Where you absolutely refuse to go the cheap way.
For me its deodorant. Everything else I’ve found but my chosen brand fails me.
Toilet paper
Cheap toilet paper just means I’m buying preparation h later. Good toilet paper is an investment in my butts health.
Plus it takes enough more it’s not really saving that much.
This is the first thing I started buying the good stuff on when I became not-poor. Never going back!
Never go back!! And always buy it on sale! It’s not like it expires.
A computer chair.
As I get older my back is really happy that I spent a bit more on the chair I spend almost all my time in.
Aeron chair for life.
Meh an Aeron feels “fine”……. And 8 hours later still feels “fine”.
Disclaimer: my wife has a chronic neck injury.
Car! We’ve had Renaults for years, but last time we went for a BMW and the difference is night and day. My wife had to do lots of stretching exercises just to go and buy bread. In the BMW she can happily drive 5-6 hours with no (extra) discomfort.
I totally get why you might not but for me, quality underwear has been a great purchase. They last longer, breath better, stay put, and synthetic ones are washable in a sink in a pinch when traveling(I mean they all are but these dry really quick)
I only buy ones certified by inspector 34.
I’ve found my expensive underwear to not last all that long, but to be amazingly more comfortable. There’s no going back, especially when it’s hot out.
What is expensive underwear to you? Curious on brands and different qualities.
My favorite is ExOfficio. I usually buy them when they’re on sale because they can be highly variable in pricing. 15 to 30 dollars an item, for example, and usually not so cheap as 15. But the quality is great.
Edit: I used to use Patagonia, which are much better than standard underwear, but ExOfficio is better.
Any tool I’m going to use more than once.
I buy the cheap stuff first, then when it fails or i otherwise end up using it enough to know what I’m looking for, I’ll spend good money on good tools
I call that the Adam Savage approach from some half-remembered statement from him.
Pretty much everything, nowadays.
I came across a saying “Buy nice or buy twice” and that resonated with me. Another variation I have seen is “Buy once, cry once”.
Getting cheap trash that will fall apart in a few months that you will have to eventually re-buy isn’t going to help, but that doesn’t mean you buy gold-plated or diamond-encrusted items. Spending a little bit more for most items usually gets you something that will work better, last longer, or both. Good quality stuff is usually backed with good warranties too.
I spend my time researching to see what product is the best for me, look for deals online, or even buy used if I have to.
I generally only follow this for things that are luxuries anyway. If I’m buying tools I buy the cheapest, crappiest version of it I can find. Then if it breaks, it means I’ve probably used it enough to warrant the expensive version.
I use the saying quite often: “You can buy something nice, or you can buy something cheap and then something nice.”
Buy it nice, or buy it twice
Brady “Hard as Nails” Harran
Underwear and socks. PC desk, don’t trust a 50$ folding table with your midlife crisis gaming rig.
Good cookware. Non toxic stuff and good knives.
I use a lot of cast iron which is cheap and the only chemical is…iron.
Don’t forget carbon steel. My carbon steel pan is 100 years old!
YouTube premium. I’m too old to hassle with extensions, and I really don’t like ads. And I like to support my content creators without going to twitch or clicking on any links in their descriptions.
Never skimp on what you apply ON or put IN your body.
Sandpaper. Cheap sandpaper loads up, and wears out so fast that it’s never worth the savings. Spend a bit more and it will last 3 to 5 times longer.
Recs? I just buy whatever home Depot is selling when I need to sand something.
I’ve never had much issue with Home Depots sandpaper. I get 3m when I can afford it. Avoid Harbor Freight sandpaper at all costs.
3M cubitron 2 is the best value to performance I’ve found and I’m buying it for a fabrication shop that goes through hundreds of discs a month on sanding aluminum, steel, and stainless steel.
Hot dogs. I do not trust cheapo hot dogs.
Also, I rarely eat pop-tarts anymore, but when I do I get the name brand. I’ve never had an off brand pop-tart that wasn’t complete garbage.
Stuff from locally-owned stores. Tools, supplies, car parts, food… if the markup isn’t egregious, I’ll always try and get from them before a big box or online. Not only does it help the owners, but they’re frequently knowledgeable and can sometimes work stuff out for you.
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A good sleep is definitely more important than money - when you have money. Until you have money your sleep doesn’t matter, you get to lay in the filth of others or sleep on a mattress that will slowly poison your lungs with fibreglass.
