“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'.
We feed our chickens old fruits, and old veggies soaked in water over night. Hold them, play with them, feed them worms etc we find on the farm. Starting to get absolutely units for eggs and are starting to get more and more double yolks. They may seem like stupid creatures but their environment directly impacts the quality of their eggs. Color and consistency are hand and foot above. That's why when you see a hand made sign on the side of the road saying farm fresh eggs is the ticket. We don't raise them and care for them to boast about the color of the yolk. We do it for our family and sell the extras just to pay for their food, and our labor and love. And it shows. But $6 a dozen? We'll do 5 dozen for $20. Bring us 10 empty cartons, you walk away with a dozen for free.
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My brother's neighborhood bylaws decided that chickens where okay as long as you have no more than 6. That was a few years ago and now the whole family just get our eggs from his chickens. They are SO much better. Unless I'm going to be baking up a storm and need a lot of eggs, I'll choose happy backyard chicken eggs over store bought every time.
free range eggs taste better because of fresh feed and access to tasty bugs in the farmer's wife's garden. Production egg factories stack the chickens in cages four or five levels high. They only feed the top row. Guess what the chickens in the other four layers get to eat?
The free range part is important. Remember eggs can be ‘organic’ even if the poor things are restricted to cages or overcrowded barns. Good food for the chickens does not have to have the label ‘organic’, it’s just important to know what you are feeding them is good stuff, that the hens are well cared for and the yolks will be that lovely colour.
Not in Germany and probably neither in other EU countries. Organic is by regulation always a step above free range regarding indoor space per animal, and on par regarding outdoor space.
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Can someone explain why they are so expensive in other countries? Over here (Nigeria), free range eggs, cage free and other types are roughly the same amount.Though prices differ over regions, they're not usually significant. I specifically buy Rhode Island hen eggs because they're so nice. There's no significant difference in price.
At least in Germany it's probably a combination of efficiency and space. Land is expensive, and manpower is expensive too. The less land you need and the less work has to be done by a human, the cheaper the product gets. Keeping the chickens outside requires a lot more work by a human than keeping them all in a fully automated hall.
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I am really lucky that I can get my eggs from a local farm. Free range? You have to be careful when pulling into the farm to dodge the chickens! Ameraucanas have beautiful blue tinted eggs. My favorite.
Just a gentle reminder that free run can mean : 1) up to 60,000 chickens in one barn who although are no caged would be like you being in an elevator with 15 people….”free run” technically, but not really. OR 2)Free run can mean a small 2x4 feet square of outside area which would comfortably fit perhaps 3 hens….the access doors to this “patch of free run” is usually at one end of a barn…. This would be like 1 bathroom stall in a stadium if people…. Technically it’s there snd you can use it, but, getting to it probably would not happen in your life time. 3) ALL male chicks on egg farms are killed on the day they hatch ( without exception, as they cannot lay eggs and are not the “breed” for meat). They are killed en mass by either suffocation ( basically thrown into bags and put aside like trash), or usually macerated ALIVE ( like a giant blender), and turned into pet food. Finally 4) All egg laying hens are slaughtered after a short life
That's why on our side of the pond we have symbols: 0,1,2,3 and it goes like this: 0 is the chicken goes where it wants, totally free of restrictions to some closed barn and eats healthy, 1- it mostly roams free (but can be close like for the nights), 2 is closed all the time in a building but no cages, and 3-the worst-caged the whole life
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We get our eggs straight from the farm and love the freshness. They cost more than the store, but worth it. Plus, we can get duck eggs too.
Having my own chickens... yep. Interestingly -- my 5 (ex battery) hens were €10 (for 5). They've more than made up for the feed and their own costs now in Eggs.
Or if you can raise chickens! My youngest brother and SIL love that their clutch gives them eggs now on a regular basis.
I take eggs right from our free to scratch chickens... no supermarket
Raised on a farm where we had our choice of fresh free-range chicken, duck, or goose eggs. There's a difference between farm-fresh and factory-farmed eggs, but shell and yolk color isn't one of them. That comes down to breed and food.
I found this out one Christmas when the grocery store ran out of the cheap whipping cream and I had to buy the expensive organic stuff. The taste is so much better that I will never go back!
Due to my egg allergy, I found that Free Range eggs are the best ones as I don't react to them.
Once I ate the eggs from my own chickens I do not buy from the shops so much better fresh from the chickens in the home Yard. After all I know what they were eating, and that they are happy and healthy.
My sister only buys eggs with brown shells.. I asked why, she said because they are healthier. I looked it up. They aren't. The reason the egg shells are brown is because the chicken who laid them has color. "The color of a hen's ear area is the color indicator, with a white or light spot meaning white eggs. Usually, white hens lay white eggs, and brown hens lay brown eggs."
Having chickens is the best. Since I gave up the girls due to pests - I always buy farm fresh browns.
I used to get my eggs from kids in 4H Clubs who raised chickens as their 4 H project. Now living in Ecuador in a small coastal town we get locally farm raised chickens. 30 eggs for $3.30.
Organic = fed organic feed, free range/cage free. Cage free = allowed to run around a big open barn with 1000s of others. Free range = same as cage free but has access to an outdoor area, no requirement for size out outdoor enclosure or time spent outside. Pasture raised = raised outside foraging for food only coming back tonhen house to lay eggs and sleep at night, generally smaller flocks and socialized with other animals. Omega-3 = fed animal feed enriched with sources of omega-3 fatty acids, like flaxseed or linseed oil.
I got half a dozen little brown eggs at the dollar tree, of all places, while I was there, for $1.25. The yolks were very pale, but otherwise they were ok. Last summer I got brown eggs from a local neighbor who had backyard chickens, and those eggs were really good.
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.
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.
