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Should Sammy Buy These Sneakers?

Sammy says yes. His mom says no. Who makes the better argument? You decide.

Dear Mom,

I really, really want a pair of Nike Air Jordan sneakers.   Everyone at school has them, and I’m starting to feel left out.   So I think I am going to buy a pair.

Here’s the thing: They cost $175.

I know, I know. That’s a lot of money. But I’ve been saving  my allowance all year, and I finally have enough. I want to spend  my money on something that will make me happy right now.

You’re probably going to say I should save my money for college—or that real friends don’t care what I wear. I get that. Sometimes it’s just nice to fit in.

Besides, Nike isn’t popular just because their sneakers look cool. They make great quality shoes. Remember my last pair of sneakers? Sure, they cost only $30, but they fell apart after a few months. Why buy something cheap if you have to keep replacing it?

I hope you’ll see that buying these shoes is the right decision. Just wait until you see how awesome I look in them!

Love,
Sammy

Dear Mom,

I really want a pair of Nike Air Jordan sneakers. Everyone at school has them, and I feel left out. So I think I’ll buy a pair.

Here’s the thing: They cost $175.

I know, I know. That’s a lot of money. But I’ve been saving my allowance all year, and I have enough. I want to spend my money on something that will make me happy right now.

You’ll probably say I should save my money for college—or that real friends don’t care what I wear. I get that. Still, it can be nice to fit in.

Besides, Nike sneakers don’t just look cool. They’re also well made. Remember my last pair of sneakers? They cost only $30, but they fell apart after a few months. Why buy something cheap if you have to keep replacing it?

I hope you’ll see that buying these shoes is the right choice. Just wait until you see how awesome I look in them!

Love,
Sammy

Dear Mom,

I really, really want a pair of Nike Air Jordan sneakers. Everyone at school has them, and I’m beginning to feel left out—so I’m considering buying a pair.

Here’s the thing: They cost $175.

I realize it’s a lot of money—but I’ve been saving my allowance all year, and I finally have enough. I want to spend my money on something that will bring me happiness right now.

You’re probably going to say I should save my money for college, or that real friends don’t care what I wear. Those are both good points, but sometimes it’s just nice to fit in.

Besides, Nike isn’t popular just because their sneakers look cool—they also make great quality shoes. My last pair of sneakers cost only $30, but they fell apart after a few months. Why buy something cheap if you have to keep replacing it?

I hope you’ll agree that buying these shoes is the right decision. Just wait until you see how awesome I look in them!

Love,
Sammy

Art by John Corbit; Shutterstock.com

Dear Sammy,

I am so glad you’ve been saving your money, but you don’t need those sneakers. They won’t make you happy.

That’s not just my opinion. Experts say that the kind of happiness that comes from buying things doesn’t last. Real happiness comes from experiences and relationships. Maybe you should use the money you’ve saved to go to that Star Wars exhibit  with your friends. The memories you’d make there would last a lot longer than a pair of shoes.

You are right about one thing, though: I am going to tell you that real friends don’t care what you wear. They accept you for who you are.

Plus, you’re still growing. Even if the shoes are well made, they won’t fit you by this time next year. You’d be wasting your money!

Love,
Mom

P.S. I begged my mom to buy me purple Keds when I was your age!

Dear Sammy,

I’m glad you’ve been saving your money. But you don’t need those sneakers. They won’t make you happy.

That’s not just my opinion. Experts say that the kind of happiness that comes from buying things doesn’t last. Real happiness comes from experiences and relationships. Maybe you should use your money to go to that Star Wars exhibit with your friends. The memories you’d make would last much longer than a pair of shoes.

And you’re right: I am going to tell you that real friends don’t care what you wear. They accept you for who you are.

Plus, you’re still growing. Even if the shoes are well made, they won’t fit by this time next year. You’d be wasting your money!

Love,
Mom

P.S. I begged my mom for purple Keds when I was your age!

Dear Sammy,

I’m really glad you’ve been saving your money, but you don’t need those sneakers. They won’t make you happy.

That’s not just my opinion. Experts say that the kind of happiness that comes from buying things is fleeting, and that real happiness comes from experiences and relationships. If you use your savings to go to that Star Wars exhibit with your friends, the memories you’ll make will last a lot longer than a pair of shoes.

You’re right about one thing, though: I am going to tell you that real friends respect you for who you are, not for what you wear.

Plus, you’re still growing. Even if the shoes are well made, they won’t fit you by this time next year. You’d be wasting your money!

Love,
Mom

P.S. I begged my mother to buy me purple Keds when I was your age!