A few years ago, my husband and I saw a new kind of purse on tv. Normally, we ignore tv ads, but I was looking for a purse with space that would look cute really easily with whatever outfit I felt like wearing that day. So he ended up shopping for a Miche Bag the Christmas of 2007. It really is an awesome purse.
My Miche
If you haven’t seen a stylish Miche Bag before, it is a pretty nice-sized purse that has exchangeable “shells”, so you can easily change the outside of the purse without having to transfer everything into a new bag. The shells are held on by magnets, and these magnets haven’t worn out on me in 5 years!
Also, I am not nice to my stuff, but my Miche still looks great. This is after me throwing it around in the car, tossing it into and out of closets in my house, and carrying it around all of the time at grocery stores and family gatherings.
Overall, I have been impressed.
Staying Under Control
That said, I still only have the original Miche set we ordered for $120 in 2007-2008:
- One Miche Bag
- Loose leather handles instead of the knotted one that was standard
- 5 shells
- Shell holder that hangs up in the closet
So far, I have kept myself from ordering some new shells. But that may be a battle I lose this year. There are some really cute ones in my opinion. 
Budget
If I do decide to spend another $30-$60 on shells, I will want to budget for it. This new house is really making me want to cut back everywhere else. I may take on a petsitting gig or something to earn the little extra I want to use. I am feeling more tight with my cash than I have in years. My overall goal really seems to be to pay off the current mortgage and the new mortgage as quickly as humanly possible. I really can’t stand the idea of having long-term mortgage debt. Even 4.375% is more than I want to pay to borrow someone else’s money…
That said, my Miche cravings may have to wait until I put the specific money aside or find a great coupon. I haven’t really looked for any deals yet, but that will be the first order of business if I do decide to splurge.
Do you own a splurge product that you like alot?
I have a purse that I spent $80 on, with a coupon. I don’t usually spend even half of that on a purse, but I have been eyeing this one for a while. The moment it went on sale I got my coupon and purchased it. I love it! It’s my everyday bag, it holds all my essentials and matches a lot of my outfits.
It was well worth the splurge!
I totally splurged this year on new makeup from Sephora. I normally wear drug store brands, and sometimes get irritation rashes. It never looks that good, either. I bought good brushes and foundation to cover my dark circles under my eyes (actually they gave me a free sample first that lasted three full weeks – then I bought it).
It is expensive, and they don’t have sales often. Adding to my collection now has to come out of my personal “allowance”. If I want something extra, I’d better earn a little extra cash to cover it! Love your petsitting idea – one weekend or two and you should have enough to buy your shells.
My splurge product is my Volvo Wagon… probably a lot more car than I need but I like a safe, comfortable, practical car that holds up and in my opinion Volvo ticks all the boxes there.
I saw these one time in the mall – I love the idea of being able to switch it up. Very cute bag!
If the splurge makes you feel guilty, it wasn’t worth it. Otherwise, you work hard, and if $30 is going to make you feel amazing, do it.
The only thing I really splurge on are shoes. Some people might think what we as women like to spend money on (purses, clothes, good hair cuts) is unrealistic, it’s what is worth it to us. For me, shoes are essential in feeling comfortable, as well as looking good and feeling confident. I don’t spend a ridiculous amount on one pair ($200 is my cap) but if I find a pair that feel amazing as well as have that “I gotta have ‘em” look, it’s one of the only items I will give into myself on.
Not much of a splurger. Although I did buy new ski gear for the first time in 13 years this season.
Splurge items? Our timeshare, our VW TDI, curry, my favorite tea- there are lots of things that I pay more for, for a reason. And since you love this purse and it’s obviously good quality, then I think it’s a great use of your money.
I have 2 Miche bags (one normal size and one large).I have worn out a couple of shells…eventually the shine wears off. I haven’t been using them as much since I went splurging at the Coach Outlet though (my Coach purse was a great splurge item…I have actually stuck with the same one for over 1 year).
@Call me, awesome!
@Kris, my younger sister loves Sephora. Enjoy!
@Denise, if my crap car eventually dies, I will be splurging on my next vehicle. Maybe a used Prius…
@Daisy, thanks!
@Kathleen, that’s how I judge most splurges.
@Kelly, I just counted and have exactly 11 pairs of shoes (pobably a total expense of around $250-$300). Needless to say, I’m not into shoes, but I get the feeling. I probably spend $500-$1000 a year on unplanned junk food…not to mention the huge house we are buying just for the entertaining space, lol.
@Jenna, hope you had fun!
@shanendoah,
You sound like you know what you like. 
@Michelle, enjoy your bags!
That is a pretty neat concept. I saw something similar on shark tank a few weeks ago. I can’t say that I have a big splurge product that I’m in love with. Maybe my new dryer, but it wasn’t a huge splurge and was planned for.
Great idea, the skins! My wife does the same with her iPhone – different skins, or whatever they call those covers, for different moods. (And the skins will probably outlive the phone! LOL)
Rather than petsitting, have you considered doing a product review for your Miche bag? I am sure if you write them, they would be happy to send you a few skins to review, provided you photograph them, so the people can see what’s available. Free skins. More value to your readers.
I loooove splurges. My last big one was a Coach purse, but it was a thought out and planned decision (I saved my change for about a year to pay for it) and I also explored whether there might be less expensive options that would make me happy.
I wanted a very specific purse, though, and couldn’t find it anywhere else. I love this thing, I baby it, I have no regrets. I tend to use one purse at any given time, so this was a purchase that was designed for everyday use. One thing I do is try to put it away for a season or two every now and again, just so that I can approach it fresh.
I remember seeing this on TV. The skins fascinated me.
Leather jacket. Had to get the buttons attached again a few times, but I love it and I’ve had it for years.
[...] all won’t believe this. Remember the Ode to My Miche post a couple of weeks ago? I took William’s advice (from Drop Dead Money) in the [...]