Watch guilt??

I save money from non-income sources such as other watch sales, collectible sales, gift money, etc, so it's money we didn't count on anyway. But the guilt doesn't go away, so yeah sorry I couldn't help 😂

That's ok🤣🤣. I always think "this should go to the kids" even if I didn't even count with that money to begin with 🤣🤣

I like to try and find the best deals, or newer brands. On occasion I will began saving say, $100 or so here and there for a bigger purchase. I bought a high end Seiko that took me some time to save for but it was worth it. However my normal "watch wants" are much cheaper and easier to attain. I also flip my old ones to help fund something new. I hear you, once you have bigger responsibilities, the watch habit sometimes takes a backseat. I will say I am lucky that my wife sees how much I enjoy it and she is supportive. If I want to save for a watch, she has no issue as long as the priorities are handled.

Sure, there’s a constant conflict between what I want and what I can responsibly afford. I usually set a budget and then start compromising. I look for the value options and rationalize off-the-shelf movements as cheaper to maintain, workhorses — where in-house are overpriced, unproven, expensive, etc. I celebrate diminishing returns over a certain price point and convince myself my values, responsibilities and practical sense prohibit me from spending more than $— on a watch. I settle.

My wife is the same, which is nice! But the internal guilt is a killer, sometimes thinking why have so much money in a watch when that could be used for something else etc.

I overcame that problem by setting an upper limit on spending.

I don't buy watches costing more than $2500 CAD, because that is the limit that I feel comfortable with. Anything over $2500 starts to feel like it would be cutting into my opportunities to do other things. I have a few hobbies, so I don't want one hobby to prevent me from engaging in the other ones.

When I didn't have money...

• I did set a budget for myself for fun, discretionary pleasures - it was $0

• I never bought anything, I never went on vacations, I never spent more than $3 for a meal, I never drank alcohol, I never "went out to the club" or a concert or any of those things that normal human beings seem to do... all well into my 30's

• The only thing I splurged on was higher quality ramen - this, as opposed to Maruchan...

• Otherwise, every dime went into the S&P 500

As a result, now, at nearly 50, I have money, and...

• I pretty much buy whatever I want without ever thinking about the price of that thing

• I have no budget

If I were to buy something discretionary that caused me to worry about my financial situation, I wouldn't buy that thing. Today, the only reason I buy these luxury watches is because they don't affect me whatsoever financially.

No discretionary good or service, to me, is worth putting oneself into financial stress over... except maybe cocaine.

I think it’s a feel thing, what are you comfortable with? Say you set a limit of $5000 for a watch. Well how many of those can you have or is that a yearly budget?

I’m always adjusting what I want to buy next and when I can make that purchase. I think I’m close to a BB late in the spring, but then again, what bills will come up before then?

In the end it’s about what you (and anybody else you share a household with) feel comfortable with.

I'm with you on that one! I don't really stress over a watch nor would I put my family in a stressful financial situation over a watch! I'll just have to be patient and keep saving bit by bit. The reason it will take a while is because im not putting away an irresponsible amount and there are other things one must do before buying a luxury item. When my electrical business takes off and I'm swimming in cash I'll buy a few sweet watches! 🤣🤣

Mental barrier has been around 1k. It’s totally arbitrary, but above that seems too pricey for me to justify basically what is a piece of mechanical jewelry. And now that my 10 watch box is full, it’s going to be one in, one out from now on. I am considering a Rolex Explorer next year to celebrate a milestone so my limit will be put to the test. I also have three cars, somehow mental gymnastics makes that possible whereas I can’t spend a much smaller fraction on a watch. All this to say, everyone is different. From a budget standpoint, we automate investments and savings and are fine to spend the rest.

Watch budget...easy...it has to be something that does not cause you to incur debt, disappoint your family, or prevent you from paying your bills and supporting the people you love.

After that, it's just how much discretionary income you want to put towards your watch collecting hobby versus some other hobby.

One caveat...if you believe you need a nice watch for success in business, then that is a different matter. It should be considered the same way you would consider purchasing well made suits, shirts, shoes, and ties. People will judge you by how you dress and for some professions that is really important.

So, if the watch you wear is not important for your work...then this is perfectly fine...

If it is important for how you look at work, then this may be the better look...

The watch is a luxury item. One day soon, sooner than you think you will be able to get a nice watch you want. Until then, if you have a guilt over buying something more expensive, then it is not the right choice. It isn't that you can't have nice things that you want, it is just not the time. Your heart is in the right place, there are other things more important than a watch. The problem with saving is there is always something more worth saving for... Family, life and time... they are all expensive to have and worth having.

I sell my kidneys in the black market? Shows scars from half a dozen kidney transfers 😛

Seriously though, I save whatever non-essential monies that came into my way and when I have enough (and for some reason nobody got wind of me having a windfall) I splurge with what I want to buy/go for holidays, that sort of thing.

Mind you, there'll always be someone asking for your money (I should know, I gave my mother $1.6k of my watch splurge money for her to buy some blings. Relatives smell money, I swear).

Wait, I'm confused. The Seiko is what you wear If it's important how you look! Right?

My limit, for now, is no more than $300 for a watch. I usually can achieve this through the gray market like Ashford or Jomashop.

I only had one watch worth as much as $80cdn ($50usd) until after my kids were all grown up and moved out. Now that I'm approaching retirement but still working, I can spend on things I want rather than need.