Being Able to Afford Something Is Not The Same As Being Able To Maintain It

[snowpega]

An expensive item cannot be judged by its purchase price. We should also consider how useful it is in our daily life. Cars require a lot of maintenance and also fuel cost but that does not mean every person in middle class should not buy one.
The main thing is to know that what is the difference between purchase and what is the difference between genuine need. Some people see it as an expense if they are using their power for family responsibilities or for their businesses but there are people who are really using it. Then for them, buying car is not a good thing; they can go for motorcycles or public transport. The same principle equally applies to smartphones, houses and also to other expensive items. Before buying anything we should also calculate its cost and make sure that we can afford it without having to sacrifice our other needs.

Bro, petrol usage aside, because it is not counted under the maintenance factor, it is a usage factor that one has to fill to use the car.
Maintenance is other expenditure, like car wash, replacing the engine, gear oil and many other things included. In my point of view, affording a car in Pakistan is not a big deal; even some middle-class people can easily afford it, but keeping it maintained is a very hard job, bro, believe me. If you accumulate 1 million in pkr, you can buy any car in that price range that suits you best.  A long time ago, I had the same discussion with a friend of mine. He also agreed with the same fact. And yes, brother, the other examples you mentioned, like a house and a mobile phone, can also be counted the same way.

[icebar]

There is a very huge difference between assets and liabilities and this is what any smart individual considers before acquiring any property, an assets can accrue profits whereas a liability in form of an asset could only drain more money from your purse.
There are multi-millionaires who could afford private jets but refuse to get one because they have considered the cost of maintenance, fueling, airport charges and etc compared to flying commercial airlines and saving millions of dollars that could be put into future investments and yielding more profits, this has to do with character and priorities and individual perceptions regarding the subject matter.

After buying something, you need to carefully consider how much income you will get from it and how much your expenses will increase. Someone may have bought a very expensive car beyond their means, but later they have to spend a lot of money to meet the fuel, repairs and other expenses of the car. On the other hand, if someone starts a small business with the same money, then there may be an opportunity to gradually increase their income. However, not all types of expenses can be called bad, because a house or a car can also meet personal needs.

So, before buying something, you need to understand how much benefit it will bring in your life. You need to know whether it will create any additional financial stress in the future. And when it comes to wealth, it is not only how much money you earn, but also how and how much you are able to save the money you earn and whether you are using it properly.

[Solodoski]

I think when people ask themselves the question CAN I AFFORD IT, it does not just end if they can buy it, but it also means if they can maintain it. Using a car as an example,  anyone that wants to purchase a car must ask himself these questions,  because it does not just end on buying it alone, it also comes with maintenance and a lifestyle,  so I believe when people ask this question "can I afford it" it simply covers everything, which includes how to maintain the car and the expense that comes with it, but if you are asking this question on just if you can purchase it, without  considering the cost that comes withbit, them you are making a financial mistake.

[skarais]

I think when people ask themselves the question CAN I AFFORD IT, it does not just end if they can buy it, but it also means if they can maintain it. Using a car as an example,  anyone that wants to purchase a car must ask himself these questions,  because it does not just end on buying it alone, it also comes with maintenance and a lifestyle,  so I believe when people ask this question "can I afford it" it simply covers everything, which includes how to maintain the car and the expense that comes with it, but if you are asking this question on just if you can purchase it, without  considering the cost that comes withbit, them you are making a financial mistake.

Buying means agreeing to whatever costs are needed afterwards, so I don't think we need to argue about it. Cars, houses and everything else that requires regular maintenance costs will basically become a financial burden that must be paid sooner or later. So when someone decides to have it or buy it, then they are basically already prepared with whatever the burden is. Of course some people buy because of lifestyle, some buy because of necessity, but both are objects that require the owner to take care of it during use.

[Btcdeybodi]

A lot of financial decisions are based on one question; CAN I AFFORD TO BUY IT? but I think another question is just as important; CAN I AFFORD TO KEEP IT?

For instance someone may be able to afford a car today but the real cost does not end when the can is purchased. There is fuel, maintenance, insurance, repairs and other running expenses. Sometimes the purchase itself is not what create financial pressure, it is the reoccurring cost that comes after the purchase.

This made me realize that affordability should probably be looked at from two different angles; CAN I AFFORD THE PURCHASE AND CAN MY INCOME COMFORTABLY SUPPORT THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH IT? Something can be within your budget today but becomes a burden 6 months later if the ongoing cost are ignored. I think this is one reason why two people with similar incomes can have completely different levels of financial stability.

Do you think people pay enough attention to the cost of maintaining what they buy or do we focus too much on the initial price?

If you ain't rich there's no need to purchase things that require high level of maintenance. There are people that just like buying expensive things even when they are earning little so how can they be able to maintain them. I  know someone who bought a car very costly but the car is always packed at home because he doesn't have enough money to be buying petrol everyday and use the car to work. He was calculating the money spent in buying fuel when that amount can serve him mamy days while using public transport services. What's now the essence of byying the car if he can't use it whenever he wants. People should normalise buying things they can afford to maintain and not to buy things just because other people are buying too.

[rachael9385]

Not many people pay attention to the cost of maintaining what they buy. They will think that later when the time comes so they will not bother to that and just use it. Some of them just follow the trend and buy the product without thinking if that is the product they really need or because the trend.

You made a good point on this, it's one thing to make a purchase and it's another to know if you actually have the capacity to maintain it and this starts by knowing the state of your bank account after buying it, if it takes the most part of what you have and then you struggle to get back the amount of money you spent on it then you cannot afford it.

If they don't want the product anymore, they can sells and change to other products even they need to pay more. They should be wise buy the product and not just follow the trend so they can saving more money and improves their financial.

Selling products already used is not always easy, a lot of things are being put into consideration by the buyers and the most important thing is the durability and value. When using some products all of these diminishes with time.