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30 Things That People Have Learned Never To Buy Cheap, As Shared In This Online Community
Every year in the summer, the owners of many sports franchises are faced with the crucial question - which of the players on the team to issue a new (and therefore increased) contract, with whom can they bargain to save money, and who can be released altogether in order to hire someone cheaper? And the exact same question, only throughout life, is faced by almost every one of us.
Indeed, in our life, there are things on which it is quite possible to save money, but there are things where it is impossible to skimp under any circumstances. Some of these things we all know so well: for example, health care or education. And what else? Netizens in this viral Reddit thread recently compiled a whole selection of their own ideas.
More info: Reddit
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Work boots. I spend 50+ hours a week in muddy uneven terrain and must have dry comfortable feet.
Trash bags. Once you have one rip on you, you’ll never want to cheap out again.
Nah they're trash bags. They go into trash. If you're p**s poor like me, buying expensive trash bags will be like throwing money into trashcan. Just work on your habits, don't pour liquid stuff in there, don't throw out sharp objects without securing them first, organic stuff that smells goes into another bin. Etc.
In fact, of course, absolutely all things in our life are interconnected, and if one of the elements sags, then this causes a kind of "domino effect". For example, among the items that redditors have repeatedly named in the original selection of opinions, there are food products. Needless to say, if we save on food or utensils, then the next item of expenditure that we have to face will most likely be health care... and here it may be necessary to fork out in full...
A bed. You spend 1/3rd of your life sleeping, and without a good night's rest, the day is pretty much s**t.
The average mattress is good for around 10 years, so when you break down the cost over that length of time, it's always worth spending more up front.
The first time I spent £1,000 on a mattress I was worried, my god it makes a difference though.
Cat food. That s**t is hardly regulated. My feline friend deserves better. Also toilet paper. Ain’t fun picking off dried toilet paper pieces.
Agree with the pet food. My senior kittizen was looking pretty old for a few years. Switched her to much better food and the 18 year old is a kitten again.
Safety equipment
I cleaned up the garage recently and found multiples of safety equipment, you can never find it when you need it so you buy more. I now have 2 massive DeWalt boxes full of the stuff.
Behind each of the submissions in this collection is someone's personal experience, and the desire to share some of their own mistakes - so that others learn from them. After all, that is how experience is born. For example, one of the participants in the discussion strongly recommends not to save on hotels while traveling - at least because of bedbugs.
Yes, of course, you can find a bedbug in any hotel, even the most expensive one, but the attitude of the staff is likely to be different - because large hotels have a special protocol for acting in almost any urgent situation. For example, this post of ours details how a TikToker once found a bedbug in a Sheraton hotel, and how brilliant the reaction from hotel staff was. Just agree, it's worth the money spent. And in the end, it all comes down to health.
Most foodstuffs I'll cheap out on, but never tomatoes!
Your regular, mass-produced, gas-ripened tomatoes taste of, well, nothing. They're just red blobs of water. Now, vine-ripened cherry tomatoes that are sold still on the vine ... That's Nature's candy! I can pop so many of those bad boys in my mouth! Well worth the extra £ IMO.
Tattoos. They're gonna be there forever, after all.
so glad some people cheap out or else I'd have nothing to make snarky comments about at work
The great Argentine writer of the 20th century, Jorge Luis Borges, once wrote that all world literature is based on just four main plots, four stories that people will tell forever. By and large, almost all the items we have listed in this selection can also be reduced to four main categories: health, education, mentality and everyday life. And all four are also completely interconnected.
For example, if you regularly save on your own hobbies, nothing good will come of it for your mood, and stress is the best way to quickly go to the doctor. Therefore, if you have a couple of dozen extra dollars before the end of the month, and an urgent desire to pay, let's say, a subscription to streaming service with a new season of your favorite show, you probably should not restrain yourself.
Pots and pans
Most of my pots and pans are good quality. However, the best grilled cheese pan I have was 4.99.
A wise man once told me, “never get cheap on cheese.” Some of the best advice I ever received
My father told me, on his deathbed, "don't buy the fake parmesan cheese. Buy the good stuff, from Parma, it's worth it". I always follow is advice. I never buy the grated stuff and either Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano.
And here we return to another classic of the 20th century - the outstanding American psychologist Abraham Maslow, who came up with the so-called "hierarchy of needs", which is based on basic human needs related to physiology, and at the very top - the need for self-actualization. From this point of view, the lower the described need lies in Maslow's pyramid, the more important it is not to save on its fulfillment.
In any case, each of us makes decisions whether to save on something or not, based on our own everyday experience and preferences, and this list of opinions is nothing more than a collection of advice from random people, no matter wise or not. Perhaps some of you will find this collection interesting or wholesome, so please feel free to scroll to the very end of it and maybe add your own ideas on the topic.
Desk chair. Got a good ergonomic breathable one, it's an absolute game changer. The cheap ones that try to be massive director chairs with all that padding that ends up flattening after a year are not worth it, and as it degrades progressively you don't really notice until you get a good one.
Those dx racer chairs you see twitch streamers use are junk. Get yourself a nice ergonomic executive chair instead
Eggs and meat. We vote with our money. I choose to spend more money to support less corrupt brands that aren't feeding their animals garbage and cramming 200 chickens into a tiny building never to see light. It's inhumane and I would rather go broke buying the more ethical options.
Parachute
That's a paragliding wing in the picture, not a parachute. Still wouldn't save on either...
Hotels. 100% not worth bringing bedbugs back to your place
Edit: guys, I know bedbugs can technically be at any hotel. But come on. We all know there’s a much higher likelihood of getting them at a dirt cheap hotel
Backpack. I'm an adult and I carry a backpack with me all the time. One that is comfortable and durable is a must
Hot dogs. The difference between bargain hotdogs and premium hotdogs is like the difference between dog s**t and ice cream.
Q-tips. The name brand in way more fluffier and easier on your ears. The knock off brand just feels like sticks.
Menstrual products
You can get them free in Scotland - there's tons of places you just go pick up a paper bag filled with supplies, which I think is awesome.
I fill old purses with snacks and soap and period supplies and hand them out to unhoused women, who have higher than average instances of Toxic Shock Syndrome because of lack of menstrual hygiene supplies. I'm hoping more people in different cities will start doing the same. Our unhoused sisters and nonbinary siblings deserve the same hygiene as anyone else.
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If men had periods, menstrual products would have been free in public from the git-go!
And the abortion pill would be available in vending machines in ranch and barbecue flavours.
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Disagree. The supermarket brand pads l buy do the job just as effectively as the insanely expensive ones.
Cheaper brands used to work for me but just don't do the job anymore after having kids, and having to change them more often worked out to cost more in the long run.
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The fact that these are taxed? Sadly symptomatic of the U.S. male dominated hierarchy.
Quality has gone down the tubes. Thank God I haven't needed any of that in the last 40 years!
I got reborn since I started using a menstrual cup, it’s life changing, incomparably kind to the environment and you only need to buy it once, 5 quid for a whole year of periods now, I honestly cannot recommend it enough
huh?? ive been using mainly the cheap brands my whole life. Then again, Im in Europe. I also notice that many brands use the same product.
Unhoused people who menstruate have a high rate of toxic shock syndrome because they can't always access enough supplies and therefore wear their tampons too long. If you calculate the astronomical cost of treating TSS (patient often ends up in ICU and may lose limbs), I think it's cheaper overall to offer the supplies for free to those who can't afford it than to shrug it off and risk the TSS. Brenda, the vast majority of us want to take care of ourselves. I'd give my right arm to be financially independent. I'm not lazy; I have a master's degree from an internationally high-ranking university. That takes serious work to do. But right now, because of my health, I cannot earn a living. I'm blessed enough to have family to help me, but not everyone is. The folks you sniff at who you think should be "taking care of themselves" often have severe untreated mental illness or brain injuries and no family to help them. Please try have some compassion.
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Fire extinguishers
My hobbies. I don’t fill my house with useless c**p I don’t need, instead I spend up on the things that make me happy such as my golf clubs, gaming pc, and sim racing rig.
Go all in on your happiness, don’t waste money on things you don’t care about or things to impress other people.
Laser eye surgery
Just don't do it. I've had both corneal transplants, one cataract removed, stitches taken out and put back in. My left eyelid won't open more than half way. 10 years of sheer hell.
Over time I’ve empirically gathered knowledge in what is worth spending more money on and what isn’t. In general, things that I use frequently I want to work reliably. I don’t want things to make my life any harder. Quality soaps and detergents (especially dishwasher) are huge in making sure your dishes come out clean. Quality razors (I recently switched to safety razors) make shaving less painful and more consistent. Sleep equipment (mattress and pillows) are probably the most important thing anyone should spend money on, you spend 1/3 or more of your life asleep, and the quality of that sleep time affects the remainder of you waking life.
Coat
I have a boiled wool coat. People ask me why I'm not cold in a wool coat ( they think it's one of those single layer wool). I hand it to them and they are stunned by how much it weighs - waterproof, windproof and really warm.
Aluminum foil!
First house bought some store band stuff. Pure s**t.
Cooking ingredients, it just leads to s**ttier food
One can have great meals on a budget, as long as you know how to treat the ingredtients and when to spend a few extra bucks.
Note: this post originally had 37 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Anything that keeps you from touching the ground. Shoes, tires, beds, etc.
Thank You! My family buys generic, store brand, or other name brands. Nope, heinous only for me!
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I'd vote glasses. I wear them all day and can't see without them.
I maintain an online account with Consumer's Reports even if I only use it once or twice a year. But it's worth it to get unbiased reviews.
I have always loved CR since I was young and my dad had a monthly subscription. I use the internet for a lot of my reviews now, but I’ve paid for access to CR for specific reviews for bigger ticket items.
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Jewelry. Not trying to come off as snooty, but the cheap costume, fashion jewelry looks cheap, feels cheap and lasts about as long as you'd expect cheap jewelry. Rarely does it appreciate over time and may actually depreciate from bending, tarnishing, peeling from the crappy silver coating, and too often they are made from toxic metals. Small jewelry store, from an actual jewelry store, has more benefits that make it worth the investment. You can get them repaired if needed, customized and they can educate you on everything you need to know in terms of care and about the stones and metals. Plus, it looks better on you.
Idk, I got my mom a pair of "pearl" earrings from an arcade as kid. They look real and she still wears them fairly often almost 30 years later.
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Should be any kind of clothing. It may seem like you're splurging, but a $60 shirt is going to last 10x longer than that $15 shirt you do end up buying.
Cordless drill. And every other work tool you'll be using a lot. My quick guide is that if it's going to be around for longer than a year, get the best you can (not necessarily the most expensive, Don't go gold plated with diamonds). If it's going to be around for a week or less then get the cheapest. In the middle, go mid-ramge.
Meat. The Cheaper the meat, the more likely it is that the animal has been mistreated, inhumanly slaughtered, the meat processed in unsanitary conditions, infested with bacteria or viruses or even labelled as another type of animal altogether. I eat meat, but I buy good meat from a butcher as I want it from an animal who has been humanly treated and processed properly.
Not necessarily true. Some cuts are cheaper than others but are from the exact same animal. For example, brisket is cheaper than tee-bone steak because it's usually tougher.
Load More Replies... If you do them, get a reputable dealer and don't cheap out on drugs.
Most of these are random. They're just like the stuff that the OPs happen to love. Like, and audiophile wouldn't cheap out on headphones, a barista wouldn't cheap out on coffee beans. If you read the whole thread, the conclusion is buy the best of everything.
I live paycheque to paycheque, pretty much. Work damn well hard, as many people do. We all deserve to have nice things for ourselves and learn smarter ways to save money.
Load More Replies... Anything that keeps you from touching the ground. Shoes, tires, beds, etc.
Thank You! My family buys generic, store brand, or other name brands. Nope, heinous only for me!
Load More Replies... I'd vote glasses. I wear them all day and can't see without them.
I maintain an online account with Consumer's Reports even if I only use it once or twice a year. But it's worth it to get unbiased reviews.
I have always loved CR since I was young and my dad had a monthly subscription. I use the internet for a lot of my reviews now, but I’ve paid for access to CR for specific reviews for bigger ticket items.
Load More Replies... Jewelry. Not trying to come off as snooty, but the cheap costume, fashion jewelry looks cheap, feels cheap and lasts about as long as you'd expect cheap jewelry. Rarely does it appreciate over time and may actually depreciate from bending, tarnishing, peeling from the crappy silver coating, and too often they are made from toxic metals. Small jewelry store, from an actual jewelry store, has more benefits that make it worth the investment. You can get them repaired if needed, customized and they can educate you on everything you need to know in terms of care and about the stones and metals. Plus, it looks better on you.
Idk, I got my mom a pair of "pearl" earrings from an arcade as kid. They look real and she still wears them fairly often almost 30 years later.
Load More Replies... Should be any kind of clothing. It may seem like you're splurging, but a $60 shirt is going to last 10x longer than that $15 shirt you do end up buying.
Cordless drill. And every other work tool you'll be using a lot. My quick guide is that if it's going to be around for longer than a year, get the best you can (not necessarily the most expensive, Don't go gold plated with diamonds). If it's going to be around for a week or less then get the cheapest. In the middle, go mid-ramge.
Meat. The Cheaper the meat, the more likely it is that the animal has been mistreated, inhumanly slaughtered, the meat processed in unsanitary conditions, infested with bacteria or viruses or even labelled as another type of animal altogether. I eat meat, but I buy good meat from a butcher as I want it from an animal who has been humanly treated and processed properly.
Not necessarily true. Some cuts are cheaper than others but are from the exact same animal. For example, brisket is cheaper than tee-bone steak because it's usually tougher.
Load More Replies... If you do them, get a reputable dealer and don't cheap out on drugs.
Most of these are random. They're just like the stuff that the OPs happen to love. Like, and audiophile wouldn't cheap out on headphones, a barista wouldn't cheap out on coffee beans. If you read the whole thread, the conclusion is buy the best of everything.
I live paycheque to paycheque, pretty much. Work damn well hard, as many people do. We all deserve to have nice things for ourselves and learn smarter ways to save money.
Load More Replies...