I May Be Over Thinking This...Opinions Please

[lcj19]

DH and I have some big (to us) financial goals for the year.

We will be moving from Germany to...we don't even know where yet in Nov. Our tax refund is our moving money...around $5800. Which we have already.

Also in Nov we are doing a WDW trip should cost about $7000-$8000 depending on flights we have to pay for depending on where we are moving too. We have a budgeted savings plan to have $10000 before the trip. Right now we have $2600 of this money we are $600 ahead of schedule.

That all being said. DH and I really want to buy a new couch. We have been looking at it for several months and know for sure its something we won't regret buying...$1200ish depends on exchange rate that day.

I could save the money for the couch specifically, but I am worried that it will be gone by the time we save it.

Should I use the money we have saved for these future goals and just add the money we would be saving for the couch to the money we already budget for savings? Or should we just wait it out?

Sounds trivial I know, but I am truly conflicted on which way to approach this. With everything we are preparing for I just feel overwhelmed with this one should be simple decision. Thank you!!!

 

[poohfriend77]

DH and I have some big (to us) financial goals for the year.

We will be moving from Germany to...we don't even know where yet in Nov. Our tax refund is our moving money...around $5800. Which we have already.

Also in Nov we are doing a WDW trip should cost about $7000-$8000 depending on flights we have to pay for depending on where we are moving too. We have a budgeted savings plan to have $10000 before the trip. Right now we have $2600 of this money we are $600 ahead of schedule.

That all being said. DH and I really want to buy a new couch. We have been looking at it for several months and know for sure its something we won't regret buying...$1200ish depends on exchange rate that day.

I could save the money for the couch specifically, but I am worried that it will be gone by the time we save it.

Should I use the money we have saved for these future goals and just add the money we would be saving for the couch to the money we already budget for savings? Or should we just wait it out?

Sounds trivial I know, but I am truly conflicted on which way to approach this. With everything we are preparing for I just feel overwhelmed with this one should be simple decision. Thank you!!!

My first thought (and I know this isn't exactly what you asked) is that I wouldn't buy an expensive piece a furniture a few months before moving overseas. I assume it is expensive to move, and you don't know how well it will even go with your new house.

That said, if you really are set on buying this couch now (maybe its something you can't get in the US or maybe you just REALLY love it), I wouldn't have a problem using the money already saved, as long as you know you have to make it up or cut back on the trip.

 

[lcj19]

Thank you poohfriend77 and hi
We don't have to pay to move our furniture...so that's not a worry.
This is a couch that we REALLY love and I don't know if we could get in the US. I would hate to risk it.

Using our currently saved money is what my instincts are telling me to do, I think I just get nervous when it comes to touching saved money. Thank you!!!

 

[poohfriend77]

In that case, definitely go for it! It sounds like you have a good plan and are responsible savers. My DH is a bit like you. He socks money away specifically for different purposes. I tend to lump it all together in my mind and say, "we can afford that!" Good thing we balance each other out a bit.

 

[poohfriend77]

PS-- good luck with your move, wherever you end up, and have a wonderful trip! Sounds like November is going to be a super busy and exciting month for you.

 

[lcj19]

My DH sounds like you...savings is all money we have and we can make it work. It does make for a very balanced relationship

Thank you again !!! I think I just needed to hear someone else say to go for it.

New weekend plan: Buy my dream couch!!!

 

[ilovemk76]

Enjoy your new couch.

 

[wiigirl]

PS-- good luck with your move, wherever you end up, and have a wonderful trip! Sounds like November is going to be a super busy and exciting month for you.

 

[wishesuponastar]

Congrats on saving up the money! Now, please tell us what the couch looks like.

 

[lcj19]

sofa by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

This couch in a med brown with a matching ottoman that is the same size as the couch sections.
W / H / D: approx 150 x 60 x 150 cm (each element)

Thanks everyone I am so excited !!!

I'll post a pic of the actual couch when its delivered.

 

[lcj19]

Here is the couch same color and everything. DH is sitting on it to give an idea of how big this thing is even the ottoman is huge.


couch!!! by joeyrjb2005, on Flickr

 

[teller80]

I guess I'll be the one dissenter and say wait. It's not about the money, it's about what your next place will be like - the couch looks big and I'd be afraid it wouldn't fit in my living room. Or up the stairs.

 

[ceecee]

I guess I'll be the one dissenter and say wait. It's not about the money, it's about what your next place will be like - the couch looks big and I'd be afraid it wouldn't fit in my living room. Or up the stairs.

I agree with the pp, I would wait. The movers had to remove doors to get our couch in, once in it was way too big and HEAVY! for the space. We have a 3200 sq ft home so not a small space. We lived with it for 3 years because we couldn't imagine getting it out again. I picked it out at the showroom and it didn't look that large in such a big place, the delivery guys said people always say that. With our large room at the old house it looked large, but at the new house it looked massive!
When we bought our new sofa, the salesmen (50 yrs experience) told us to lay newspaper down to get an idea of how it would look, in our living room, so we measured the things and went home and layed the paper down to see. We bought the smaller one and it looks great. Now for a smaller table!

 

[wishesuponastar]

Op I would wait on the couch to see if it fits in your new house.

 

[crisi]

Yeah, that isn't a couch that is going to work in every house - you'll end up looking for a house for the couch - which may not work out too well.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

That is definitely one big couch! You said you are moving but you are not sure where yet. If you haven't bought it yet I would not get it. If it was me. Not knowing where I am moving to and not knowing what the house will be like I don't think I would want to take that chance of having an awesome couch and then not being able to fit it into the house! If you are going to be assigned housing this could be an even bigger issue since you won't have the ability to choose the house based on the couch. It also may limit the houses you have to choose from if you are not being assigned housing. I mean imagine finding the perfect house but it won't fit the couch or finding a house that fits the couch but it is not in a neighborhood you want to live in... That isn't just any couch and I can see why you would like it but with the move and all I personally would not get it.

 

[mjkacmom]

That wouldn't fit in my living room, not that I could get it through the door. I know of very few homes here where that couch would work. Definitely wait!

 

[Imhere]

I really don't want this to come off the wrong way, but.....If I were in a position to spend $8,000 on a week long vacation to WDW, purchasing a $1200 couch wouldn't be a tough decision for me.

Buy it!!

 

[CandleontheWater]

I'm assuming you are military (living in Germany, not knowing where you are moving), and if that is the case I wouldn't buy the couch unless you are getting out right after your next move. Its going to be very tough to find a house to fit your couch, move after move after move. We've lived in places where we had very limited space, and we've lived in places with TONS of space, and it can be a real challenge to configure the furniture we own, and we don't own anything really cumbersome.

You often have to "make do" with homes in the military, I wouldn't make it more difficult by having over-sized furniture.

 

[lcj19]

We bought the couch
Super excited!!! I see that people have said to wait, but not for the money concerns that I had, but size and space issues. Before we even took this couch seriously we thought of and prepared for those possibilities. The couch does come in 2 sections so they can be used together or separate...bonus

Thank you all for you responses. I was concerned about dipping into the savings to get it, but I after the first couple of posters (getting the outsiders opinions) and talking to friends (who know us) I was able to work out our new savings strategy to get back on track and feel confident in the decision.