What Is Most You Have/will Pay for a Purse?

Updated on December 15, 2011
N.N. asks from Ecorse, MI
36 answers

Last year I decided to add to my closet and I wanted more purses. I have been doing the lay away thing that has been working for me. I am wondering how much would yo pay for a purse?

I found a leather and sued royal blue purse with fringes that cost $89.00 I thought that was a LOT! but I have never been into buying purses. What say you?

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

WOW! Okay.. I do not feel bad. I just put another in the lay away that cost $80
To Jane: I too have found some very unique purses at garage sales that I just love! maybe that is why I am so not used to spending so much.

My So What Happened is that I am going to proceed with buying my purses but I do not see myself going over $100. I can only do so by putting them in lay away.

Thanks for your opinion Julie! It is working wonderfully for me as it is the holiday and I am able to put my purse & boots in the lay away/hold and purchase gifts as well.

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.M.

answers from New York on

I personally have spent about $250. However, I have been given bags much more expensive- or permanently borrowed from my sister ;) Who has Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Prada bags. I was actually given a Versace bag worth about $7500 from a wealthy friend who didnt want it anymore!!

3 moms found this helpful

X.O.

answers from Chicago on

I'd have a hard time justifying anything over $100--even that is pushing it for me. I'd probably keep it closer to $75/

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

S.J.

answers from St. Louis on

I work in a corporate environment and wear suits daily, so I follow suit with a professional bag. I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for. I usually spend about $400 on a bag and usually go for Coach or Kate Spade (not because of the name, but because I like their quality and design). I go for professional and classic and I love my bags! You can tell a well-made handbag, trust me.

I have one Coach bag I purchased 4 years ago and have used it A LOT and it looks just like it did the day I bought it. Get that bag!! $89 is NOT a lot for a purse, assuming of course you can afford it. $5 is too much for a bag when you cannot afford to pay for it with cash. =)

I was just looking at towels and one towel was $60! A towel! A handbag gets more use and lasts longer! Go for it!

To answer your question, the most I have ever spent is $500 and I have no idea the most I will ever spend. Probably not much more than that because that is wasteful, imo. I cannot tell the difference between a $1300 bag and a $400 bag, but I can tell a difference between a $400 and a $40. GO SHOPPING!

=)

10 moms found this helpful

E.D.

answers from Seattle on

Less than five dollars. I've found many gorgeous purses and bags in thrift stores.

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.W.

answers from Santa Barbara on

I really like classic looking Coach and Dooney and Burke so $250 - $450. No wild colors or anything, something professional looking. The nice bags really do hold up well and look nice for a long time.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

W..

answers from Chicago on

My sister just bought a Kate Spade purse that was over $500. It's cute and all with a big bow on it..... but geeeesh. She spent so much money on it she calls it by the brand name and the name of the purse, so she said to me "I can't wait for you to see my 'Kate Spade Box Bow Helen bag' ". It came out like a foreign language.

However, *sigh*, I made very different choices in my life than she made in hers.

Back when I was a DINK (dual income no kid) I lOVED coach purses. I have since e-bay'd most of said loved coach purses to fund status change to OIOK (1 income 1 kid). My mom just bought me one to celebrate my new job. It was regularly $300 and she got it at the outlet AND during a 30% off friends and family and paid around $100.

$89 is NOT a lot of money for a purse, but it all depends on your perspective and your dedication to fashion. You can get the same purse at Marshalls for about 2/3 of what you would pay at Macy's last year. you can get a purse at Target for $25. Or you can go to Kate Spade in Manhattan for above referenced "Kate Spade Box Bow Helen" purse and fork over the equivalent of one months payment for MY CAR.

Happy shopping :-)

4 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I am not a huge purse fan. I usually have 1 or 2 good one that I trade out in season.

My winter purse is black leather Coach and it was $450. It looks great, I take good care of it and store it properly when it is not in use.

I have a summer Coach purse that was $180 and I was disappointed with it. Namely, it was beautiful but stark white and SO hard to keep clean. I used it 3 summers.

I have an off white leather bag from Macy's that I just happened on that I LOVE. It was on a table and I noticed it. I went to buy it and was shocked... it was $150 and with some special sale they had going on, I paid $49 with tax!! I use this purse a LOT because it is so functional

My evening or date night bags are small, dainty and probably about $25.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.F.

answers from Salinas on

A few hundred for a great everyday purse that I can use for a long time. I'm more the higher quality, less quantity type when it comes to purses. Nevermind the actual designer you can spot a well made purse a mile away and they really hold up better. I have found no better place to find designer purses at an awesome price than Marshalls. They always have a huge selection of high end bags at a huge discount and becuase most of their stuff comes from Macy's you know they are knock offs.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.R.

answers from Seattle on

I seem to run around in financial circles where the gals spend about $5k (yes, $5000) on ONE purse....EEK.....that is completely wasteful IMHO.

I tend to buy my Coach purses off of Ebay for around $100.

Why do you want more purses? I only keep 3-4 around at a time. I use the one purse I like for a season or two, then off it goes to the thrift store.

3 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I believe the most I ever paid was somewhere around 400. I still have the purse, looks like the day I bought it. I used to buy a purse and run it into the ground rather than switch my stuff from purse to purse. Those expensive purses don't seem to run down.

Now days it just isn't an expense I am willing to shell out for.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.M.

answers from Denver on

I think the most I have paid is $40 for a purse, but usually more like $25 from Target and they ususally last me at least 2 years!

2 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

The most I have allowed to be spent on a purse for me was $175. It was originally $250. My husband and daughter gave it to me last year for my Christmas gift.

I love the purse and am still carrying it.

I used to sell handbags and know how to tell the true quality.

I even sold Gucci handbags back in the day that were $1500. and made our of Vinyl, they were ridiculous..

But a really well made handbag is worth the money.. Learn to care and store the leather bag and it can last a very long time.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.J.

answers from Seattle on

I just paid $50 for one and that was a lot for me! I usually get them at Marshall's/TJ maxx.

2 moms found this helpful

I.X.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have never paid more than $100 for a purse. I would be willing to pay $300 if it was everything I had ever hoped and prayed for in a purse. I have still not found that purse but have been looking for it for 15 years. I take the approach of owning many inexpensive purses than investing in one fabulous purse. Most everyone I am friends with pays a lot more for purses than me. I can afford and expensive purse, but unless the purse blows me away its just not worth more than $100 to me. Now if its a just for fun purse to dress up or funk up an outfit, I won't pay more than $45.

2 moms found this helpful

K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

The most I will pay for a purse is $50.

With that I only have a handful of purses and 1 of them is a $100 purse BUT I did not pay full price, waited for a sale and I had a gift card, got it for $30 at an Guess outlet/discount store.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Kansas City on

Wow I don't think I would pay that much for a purse. I think my husband paid 50 - 60 dollars for a nice purse, a few Christmases back. But most of my purses, I literally just get at garage sales, or Goodwill. And most everytime I carry a purse, I get people telling me how they love my purse. I bought a really nice one the other day for $3.

2 moms found this helpful

A.J.

answers from Williamsport on

Hmmmm. What's the most I ever spent on a bag? Well, I've always been the "one awesome purse for years" type, not the "tons of purses" type. So when I was young and employed and had no kids and made great money, I paid $950 on sale (from $1200) for a Balenciaga. (and the name didn't show-I actually hate brands showing) I just loved the scale, the style, the quality, it was timeless, etc. It wasn't one of their super flashy ones that everyone (I worked in fashion industry) would know was "last years". I looked at it this way, in NYC, your purse is your car. You take it everywhere, and it holds everything. You use it non stop. It has to be good and dependable :) My friends all paid in the $5000 range.

Fast forward to unemployed mommy land? Every few years I'll replace my bag for about $400 with exchange credits from returns and sales etc to bring it down to the $200 range hopefully. They don't need to be designer, but I'll carry NO purse before a crappy purse :)

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I have/would spend $89 on a purse, but it would be the only one I would buy for at least a year. My favorite purse, that I used exclusively for almost two years, was $30 at a second-hand store. It was a brand name and looked brand new.

I've never understood the craze to spend hundreds on a purse, or to own more than one or two of them at a time. But that's just me.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.S.

answers from Dallas on

Putting a purse on layaway sounds very silly to me, if you can't afford it then dont buy it IMO. I got a Coach at the Oulet (was $520 reg) for $120 over 2 years ago it was a birthday gift to myself with some bonus money I got. It gets use everyday and doubles at me diaper back on the weekend. I love it.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I generally use O. purse all season.....and I would never pay much over $50-60 for a purse. Less is better!
I'm not a slave to brand/status. I buy what I like.
Kind of like I feel about shoes--yes there may be a difference between a $30 pair of shoes and an $80 pair of shoes....but how much "better" can a $300 pair of shoes be?LOL

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from Houston on

Okay, I'm a little embarassed but when my hubby and I went to Paris in 2010, I bought a Longchamp purse for 650 Euros. Which was a lot cheaper than the Jimmy Choo at 1,110 Euros! So that is the most expense purse I have bought. Now, I use it all the time! I have a Coach purse and a Prada purse. Both purchased on EBay for less than $300. Wow, I can't believe I would spend that kind of money on purses! But they are so pretty!!!!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.W.

answers from Detroit on

I love to buy purses. But I"m cheap. I won't spend more then $30. I go to TJMaxx and can find a lot of things in that price range. You can easily spend more, but purses can be so trendy that you'll toss them in a year or two, so unless its a very classic purse that you can see yourself using for YEARS, don't spend a lot on it!

2 moms found this helpful

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

Most I spend is $25 for myself and $50 for my daughter. I like to buy her amazing knockoff purses as gifts. But I buy my own for utitlity. I like to change often, so, having several cute bags is more appealing to me than having one expensive one.

Many women buy them as thier little splurge, to reward themselves, to mark a milestone, as a hobby collection. I think all that is fine and totally valid. If that's the case, I could see spending considerably more.

And layaway is a great way to go about it. It won't squeeze the budget near as much if you pay on it periodically. The family doesn't have to sacrifice. You can just forgoe your other little splurges and put that toward your purse. That seems smart to me.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

I have and never will spend more than $40, I just see no need to and find a waste of money. All my bags have a special meaning to me. I don't just buy a purse to have one, I have my bag from the Paris flea market,and the one my SO got for me while he was deployed, ect..... They each have a story that makes them special to me.

1 mom found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

Id never spend over 30........but then again i dont buy leather or suede for ethical reasons and a fake leather or fake suede purse BETTER be under 30 dollars.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I use my camerabag as my purse! $40.

1 mom found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

I am cheap when it comes to purses. Not to say I don’t like the nicer ones, but I can’t justify to myself spending $80 or more on a purse. I like to change them every now and then. I think $30.00 is the most I have spent. I don't beat them up like some of my family does (my mom puts so much in hers that the seams are coming out). I keep them in a plastic bin in the garage and change it every couple of months.
You made me think of the really nice handbags they sell at Disney, I asked to see one once and it was over $200. I handed it back with a look of shock on my face. It wasn’t much bigger then a wallet.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I recently found an Anne and Company purse at a Goodwill store for $4.99. I had never heard of the brand before,but I found online that it is a name brand. there was nothing wrong with the purse at all either. The most I will pay for a new purse is $20 and I use it until it starts to falls apart. LOL

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Madison on

Since having my daughter, I've given up purses for a stylish backpack/rucksack type purse/bag in which I can put everything. LOL. I can usually find one on sale for less than $100; the last one I bought was about $89 and was from Wilsons Leather, which is now defunct, I think.

I do not believe one has to spend a lot of money on a purse or purses. I also don't believe they need to be cheap. Between $50-$100 gets you a good quality one, I believe. I also don't believe you have to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to have a "brand name."

My backpack/rucksack lasts me until the leather is worn through or a zipper breaks. Then I'll start searching for my next one. I have a shoulder/neck injury from a car accident and am not supposed to lug around a lot of weight on only one side of my body, so the backpack/rucksack works very nicely for me.

1 mom found this helpful

D.P.

answers from Detroit on

Not much into purses. Did buy an LV years back but it was because my sister was with me. I could really care less about them but I have 2 sisters who are purse whores and consider me a project so I have been gifted a lot. lol. So in my closet I have a Balenciaga, a Todds and a Celine. They're all hanging out with my LV . I do love my Oilily bag that is more rugged and I can sling across my body- that too was a just because gift from my hubby's cousin.

1 mom found this helpful

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

I have one purse - really it is more of a tote bag outdoorsy style from an outdoor store like REI. It cost $45. That is the most I have spent on a purse. Before that I have had one or two big wallets and I used backpacks. From reading some of the responses I guess I am not a normal female! ;)

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Green Bay on

I love Louis Vuitton purses and have three of them right now and am hoping to get another for Christmas! The most expensive one I own was $2500.

1 mom found this helpful

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

It seems like I am constantly buying a purse because I can't find the "right" one. but I NEVER pay more than $20 for it, if even that much. So clearly I'm not into name brands, although I do have 2 Coach purses...because hubby won them at work in sales!!!

1 mom found this helpful

K.L.

answers from Medford on

I buy my purses at Kmart, Walmart and Target on sale, usually clearance, for not more than $15. The one I am using now was $9 and is real leather so it hasnt worn out or broken the strap in 4 years. I am getting a bit tired of it, but its still working so I will continue to use it till it falls apart. I have a cute sparkly little black purse for when I go to a fancy party and a dark blue one to go with whatever if I dress nice for a wedding or funeral. The tan leather one is everyday, all day, everywhere I go. I dont understand why anyone would pay hundreds for a purse.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.T.

answers from New York on

$50. I'm not into designer wear.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.K.

answers from New York on

80-100 but it would have to be quite the purse for that money. Like something I could not find just anywhere.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions