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You could argue that life revolves around economics: it’s an endless series of choices and tradeoffs. Due to opportunity cost, you can’t have everything that you want. What you can do, however, is make the best decisions about what (not) to do with your money and time with the information you have available to you.
Sometimes, you come across a product or service that changes your life in a very meaningful way. The AskReddit community recently shared all the things they think are extremely worth their expensive price tags. Scroll down to read their opinions, and be sure to upvote the ones that you agree with.
Bored Panda got in touch with G. Brian Davis, a real estate investor and the co-founder of SparkRental.com, for his thoughts on how to tell if something is worth investing your hard-earned money in, and where it's not worth being cheap. You'll find our interview with him below, including why being frugal is very different from being cheap.
This post may include affiliate links.
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#2
Quality work shoes if your job requires you to be on your feet for long stretches of time.
#3
A good mattress. Spent thousands on mine and my husband was pissed. He’s never slept better, his body doesn’t hurt and we’re both nicer people because we now get a proper comfortable nights sleep. First time in my whole life and I hope to never have to go back.
Seán Baron 1 year ago (edited)
I got mine from IKEA. Paid around £200 as I’m poor, but they make decent mattresses and they come with a 10 year guarantee.
According to Davis, broadly speaking, you get what you pay for, however, it doesn't necessarily mean that spending more always makes sense. "There’s almost always an affordable path forward. Sometimes, that requires you to step back and look at your broader goal rather than assuming your choice is what you think it is," the co-founder of SparkRental.com told Bored Panda in an email.
"For example, when you’re planning a vacation, you could compare Cheap Hotel A to Expensive Hotel B, and sure, the expensive hotel is almost certainly nicer. But do you have to stay at a hotel at all? What if you stayed at an apartment or house through Airbnb? What if you rented an RV and slept in that instead of flying and staying at a hotel?" he said.
"For that matter, what if you designed a cheaper but just as fun vacation from scratch? You could crash with friends or family somewhere you’ve been meaning to visit, or do a road trip, or go camping."
#5
Regular visits to the dentist.
xioenmexico:
In general, any medical attention, even though it may be expensive, is worth it, health is not negotiable.
Glen Ellyn 1 year ago
After too many years of avoiding the dentist, I found one based on a friend's recommendation. It took a few months to get to where I needed to be, but now I go twice a year - religiously. It pays off. Early on, when seeing my dentist, checkups and cleaning took nearly an hour. But now that I'm going twice a year, it takes 20 minutes or so and I'm done!
#6
A good bra!
StrangeOne 1 year ago
They don't have to be super expensive. But a proper fitting makes all the difference.
In the meantime, the co-founder of SparkRental.com drew attention to some red flags that everyone should watch out for when it comes to products and experiences that might not offer more quality in exchange for a higher price. For instance, something to look for is "slick, expensive marketing campaigns."
"Think 'Disney vacation' instead of nearly any other trip, or 'Beats headphones' instead of cheaper alternatives with better sound quality but smaller marketing budgets. Look for unbiased online reviews by niche experts. You could plan a dream vacation to Europe or South America for less than a Disney vacation costs," Davis explained to Bored Panda.
Of course, there are always going to be areas in your life where it's worth spending more money. According to Davis, it's essential to make the distinction between being 'cheap' and 'frugal.' "'Cheap' means always choosing the cheapest option, regardless of quality or needs. 'Frugal' means looking for the best value, all things considered. I love fine wine, and sometimes spend a lot on a bottle, but I also maintain a list of outstanding affordable wines as well, that would stand up in a blind taste test to fancy bottles," he shared.
#8
A good haircut. Someone with skill will cut your hair in a way that looks good the entire time between your salon appointments, not just the day you leave the salon.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
I'm one of those people who cuts/shaves my own hair. I know what I'm doing, and I'm satisfied with the less-than-perfect results.
#9
A quality pillow will change your life.
"Avoid being cheap with your health. That includes products like running shoes, so you don’t end up with injuries. Avoid being cheap with products or services that will improve your earning potential. Invest in your skills and qualifications—if they’ll directly lead to higher income," Davis advised.
However, he added that we shouldn't justify spending on things that we want by calling them 'investments' when they're clearly not. Honesty with ourselves is key here. "A luxury car is not an investment, it’s just a more expensive depreciating asset. Buy it if you want it, just go into it knowing that it’s a splurge, not an 'investment' that will somehow pay a return for you later."
#10
Clothes that are made well with a “slow fashion” vs “fast fashion” mission in mind. My favorite clothing brand sells their wool button downs for about $120. Some would say that’s way to much to spend, but it’s beautifully made from recycled clothing (good for the earth), weather resistant, simple but elegant, and if it rips or tears they will repair it, or if it is not repairable they will send a new one, this is a lifetime guarantee on the clothing I buy there. I don’t buy extremely often, but investing in ethically sourced and produced clothing is really worth the price in my opinion. I think repairing clothing vs just throwing it away and buying a new one is the proper idea behind well made clothing. Not a 10 year guarantee, but lifetime.. they also take care of their works and I do care very much about the conditions under which my clothing was made.
#11
An Uber if you've been drinking.
#12
Twice a year car maintenance with regular oil changes. You can head off expensive repairs if you maintain your car.
If you happen to be a fan of legendary fantasy writer Terry Pratchett like us, then you might have heard about the so-called ‘Boots’ theory. It was proposed by one of his characters, Captain Sam Vimes, in the book Men at Arms, part of the Discworld series of novels. (Which we obviously recommend very highly, but that’s not the point right now.)
According to Vimes, buying quality items helps you save money in the long run. It’s what he called the ‘Boots’ theory of socioeconomic unfairness. “The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money,” Pratchett writes.
“Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles,” Pratchett continues.
“But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.”
#13
If you fly, even occasionally, noise cancelling headphones are worth every penny. With just the noise cancelling on without playing any music it significantly softens most sounds. When you listen to music/videos/whatever with the noise cancelling on, you can't hear anything else, even crying babies.
Analyst_Cold:
Worth it for waiting rooms too, public transport. Anytime there is too much noise.
#14
Movers. Save your friends and spend some money.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
They're so expensive. Just make sure they're good movers who know what they're doing, and have some care about the property and your belongings. Also make sure they can take multiple ways to pay. I thought every mobile business has an debit machine. Nope. I had replaced a bank card and had some difficulty activating it on my online account. The movers I hired I found out only took etransfers. I had to call my bank to help me with getting my online account straightened out, while the movers were threatening to hold the rest of my stuff hostage.
#15
My answer is always the same for this: high quality things between you and the earth.
High quality mattress/bed.
Quality shoes.
Quality socks.
Quality tires.
The first two are actually healthcare items. You won't realize how bad your current sleep is until you have great sleep with your back and neck properly supported. Similarly, you won't realize how much your posture is affected by your footwear until you try a day on your feet in quality footwear.
Socks made of appropriate material (wool varieties... Not cotton) make a difference in comfort.
Good tires might just save your life. Every driving characteristic about your vehicle, including the ability to stop, is governed by the connection to the road which is the tires.
The ‘Boots’ theory has seen lots of popularity over the years. Pratchett’s estate has actually authorized anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe to use the Vimes Boots Index as the name of her new price index, meant to document the creeping prices of basic food products.
Pratchett’s daughter Rhianna had this to say: “My father used his anger about inequality, classism, xenophobia, and bigotry to help power the moral core of his work. One of his most famous lightning-rods for this was Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch - a cynical, but likable, man who attempts to better himself whilst railing against the injustices around him. Some of which he’s had a hand in perpetrating in the past.
#16
Not that it's too expensive but costs more. But real maple syrup is leaps and bounds better tasting than the flavored corn syrup replicas.
#17
Quality kitchen knives.
Serious_Scheme_3584:
This one is too true. My parents would buy a block set and although they got the job done I never realized how terrible they were until I used my buddies Miyabi Chefs knife.... Holy cow. I think it'd be more logical to buy 2 or 3 good quality knives over a block set. I just can get myself to cough up the change for the bearing knife!
Myoviridae 1 year ago
15 years ago I bought a set of Wustof knives on sale for half off. They are amazing and stay amazing as long as I sharpen them. I also spent quite a bit of money on very good cutting board (end-cut wood). I also take care of this with board oil and board wax. Within the same time frame, my parents have probably spent more money buying new knives and cutting boards that are much lower quality.
#18
Genuine Irish butter.
So. Let me acknowledge upfront: I'm a boomer.
Now we got that ugliness out of the way, I can tell you this heartwarming tale of falling in love with Irish butter. When I was a kid, we only had the cheapest brand of margarine at home (my parents were both children of the Depression and they were REALLY poor and grew up to be REALLY frugal).
Cr*ppy margarine just kinda tasted oily and gross and I never really liked it. My best friend's parents were "rich" so they always had actual butter, but it was just some, regular name brand butter. I tasted it but I wasn't impressed with it either. Kinda blah to me.
I spent the next 40ish years and raised a family of my own, never really eating much butter OR margarine except maybe in cooking cos I thought, meh, what's the fuss. My wife never really made much of it either. We were just boring, no-butter people.
HOWEVER, about 10 years ago, I went to Ireland with my wife (her business trip, me as a tourist) and we stayed in a nice hotel. Went to breakfast and they had all this fresh bread and mounds of this beautiful, golden stuff that I mindlessly spread on a piece of warm bread...
I thought, "MY GOD! WHAT SORCERY IS THIS TASTE???"
Anyway, long story just to say: spend the extra money to get imported, Irish butter. My LDL levels say "thanks," while my tongue says, "spread it thicker, big boy! Eat it like yogurt!".
Surly Scot 1 year ago (edited)
Truth. When I moved to America I didn't understand why the butter was white and tasted so lackluster. Then supermarkets started importing KerryGold Irish butter, it had been a decade since i'd tasted real butter that was a proper yellow color and the difference in quality is night and day.
“Vimes’ musing on how expensive it is to be poor via the cost of boots was a razor-sharp evaluation of socio-economic unfairness. And one that’s all too pertinent today, where our most vulnerable so often bear the brunt of austerity measures and are cast adrift from protection and empathy. Whilst we don’t have Vimes anymore, we do have Jack, and Dad would be proud to see his work used in such a way.”
#19
Toilet paper. The cheap stuff just seems to rub me the wrong way.
#20
Not really that expensive, but a good shower head. Even if you rent, swapping out the default shower head for one that will help with low pressure is a life changer. Swap it back when your moving out. When I was renting, money was tight but it is a necessary splurge.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
Thing I learned too late as a renter: keep the old shower head. That way, if the landlord wants to the change the shower heads, not knowing you swapped the original with one you bought yourself, yours won't get tossed to make way for a shittier shower head than the one you replaced. In fact, anything you're temporarily switching out, keep the original.
#21
Therapy.
hiddensquirrelTO:
Came here to say therapy. Good quality therapy (for me, that's emdr). It can change your life, make you happier and more at peace, and prevent you from repeating the same patterns over and over again.
For everyone who says, "I tried it and it didn't work" or "I didn't like it". You need to give a few therapists a shot. Not everyone is going to be a fit.
What are the best expensive purchases that you’ve ever made, Pandas? What do you look for when you’re on the prowl for true quality?
On the other hand, what are your biggest regrets? What are some major red flags that you’d warn others about when it comes to subpar products and services?
If you have a spare moment, share your experiences in the comments, to help out your fellow readers.
#23
I’m gonna get a lot of pushback, but glasses. They’re a medical device you wear on your face. It’s like if you had prescription shoes: they have to be comfortable, stylish, and work properly, all while lasting a year or two. It’s worth it to get quality if you can. Bargains tend to follow the Sam Vimes boot problem, to continue to shoe comparison, though I’m glad they exist for people who couldn’t otherwise afford them, and as backups for folks who wear contacts primarily or who have big Rx changes and can’t use last year’s glasses as a backup.
David Paterson 1 year ago
You can buy a pair of glasses for $20, $200 or $2000. Go for the $200 pair not the $2000 pair.
Glen Ellyn 1 year ago
Protect your eyesight - get regular checkups with a doctor you trust - especially as you get older. Regular checkups will find any issues early enough that they're still treatable. And yes, don't cheap out on glasses, either, if you need them.
Susan Reid Smith 1 year ago
Get comfortable frames that you like. You'll be wearing them for 15-16 hours/day.
Jorie 1 year ago
I work for an optometrist and we have a nice selection of frames in all price ranges. Perhaps the best place to opt for better quality and some "bells and whistles" would be in the lenses. A little more money spent on them can make a world of difference. Ask your optical person about the different kinds of lenses available, and how upgrades can enhance your visual experience.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
My optician had a large selection of low-cost frames for their customers who didn't have insurance and couldn't afford pricey frames. Most of them were really nice, too.
#25
Quality nail clippers.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Yes! I use nail nippers instead of clippers because they give me better control and do a good job cutting through my strong nails.
#26
If you hike, good hiking boots. I hate spending a lot of money on shoes. I refuse to spend $100+ on any pair of shoes. So, when I started hiking I bought a pair of $35 boots. My feet were killing me on every hike. I finally broke down and bought a decent pair of boots that were definitely over $100. It killed me to do it. The difference was unreal. I probably would have stopped hiking if I had continued to wear the cheap boots.
Myoviridae 1 year ago
Oh definitely! And you don't even have to go for the most expensive brands! When I bought my last hiking boots (at a place that lets you try them out on terrain in the store), the salesperson asked if I was trying those boots because of the brand name. I said yes. He suggested I also try a cheaper pair from a lesser-known (less PR) brand to test their comfort. They were also very good! Been on many hikes with those. still good boots.
#30
A good wheelchair. Wheelchairs in general are expensive but having a brand new one with smooth wheels that rolls smoothly and without excessive effort is so beyond worth it and saves so much energy and accidents if you have the good fortune to get one.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Another similar mode of transportation is a well-made, high-quality mobility scooter. Several people in my building rely on these to get around the neighborhood, so it's vital to choose one that will hold up. It's also equally important the company has the integrity to make timely repairs when necessary.
#31
Education and insurance.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Education, absolutely. For no other reason but to broaden your horizons. Insurance is generally mandatory for a mortgage or an automobile, but I'm a renter now, so I have renter's insurance to protect my possessions. But insurance in the form of warranties is usually a waste of money.
#32
Travel.
#33
I moved countries about 7 years ago - everything was sacrificed so my partner could be with her family.
It meant I started over career wise. I put every element of my life on lockdown and focused on speed running grown up life to re establish myself.
Bought a house, renovated and worked 70 hour weeks to build an emergency fund.
Last year I spent 5k EUR on a new bed…..
It took 4 months to come, but let me tell you. It was worth every penny.
I sleep well, I have no aches or pains. I look forward to sleeping every day. I now sleep a solid 8hrs plus. So not only do I physically benefit, but I have less stress and anxiety. It changed my life after I changed my life.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Oh, there is nothing like a good night's sleep and waking free from muscle ache. A good mattress/pillow is worth every penny.
#34
Travel insurance.
It’s not that expensive if you travel semi frequently. You can get a whole year coverage. If you don’t travel often you can buy 1 time insurance.
So so so sooooo many of the complaints either here or elsewhere would easily be rectified with travel insurance.
I got sort of quarantined in hospital in Tokyo. It was well before Covid, essentially I had bed bug bites but also food poisoning. Add itchy and covered in bites to sweaty and vomiting and it looks really evil and contagious lol. I didn’t blame them by any means. It was something like 2-3 days or 2 nights 3 days kinda thing. Cost me just over $2000 Canadian. Everything other than $4 for soap of all things was covered by the travel insurance. Without it I would’ve had to eat that cost.
Lots of credit cards have SOME insurance, but I prefer having a standalone policy cuz I know it works.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
So you got sick and your travel insurance covered most of the costs? Wow. I didn't know this was part of the benefits.
#35
High quality tools.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Building can be frustrating on so many levels, but malfunctioning tools or cheap tools breaking can go from frustrating to dangerous. When pricing tools, put a price on your fingers. That'll help with the decision.
#36
Good air conditioning/filtration, Chest freezer (can save you thousands a year if you can afford to buy in quantity).
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
When buying an AC make sure the BTU rating will actually cool the space. Management installed ACs with BTUs too low to accommodate the apartments, so they run continuously. An upright freezer is more convenient, but a chest freezer is more efficient. One caveat with chest freezers: my short, older neighbor fell into hers while reaching for a package. Fortunately her son was there to pull her out.
#38
Costco membership.
At first it seemed silly to me to pay $60 a year to shop somewhere but between the savings on gas, groceries, travel, appliances, tires….well worth it.
David Paterson 1 year ago
Not in Australia. Costco is more expensive than stores that don't require a membership. Total waste of money in my country
#39
An older Toyota. You see the price for the age and miles and think “no way is it worth that” but it may have 220,000 miles and go another 100k.
#41
Cleaning lady.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Just cleaner. They come in all genders. If you want specificity say residential cleaner or office cleaner or crime scene cleaner.
#42
Good Airfryer. The amount of time i saved by just throwing stuff in there with no further attention needed is awesome.
Myoviridae 1 year ago
I resisted the airfryer trend for so long. After much research, I finally got a mini convention oven. I love that thing so much! Barely use the oven anymore (very important in a hot climate).
#43
Flying business for long flights.
David Paterson 1 year ago
I recently flew cattle class on a 14 hour flight. After 10 hours I was praying for the plane to crash so that I could get out of there.
#44
Robot vacuums, especially high quality ones.
It was really hard to spend $600, but it changed our lives. It does a worse job vacuuming than doing it by hand, but not by too much.
But, since I would never vacuum my house three times a week by hand (or even 3 times a month), the robot has helped immensely with cleanliness and allergens.
Upstaged75 1 year ago
I got one recently - it was on sale for less than $200. It's not perfect, but it's pretty awesome.
#45
Bidet fixed my life.
#47
I'm usually a cheapskate but experience has taught me that some things are worth spending money on. For example:
1. Car wash vacuum cleaners. So worth it to spend $1.50 or whatever to use one rather than trying to use your own vacuum cleaner. And, they get your car cleaner much faster than dragging out your home vacuum to try to clean your car with.
2. Electronics. Buy them new from brand name shops. It isn't worth hassling to save $10 somewhere and getting something that doesn't work or doesn't have a reasonable return policy.
3. Household help. If you can afford it get someone to come in and clean your house on a regular basis. So it stays...always clean, without you having to do anything.
4. Education. Now this is a big one and far more could be written about it. Obviously not all education expense is worthwhile, so I'm not necessarily referring to a college degree or whatnot. But educating yourself - or especially, educating kids if you have them, can return dividends throughout their life.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
I agree whole-heartedly with the last one. Books are a great investment for your kids. Take them to the library if you have to, but at least have a small book case of books at home, so your kids can read whenever they want to. I promise you kids want to read. They don't think of it as a punishment.
#48
Bosch dishwasher. The only dishwasher that cleans like the old ones did but much quieter. I get the least expensive 3rd rack version. 3rd rack is awesome.
#49
Heated bathroom floor and Heated toilet seat.
qkppyrxvfx 1 year ago
I don’t need to pay for a heated toilet seat. I just go after my partner
#50
Good headphones and a good speaker.
#52
This one is gonna sound so mundate but pencils-ticonderoga #2 pencils or nothing. I do a job that requires a lot of writing in pencil and erasing and while I use bic mechanical pencils most of the time, having good pencils are worth it. Especially if your department insists on buying the cheapest c**p for office supplies, I buy my own stuff.
Myoviridae 1 year ago
Uniball Vision Elite Micro pens. I buy them by the box. Never ask me to use a regular ball-point pen -- ick!
#53
Heavy gauge jumper cables, not the cheap lightweight ones.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Ditto for extension cords. Don't cheap out on them, it's not worth the hassle of unkinking them each time. Besides, a heavy gauge will handle most appliances, tools, and generators.
#54
LASIK eye surgery. It’s very expensive up front but if you consider how much you spend on contacts and glasses it’s worth the price tag.
Completely changed my life for the better.
Kirsten Kerkhof 1 year ago
Absolutely agree! My eyes were too bad for LASIK so I got lens implants, but if you can afford it somewhere in your 30s, it will last you for the rest of your life (or, in my case, until I got cataracts ...). To have perfect vision all the time after a lifetime of needing glasses to find my glasses was amazing.
#55
Good furniture.
Like so many things, it's cost vs value. if you buy the cheap stuff, you'll be uncomfortable for two years until you have to replace it because it fell apart anyway.
#56
I might get downvoted for this, but I hope I make my point effectively - I buy art, handbags & jewelry that appreciate over time, in case I fall on hard times & need to liquidate on short notice. One art piece I sold for double what I paid for it when I lost my job once, and it covered the bills for the month. I’ve since replaced it with a much larger version, and that has appreciated significantly as well. A handbag I bought less than a year ago was a limited-edition LV and it’s selling for triple now on the secondary market - $4k to $12k. If you actually buy things with the resell value & appreciation in mind, it’s a smart investment. Plus you’re not filling up landfills with cheap s**t that falls apart after 6 months. I tell people about some of the things I’ve resold for double or triple what I paid for it, and they either get really excited for me, or they get mad and gripe about how they could never afford to do that. Luckily there’s way more of the former than the latter. I bought a big house & it’s appreciated over $150k since July 2023. And I am literally not trying to brag, I’m just trying to share my thought process & experiences. Make your spending have potential for good returns.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
I never know where people take these items to sell for so much. P**n shops pay you peanuts and I don't trust their "expertise". Antique shops get so much old stuff they struggle to sell and find room for, they're picky about what they'll buy from you. Thrift stores will accept it as a free donation. Go to a specialty store, they take one quick glance to tell you they won't even appraise it. Go to an appraiser and that's an extra $1000 for their confirmation assessment, but no sale.
#57
Youtube premium, I couldn't go back to ads now.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
I just bundled Disney+, HULU, and Max, but I chose with ads. You know what I'm doing right now? I'm watching Rivals on Disney+ and hopping over here on BP during the commercials. It's a good system for me.
#58
Phone. I know they seem expensive af but I literally use it all day every day. It’s with me at all times. I never buy the newest latest version but still $700-$900 is totally worth it considering how much use i get out of this damn thing.
Brian Droste 1 year ago
Even at $700 that is way to much for me for a phone. At the very most I will pay $200 or even way cheaper than that. They work just fine for me.
#59
Deep tissue massages every once in a while.
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
Oh, yes. Not only does a good deep massage loosen all the muscles, which in turn relax the pressure on joints, but for one solid hour you are in a stress-free environment and your worries aren't the focus.
#60
$25 Socks. There is a distinct before and after on my life's timeline when I discovered quality merino wool socks. As an added bonus, Darn Tough socks come with a lifetime warrantee.
#61
Wool/cashmere/silk/goosedown/leather winter clothing, as well as a reliable shell. Socks underwear pants hoodies gloves you name it.
No one likes to be cold in winter.
Do not expect cotton or polyester (literally recycled water bottles) to keep you warm like proper, name brand gear.
#62
Maybe a little niche, but plumbing fixtures. (This will be US/Canada specific.)
The plumbing fixtures you get a a plumbing supply house or showroom (like where plumbers shop) are better quality than the ones on the shelf at big box stores (like Lowe’s and Home Depot), even if they’re the same name brand. (Like Kohler, Delta, Moen, etc.) Both supply house and big box store fixtures are better than the random c**p you find on Amazon.
Supply house: More brass, heavy duty, last longer, generally use interchangeable internal parts that are cheaper/easy to find (or free with their warranty). You also have a person you can call if something goes wrong.
Big box: more plastic, made to be cheaper, often have more issues, sometimes have cheaper/harder to find internal parts. If something goes wrong you’ll have to call the manufacturer.
Amazon/online: much more cheaply made, may be not certified to sale in the US/Canada, meaning they may contain harmful things like lead or other prohibited heavy metals that can poison you, parts will be impossible to find when they inevitably start to leak. There is nobody to call and some plumbers won’t even install them.
#63
A membership to a good gym, one you actually WANT to go to, the benefits of regular exercise are worth the cost.
#64
1. All-Clad - or any 3-ply - steel pots and pans. I finally convinced my husband (who does most of the cooking) we should replace our inexpensive ones when a set went on sale 5 years ago, and I can’t count the number of times he’s said, “Why did we wait so long?” They heat more slowly but hold heat better so you don’t have to turn the heat up as high, so food cooks more evenly and doesn’t burn easily.
2. A Cuisinart 14-cup food processor - we use it to make fresh hummus in seconds, way cheaper than store bought and tastier. We use it to quickly prep veggies for fried rice, roasting, stews/soups, etc, and to whip up feta, garlic, and other dips and pesto. We didn’t think we’d use it as much as we have.
3. KitchenAid stand mixer - we bought the Mini for space reasons. We don’t use it as often as the food processor, but it’s completely changed how we bake. Cakes, cookies, pastries, yeast doughs, custards, merengues - all turn out better than with a hand mixer. We make a Basque cake that we could never get the texture right - the first time we made it after getting the stand mixer, it came out perfectly. Attachments make fresh pasta, tomato sauce, and grinds meat for burgers, meatloaf, and sausage.
ETA: I’ve only used Kitchen Aid brand, but the most important thing is the motor power and quality.
What ISN’T: we bought a 4qt and a 6qt Lodge brand enameled cast iron Dutch oven, and after 15 years they’re still perfect, at 1/4 of the price of the same size Le Crueset pieces.
Myoviridae 1 year ago
I have all of those things and I can definitely recommend them! And yes, Lodge >>> Le Cruset all the way. Works the same, but with much lower price.
#65
For me an espresso machine. I don’t go too crazy but the basic setup was around €250. My weekly coffee costs are about €1.50-2 now. I can get €.50 espressos and macchiatos in my town but the ability to make any coffee drink when I want it is worth it.
#66
This may be real unpopular-a wedding. Before anyone jumps to conclusions about how it's a terrible investment, give me one sec.
I would pool myself into the group of people who believed weddings were an absolute waste of money. It was something I just truly never understood why people did it because of how expensive the wedding industry is. I hated the thought of spending thousands upon thousands of dollars for one day, let alone for a white dress. I would always think of other ways money like that could be spent and what my partner and I would do with it.
Fast forward, and now we are engaged to get married September 2025. We are in the thick of wedding planning, as we decided to go forward with a wedding. I'll continue with saying that we have had *some* help with my family in particular (we are not holding anyone liable for helping us pay) and we're incredibly grateful. When we began deciding on what we were going to do, we tossed around a slew of ideas. As we continued to think and I thought really hard about what it is I wanted to do-I really wanted to have my white dress moment. This moment can look like anything, but I wanted to feel like a bride and, to me, that vision was of a wedding. Being surrounded by all of our friends and family. Of course we could have done that in Europe (where we wanted to elope just the two of us), but my parents and his parents are still very much alive, not everyone can travel that far, and the thought of getting ready on my own in a foreign country sounded less and less enticing.
All of this to say that it's okay to want a wedding. It's okay to spend money to have a wedding. It's still possible to be frugal about it, or you can go all out. It WILL cost **money**, and that's something we had to be okay with. We gave ourselves a long engagement in order to pay things off as we go. It's also okay to not have a wedding. You have to do what makes you and your partner happy regardless of what anyone has to say about it. Money comes and goes. This is a memory we will cherish forever and you can't put a price on the core memories you make.
#67
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What do you think ?
Reset Game 1 year ago
Plan out your end of life so your family and or friends don't have to do it and better yet they don't have to fight over it. Make the plans, start paying payments to have it paid off so they don't have to worry how they're going to pay for it and they can just grieve. I saw so much ugliness when I stepped up to make sure my friend got the funeral/ the goodbye that he wanted.
Kelly Scott 1 year ago
After about the 30th one, I just started skimming. Because the one thing these all have in common is money. If a person had money, they could have every one of these things. No money, and it doesn't matter how necessary anything is, you aren't going to have it.
Gabriela Cink 1 year ago
It doesn't mean you need to have everything. I have better martasses and some kitchen appliances. But i don't drive to buy Toyota :D, or need really good quality winter clothes. Near all my forniture is second-handed. There is surely 1-2things that would do you life significant better. Sometimes there is a way to get better quality items for cheaper. Hopefully you will get yours soon.
Load More Replies... David Paterson 1 year ago
A surprisingly good collection. I agree with 90% of those. Far too often I've gone with the cheaper option and regretted it.
Ben Aziza 1 year ago
Yo BP it is pretty fing illegal what you are doing here...
Showing ads that are not DECLARED as ads... and having an html property called "data-track-ctr="true" YEHH NOT REALLY SUBTLE about it huh? illegal-un...40-png.jpg 
Ben Aziza 1 year ago
Oww, and no this does no count. "This post may include affiliate links." as a declaration. Also hiding ads in a sea of normal posts speaks volumes about the intent... If you find yourself using devious fine print and employing subterfuge this deep by hiding the ads... Maybe ask yourself why you are doing the type of s**t you see in fantasy demonic contracts and stop doing it...
Load More Replies... Disgruntled Panda 1 year ago
A really good fridge and freezer! The ability to keep food fresh and save leftovers or buy and cook in bulk and keep it for a reeeeeaaaally long time has saved us so much money
Myoviridae 1 year ago (edited)
Best advice I got before purchasing a washer and dryer was from a friend: Find the appliances you want, then buy the next-highest-level ones. Still love my washer and dryer and I have applied this advice to all appliances I buy.
Georgy 1 year ago
Separate washer and dryer is better for performance and reliability.
Load More Replies... Reset Game 1 year ago
Plan out your end of life so your family and or friends don't have to do it and better yet they don't have to fight over it. Make the plans, start paying payments to have it paid off so they don't have to worry how they're going to pay for it and they can just grieve. I saw so much ugliness when I stepped up to make sure my friend got the funeral/ the goodbye that he wanted.
Kelly Scott 1 year ago
After about the 30th one, I just started skimming. Because the one thing these all have in common is money. If a person had money, they could have every one of these things. No money, and it doesn't matter how necessary anything is, you aren't going to have it.
Gabriela Cink 1 year ago
It doesn't mean you need to have everything. I have better martasses and some kitchen appliances. But i don't drive to buy Toyota :D, or need really good quality winter clothes. Near all my forniture is second-handed. There is surely 1-2things that would do you life significant better. Sometimes there is a way to get better quality items for cheaper. Hopefully you will get yours soon.
Load More Replies... David Paterson 1 year ago
A surprisingly good collection. I agree with 90% of those. Far too often I've gone with the cheaper option and regretted it.
Ben Aziza 1 year ago
Yo BP it is pretty fing illegal what you are doing here...
Showing ads that are not DECLARED as ads... and having an html property called "data-track-ctr="true" YEHH NOT REALLY SUBTLE about it huh? illegal-un...40-png.jpg
Ben Aziza 1 year ago
Oww, and no this does no count. "This post may include affiliate links." as a declaration. Also hiding ads in a sea of normal posts speaks volumes about the intent... If you find yourself using devious fine print and employing subterfuge this deep by hiding the ads... Maybe ask yourself why you are doing the type of s**t you see in fantasy demonic contracts and stop doing it...
Load More Replies... Disgruntled Panda 1 year ago
A really good fridge and freezer! The ability to keep food fresh and save leftovers or buy and cook in bulk and keep it for a reeeeeaaaally long time has saved us so much money
Myoviridae 1 year ago (edited)
Best advice I got before purchasing a washer and dryer was from a friend: Find the appliances you want, then buy the next-highest-level ones. Still love my washer and dryer and I have applied this advice to all appliances I buy.
Georgy 1 year ago
Separate washer and dryer is better for performance and reliability.
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