How do people afford this?

[gimmethesimplelife]

As I've posted before, I will be travelling overseas this summer for the first time since 1987. I'm of course really excited about it. My question here pertains to luggage - I was going to take a really ratty old suitcase to Europe with me and I noticed that it has two holes in it and it wouldn't be wise to take on a long trip. So I went looking for luggage at Ross and found a suitcase I liked but I didn't care for the price tag - 79.99. Ouch. Are suitcases plated in gold? I looked around more and found this price is actually competitive for a new suitcase. I had no idea, I really didn't. Yesterday I stopped in a thrift shop not far from where I live that helps house and feed pregnant young women and I found the perfect suitcase there, brand new or close to it - for $10 (!!!!!). My kind of price. How does anyone afford that 79.99 these days? I honestly just don't get it. So glad I am for the safety valve of finding an affordable thrift shop near me - not all thrift shops are so affordable these days, I think we've had threads on this topic before. Crazy though - $80 for a suitcase? Crazy. Finding that $10 suitcase felt just like paying $20 for my dental cleanings in Mexico - I felt relieved and like I had truimphed in a small way over the system. Rob

[razz]

Rob, life happens. Some things are pricey and some are affordable. Rather than chewing about the two, would it not be simpler to quietly be grateful that you had a choice and post how you saved some money in the US? Many countries don't have a choice for consumer products as you do in so many ways.

[Float On]

I was luggage shopping recently too, thinking I'd buy the boys a few pieces for graduation. It is expensive and a lot of it is just junk. I got to reading reviews on Amazon on various brands and was blown away by how many "fell apart on the first trip" reviews there were. Luggage use to be an investment piece, something that would last. Now to buy one that lasts it's several hundred dollars not to mention the fees of $25 each way. Backpacks seem to have become very popular again - noticed a lot of them on my recent flights to SC and NM. I think I'll buy the boys decent backpacks for carry-on and use UPS a lot to the one moving to NM.

Oh and make sure that thrift shop suitcase isn't moldy or has bedbugs. If there is any odor to it, like it's been sitting in a dark closet for 5 years unused, some charcoal and a good sit in the sun should help.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Most people who can't afford a $80 suitcase probably can't afford to travel very far I figure. But there's alternatives. Depending on one's physical abilities, there are always alternatives to suitcases, a duffle bag for instance. It might not work if one has physical constraints and would rather roll a suitcase, if one is a healthy 20 something traveling on the other hand ..

[iris lilies]

Remember the days when one had to have matching luggage, and they sold those sets of hard sided pieces that were made up of a giant suitcase, a smaller one, and a cosmetics case? I never fell for that as an adult, but I seem to remember that we had one such set in my family.

now we've got the ubiquitous black soft sided bags on wheels. I painted bold designs on the exterior so that we could always see them rolling off the luggage carousel. No one will want to buy them at the thrift store, no doubt.

for overseas travel I usully hit the thrift store for something. One time it was a purse since didn't have one. Another trip was rain gear.

[Tammy]

I like traveling with a small carry on only. I did a 9 day trip once with a backpack. Minimalism rocks.

[Packy]

Thrift Stores and Flea Markets. If I were looking for luggage, that's where I'd check. When I was a kid, all the TeeVee Game Shows gave away Samsonite Luggage sets. I think I have a large suitcase around here of my grammas, that I've never used. I chose it when we had a dispersal of all her household stuff, 25 years ago, because it is bright orange-red, making it E-Z to spot. It prolly wasn't a cheapy, when new, either.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I like traveling with a small carry on only. I did a 9 day trip once with a backpack. Minimalism rocks.Minimalism does rock, I agree, and in the case of travel would seem to make life a lot easier just having a carry on. This time around though I am looking to load up on Moroccan textiles and need the luggage space. Were it not for that though.....I'd probably just do a carry on and maybe a very small checked bag (maybe) for a few usable souvenirs. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

Remember the days when one had to have matching luggage, and they sold those sets of hard sided pieces that were made up of a giant suitcase, a smaller one, and a cosmetics case? I never fell for that as an adult, but I seem to remember that we had one such set in my family.

now we've got the ubiquitous black soft sided bags on wheels. I painted bold designs on the exterior so that we could always see them rolling off the luggage carousel. No one will want to buy them at the thrift store, no doubt.

for overseas travel I usully hit the thrift store for something. One time it was a purse since didn't have one. Another trip was rain gear.IL, those cosmetic cases you are referring to? I used to run across them at thrift shops and I always thought they were the oddest shape and what possible use in the real world? I wouldn't be surprised if they were collector's items by now as they were part of a certain time period. Rob

[sweetana3]

Iris Lilies, you again are like me. I bought many years ago a rolling suitcase previously used by a company salesman. The logo was prominant on the side so I painted it out with black paint. Then I painted a bright paisley design all over it so I could see it on a luggage carosel. Lasted years and years.

Now we have Costco bags with four wheels each because with weight restrictions on airplanes and long trips comes the need for strong but very lightweight suitcases. If I was doing adventure travel, I might consider a large rolling duffle bag. But bags are a pretty personal item and some have specific likes and dislikes. Size also comes into play since many young people want to try and carry them onto the plane and they have to be just the right size to do that.

I had one of those Samsonite sets 40 years ago. Hardsided with the cosmetic case to carry around.

[catherine]

IL, those cosmetic cases you are referring to? I used to run across them at thrift shops and I always thought they were the oddest shape and what possible use in the real world? I wouldn't be surprised if they were collector's items by now as they were part of a certain time period. Rob

I thought they were called "train cases." I remember I gave my best friend one for her birthday--her parents had given her the suitcase so I got her the matching piece (to IL's point--yes, you had to have a matched set). I remember it was hot pink. Probably went well with the white gloves :)

When I picked my suitcase set, I chose orange, and I had it for a LONG time.

Just the other day on a business trip I saw a man in the airport carrying an old-fashioned suitcase (no wheels)--it was brown with stripes on it and rounded corners. He looked like a throwback but he was a young guy. Maybe that was his $10 thrift store find.

[iris lilies]

IL, those cosmetic cases you are referring to? I used to run across them at thrift shops and I always thought they were the oddest shape and what possible use in the real world? I wouldn't be surprised if they were collector's items by now as they were part of a certain time period. Rob
I know! From the 50's and 60's, they are now vintage and collectible.

[frugal-one]

A few years ago we found a large purple rolling duffle bag at a thrift store for $4. The guy next to me gasped when I grabbed it. He followed me throughout the store hoping (I am sure) that I would put it back. We put orange luggage tape on it. Can't miss it on the carousel. Thrift stores are the way to go for luggage!!

[Float On]

I like to pack an extra bag inside my bag for anything I might buy while on a trip.
I did pick up 4 really neat rolling bags at TJMaxx a couple weeks ago. Fun bright patterns, carry-on friendly, and extra long pulls (helpful for the 6' and 6'4" boys in my life). They were $20 each. They are holding up very well.

[bae]

I use inexpensive (often free) duffle bags.

If only there was a national safety net in place to guarantee affordable access to luggage to all of our citizens! I don't know how we can tolerate a country that charges $80 for a suitcase!

[gimmethesimplelife]

I use inexpensive (often free) duffle bags.

If only there was a national safety net in place to guarantee affordable access to luggage to all of our citizens! I don't know how we can tolerate a country that charges $80 for a suitcase!I guess the way around these issues is offshore your health and dental and buy most of the things you need secondhand.....a good chunk of Phoenix, AZ lives this way already though so that's not a news flash to many people here. What was the news flash for me in the luggage situation was the fact that I looked for a suitcase firsthand (I know, what was I thinking?) and I had sticker shock. What gets me is the suitcase I bought for $10 is either new or very close to being new with no obvious wear and tear. Rob

[bae]

What wage should suitcase-makers be paid? And what sort of benefits should they receive?

How much *should* a suitcase cost?

I'd imagine one made of toxic materials by Chinese slave laborers and imported halfway around the world with subsidized petroleum has gotta be pretty reasonable.

[Zoe Girl]

Remember the days when one had to have matching luggage, and they sold those sets of hard sided pieces that were made up of a giant suitcase, a smaller one, and a cosmetics case? I never fell for that as an adult, but I seem to remember that we had one such set in my family.


we had one for years, i don't recall my mom using it much but i kept it for a long time. it smelled like her powder (remember when all women seemed to have powder with a powder puff?)

i got a luggage set at black friday, totally worth it. however after a bed bug scare i would pay more!

[Miss Cellane]

Eighty dollars is actually not a bad price for a new suitcase.

Samsonite carry ons can cost up to $150.
Travelpro carry ons cost about $180.
Briggs carry ons can cost up to $380.
Tumi carry ons cost over $400.

Not that they are necessarily better luggage. (And I sure as heck don't own any of these brands.) But if you want a good suitcase that won't fall apart on you, it's either the thrift stores and careful shopping, or pay a decent amount of money.

Someone has to buy the expensive stuff full-price, if we ever want to see it in the thrift stores.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Eighty dollars is actually not a bad price for a new suitcase.

Samsonite carry ons can cost up to $150.
Travelpro carry ons cost about $180.
Briggs carry ons can cost up to $380.
Tumi carry ons cost over $400.

Not that they are necessarily better luggage. (And I sure as heck don't own any of these brands.) But if you want a good suitcase that won't fall apart on you, it's either the thrift stores and careful shopping, or pay a decent amount of money.

Someone has to buy the expensive stuff full-price, if we ever want to see it in the thrift stores.You bring up a very good point here, Miss Cellane. Someone does have to pay the original price and then donate whatever the item is to charity or possibly their estate in the case of someone passing may donate it to charity.

I am going to be honest here. Yes indeed. When things were booming here in metro Phoenix during the seemingly overnight doubling in real estate values circa 2005 and 2006 I became very spoiled as some of the incredible deals I scored at the Salvation Army that was once down the street from me are not to be believed. Case in point - I once scored a brand new LazyBoy recliner for $10 - Yes, that's not a misprint. And a gas stove brand new for $25. And a few other similar deals that were even at the time quite miraculous. In other words, I got spoiled by the trickle down cast off goods of those above me, or those who were temporarily risen to being above me by their housing values - (I am so grateful my cousin and I did not take out loans against the house other than one for 10K that has long since been paid back) - what could be had for so little back then truly boggled my mind.

Flash forward to now and the deals are no longer quite so miraculous. However, I did find a fully functional Cuisinart food processor for 2.50 last month (I'd been saving Amazon.com gift codes I get for doing surveys and for participating in panels to get a new one at Macy's and now I can spend the codes on something else) and then this suitcase brand new or close to it for $10 - I'm really glad these two items here trickled down to me at a sane price.....but you are right, someone sometime had to pay much more than this for these items to reach my hands at these prices. This is another worry I have about the economy - what do we do when there are even fewer people able to pay the first hand price and less trickles down? It's a reasonable concern in my book. Rob

[ApatheticNoMore]

Probably also a lot of competition from ebay etc., people who hope to sell on ebay sweeping into the thrifts early to get the real steals. Of course if all you want is something utterly ordinary where the thrift has dozens then hardly a concern (most household appliances are pretty ordinary unless it's the super high end stuff). Salad spinners were at the thrift again, too late for me.

[Tradd]

I paid $30 for a nice small duffle from LL Bean nearly 10 years ago and it's still going strong. About 6 years ago I got a convertible travel pack from LL Bean. It was about $100, but since I'm not a road warrior, it works just fine for my trip or so a year.

Buy quality, take care of it, and it will serve you better than a cheap piece of junk.

But then, I work my arse off for a good salary, and if I want to spend $100 on a quality piece of luggage that will be used for years, well, then, that's my business, isn't it?

[Dhiana]

Who said one is required to buy "luggage" for their stuff on flights?

I just packed my art supplies into a large, tough dishpack cardboard box, kept the weight within the required Kg, and walked up to the check-in counter. No one blinked. United put a big sticker on it that said "Baggage" so it wouldn't be confused with the commercial shipments they have and that was it.
That poor box traveled from Tokyo to Hawaii to Sydney to Auckland back to Sydney and on to Cairns.

No airline or passenger commented either way about my well traveled cardboard box.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Probably also a lot of competition from ebay etc., people who hope to sell on ebay sweeping into the thrifts early to get the real steals. Of course if all you want is something utterly ordinary where the thrift has dozens then hardly a concern (most household appliances are pretty ordinary unless it's the super high end stuff). Salad spinners were at the thrift again, too late for me.I've done this before - sold incredible deals I've found at thrift shops on ebay and I've made some money doing so but gotta tell you, these days it can still be done but the easy money that was once there is gone and like anything else, it's very competitive. From time to time I will still find something to sell but I'm making more money in other areas so these days most of what I do buy at thrift shops is for me or for the house. Rob

[mschrisgo2]

Ah yes, a cardboard box, or styrofoam ice chest, or 18 gallon plastic tote, pineapple box... I've seen all of those, numerous times, flying Hawaii to San Francisco.

[rosarugosa]

I have a couple of those old hard-sided Samsonite bags that a friend gave me from her deceased uncle many years ago. Those suckers are built to last and will probably outlive me. We also have assorted smaller bags we got as corporate gifts that are perfect for overnights or weekends. We do pretty local travel, always by car, so don't need to worry about airline size/weight limitations. That is a good thing, because while I admire minimalism in theory, when I travel I want to bring everything I own with me just in case I need it!

[Miss Cellane]

One thing to watch out for in buying thrift store luggage is the size. If you are planning on air travel, the airlines keep reducing the size of allowed carry ons. So some luggage may be in the thrift store because it is no longer carry-on size. Even older luggage you currently own may not fit. Some European airlines are down to 17" tall, while most US airlines accept 21" or 22".

Check the requirements of the airlines you will be flying on and carry a tape measure.

My brother found this out the hard way and had to check his older carry on.

[Gregg]

Crazy though - $80 for a suitcase? Crazy.

We all have priorities. I've used the same suitcases for 20+/- years, but will spend north of $80 taking DW out to dinner tonight and will feel great about it.

[pinkytoe]

one made of toxic materials
We had to buy a suitcase a few years back on short notice. When we got it home and started packing, there was a horrible chemical smell inside. But not having extra time to return and shop, we went ahead and used it. Since it made our clothes smell too, we had to get rid of it after paying a fairly decent price and using it only once or twice. I would imagine too that buying one used might turn up some bedbugs.

[printslicker]

So I went looking for luggage at Ross and found a suitcase I liked but I didn't care for the price tag - 79.99. Ouch. Are suitcases plated in gold? I looked around more and found this price is actually competitive for a new suitcase. I had no idea, I really didn't. Yesterday I stopped in a thrift shop not far from where I live that helps house and feed pregnant young women and I found the perfect suitcase there, brand new or close to it - for $10 (!!!!!). My kind of price. How does anyone afford that 79.99 these days? I honestly just don't get it.

You know how it is nowadays good quality is expensive although designer luggage (price unimaginable) is more of a fashion statement. Luggage should be durable so it will not crack under pressure and won't tear when being shoved around the cargo.

[iris lilies]

Iris Lilies, you again are like me. I bought many years ago a rolling suitcase previously used by a company salesman..

Maybe I got that idea, to paint it, from you! It's possible.