School Shopping Extravaganza and Bitch Session

[threebag]

So, another year of Back to School bullshit is upon us. This thread is for any steals, deals and bullshit you need to bitch about.

I have a 16yr that’s going into his Junior year. He worked his ass off this summer with the oil well service outfit. Little shits sitting on a small fortune for a kid. He’s a miser and won’t buy shit. So, 5 pairs of Ariat Jeans, $650 pair of Tecova boots, $175 Nike Vapor football cleats and we’re just getting started I think. I am balking on the $200 Sitka backpack he wants, he can buy that shit. Any of you sick of the Back to School season and just wish they’d get their ass back to school?

Wish school was year round with exceptions for fishing and hunting days, ****…

[George Liquor]

Originally Posted by TinyEvel

IN 6th grade I got my first pair of Vans sneakers, was $16.99. Mom acted like it cost a million dollars. Brown slip-on Vans.

I would wear them to school, walk home, take them off, wrap them back in the tissue and put them back in the box in my closet. Every day.

Lasted the whole school year almost looked as good in June as they did in September.

My parents used to make me buy shoes from the 1/2 price store for a long ass time. Thankfully I discovered Van's in 8th grade and they were cheap and cool looking.

[threebag]

Originally Posted by kcgreene

Just a reminder, you may have to clothe your child, but you don't have to clothe him with a $650 pair of boots. A $20 pair of Walmart shoes covers feet just fine. Hell, they have pretty solid work boots for $70 bucks.

There's a difference between necessity and want.

If I wanted something specific, it was on me to pay for it (Or at least a big part of it). Taught me responsibility and to take care of my shit better.

I think that’s my big bitch about the whole thing, I bought my own “wants” when I was his age. Kids today are a different breed.

[threebag]

Originally Posted by lewdog

That’s not rewarding him, it’s instilling money habits that has many Americans in maxed out debt.

Do him the service of teaching him about money and money management.

He’s pretty good about it. He’s had a mowing business for the last 3 seasons. He had a buddy mow this season as he worked. He provided the equipment, his buddy mowed and they split the cash.

[threebag]

Hell, this thread could include shit from years gone by, your experiences when you were preparing for school yourself.

I remember when my two daughters each needed a graphing calculators… $149 a piece for the Texas Instruments one. They couldn’t share because they were in the same class. That sucked, because it wasn’t like the graphed all year. That was almost 20 years ago.

[Megatron96]

Just to be clear, I wasn't being 'judgy,' as my girl likes to call it. It's just that when I read "$650 boots," I practically heard my dad snort and laughingly say, "no boy, just no." Made me smile. Haven't thought about my dad laughing since he passed.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Yah. I still remember the time I asked my dad if he could buy me a pair of Jordan's. I didn't even play organized ball, so he was like "what do you need those for?" In the end, he said absolutely not after seeing the pricetag, lol. He just laughed in my face.

I worked in HS, but I turned every paycheck over to him and he gave me $20/week. Turned out later that he put all that $$$ into investments for college, and towards a car.

But man, was I unhappy I couldn't get those Jordan's at the time, lol.

I remember I wanted a pair of Nike Air Revolutions...

...and they were like $110. My Dad said I could get them if I paid 1/2, which I did. That's what I will do much of the time my teenage daughter wants something like that, unless its just crazy. She wanted a pair of vintage Jordans that were like $400 and I told her she was crazy. She then decided on a pair of customized Cons (Chucks) that cost $120.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by Dante84

Not judging because I don't have kids yet, but are feet done growing at age 16?

Not boys feet

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by threebag

I think that’s my big bitch about the whole thing, I bought my own “wants” when I was his age. Kids today are a different breed.

I mean, it’s clearly it’s your fault here. Don’t blame “kids these days” when you decide to buy the stuff he wants but doesn’t want to spend the money on.

[displacedinMN]

Hate to see what a typical back to school supply list costs this year.

[LoneWolf]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Yah. I still remember the time I asked my dad if he could buy me a pair of Jordan's. I didn't even play organized ball, so he was like "what do you need those for?" In the end, he said absolutely not after seeing the pricetag, lol. He just laughed in my face.

I worked in HS, but I turned every paycheck over to him and he gave me $20/week. Turned out later that he put all that $$$ into investments for college, and towards a car.

But man, was I unhappy I couldn't get those Jordan's at the time, lol.

My son who is going to be 12 has insisted I buy him a pair of black and yellow Jordan cleats for football. I refuse to buy them until his feet stop growing. He keeps giving me crap about my Jordan shoe collection and calling me cheap for not buying him the cleats.

I hope he has a similar "a-ha" moment later in life when he realizes his college will be paid for in full and that he won't have to pay for his first car.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by kepp

I remember I wanted a pair of Nike Air Revolutions...

...and they were like $110. My Dad said I could get them if I paid 1/2, which I did. That's what I will do much of the time my teenage daughter wants something like that, unless its just crazy. She wanted a pair of vintage Jordans that were like $400 and I told her she was crazy. She then decided on a pair of customized Cons (Chucks) that cost $120.

Dude, she's playing you. Asks for what she knows you won't go for, but then comes back with something cheaper so you feel like you're 'saving' hundreds.

My niece does it to my brother all the time.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by threebag

Yeah, it’s so he looks nice for sure. He has a couple pair of Ariat Steel Toes for work. He’s a hard working kid, probably doing a job most can’t. I figured I’d splurge on his boots to reward him for the growth he has shown in the past half year or so.

He sounds like he works his butt off and is responsible, so I'd be fine with rewarding that behavior. You might want to put some parameters on the spending to teach him more about the value of a dollar..."If you REALLY want these $650 boots, you're gonna need to pay half." Or 25%...or whatever.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

Hate to see what a typical back to school supply list costs this year.

I think i dropped like $500 ish.

Most expensive thing being a new pair of Jordan's, of course. $130. And then another, cheaper pair of Nike running shoes for the gym. A couple shirts, some hoodies, backpack etc.

I wish my kid could just be into Converse or Vans. Those are like $60 lol.

Luckily he has a grip of jeans that are still in new condition. I was like, dude, how the **** you have so many nice pairs of jeans, lol.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Dude, she's playing you. Asks for what she knows you won't go for, but then comes back with something cheaper so you feel like you're 'saving' hundreds.

My niece does it to my brother all the time.

She would never do that!

[displacedinMN]

My daughter went up 3 shoe sizes in a year. That sucks when she had 7 pair of dance shoes. Grew a foot in JH.


She is almost 5' 11" and 25 years old.