a real temptation for me right now, would you not let me be around you, thank you." There are so many unexpected expenses that can come up in a move. I say save your money, you'll probably find something better down the road.

[sjp]

definitely do not ever buy furniture before a move. can you imagine how upsetting it would be to find the movers had damaged it? plus you have to pay moving costs. PLUS it may not even look so great in the new house, i would really wait until you are settled into the new house and have a clear idea how to decorate it before making big purchases. i find every time we move i have to rearrange furniture and sometimes give some of it away to fit into the new house and look right.

 

and most importantly, there will always be another sofa set out there.

[runningirl71]

I'll have to agree with the other posters who said to *wait.* I would say go for it, only if you wouldn't be able to get something like it where you are moving, but, a leather couch should easily be purchased after the move.

 

I understand your feelings, I really do. Moving can be hard and this was a way to *cope,* make you feel better about your move. You can still do this! You can look forward to going furniture shopping with dh after the move. I agree with EL, it will not be worth the stress of fretting if it will get damaged in the move.

 

Hang tight a little longer Plain Jane!

 

And . . . :grouphug:

[Brigitte]

My advice, wait until you move and then buy the furniture. You'll spend 10% paying to have it moved and then several days of stress making sure your brand new furniture doesn't get damaged in the move.

 

 

So Jane, tell your couch, "I love you, but you're a real temptation for me right now, would you not let me be around you, thank you." There are so many unexpected expenses that can come up in a move. I say save your money, you'll probably find something better down the road.

 

This is very, very, very good advice. I would not buy new furniture, especially leather, before a move. If you spend that money and the leather gets scratched or worse, you would be devastated. I don't care how well they wrap the furniture and how careful your movers are, it still gets damaged (ask me how I know - I just moved 4 weeks ago). The reimbursement for damaged furniture is minimal at best unless you pay a lot for replacement value insurance.

 

Also, you will save money on your move by not having a sofa and loveseat on the truck (less space, less weight, less time).

 

So, I am going to second (in the loudest voice I have) to not buy the furniture until after your move. This was a sign!

[Elaine]

:grouphug:Jane:grouphug:

 

Is it possible for you to go in there with cash in hand? Those sales people can't think straight when they see actual green.;) That might have a little more of "the power of persuasion."

 

I'm sorry that this is so hard for you. I truly admore your self-control and committmen to frugality.:001_smile:

[readwithem]

My advice, wait until you move and then buy the furniture. You'll spend 10% paying to have it moved and then several days of stress making sure your brand new furniture doesn't get damaged in the move.

 

 

 

 

Totally agree. We moved a month ago and I'm still reeling at the damage - particularly to my dd's new piano. :( We and she enjoyed many months of her playing it - but now I have to get the scratches removed from it. ARGH.

[Shelly in IL]

We just did a big renovation on our house. New carpet/tile/walls/doors/trim. We were looking for a nice leather sectional to be the whipped cream on the sundae.

 

I found a designer reducing her inventory - got a brand new - still wrapped in plastic leather sectional/ottoman (with the cool storage drawer) and a leather matching recliner (and these were all leather, not leather match) for $1400.

 

I consistently see like new pieces on our listings, and those are very inexpensive (like a leather couch and loveseat for $500 or so. So, I vote for waiting and look around for what you can find less expensively.

[Tammy]

I would look on Craigs list.....they always have leather sofas there. I would never buy new furniture....like someone else said...the markup is huge! Good luck!

[percytruffle]

Agreeing with the others. That is just bologna! If they won't honor the sale price for you, then they have lost the sale. I would walk out. Every store I know of will honor a sale price if that price occurs within a certain time frame before your purchase. I used to work in jewelry sales and while as a salesperson I did not have the authority to honor a sale price after a sale, all I needed to do was consult my manager and they would ok it. This store does not have a very good customer service policy. I would be skeptical about doing business with a store that would lose a multi-thousand dollar sale over a 10% loss.

[Tammy]

LOL..I suggested the same thing....sorry...I didn't read all the posts first.

[Mary in NJ]

I agree with waiting. We move sooo many times and if you only knew what happens to your furniture, you would wait! The packers do not have any emotional or financial investment of your items. Imagine having a sofa that is only 3 months old packed onto a moving truck and delivered 6 weeks later (a whole 'nother story). When they unwrapped the sofa (they put it in plastic to protect it), the guy used a box cutter to start a small slit so that he could unwrap the plastic. Well, 6 years later, I am still looking at a large rip in the sofa arm. I have repaired it (insurance paid a small token amount for the damage) but everytime I look at that tear, I just get MAD.

 

Dave Ramsey also talks about walking in with cash to a store. He tells a story about his wife wanting a washer. He looks at the price and decides he will pay X amount of dollars for the washer. He then begins talking to the salesmen about taking $150 off the price. Long story short, after a manager becomes involved and Dave is slapping around his $100 dollar bills in a stack, the final comment was, "Look, you are in the business to sell appliances, and I am here with cash. You can either keep this washer on your stock list unsold, or you can sell it to me now, because I have cash (at this point in the story, he is using the stack of $100 like a fan!) He got the washer.

 

When we moved to NJ we wanted a nice headboard. We found what we wanted at Pier I. The price was right, it was marked down 50%. We had kids with us and decided to come back the next day. My husband walked in with cash to buy the headboard. Well, surprise, surprise, the sale had gone off on Tuesday. There had not been anything listing the sale dates on this headboard, in fact, the headboard was not even in the published sales flyer. It was an in-store reduction. My husband used his knowledge from Dave and did the same thing. We have the headboard. The manager told my husband afterwards that most people are intimidated by the sales staff and will not ask for the sales price that had been posted. He thanked him for the business, my husband thanked him for honoring the sale.

 

Long winded, but hope it helps.

 

Mary

[*anj*]

Last fall we needed a new refrigerator. We basically knew we wanted and went to a place that has I think 4 stores in the NY/NJ area. We kind of went back and forth between a couple of models. They were offering discounts on several models that we didn't want, but the one we wanted was not discounted. The salesman was practically salivating. He kept telling us about financing options, but we said we were paying cash. He noticed that the kids were looking at the mega screen tv sets. He tried to entice us to take a line of credit and buy both the tv and the fridge. Yeah, right!

We told him we were willing to pay $X in cash and that was it.

 

The manager got in on it, we went back and forth a bit. I said to the guy "My husband is going to walk out of this store and we'll go someplace else. Do you really want to pass up a cash purchase?"

He said that he had been instructed that the company actually prefers financing to credit, because they have more potential for making money. So our cash wasn't so tempting to him.

 

We walked out of the store and put our kids in the car.

 

The manager followed us out to our car and offered us another deal.

 

We got the one we wanted for the amount we wanted to pay, and we paid cash for it.

 

So the cash thing works. They'll try to tell you otherwise, but don't believe them. When the push comes to shove and they see that you're willing to walk away empty handed, they will usually cave.

[Sparkle]

I don't blame you for being upset about the sale - I would be too. I agree with the others. Don't buy it now, wait until you've moved. Definitely check Craigslist. My SIL got a gorgeous leather sectional very reasonably. You might also want to see if there are any furniture consignment stores in your area. We got a pair of nice, like-new sofas from a consignment store - they had come out of a model home, and they were way cheaper than buying new.

 

If you do buy new, definitely try to negotiate a lower price. Ask for a discount since you're buying both the sofa and loveseat, and paying cash. It almost always works.

[Lovedtodeath]

It sounds to me that you are not in a position to be buying this furniture, at any price. From the sentences I highlighted above, it sounds like you are rather close to the edge, and ought to put aside this want to take care of your current needs.

 

I'm sorry you are having a rough time with this move. Perhaps it might be better to make this purchase after you are in your new space a while? :grouphug:

 

I disagree. With all of our health NEEDS we would never have anything nice or have any fun at all, our finances are gobbled away by cavities, thrush, and ulcerative colitis. I say treat yourself if this is really the only thing you would treat yourself with. But I agree that I would wait and buy it after the move.

[unsinkable]

Hi Jane!

 

You've got great advice about waiting until after the move. But after the move, ask for a 20% reduction and bargain from there. Be prepared to walk out if need be. The world is full of couches!

 

Once, I went w/cash to buy dh a recliner for a b-day present. I asked for a cash discount...was told no can do. I walked out. The next day, I read in the paper that the store was having a promotion to bring in an old chair or sofa and get $50 or $100 off. I told myself that I'd never shop there again...and I haven't...and it's been 7 years.

 

The other place I went gave me 10% plus no interest credit for 6 months if I wanted it. We still have the recliner...and I can't believe it's been 7 years!

 

Good luck!

[Reesegirl]

Yes, I can imagine that you would be disappointed with missing the sale. What I am wondering is what month do they usually have sales on funiture...you know they say certain months are good for linens, china etc...I am wondering if you could get a much better deal for a year end sale when they need to move inventory...I know that I got my sofa's on sale in December in years past. Something to think about...

[Brindee]

 

Yes, I can imagine that you would be disappointed with missing the sale. What I am wondering is what month do they usually have sales on funiture...you know they say certain months are good for linens, china etc...I am wondering if you could get a much better deal for a year end sale when they need to move inventory...I know that I got my sofa's on sale in December in years past. Something to think about...

Starting in September, car places start wanting to get rid of old inventory because they have new models coming in. We got our Van for $5,000 off the price it was when I'd test driven it one week before. It was one of those "One Only" ads to intice people in, so we thought it conveniently wouldn't be there/would already be sold. Surprisingly enough it was there (checked the vin # from the ad), and it WAS $5,000 less! We ended up deciding to get it for that reason! So I agree, maybe sometime between September and December you could easier get better deals!

[nutmeg]

I disagree.

That's fine. I know I'm weird! :001_smile:

[Mom to Aly]

I would: 1) Wait until you have moved--no point paying to have it moved again, and worrying about it. 2) Don't go in to look at it until after. 3) See if you can get some free sofas, or look at used ones in the meantime--they may not be ideal, but with the savings, they can be well worth it. 4) If you decide on these, go in, ask to speak with the manager, tell him what happened, you had decided on them, but since that happened, you went and found others you liked, and will only buy them right then if you can get the sale price plus free delivery--if he says no, walk away. It really wasn't meant to be.