My good friend Tiana came back from an international trip last week.
“How was your trip?” I ask her.
“It was amazing. I went to France, Germany, Italy and Spain,” says Tiana, “I’m glad that COVID-19 is over at last.”
“Did you buy anything exciting from Europe?” I’m curious.
“I bought my very first designer bag – A Louise Vuitton bag,” says Tiana, “The price is better over there.”
Tiana’s interesting philosophy:
My friend Tiana has a very interesting philosophy – Apart from daily necessities, she only spends money on things that she values & doesn’t spend money on things that she does not value.
“I don’t want to spend my money on fancy dinners in restaurants,” Tiana explains her philosophy to me, “I cook at home because I don’t want anyone else to decide what I should eat – cooking at home by myself means I can fully control every ingredient in each meal.”
Unlike some people who spend lots of money on expensive dinners in upscale restaurants, Tiana prefers simple and healthy meals at home. Because Tiana cooks her own meals, she can save more money than those who order take-out food or go out for breakfast/lunch/dinner frequently. Tiana only dines out if she has social occasions, domestic trips or international trips. And those are merely several times a year. Compared to people who don’t cook, Tiana is able to save a large amount of money every year so that she can spend money on things that she actually values, e.g., high-quality shoes and bags.
Tiana is genuinely interested in shoes and bags. In order to be with shoes, Tiana works for a footwear company as a fashion shoe store manager. I went to Tiana’s home to see her shoe collection the other day and I was very impressed with her taste. She has a good understanding of how beautiful shoes make women more confident and more empowered. In terms of bags, Tiana loves real leather bags, but so far, she only has one designer bag (her other bags are hand-made leather bags that she bought from department stores, boutiques and vintage shops).
Second-hand stores are fun!
Personally, I often go to second-hand stores during international trips because second-hand shops oftentimes have unexpected treasures. Here are some surprisingly wonderful things that I bought from second-hand stores when I was overseas:
- A pair of clip-on earrings from 1950s. The vintage look and the feminine style are absolutely fascinating. I used to wear them on special occasions only, but after my grandmother passed away, I wear them at least once a week now because I’ve realized that life is short – every day is a special day.
- A necklace made from recycled glass. It’s 100% environmentally friendly. It’s colorful and fun.
“Have you found any unexpected, surprising treasures from international trips?”
