Already another question!
Me Without Debt asks in regards to my NYC Trip:
“Do you believe $64.90 Clothes and $250.36 Boots are trip expense or clothing expense?”
Both. It’s clearly a line item in Quicken as a Clothing expense. But I wouldn’t have spent the money on boots if I wasn’t in NYC. It’s actually somewhat irrational to spend that money in NYC since the tax on clothing is substantially more than in VA or DC. (Where I would usually shop.) But the mere fact of being in NYC was what pushed me over the edge to buy them. I definitely believe that if I was in DC that weekend, I wouldn’t have bought the boots because I wouldn’t have been shopping then. (I rarely go to the mall now that I don’t really go near one daily.)
Regardless, I spent that money while I was in New York City. The physical purchase was transacted in SoHo, so I lumped it as a trip expense.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting…accounting wise, I don’t think location matters, but you do make a good point by noting that your location enabled the purchase.
That said, how are those boots doing?
I somewhat agree that it can be consider both clothing and travel expense. However, it really depends on the utility of the item (cloth here). For example, bridesmaid’s dress for wedding is more like “social obligation/wedding expense” rather than a “clothing expense”.
Rachelle – Wearing them today!
mewithoutdebt – Bridesmaid dress = new winter formal wear or fun “Prom Night” costume to bloody up. That’s a clothing expense.
You could easily go either way really. I think I put my vacation/clothing purchases under vacation, but I also budget into my vacation plans a certain amount of spending money. My reasoning is that I would never have spent that money on what I did if it wasn’t vacation money, because it would blow my tiny clothing budget to pieces.
I actually included my last bridesmaid dress under gifts:wedding. It’s something that I’d never have bought (and wish I hadn’t!) and fully intend to never wear again. Therefore, I bought it as a favor to my friend….ergo, wedding gift.