Do you have to justify your purchases to yourself?

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Playboypenguin

Moderator
We have one thread that is dealing with what excuses people use to buy a new firearm. It seems to be almost exclusively dealing with excuses made to spouses for your actions.

My question is..."Do you have to justify your purchases to yourself?"

I know I sure do. I do not have to explain to my spouse how I spend my disposable money, but I am constantly trying to rationalize my own behavior to myself. It is like I need a reason for my own peace of mind.

Almost every gun I buy has to have a story for it. It has to have a specific reason I am buying it. I have to say...

"Oh, I need one of those for camping."

"I need a gun to carry at work."

"I need a .44mag for hiking."

And so on, and so on... :)
 
Absolutely. Perhaps I would collect more firearms if the phrase "disposable income" had a place in my life, but every gun I own has to have a specific, justifiable purpose. To justify your purchases is to display wisdom in the face of constant pressure to consume.

Accountability in a marriage certainly play into it as well; I don't want my wife spending our resources on things she doesn't need. I disclose all purchases to her because I want the same courtesy in return.

I use the same rationale when it comes to just about everything, though. I don't buy tools, instruments, or electronics unless I know that said items will regularly see the light of day. If a couple of years pass and something hasn't left the closet, I sell it.

I know certain materialistic and compulsive people who own tons of stuff they never use. To each his own, but I like to keep my worldly possessions to a minimum. Clutter just causes me stress.

-T
 
There is no self. There is only that portion of my identity that SWMBO allows to exist, and which she, praise be to her, could snuff out at any time

WildhallowedbehernameAlaska TM
 
Me Too !!

I do quite often and find that what usually tips the scale, is pricing, service and investment potential.

Pricing: Too high, walk away. Just right, it's mine!!
Service: I have three at right now and wil I use it?
Invenstment: When I decide to sell it, will I get my money back or more?

As far as my Spouse's attitude, she is very receptive to what I buy and questions me when I sell. :confused:


Be Safe !!!
 
Looking from the other side....

How exactly would you buy a gun WITHOUT justifying it to yourself? Sure, the justification might be "I likey." but there HAS to be some sort of justification, unless you just buy every gun you see because you have some sort of excessive compulsive disorder.
 
I used to buy a lot of cheap commie funkmatics, wacky milsurps, and guns of questionable quality. I didn't know any better. So now I justify new gun purchases as "improving my collection". I "replace" the crappy guns with nice ones ("replace" in quotes because I rarely sell the guns being "replaced").
 
Personally, I only need one gun, I guess, and that would be for self protection.

Sufficient justification for buying another: I like it!

Of course, it helps to be single without children.
 
Because?

Yes. I have to have a reason. My 83 year old grandpa (collects/shoots guns, and rides Harley's) will ask me why I bought a gun. Some times the answer is "Because I wanted it.". That works for me and grandpa, but the wife IS another story.:rolleyes:
 
One thing I will add, not discussing the merits of religion, but being an atheist really helps when justifying buying something "just because.". It is much easier to justify doing things that make yourself happy when you can say to yourself "I only get one shot at life and then I am dead." When there is no "reward" waiting on the other side you are more likely to splurge a little while you can. :D
 
Sure, if I can't justify it to myself - then its foolish to buy it.

But in addition, my criteria includes:

a. does it fit into my collection, in that caliber ( a nickel, 4" N frame revolver as an example ) - while I may have a stainless and blued one - should I add a Nickel one .... / another 1911 5" ....

b. is it something I'll shoot and be proud to own long term / if no, let it go.

c. I don't want any 'safe queens' - if I won't shoot it, I don't need it.

I do have some duplicates of some of my all time favorite guns - like N frames S&W revolvers ( and I'll give them to the kids someday ), or maybe sell a couple (but I never sell them ).
 
The way I look at it is this:
I am an adult and have a good paying job. My family is well care for financially, all the bills are paid or are being paid on time. If there are no necessities needed right away then why not? You only go around once in life so I'm going to have some fun. I don't want to reach the age of 75, look back and think to myself "Gee, I wish I would have gotten that when I had the chance or was young enough to enjoy it". Or another thought(the way this country is going:rolleyes:)is "Gee, I wish I would have gotten that firearm before it was outlawed".
 
I guess the question should be clarified a bit. We all justify our own actions to an extent, but do you have to "hard sell" yourself every time you buy a new gun? Do you need to convince yourself strongly? :)
 
If I see a gun that I like I'll grab it before it gets away. Often I'll pay more then I should, but if the price had been lower it would have been gone already. My wife thinks I'm "making excuses" but actually I'm "rationalizing"...a much higher thought process... ;)

Here are some examples of my recent buys (feel free to gloat if you've bought them cheaper): Late-war Walther PP .22 ($1050), Russian Army Makarov ($500), Chinese SKS ($250), East German PP clone ($350), Bulgarian Army Makarov ($190), Polish M44 carbine ($150), and an MAS 49/56 ($319). I also bought a 1000rd case of Federal XM193 5.56m ($385)...about twice what I paid in 2006... :(

But I do get deals on occasion too...a S&W M&Pc 9mm ($325), M60 2" .375 w/laser grips ($425), and a 1944 Star B ($225). So I guess it (almost) evens out in the end.... :D

Milspec
 
We all justify our own actions to an extent, but do you have to "hard sell" yourself every time you buy a new gun? Do you need to convince yourself strongly?
Click to expand...

Yes. I always know that there are plenty of other things on which I could spend my money. Anything from paying bills ahead to charity. Any and all of those things may enter the equation.
 
I don't want any 'safe queens' - if I won't shoot it, I don't need it.
Click to expand...

I've never even had that thought cross my mind. I bought a Desert Eagle about four years ago for $1,200, now they go for $1,700 new. I'm finding that guns are appreciating better than any other investment and that's rationale enough for me. After I bought my Desert Eagle I regretted it because it kept jamming on me, probably one jam every magazine full. I did find some reliable ammo but it was about $2.50 a shot OUCH. It was a safe queen for years until just recently. Then I got into reloading and now my Desert Eagle is my favorite gun, never jams at all with my custom reloads that I can load for about 35 cents a shot NICE. I've had guns that I haven't shot in years and then all of the sudden I'll pick up coyote hunting or something and a particular gun that I've never used much suddenly gets used a ton. My safe is stuffed with guns, not sure if I can fit many more in there but I always seem to find room. No way I'll be able to use them all on a regular basis but when I decide for example to go on a Black Bear hunt I'm glad I have my 45-70 and .458 Socom to choose from!

:D

My wife is not into guns, we have separate budgets and she has no idea when I buy a gun (and doesn't care at all). She doesn't question what I buy and I don't do the same, we have our own designated bills to pay and everything works out just fine. If one of us loses their job the other picks up all the bills until the other is employed again, works perfect.
 
My wife is a stay at home mom. She pays the bills and is the home 'accountant'. Try to stay within a 'budget' . Wouldn't have it any other way :) .

That said, I still have to justify to myself why I need another revolver. This last one on lay-a-way is the Ruger 50th .44mag . This I justified by saying to myself "Always wanted a flattop .44" (Keep in mind that I already have a SBH stainless .44) . The one before that was "a NIB Ruger BH .45 at a very 'good price' :) . And it matches my .45 5 1/2" barrel Vaquero only with adjustable sights. Plus no internal lock, yessss. And the lawyer warning rolled under." All good reasons to buy ;) . So yes, I have to justify it to myself.... and then to my wife. President Obama and his sidekick Holder has also 'helped' factor in reasons for a new revolver lately.....

Prices have certainly went up.... I got a SKS back in the 90s for $99.... $250? Wow....
 
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Not really. I usually buy simply because I want it.

But no, I don't hard sell myself, if I see one that hits my hot button, it is an instant decision. I've only bought two firearms at a gun show, both insta buys. One a long slide SS Springfield and the other a Colt Diamondback. Three or four off gunbroker, saw it, bought it.

However, if there is something I only "kinna" want, that is more of a hard-sell to myself. Several that I bought that way wound up being sold later. So, after that lesson learned, has to be something I really want badly, and those are harder and harder to find as there are only so many that fit.

For me, money is not an issue as my "slush" fund is currently 5 figure, (thank you PokerStars for some of that). The wife is not an issue, nor am I for her spending.

So, no hard-sell................................ck
 
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