“I Can’t Go Back”: 30 Expensive Purchases That Really Paid Off, As Shared By People In This Online Thread
It often doesn't really matter if you buy the cheaper version of an item — think store brand versus name brand — to save a buck. But every now and then, the difference in price translates into a difference in using the darn thing.
Interested in products that are worth the extra dollar, Reddit user u/Bellabuns_xo made a post on the platform, asking everyone: "What's something you used to be cheap on, until you tried a high-quality version, and now you can't go back?"
From eggs to winter jackets, here are some of the most-upvoted replies.
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Good bras. God! It helps to have a good bra which would fit you and not leave marks on your skin.
Of course, pricier purchases are impossible if you don't have the money for it. Right now, more than three in four Americans (77%) are feeling anxious about their financial situation. So it's probably the right time to rethink our budgeting.
At first glance, what's so hard about it, right? You just put together numbers and stick to them. But we humans are flawed creatures, full of expensive urges and impulses, and as Doug Nordman, who retired at 41 and now runs the website Military Financial Independence and is the author of The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement, pointed out, changing our habits is hard.
"Our ancestral hunter-gatherer brains have not evolved for today's society," he told Bored Panda. "Behavioral financial psychology wants instant gratification instead of providing for future you — let alone for your freedom."
My bed.
Please everyone, treat yourself and buy a high quality bed set. Mattresses are expensive but it’s worth its weight in gold. Even if you just get a new set of covers, something with a high thread count. Sleep itself isn’t as important as how you sleep.
Clothing.
I used to buy cheap polyester clothes from Kohl's and other massive retailers, but one day I was shopping in a higher end place and bought a really nice heavy duty cotton henley and every time I went into my closet I wanted to wear it.
So I decided to empty my closet and start over with better quality clothes. Now I have half as many clothes as I did before, but I feel good in all of them, and they will last for years instead of months.
Instead of buying four $10 Polo shirts, I buy one $40 *quality* Polo shirt.
Indeed, for many households, sticking to a budget is way easier said than done.
A 2019 study found that even though most consumers (74%) have a budget, 79% of them fail to follow it.
On average, the weekly amount that people spend — not including bills like mortgage or rent, utilities, etc. — is $340, or $143 more than the average $197 budgeted. That extra spending adds up to roughly $7,400 each year.
Cheese. I used to eat Kraft singles on my sandwiches until I got with my wife and she buys the nice Tillamook cheese. I could never eat that fake plastic s**t EVER again
So it might be best to start with little changes and take it from there. "The biggest mistake people make (early in their financial literacy) is not knowing where their money goes," Nordman said.
"Track your spending for a few months (whatever way is easiest for you), cut out the waste (you get to decide what’s wasted), and automate as much of your spending and investing as you can."
I find it weird that this comment isn't here (unless i overlooked it) but TOILET PAPER!
Once i started using 2ply i knew there was no way in hell i was going back to 1ply.
Butter
Yep. I only use real butter, even tho i dont actually like the taste. I buy it cause its not full of plastic and doesnt come in a plastic tub
We cheaped out and bought low quality garbage bags once. It made our week a misery. They split, leaking bin juice all over the pantry floor. They burst halfway to the wheelie bin. They just make more work all round, and never end up being a saving as you have to double up anyway. False economy.
My workplace keeps buying thinner and thinner trash bags. This latest batch splits every time and we end up double bagging. So we go thru twice as many bags now and they wonder why we ask to order more so often.
At its core, good budgeting is not about depriving yourself or being cheap. It's about being honest with yourself on what's important to you and then putting your money into your virtues.
It's basically aligning your spending with your values and cutting back on areas that don’t reflect them.
Running shoes. I thought I could just get regular tennis shoes and call it good. I started to train for a 5k and my “reward” to myself for finishing was to get a pair of actual running shoes. My gosh the difference is unbelievable and I will never be able to run in anything else ever again
Eggs. Once I tried free range organic farm fresh eggs with those deep orange yolks..I just couldn't go back. Paying over $6 a dozen isn't cheap but so worth it.
The color of the yolk has nothing to do with them being organic. It has to do with what the chicken eats. It TENDS to mean that the chicken has access to better food and living conditions, but does not guarantee it. Farmers can easily add supplements to normal grain/feed to produce darker yolks, while still not meeting requirements for 'free range' or 'organic'.
Windshield wipers. I used to buy the cheap ones and would get so annoyed that they would always skip across the windshield. I thought all wipers did that until I bought the expensive ones. I’ll never buy the cheap ones again.
This is one I was thinking of adding. I work in the new car business, and the manufacturer brand we sell isn't cheap, but, they last. Good wipers can last you years. I never had to change them on my last lease, that was 3 years. Buy good ones
Shoes
Same. I occasionally wear other comfy shoes like crocs, etc but if I'm going to be wearing shoes for a few hours or more, gotta be Birkenstock. They have gotten outrageously costly, but they support my feet perfectly and last practically forever. I have older sandals and newer, clogs (about 20+ yrs old), closed heel slip on shoes and shearling ankle high boots. I love them because they give me happy feet!
Coffee.
We always had instant coffee/chicory blend growing up poor, and I would always enjoy good filter coffee if we went to a restaurant. Then in grad school someone introduced me to good instant coffee (100% freeze-dried arabica, no chicory), and then 6 months later the students clubbed together to buy a cheap drip-filter coffee machine and that was that.
Also around that time I bought my first pair of Calvin Klein undies at a sale. Never looked back in either arena.
Worth mentioning, to feed our coffee addiction we used to brew two pots in the morning, with freshly ground beans to lure the punters in, and basically sell one pot's worth for a marginal profit which allowed us to pretty much not have to pay for our own coffee. Also we were cheaper than the coffee stand nearest to our building, so we captured the departmental coffee market.
Olive oil
My hair and skin cry if I don't feed them Olive oil daily. I never run out of it. Edit: extra virgin olive oil is the best.
Steak.
It's not something I buy often due to the expense (more of a rare treat), but when you do, It's best to go for one that's high quality (lots of marbling, well-aged, a good thickness & cut, etc). When cooking steak, there's not a lot you can do to make a low quality one taste great, but if you start with a quality ingredient, then there's likewise not a lot you can do to go wrong with it.
dish soap. my god, i will never again purchase great value dishsoap. dawn ftw
In South Africa it's Sunlight dishwashing liquid. Other brands just don't compare.
Ballpoint pens, used to get the 99 cents for like 5 or 6 and now pay $2-3 per pen
This. I know my day's going to suck a little bit more if I get to work and realise I forgot my good pen. Cheap biro's are horrible.
My Dyson vacuum. My dog sheds a lot and cheap vacuums would only last a year before breaking.
Underwear!
I decided to try some more expensive underwear and I bought some form 3 different brands. One of them definitely stood out as the winner, AND I'M NEVER GOING BACK!!
Soap! Cheap soap just strips your skin. Expensive soap makes it so you can't keep your hands off yourself - skin so soft and pliable, plump and fresh and glowing and smooth. Wow. Game changer.
Cat food. Now that I buy the fancier brand that actually looks like food I don’t think I can go back to feeding my cat lumps of brown mush that look the same no matter what the meat is.
A menstrual cup! I cannot describe how much better it made my period days. No mess and way less discomfort than when I was using pads and tampons. Never going back!
This 100%. I know they don't work for everyone, but if you can, please do try them. Yes, you have to get a bit more up close and personal with things, but it's not only more comfortable for a lot of people (for a lot of reasons), it's also very budget-friendly, as you can use one cup for up to 7 years (though I'm guessing it varies by brand), and it's putting much less of a strain on the environment than disposable products. If you can't use them, or don't like them for any reason whatsoever, it's fine, no biggie, but please, do try if you can.
Whiskey. Alcohol tax is high in Aus so if you are already paying a buttload, you may as well buy the actual good stuff.
Art supplies. I got to use really high-quality stuff for my college classes changed my life.
Especially kids art supplies. The good sulfite construction paper is thicker, stronger, and fades a lot less. Crayons, scissors, brushes, colored pencils, paint, clay, and ceramic glazes are always better at a higher dollar and last for years. The difference it makes in the quality of their artwork is amazing. And I taught them how to take care of their supplies properly and how to conserve the high end stuff. 700-1100 students per year.
Earbuds/headphones. Used to think people who paid over $20 for earbuds were ridiculous. Eventually got tired of my $12 ones breaking or being such low quality.
Try high quality wired earphones, next level. Bluetooth really drops the quality.
another big plus for wired : very difficult to loose just one bud...
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I cannot use ear buds, they are too painful. I do have a really good set (for me) of headphones that only cost about £30.
Yes, I find ear buds either uncomfortable or unusable (because they fall out).
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i saved up for a while to get these $50 wireless headphones (with a 3.5mm jack) but they are so worth it - they’re very very very durable and have a really long battery life, and they just sound nice! highly recommend if you listen to music a lot
I've been wearing these wrap around speakers on my neck. Keeps my ears open so I can hear traffic around me when I'm biking. BTW biking with earbuds/earphones, very dangerous. DO NOT bike with earbuds in.
I need to try this. I jog 3x a week and my headphones work fine, but they hurt my ears.
Load More Replies... Same with my headphones. I had cheap ones that would break a lot, a friend bought me some higher quality ones. Wired over ear headphones, mine are a "trendy brand" type, but the quality in the make and sound are obvious. I hope that they don't break any time soon though, it's getting difficult to find non-bluetooth ones, and not only are they awwwwful in sound quality, but my 2012 Walkman can't use them.
I worked in a data center where the noise level was usually around 70 db. I had Bose wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones with microphone. Well worth it. People could hear me when on the phone and the noise was very low
i bought these 5 dollar wireless SOUNDPODS and i didn't think they would be very good but I've had them for a while now (maybe about a year?) and they're still delivering good quality audio. i haven't tried a more expensive kind so i guess i don't have much to compare them against but for five dollars these things are amazing
By the time you go through three or four cheap ones, you couldn have bought the better ones.
Ha! Just ordered this exact set of buds about 30mins before reading this.. I have several different options for different circumstances and uses, but these are my fav!
Personally, I don't agree. Bought my first wireless earphones for cheap (24€) and was super happy with them (and still am). Thought I'd upgrade and bought some branded ones for 120€. These constantly unload in their charge box and don't fit my ears properly, so they always fall out. Went back to my cheap ones and will stick to them. High price doesn't always mean high quality.
totally - went from iPod freebee ear buds, went to cheap Sennheisers, to entry level B&W. Now use B&W P7 and Sennheiser HD650 for music at home, Shure Aonic 5's for hearing protection (and music) on my motorbike (and just added a pair of Air Pod Max's for bluetooth music on the go) so yeh .... I think I'm addicted to mid end hifi headphones/earbuds best keep those $1400 Focal headphones away from me, my budget might not survive experiencing them
High quality wired earphones also help the environment with less disposable batteries
Yeah. I used to have to buy new (cheap) earphones every 6 months or less. I've now had my Airpods for 2 years, and they're still great. Had Beats X before that, But I didn't like them. They didn't last a full year (got them replaced under warranty, and the next pair didn't last either), and the rubber band that goes around the back of your neck gave me a rash. I have no complaints, performance-wise, about my Airpods. Not looking forward to spending the money to (eventually) replace them, though.
I actually have the ones in the picture but rose gold. I love them! It's definitely a "one time buy" or "if you lose them, that's it, you're not getting another."
I spent $40 USD on Sony "bass boost" wired earbuds. Probably the best 40 I've ever spent. I still have them, almost 20 years later, and they still work perfectly. My father was a bit of an audiophile, and when I was a teenager he'd willingly buy me really good, studio-quality Sony over-ear headphones. I've been a Sony snob (for headphones/earphones, anyway) ever since. Nothing else, IME, comes close. When I fly, if I put in my Sony earbuds when we're still on the ground, before we ascend, my ears pop less and barely hurt. If I keep them in until we're on the ground and ready to disembark, once I take them off it's almost like my ears never popped at all--I can hear normally right away.
I dont know about this one, I buy "cheap" earbuds and headphones cos I run lots and sweat tends to ruin them no matter how much they cost, so I prefer cheaper buds, with good quality sound, which is really not hard to find these days
They make great cost effective earbuds and headphones that are IPX waterproof. All styles, from earbuds to neck style and over ear. Amazon has a great selection. Soundcore by Anker is a great brand.
Load More Replies...Technology. Like, screen monitors, consoles, laptops, phones, etc. some of it high quality products are far more worth the buck
I generally buy Motorola. Cheapest option, does the job. Stay away from Huawei or any phone that comes with TikTok pre installed. I'm normally not a conspiracy theory person, but TikTok is a huge red flag for personal security.
Airplane tickets. I can’t go back to economy for long flights after experiencing first class.
Note: this post originally had 40 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Actually, it's more "Rather than the newest Iphone, acrylic nails and hair extensions, and a $700 a month car payement , budget and buy quality where it matters
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Some options are just too pricey for me, even if really enjoyable. There's a limit to how much I can indulge myself.
Exactly. I'm not flying Business Class but I can afford good toilet paper. ;)
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For me, it’s tea. Yes I’m British. But after knowing what a cup of single estate Yunnan tastes like I’m not going back to store brought tea bags. (Fwiw, yes this sounds like snobbery but I honestly don’t care about any other item of food or drink. Those are fine whatever)
When you factor in the per-cup price, is it expensive to have a cup of tea that you really enjoy?
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What NO ONE addresses are good food storage containers. The lower end ones are easily used for other things. But higher end last longer, are dishwasher safe, and so on.
Cars for me. Since my first truly high-end car, I am now spoiled with all the technology, the ride, the power, etc. Mmmmm... massaging seats....
I agree with this to a point. Where instead of buying a high end car I usually buy a car 4 or 5 thousand below my budget so I can get the extended warranty, wheel and tire package, and scheduled maintenance covered. As wells as having good car insurance with a low deductible. I drive 100 miles round trip for work. It's nice knowing everything is covered. There's almost nothing that will pop up on me.
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Lotion. My go-to brand costs 5x more than what I used to pay but it's superior to every brand I've ever tried.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again; it's expensive being poor. Instead of buying one item that is of better quality and will last for years, you end up having to buy the cheaper item that only lasts a fraction of the time, and needs to be replaced. In the long run, you spend more money. Frustrating.
You also are stuck paying rent, higher interest on loans, not getting the advantage of compound interest, having more expensive health care because you can't treat every problem the second you suspect something and because cheap food leads to poor health (unless you grow your own, but even then there are problems). You also can't invest as much in yourself so, unless you are truly a standout genius or have some other specialty where you perform in the tiny top fraction of a percent of the population, there is no path away from the hard jobs that don't allow someone to elevate their social standing. Add 40 years of economic policy directly and openly hostile to the working poor, and it's no wonder economic mobility is at such a low.
Load More Replies... Instant Ramen. Real ramen is a special treat but there is good instant ramen out there. You can spot the good ones by the number of flavor packets than come with the noodles. Top Ramen and Maruchan have one. Mama ramen has three and Indo Mio has FIVE! Indo is so good. Toss an egg in the water and soft boil it before adding the noodles to kick it up a notch.
I can't go back to cheap makeup, skincare and hair care. The better stuff really does make a difference. Less breakouts, and easier to style my hair and keep it looking nice.
The Vimes Boot Theory has already been mentioned but I have to emphasize if you work outside, buy yourself a good pair of boots. About 30 years ago, I was working in Wayne National Forest outside Nelsonville, OH and my boss told me I had to get a pair of custom made steel toed boots from Rocky Boots in town. If I couldn't afford it, they'd pay for it and deduct $5 a week from my paychecks. I did the paycheck thing and its the best purchase ever forced on me. They came with a lifetime guarantee. I've taken them back 3 times for repairs, they've mailed me replacement insoles more time than I can count, and the last time they made me a replacement pair for free. I now spend $30-50 a year getting custom insoles for my running shoes and work shoes and they still hurt my feet more than those 30 year old boots.
shoes and underwear: they fit better, they feel better and they last longer (which make it as cheap as buying cheap ones more offten)
I'm really scared that people use toilet paper! I don't know what toilet paper is for ages. It's a must have hygienic jet shower next to the vase, so simple! Also I use kitchen paper towels big and résistent to soap foam, alcohol and then drying up. Sincerely, I can't go anywhere I must use a toilet paper without a hygienic jet shower!
All Clad Cookware. And ditto for me on the high end mattress/box spring. Can't believe I spent so many years enduring pressure point pain in my hips and shoulders (side sleeper) requiring turning over every half hour. Now I can sleep undisturbed.
Good luggage. My wife used to travel a lot for work, and she learned early on that the pricey brands like Tumi and Briggs & Riley were worth it. She also learned that she didn't like hard-sided luggage, and she preferred luggage where the wheels permanently pointed in one direction--when she'd be rushing through an airport trying to catch a connecting flight, the wheels that were on a 360 degree spinner kept breaking.
Actually, it's more "Rather than the newest Iphone, acrylic nails and hair extensions, and a $700 a month car payement , budget and buy quality where it matters
Load More Replies... Some options are just too pricey for me, even if really enjoyable. There's a limit to how much I can indulge myself.
Exactly. I'm not flying Business Class but I can afford good toilet paper. ;)
Load More Replies... For me, it’s tea. Yes I’m British. But after knowing what a cup of single estate Yunnan tastes like I’m not going back to store brought tea bags. (Fwiw, yes this sounds like snobbery but I honestly don’t care about any other item of food or drink. Those are fine whatever)
When you factor in the per-cup price, is it expensive to have a cup of tea that you really enjoy?
Load More Replies... What NO ONE addresses are good food storage containers. The lower end ones are easily used for other things. But higher end last longer, are dishwasher safe, and so on.
Cars for me. Since my first truly high-end car, I am now spoiled with all the technology, the ride, the power, etc. Mmmmm... massaging seats....
I agree with this to a point. Where instead of buying a high end car I usually buy a car 4 or 5 thousand below my budget so I can get the extended warranty, wheel and tire package, and scheduled maintenance covered. As wells as having good car insurance with a low deductible. I drive 100 miles round trip for work. It's nice knowing everything is covered. There's almost nothing that will pop up on me.
Load More Replies... Lotion. My go-to brand costs 5x more than what I used to pay but it's superior to every brand I've ever tried.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again; it's expensive being poor. Instead of buying one item that is of better quality and will last for years, you end up having to buy the cheaper item that only lasts a fraction of the time, and needs to be replaced. In the long run, you spend more money. Frustrating.
You also are stuck paying rent, higher interest on loans, not getting the advantage of compound interest, having more expensive health care because you can't treat every problem the second you suspect something and because cheap food leads to poor health (unless you grow your own, but even then there are problems). You also can't invest as much in yourself so, unless you are truly a standout genius or have some other specialty where you perform in the tiny top fraction of a percent of the population, there is no path away from the hard jobs that don't allow someone to elevate their social standing. Add 40 years of economic policy directly and openly hostile to the working poor, and it's no wonder economic mobility is at such a low.
Load More Replies... Instant Ramen. Real ramen is a special treat but there is good instant ramen out there. You can spot the good ones by the number of flavor packets than come with the noodles. Top Ramen and Maruchan have one. Mama ramen has three and Indo Mio has FIVE! Indo is so good. Toss an egg in the water and soft boil it before adding the noodles to kick it up a notch.
I can't go back to cheap makeup, skincare and hair care. The better stuff really does make a difference. Less breakouts, and easier to style my hair and keep it looking nice.
The Vimes Boot Theory has already been mentioned but I have to emphasize if you work outside, buy yourself a good pair of boots. About 30 years ago, I was working in Wayne National Forest outside Nelsonville, OH and my boss told me I had to get a pair of custom made steel toed boots from Rocky Boots in town. If I couldn't afford it, they'd pay for it and deduct $5 a week from my paychecks. I did the paycheck thing and its the best purchase ever forced on me. They came with a lifetime guarantee. I've taken them back 3 times for repairs, they've mailed me replacement insoles more time than I can count, and the last time they made me a replacement pair for free. I now spend $30-50 a year getting custom insoles for my running shoes and work shoes and they still hurt my feet more than those 30 year old boots.
shoes and underwear: they fit better, they feel better and they last longer (which make it as cheap as buying cheap ones more offten)
I'm really scared that people use toilet paper! I don't know what toilet paper is for ages. It's a must have hygienic jet shower next to the vase, so simple! Also I use kitchen paper towels big and résistent to soap foam, alcohol and then drying up. Sincerely, I can't go anywhere I must use a toilet paper without a hygienic jet shower!
All Clad Cookware. And ditto for me on the high end mattress/box spring. Can't believe I spent so many years enduring pressure point pain in my hips and shoulders (side sleeper) requiring turning over every half hour. Now I can sleep undisturbed.
Good luggage. My wife used to travel a lot for work, and she learned early on that the pricey brands like Tumi and Briggs & Riley were worth it. She also learned that she didn't like hard-sided luggage, and she preferred luggage where the wheels permanently pointed in one direction--when she'd be rushing through an airport trying to catch a connecting flight, the wheels that were on a 360 degree spinner kept breaking.
