When it comes to making purchases, we often go with the cheaper option. After all, do we really taste the difference in that two times more expensive lettuce? However, some items and services are actually worth spending more money on, even if they might be considered expensive. The added value is just too much to miss out on.
A post on Reddit by the user LetsGetJigglyWiggly asked everyone to share these gems, and many people agreed to reveal what makes them dive deeper into their wallets and why. It also highlights what buyers are looking for in different products, and that what might be considered costly for some, might not be for others.
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My dog!
Little bastard managed to get f****n scabies the same month his heartworm s**t expired, 300 unexpected dollars.
But I had a bad PTSD episode coming out of a nightmare and his 70lb a*s crawled on top of me and snuffled my face until I could be present. Best $80 I ever spent, shelter bro for life.
Edit:
uhh, did not expect anyone to see this, haha. Thank you to whoever gilded me. Here is his handsomeness, as requested
http://imgur.com/a/nidIZ
Quality tools.
As Adam Savage once quoted: "first buy the cheapest tool you can find, and when you break it it means you used it a lot buy the best one you can afford"
Mattress is amazing. You're spending 30% of your life on it can't cheap out.
Expensive does not mean quality. I bought a $4K mattress many years ago. It sagged within 6 months and caused horrible back pain for me and my partner. We replaced it after 3 years to a $300 bed in a bag and it has held up beautifully and we have no back pain from sleeping. It has been almost 4 years
Tires.
Literally where the rubber meets the road. If you think good tires are too expensive then stop kidding yourself, you and your loved ones are worth more than that.
Extra-length phone charger. No more hunching over the side of your bed toward the outlet to send those last couple of texts because the cord is too short
A good bra
Yes! A good bra is a garment you do not want to take off ASAP because it supports well. Bras aren't cheap, but you don't need to pay $$$$$$. Just go to a specialist shop and get measured properly (and that includes a young teen who needs her first bra).
Dog food.
Feed your pets well! Makes a huge difference.
Note: expensive doesn't necessarily mean better. Look up pet food reviews to see how much filler they have. A lot of the protein may not be absorbed by your cat or dog due to it being certain types of plant protein, but it may look impressive to see for example 17% protein om the bag
Kitchen knives. Get a nice chef knife, keep it sharp and your cooking will be a thousand times more pleasant. Plus the quality knives last a lifetime.
Avoid overpaying for sets of the cheaper versions of name brand knives. Go to a restaurant supply store and get the specific tools you’ll need & use.
Work Shoes. I'm a chef and on my feet all day. I buy a new 150-200 dollar pair of clogs every year. I bought cheap shoes when I was green and could barely walk at the end of my shift.
LEGO over all the knock off brands. Sure it's more expensive, but at least you can be sure that every brick will stick together, and will continue to do so for another 25+ years.
If you buy ot from ebay you can save tons of money. We have a lot of Lego classic and Lego Duplo at home for the kiddos.
Anything I buy for my siblings. My parents kinda... just let them loose and don't buy them much in the way of new clothes or shoes, or help them with the layout of their rooms. One room has four teenagers in it, and it got bedbugs. So after the bedbugs were removed (took months) I spent $300 and built them a quadruple bunk bed that kept them off the ground in the case of more bugs. I just bought them a desk for that room too. I guess this isn't really a product but just a point that often spending money for other people feels a lot more justified than spending it on yourself.
Roomba. Imagine literally never vacuuming again. I haven't in two years. I'd pay the $400 again if it broke tomorrow.
My apartment. Basically, I should still probably be living with a roommate to save a couple hundred bucks a month. But f**k it, i love having my own goddamn space.
Not a product, but having a housecleaner come once in a while has saved my sanity.
Better computer chair
A fully ergonomic set-up, for that matter. I’m wondering if there’s yet data about injuries occurring from work-from-home offices during lockdown. Repetitive stress injuries are no joke. Our business & wc insurancs gives us a discount because we have each desk/chair adjusted by an outside ergonomic physical therapist. I imagine not many people were having this done in their home offices.
Socks and underwear. If your feet and balls are uncomfortable, there is no way anything else can get done.
Good shoes/boots are a definite number 2 on this list as well.
Face moisturizer and SPF. I live in Buffalo and our winters can get so cold and for so long. Sometimes my hands crack and bleed because it's so cold. Healthy skin is so important.
Pans... Cast iron, ceramic and stainless (preferably with removable handles), and one very large wok... plain a*s metal, not non-stick. Once your pans are properly seasoned and if you are using proper amounts of cooking fats and proper heat, you don't need non-stick teflon junk that flakes off in your food over time.
I love cooking with ceramic. Way better than non stick, and healthier
Quality Headphones
Just remember, just because its the trendy brand, doesn't mean its a quality brand.
Car suspension parts, brakes, wheels and tires
I've noticed a trend: shoes, mattresses, tyres. Basically anything that separates you from the ground, invest in.
An humidifying air purifier
My toddler son was always coughing. The pediatrician said he had an "irritable" respiratory system, and it could lead to asthma.
I went online and read that a humidifier and an air purifier could help. We already own an air purifier so we only needed a humidifier.
The thing with the cheap ones ($50-100) is that the design is often prone to mold and bacteria which can make matters worse. So I went all out and got the best one on market ($600) that is both a humidifier and an air purifier. It has a bunch of weird beads and filters in the water tank to suppress the growth of mold and bacteria.
He sleeps much better now!
Not for everyone, though. Go to the doctors first. I couldn't have a humidifier, it would make my allergies worse.
A nice pc with a great monitor. You can spend more hours on that thing than anything else in your house.
Gynecomastia(Man boobs) surgery. It changed my life. It made me want to workout. It made me want to improve how I look. It stopped my depression it was worth the 7k.
Taking good care of your car. Regular service from a good mechanic. My first car was nice and I treated it horribly and it was in bad shape within 5 years. My new car is 4 years old and I take it to a great mechanic and it's going to last me a very long time. Paying $300 for a full service oil change, tune up, brake job, etc. is worth it in the long run.
I tend to get about 200,000 miles out of my cars. My best was my 1988 Toyota Tercel, I got that car last 300,000 miles. I really just do the regular maintenance. I'm not getting tune ups or anything like that.
Good shampoo and conditioner, the sulfate and parabin free stuff. I used to use cheap c**p for most of my life and my hair got really thin and brittle. Then I learned how bad that s**t is for your hair and started buying better quality hair products. Now I have thick beautiful shiny hair and I'll never go back
Sheets/Pillows. You don't need 600 threadcount. But somewhere around 400 threadcount is perfect. And buy two sets. Wash them once a week, rotate them out so they last a long time. A good mattress cover is a good idea as well.
But don't cheap out on the pillow either. Make sure you buy something for the style of sleep you do, side sleeping, on your tummy, or on your back.
Someone has already mentioned mattresses. Also worth the money.
Edit: Bed Bath and Beyond is your friend. Personally one of my favorite stores (at least after Linen and Things went bankrupt.) They'll have all the assortment of pillows and bedding you could ever even think of. I don't recommend them for mattresses though (they might be good, I just don't have any personal experience.)
Thread count is a myth. It all depends on the type and weight of the yarn along with the stitching. You can get 2000 count, but it’s extremely cheap, thin & mostly synthetic c**p. If you can afford something like Brooklinen or the like, go for it. Depending on your taste, good Belgian flax linen is as good as it gets. Target actually has an awesome line of Threshold sheets sold as separates that beat their pricier Fieldcrest. A little knowledge about threads, materials, particularly cotton, and how sheets are stitched makes all the difference. Also, “Egyptian Cotton” is a marketing technique.
YES to all. I'm a huge sheets addict- I literally have about 30 pairs. I do love Bamboo sheets but only from certain brands. With bamboo sheets you either get really high end nice ones or the cheapest worst sheets ever, lol. I was lucky to get these and I found out they were a fantastic brand. They aren't sold anymore though. Sometimes I find a set on ebay or something and I snatch them up. I despise sateen sheets and don't understand the appeal. I like a crisp sheet. Something with quality weight to it. And i think linen sheets are over rated in most cases. I do, however, like a linen comforter.
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Am I the only one who has absolutely zero idea what threadcount even means, besides the obvious more threadcount more better?
Thread count means; number of threads per square inch of fabric. Also, "the more the better" isn't true. You want to aim for about 300-500 thread count for the best quality. Anything higher than that can give you some really flimsy, easily ripped fabric, because the threads are so incredibly thin.
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I always imagine some poor sap counting out the threads then losing count mid way and having to start again. I hope they get pain well lol
"Bed Bath and Beyond is your friend. Personally one of my favorite stores (at least after Linen and Things went bankrupt.)" Well, BB&B is about to declare bankruptcy too.
Good quality 100% cotton percale sheets are the best - 400 thread count is my favorite.
For pillows I totally recommend Beckham Hotel Collection pillows on Amazon. $50 for 2, but they always have sales. Not too mushy, not too flat. Has 4.5 stars from over 200k reviews.
I was gifted an expensive pillow about 12 years ago and now I can't sleep on anything else. Unfortunately it doesn't have a tag or I cut it off and I can't find the same pillow again!
NOT! thread count isn't it. its the staple (length of the thread) and where its grown (less so). long staple threads make for smooth and no pills (the problem w most of our cotton fabric today). i personally go for Ralph Lauren (used or discount discontinued!) or vintage cotton, mostly pillow cases and flat sheets (from old lake houses where they only got used for a few wks during the summers!) best church sales in rich towns: )
We sleep on flannel sheets all year round... soft and comfortable. Because the weave is not as tight as with 400+ cotton sheets, your body can cool off way more easily, and they're warm when you need that. Sleeping on 5 star hotel quality uber-fancy 700 count sheets now feels like sleeping on plastic... absolutely zero breathability.
I second that! I will also recommend bed bug covers for pillows and mattresses as they will keep the little pests out!
I take pictures of the tags or call and talk to housekeepers when I find bedding at hotel that feels amazing.
I have my pillow for as long as I can remember Every time that I buy a new pillow, it just isn't good. I'm pretty certain that when that pillow break, that I'll make myself a new one with the stuffings. Haha. I also think that I'm going to save up for a silk pillow case (I have long hair and silk is good for your hair, I think? That or I'll make a bonnet haha).
The best pillows I ever got, perfect for me, heavy memory foam and fits in my arms while I squirm in my sleep? $20 for two at Ollie's Army. They are online, check them out
Paid $100 for my pillow and omg money well spent! Best pillow I've ever owned
Sheets and towels from Sam's Club. Don't laugh til you've checked them out!
If you're as big of an online shopper as I am, you'll love Zulily. If you haven't heard of it, download the app and check it out. They pretty much always have bedding of some kind on special, and often will have the "good stuff" available too. Just beware, their return policies can be frustrating and limited, and shipping can be slow.
Higher thread count are lovely to sleep on, but will pill quicker. 100% cotton can also be a nightmare to iron. Consider a high count but polycotton blend, especially for kids
Iron sheets? Not under any circumstances would I iron sheets.
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BB&B went out of business. And that picture scares me - stubbing your toes every time you approach the bed???? How stupid is that. LOVE bed frames - no toe stubbing and a place to put things under the bed.
Note: this post originally had 58 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
yeah it's no secret , generally speaking, that better quality items are more expensive, but if you don't have the $ then you don't have the $.
Eye care. Quality prescription glasses fitted at the eye doctor. Zenni cannot even come close. And my cat. He was free but you pay the price when they die and there’s no higher cost than that. Still worth everything.
Old saying, buy quality and cry once, buy junk and cry every time you look at it
I would wholeheartedly add a good quality blender (i.e. Blendtec or Vitamix). My first one died after 7 or 8,000 cycles, but because I'd bought directly from the manufacturer, and it was still in warranty, they replaced it at no cost. (come to think of it, I may be on my 3rd now, but I can't remember for sure). The current one's on over 10,000 cycles. They've also replaced jars on warranty at least twice after the seals developed leaks. Best $300-$400 dollars I ever spent.
Under the category of tools: if you use a squeegee on a regular basis (cleaning your shower walls or house windows or car windows), get one of the good ones that has a nice handle and lets you replace the blade when it wears out. It makes a boring chore much more pleasant.
The litter robot. It's a $600 litter box. But 4 cats in a one bedroom apartment. Saves me a ton of time scooping litter and I use like half the litter I did before. It was expensive but worth every penny. Also my apartment never smells like a litter box.
yeah it's no secret , generally speaking, that better quality items are more expensive, but if you don't have the $ then you don't have the $.
Eye care. Quality prescription glasses fitted at the eye doctor. Zenni cannot even come close. And my cat. He was free but you pay the price when they die and there’s no higher cost than that. Still worth everything.
Old saying, buy quality and cry once, buy junk and cry every time you look at it
I would wholeheartedly add a good quality blender (i.e. Blendtec or Vitamix). My first one died after 7 or 8,000 cycles, but because I'd bought directly from the manufacturer, and it was still in warranty, they replaced it at no cost. (come to think of it, I may be on my 3rd now, but I can't remember for sure). The current one's on over 10,000 cycles. They've also replaced jars on warranty at least twice after the seals developed leaks. Best $300-$400 dollars I ever spent.
Under the category of tools: if you use a squeegee on a regular basis (cleaning your shower walls or house windows or car windows), get one of the good ones that has a nice handle and lets you replace the blade when it wears out. It makes a boring chore much more pleasant.
The litter robot. It's a $600 litter box. But 4 cats in a one bedroom apartment. Saves me a ton of time scooping litter and I use like half the litter I did before. It was expensive but worth every penny. Also my apartment never smells like a litter box.
