Quality, chicness in focus

Qiu Shiyun, 32, a young mother currently on a break from her job as an office administrator with a private firm in Beijing, explains her concept of spending, details how she spent money this year, and reveals her shopping and travel plans for 2017.

What is your philosophy of spending?

Most of my family income is used to buy better or high-quality products. I'd like to pursue a chic lifestyle as well. My idea is to spend more money on better products, instead of buying a lot of cheap (or substandard) stuff. I don't want to buy the same goods that others buy. I usually try to find unique products with exquisite designs.

Did you make any big-ticket purchases this year? Did you travel anywhere? Help me to understand your choices.

My husband and I moved to a new apartment this year, and we spent a lot of money on furniture, and home appliances such as air-purifiers and vacuum cleaners.

I've a two-year-old son. I spent quite some money on buying baby products, including clothing, toys and some original edition English books.

I bought most of them through overseas and domestic e-commerce websites. We traveled to Tokyo this year with my son, as Japan is close to China and it is a kids-friendly place with beautiful sightseeing options and various shopping choices.

What would you like to buy next year? Where would you like to go? And why?

Next year, as my son gets older, I may spend more money on myself. I plan to buy a luxury bag and more cosmetics and skincare products. Besides, we would like to travel to the United Kingdom or a European country and take along our son, as he's growing up fast and should be able to endure long-haul flights. If we have extra money and time, we'd travel to another place, because I love to travel.

How do you plan your family budget?

In fact, I haven't drawn up any detailed budget. My husband and I have a fund management account. We put about half of our income into the account. I've been increasingly pursuing a lifestyle marked by high-quality goods. I won't compromise on the quality of life.