A good mattress. Sleep is important. You will spend up to a third of your life on that thing.
Also, shoes. You don’t want them to be uncomfortable or wear out too quickly. This is especially true if you have to be on your feet for a lot of the day.
A salesman at a mattress store really opened my eyes when he said, "you want a good mattress, because you're going to be spending three whole years on that thing for the next decade."
The more I thought about it, the more real it got. We really do spend that much time in a bed in our lifetimes.
Basically, anything that separates us from the ground is worth it for good and/or practical quality for yourself
Mattress and shoes but also:
Socks, rugs, flooring, sheets, pillow, sleeping bags.
Also ( IF you have the money and are building or renovating) - don't overlook the things you touch and use daily. Drawer pulls. Hand knobs and locks. Light switches. Water taps and Shower kits. Best quality you.can afford is worth it and you will notice daily.
Tyres too. I go by the same rule. Anything between you and the ground is where you spend.
I do like your addition to it though. Might start thinking about things I touch and use daily!
When I went back for grad school, I was looking around for new bed and the saleperson told me something along the lines of "you are going be tired after being on campus most days and the last thing you will want to do is come home to uncomfortable bed." He offered me discount on bed I liked and told me it was the best price I'll find. I told him I wanted to keep looking around before settling on it and he said, " No worries, I'll see you when you come back." I laughed, but sure enough, I was back a week later to finalize my purchase.
That was 7 years ago and that was easily the best $1000 I've spend. Some of the best sleep I've ever gotten too haha!
Then you have either an incredibly expensive bed or an incredibly cheap car, which I respect. I always like seeing older cars on the road vs brand new ones. Nothing special about a new car.
I have a cheap used car myself.
€3,5k bed & €2,5k car, bit of both. It’s funny you said cars are expensive to impress because the girl I’m dating rn is thoroughly Impressed by the quality of my bed and I don’t think she even knows I own a car haha
You got a keeper then.
She knows what's important ;)
My gf loved my bed as well. It was a queen size one and it good one at that. She's always had hand me down beds (gross)
Some college football team somewhere (I remember the study, not the details) bought their players nice mattresses and enforced a bedtime. Their stats increased like 40% across the board. Good sleep is underrated.
Exactly. My dad always bought great mattresses.
He always said, cheap out on other furniture if you need too but never your mattress.
Sleep at any age is important but as you get older it becomes even more important.
Don't be cheap on the things that are between you and the ground: shoes, mattress, tires. You'll regret it later.
That's my fathers most precious wisdom
I do a lot of hiking and walking with my dogs, so good shoes are a must. Once I found what worked for me I was able to be able to look for deals and sales, so now when I find a good sale on the hiking shoes I like I buy them whether I need new ones right then or not. Typically breakout a new pair each spring, and by the time snow shows up and it’s time to switch to insulated ones I’ve got close to 1,000 miles on them.
Some people say you gotta replace a mattress every 10 years.
Mine is at least 14 years old. Still looks brand new. Doesn't have any sags in it. And still comfy AF.
I'm not sure ifnmine was a cheap or middle of the road mattress. But sleep is great on it
Shoes were important before I started to work from home. I was a waitress before and according to a Fitbit I tended to walk 5 miles a day minimum. Not a profession where you want bad shoes
A good winter jacket if you live in colder climates. I see so many people here buying knock off versions of legitimate cold climate ready attire. Cough cough Canada goose. Like how idiotic is it to buy a knock off jacket just for the aesthetic when the whole pricing scheme of these brands are because they are properly built for a purpose.
IMO, if you don’t have the money to get a good jacket, spend the time to find one used. A few hours in thrift stores might feel long, but pay off in the long run - my coziest coat is a leather faux fur monstrosity I found for $10 that still looks cool as hell.
To add to that snowy icy climates need good snow shoes as well. There's a good reason New Yorkers swear by their North Face and Timbs. They may not be the creme de la creme but they're damn good in my experience.
My Canada Goose jacket was one of my greatest purchases. The retail price has since increased $400 for the same jacket, but I'd still buy it if needed.
Ugh, I loathe cheap thin trashbags! It seems stupid to pay good money for bags you literally only use for throwing trash away, but it makes taking out the trash a much more pleasant experience when you arent worried about leakage or not being able to tie it up properly.
Ok, but what brand? After shrinkflation all the bags I can find are half thickness. Even the heavy duty bags are thinner than the old standard ones from just a few years ago. And why are they scented?
Paint for your walls and ceiling. You’re going to have to put multiple coats on if you use the cheap stuff and you’ll end up spending more money and working 3 times as hard.
Good paint does make the whole process so much better. Also: paint! Do it! Time is also something it's hard to justify sometimes. Even if you're in an apartment, take the time and $ to paint and decorate and make it a *home*! It's always worth it. Even when rental contracts that say no painting allowed, typically landlords will allow tasteful colors. In states like Wisconsin, the laws say landlords are not allowed to withhold your security deposit so long as walls can be painted back to White within one coat.
I live in the pacific north west and I’ve learned to just buy a good quality rain jacket instead of replacing mine every year or two. I have had the same jacket for 8 years and it is still 100% waterproof. Arcteryx for the win!
Good moisturizer, my skin was a target for bullying as a kid/young adult, so I'm a bit obsessive about it. You can change your hair and clothes, but skin is forever.
A doctor recommended Curel Ultra Healing and it is great, I've been using it for 20 years. It even works when I'm in the Southwest desert. For my face I use The Honest Company hydrogel cream. I like a lot of their skincare products. I've tried all the brands that are supposed to be good for sensitive skin and all of them made it worse. I react to so many things I'm afraid to get dermatological allergy testing.
Yes! My kids was on a 1.5year waitlist till they finally got in.
This daycare does so much! Each month they have someone come in for show and tell (police, indigenous, librarian etc) summer they have swim lessons, they started my son potty training, language therapy and so much more.
There is absolutely nothing you can better spend your money on. I drove 45 minutes out of my day everyday to take my child to the best daycare and who I trusted. Spent a fortune. Don’t regret a second.
Truth
At first I didn’t care, just wanted something because I like tattoos. Then I finally got my first one and learned my first lessons about tattoos. Don’t pick just anyone, find people who actually have their work and love it and finally make sure they do the style you want. Oh, and many will lie just to get the job.
My first was on the spur of the moment and I asked for things he wasn’t familiar with. I eventually had it covered up.
My second was a much better experience, he was a true artist and did a good job. But I still didn’t learn my lesson about stretching someone’s skills. Even really good artists can’t always cross boundaries between styles. The rare ones who can will be crazy expensive because there’s no shortage of clients who will pay more than you can.
Don’t regret your ink. Take the time and spend the money to do it correctly.
Had to scroll way too far for Bras. I spend good money on bras because I am plus size anyway, but even if I didn't have to due to my size, I would invest in good bras because frankly they get at least 10 hours of wear each time!
Coffee.
I'm not in so deep that I need to have everything through and aeropress or something but I'd rather not have it all if it's cheap instant crap.
Tbf aeropress isn't really fancy, it's just a plastic plunger and is very easy to use and clean. I do use it everyday and it's not much hassle. The more expensive bits are grinders, espresso machines and getting good beans regularly.
We were visiting family and I think they assume we’re crazy. They don’t drink coffee and we looked obsessed. Every day it was “Where are we getting coffee?” Tim’s and Starbucks are not even worth drinking. Should’ve just brought the Aeropress.
lol I use an aero press daily. It makes it so much smoother imo. I do actually prefer cheaper coffee though. The huge tub of cafe bustelo espresso ground is up there as my favorite. Grind is perfect for aeropress too.
So on one hand I agree with you. Don’t buy crappy coffee. But where I differ is that there cheap coffees that taste good, at least if you drink it every day.
Note: I do have some more expensive coffee I save for when guests are over etc as more of an event. Right now it’s Yemen coffee beans, apparently they invented coffee or something and this was grown in the original place in the world? I dunno it was a gift but it tells a nice story. And tbh the taste is good and strong but not wildly better
Brother you wanna try any with a real zinc oxide adhesive. White box "steroplast" brand but they are incredible. I can shower three times and they're still glued.
God, good bread is so good. Where im from, sourdough is popular, but not readily available in stores (not the good stuff anyway). Within the last 5 years, I started picking up weekly bread from a bakery I work next to. The person that opened the bakery because she is German and could not find good bread. I did not understand good bread until I started picking up loaves from that bakery.
Growing up, it was cheap American bread, tortillas, or rice. As I got older, I got introduced to French style bread and pastries. Good, but no desire or craving for them. Once I got a heavy seeded sourdough loaf with great crust, I openly embraced being a bread slut. Also, when I eat a slice off the loaf with some type of topping, I do not get hungry for a while.
Now I have to stop myself from destroying a loaf just standing in the kitchen with a knife and some butter. Now I just gotta find some of those pate-style meat spreads to try with it…
I just put down a $2.39 “whole wheat” 47 ingredient loaf for a $7 5 ingredient AMAZING SOURDOUGH… last night right before bed I had toast with butter. It’s that good.
I recently bought the supermarket's own brand of golden syrup instead of Lyle's thinking 'What flavour difference can there be?'
A lot. The answer is a lot of difference. It tastes awful.
Shoes.
I went from buying shoes at PayLess and buying $30 sneakers every 4-5 months while waiting tables in my 20s to now only buying high quality shoes.
I turn 50 in September.
I buy items for life now, for quality not price.
I am privileged, I know, but as an outdoor tradesperson, I value my spine and all the nerves attached to it.
A lot of things are like this. If you can afford the more expensive version of something where cost translates to quality, do that because it'll last longer & you'll spend less in the long run.
Sam Vimes's Boots Theory of Economics!
I bought a 20 packs of cheap washcloths, One last a day, just for drying. They get tossed in a tiny basket, washed and used again. I am the only one that uses my toilet though, if you share one you'd all have to use your own.
From now on I’m calling my BM a “Morning Reflection”; thank you.
Won’t cheap out on socks, shoes, or mattress. Comfort and durability in these is worth a premium.
Tattoos. The number of people I’ve met who have boasted about their free or heavily discounted tattoo is staggering. Girl, that shitty melty frog is gunna be on your back forever.
A friend of mine has a phrase he claims he got from his grandfather – "don't skimp on things that keep you off the ground". Mattresses, footwear, and chairs are things he refuses to cheap out on.
Jeans. I have an odd body shape and only one brand fits me well. so I get on eBay and poshmark and buy them used for 1/3 of what I would pay new, whenever possible.
Definitely toilet paper. Cookware (induction stove, you *can't* cheap out!)
That said... There are very few Walmart stores brands that fall short. Best pie filling, best Mac and cheese, and some of the silliest panties and sleepwear I've ever had on my bod.
fluoride content is really what’s important. i use an expensive one called prevident cause it’s made for people like me who are prone to cavities and don’t have insurance
Foam does nothing for cleaning per se. Sodium lauryl sulphate is the sole responsible for it.
Actually, an SLS free toothpaste is recommended whenever possible.
Not saying you should cheap out on toothpaste, I have no idea about whether the expensive stuff is better/worse, but I do know they actually add the foaming agent because people believe it works better when really it makes no difference.
I like the list except #2. I am ok cheaping out on the room, usually. Spend more time on experiences and more places. So I Hotwire all hotel rooms. I'd rather do Vegas and Miami than just Vegas, if that makes sense.
I had a good cheap dentist whom also was a large animal vet. He did dental in the morning on site vet work in the afternoon. Typically the only open appointments were at 5am.
The fillings he put in my teeth are still good after 15yrs. At that time I got 3 large fillings and x-rays for $150. The only scary thing was he shook really bad (at the time he was like 75yrs old) with the drill like over 1 inch total back and forth rapidly but he somehow always managed to touch down in the correct spot and stop shaking while drilling.
I'm a cyclist...so basically NOTHING I have is cheap. Sunglasses? Oakleys. Shoes? Carbon... Gloves... pro...
Over the years, the saying 'you get what you pay for' really stands out. There's just small but measurable quality differences in the good stuff that the cheap things don't have, even if they look okay or can last a little while... Wasted a bunch of money on cheap things that ended up breaking easily or early, from bikes to helmets.
Music: I always get cd's for sound quality and bonus tracks
Coffee: I always get local coffee no no dunkin doughnuts or starbucks. I love black coffee so the beans have to be good.
My motto is:
Never go cheap on anything that separates you from the floor.
Specifically things you use frequently/alot.
Like shoes, vehicle tires, matresses, office chairs. Things of that sort. Its ALWAYS better to buy quality.
Shoes. You'll spend $20 on shoes that you bought at Walmart just for them to tear up 4 months later. End up buying 3 pairs in a year when you can spend $60 up front on a great quality and comfortable shoe & they'll last
I go thrifting all the time for clothes. The money saved there is to buy quality underwear and socks. Never skimp on taking care of your feet and undercarriage.
Shoes, I usually get them on sales but I like nice pair of sneakers, not in the sense that they have to be expensive but in the sense that I have to be able to walk a lot on them and they have to keep my feet warm and dry. Bought a cool pair of DCs sometime last year and I sometimes wore those shoes for the whole week
Bed sheets. The difference between cheap sheets that cost ~$20 and the ones that have a high thread count that cost ~$50-80 is absolutely worth it to me. They are so much more comfortable, and I use them literally every night!
Air travel. I live in a remote area of Alaska and always splurge on first class tickets when visiting my loved ones in the lower 48. It is a game changer for those 16 hour travel days!
Protecting things.
No really - mattress protectors, motorcycle covers, phone cases....
I had a few mattresses over the years and didn't bother with and eventually got a protector: less than a week later, tripped head-over-tit when stupidly leaning over the bed with some water.....spilled it all on the bed. No need to stress beyond airing out the bedding, no fuss.
Ditto for phones - had a cheap crap case, dropped it, case was as durable as an anemic chicken's egg and my phone's screen and corner were buggered. I paid extra for Otterbox cases for a while, but since have gone for less rugged options as I changed work fields (but still decent enough to survive most grief).
Bike cover....again, learn the hard way that cheaper ones are thin and let water through, stuff rusts.....so spend a bit more, get a decent one (in my case, Oxford Stormex) and appreciate the lack of rust, soft inner lining and actual minor protection against the odd little bump too.
As an artist: paint and paper - sure you can make art with anything, but it’s a whole lot more enjoyable when you’re not fighting your materials + if you want your work to actually last, you need materials that will last and not fade or break down.
None of the things I'm going to list are necessarily super expensive, but I do my research and get good quality stuff. Some of it is expensive, some of it is just about spending a little more but getting a lot in return
- coffee. I spend 1,50€ extra per pack and in return my mornings are a lot better. Cheap coffee has no depth in it's flavour and that light roast swill gives me stomach issues.
- shoes that I exercise in. You simply can't work out daily in bad shoes and not expect to get/develop injuries.
- haircut. I don't pay much per haircut, but I go frequently to keep it fresh and tidy. Letting my hair lose its shape costs me a lot of time and frustration, and forces me to use a lot more product to look neat.
- pasta. The cheapest brands can ruin an otherwise perfectly cooked dish. Good pasta can elevate it. Some cheap pasta brands are actually good, but not the ones my grocery store carries.
- t-shirts and jeans. I wear this combo almost daily for most of the year. It looks very nice on me as long as everything fits properly, and as long as the clothes are such good quality that they maintain their shape even after many washing cycles. I then wear them for years. I no longer spend money on cheap versions of these clothing items, because I find that they lose their shape/wear out much faster, which will cost me just as much money in the end and have me looking worse most of the time.
I just calculated that all these things put together cost me about an additional 1,65€/day, which is totally worth it imo.
"Always splurge on a good mattress and good shoes as chances are, if you're not in one of them, you're in the other."
-a person with great common sense
Parmesean. I have some student friends who don’t want to spend a lot of money on food.
Whenever i am at their place and we eat something that’d usually go with parmesean, i buy it for them. I’d rather die than eat whatever horrendous replacement they’d buy themselves.
As OP mentioned toilet paper.
And tea. I don't mind driking what is available if I am ouside or visiting someone, but at home I want to have the one I love. I tried multitude of different ones, but no other hits the spot just like my favourite.
A good mattress. Sleep is important. You will spend up to a third of your life on that thing. Also, shoes. You don’t want them to be uncomfortable or wear out too quickly. This is especially true if you have to be on your feet for a lot of the day.
A salesman at a mattress store really opened my eyes when he said, "you want a good mattress, because you're going to be spending three whole years on that thing for the next decade." The more I thought about it, the more real it got. We really do spend that much time in a bed in our lifetimes.
Basically, anything that separates us from the ground is worth it for good and/or practical quality for yourself Mattress and shoes but also: Socks, rugs, flooring, sheets, pillow, sleeping bags. Also ( IF you have the money and are building or renovating) - don't overlook the things you touch and use daily. Drawer pulls. Hand knobs and locks. Light switches. Water taps and Shower kits. Best quality you.can afford is worth it and you will notice daily.
Tyres too. I go by the same rule. Anything between you and the ground is where you spend. I do like your addition to it though. Might start thinking about things I touch and use daily!
Tires
Literally a third of our lives we spent sleeping
Not me. But on the bright side, only 3 more sleeps til Christmas!
When I went back for grad school, I was looking around for new bed and the saleperson told me something along the lines of "you are going be tired after being on campus most days and the last thing you will want to do is come home to uncomfortable bed." He offered me discount on bed I liked and told me it was the best price I'll find. I told him I wanted to keep looking around before settling on it and he said, " No worries, I'll see you when you come back." I laughed, but sure enough, I was back a week later to finalize my purchase. That was 7 years ago and that was easily the best $1000 I've spend. Some of the best sleep I've ever gotten too haha!
it's crazy how cheap people are for something they spend 6-8 hours on EVERY night. We spend less time in our cars but spend thousands on them
Well people have to impress others. Nobody cares or think about a mattress. But getting caught in a poor person car? Absolutely not.
My bed cost me more then my car lol.
Then you have either an incredibly expensive bed or an incredibly cheap car, which I respect. I always like seeing older cars on the road vs brand new ones. Nothing special about a new car. I have a cheap used car myself.
€3,5k bed & €2,5k car, bit of both. It’s funny you said cars are expensive to impress because the girl I’m dating rn is thoroughly Impressed by the quality of my bed and I don’t think she even knows I own a car haha
You got a keeper then. She knows what's important ;) My gf loved my bed as well. It was a queen size one and it good one at that. She's always had hand me down beds (gross)
All things that you are on top of, spend money on. Shoes, seating, transportation, bed.
Your mom?
She appreciates it, I must say
Some college football team somewhere (I remember the study, not the details) bought their players nice mattresses and enforced a bedtime. Their stats increased like 40% across the board. Good sleep is underrated.
Exactly. My dad always bought great mattresses. He always said, cheap out on other furniture if you need too but never your mattress. Sleep at any age is important but as you get older it becomes even more important.
Don't be cheap on the things that are between you and the ground: shoes, mattress, tires. You'll regret it later. That's my fathers most precious wisdom
Can't have a good day in bad shoes.
Also a good pillow with the exact right of firmness. I spent $150 on a memory foam pillow and its absolutely incredible. Worth every penny
I saw a quote just yesterday that said: “Don’t skimp on products that come between you and the ground.” Makes a lot of sense.
I do a lot of hiking and walking with my dogs, so good shoes are a must. Once I found what worked for me I was able to be able to look for deals and sales, so now when I find a good sale on the hiking shoes I like I buy them whether I need new ones right then or not. Typically breakout a new pair each spring, and by the time snow shows up and it’s time to switch to insulated ones I’ve got close to 1,000 miles on them.
And tires! Anything that comes between you and the ground, you shouldn't scrimp on!
Some people say you gotta replace a mattress every 10 years. Mine is at least 14 years old. Still looks brand new. Doesn't have any sags in it. And still comfy AF. I'm not sure ifnmine was a cheap or middle of the road mattress. But sleep is great on it
Shoes were important before I started to work from home. I was a waitress before and according to a Fitbit I tended to walk 5 miles a day minimum. Not a profession where you want bad shoes
This is my answer too. I’m a bartender with a genetic predisposition for bad feet so I will pay for good shoes whatever the cost. Also happy cake day!
A good winter jacket if you live in colder climates. I see so many people here buying knock off versions of legitimate cold climate ready attire. Cough cough Canada goose. Like how idiotic is it to buy a knock off jacket just for the aesthetic when the whole pricing scheme of these brands are because they are properly built for a purpose.
IMO, if you don’t have the money to get a good jacket, spend the time to find one used. A few hours in thrift stores might feel long, but pay off in the long run - my coziest coat is a leather faux fur monstrosity I found for $10 that still looks cool as hell.
To add to that snowy icy climates need good snow shoes as well. There's a good reason New Yorkers swear by their North Face and Timbs. They may not be the creme de la creme but they're damn good in my experience.
This. As a Canadian, running shoes just don't cut in on snow/ice. Had me slipping and falling on my ass daily lol
My Canada Goose jacket was one of my greatest purchases. The retail price has since increased $400 for the same jacket, but I'd still buy it if needed.
Trash bags, good ones are essential! Had a cheap one break too many times to not get the better ones.
Ugh, I loathe cheap thin trashbags! It seems stupid to pay good money for bags you literally only use for throwing trash away, but it makes taking out the trash a much more pleasant experience when you arent worried about leakage or not being able to tie it up properly.
I'm all for paying extra money to prevent me from having to interact with garbage juice 🤢
Ok, but what brand? After shrinkflation all the bags I can find are half thickness. Even the heavy duty bags are thinner than the old standard ones from just a few years ago. And why are they scented?
I'm with you on the scented. And if unscented bags sit too long against scented ones, they pass along their perfume.
I buy leaf bags from the garden section rather than kitchen trash bags. Their cheaper and stronger and non scented which I prefer.
Literally anything that goes between you and the ground. A matress, shoes, car tires, socks, pillow etc.
Spouse
Brooo you blew my mind with this one!!! So true!!
Went a whole week without reading this comment on reddit...
Paint for your walls and ceiling. You’re going to have to put multiple coats on if you use the cheap stuff and you’ll end up spending more money and working 3 times as hard.
Good paint does make the whole process so much better. Also: paint! Do it! Time is also something it's hard to justify sometimes. Even if you're in an apartment, take the time and $ to paint and decorate and make it a *home*! It's always worth it. Even when rental contracts that say no painting allowed, typically landlords will allow tasteful colors. In states like Wisconsin, the laws say landlords are not allowed to withhold your security deposit so long as walls can be painted back to White within one coat.
I live in the pacific north west and I’ve learned to just buy a good quality rain jacket instead of replacing mine every year or two. I have had the same jacket for 8 years and it is still 100% waterproof. Arcteryx for the win!
Wash it periodically with a good Nikwax Gortex conditioner and it will last a hundred years.
Tomatoes. Cheap ones taste of nothing. Expensive ones taste incredible.
Grow your own, and they are even better (and cheaper….other than time).
I love a good heirloom tomato! Ooooh-weeee
If you add a bit of salt to them, they become wayyy better
Cherry and grape tomatoes have a bit more wiggle room, but I'm not going to buy a full size tomato outside of summer months.
Good moisturizer, my skin was a target for bullying as a kid/young adult, so I'm a bit obsessive about it. You can change your hair and clothes, but skin is forever.
What do you recommend? I have insanely dry skin, and big brands like Gold Bond or O'Keeffes don't really work for me
A doctor recommended Curel Ultra Healing and it is great, I've been using it for 20 years. It even works when I'm in the Southwest desert. For my face I use The Honest Company hydrogel cream. I like a lot of their skincare products. I've tried all the brands that are supposed to be good for sensitive skin and all of them made it worse. I react to so many things I'm afraid to get dermatological allergy testing.
[удалено]
Yep! I’m a middle of the road kinda guy. I won’t cheap out, but I can’t bring myself to get the best.
The best tire depends on your vehicle and driving conditions. Just because it's more expensive doesn't mean it's the best for you.
Brakes too.
I read this as cat tails… not the same.
Childcare
Yes! My kids was on a 1.5year waitlist till they finally got in. This daycare does so much! Each month they have someone come in for show and tell (police, indigenous, librarian etc) summer they have swim lessons, they started my son potty training, language therapy and so much more.
There is absolutely nothing you can better spend your money on. I drove 45 minutes out of my day everyday to take my child to the best daycare and who I trusted. Spent a fortune. Don’t regret a second.
As a former nanny who was woefully underpaid A LITTLE LOUDER FOR THE ENTITLED PARENTS IN THE BACK
Omg PAY ALL THE NANNIES ALL THE MONEY (former nanny employer and honestly wish I could justify hiring one for myself lol)
Tattoos
Good tattoos ain't cheap and cheap tattoos ain't good. Removal costs $1000s and hurts 10x worse, too.
Truth At first I didn’t care, just wanted something because I like tattoos. Then I finally got my first one and learned my first lessons about tattoos. Don’t pick just anyone, find people who actually have their work and love it and finally make sure they do the style you want. Oh, and many will lie just to get the job. My first was on the spur of the moment and I asked for things he wasn’t familiar with. I eventually had it covered up. My second was a much better experience, he was a true artist and did a good job. But I still didn’t learn my lesson about stretching someone’s skills. Even really good artists can’t always cross boundaries between styles. The rare ones who can will be crazy expensive because there’s no shortage of clients who will pay more than you can. Don’t regret your ink. Take the time and spend the money to do it correctly.
Shoes, bras
Had to scroll way too far for Bras. I spend good money on bras because I am plus size anyway, but even if I didn't have to due to my size, I would invest in good bras because frankly they get at least 10 hours of wear each time!
Coffee. I'm not in so deep that I need to have everything through and aeropress or something but I'd rather not have it all if it's cheap instant crap.
Tbf aeropress isn't really fancy, it's just a plastic plunger and is very easy to use and clean. I do use it everyday and it's not much hassle. The more expensive bits are grinders, espresso machines and getting good beans regularly.
We were visiting family and I think they assume we’re crazy. They don’t drink coffee and we looked obsessed. Every day it was “Where are we getting coffee?” Tim’s and Starbucks are not even worth drinking. Should’ve just brought the Aeropress.
Haha! Good call. Didn’t think about that.
lol I use an aero press daily. It makes it so much smoother imo. I do actually prefer cheaper coffee though. The huge tub of cafe bustelo espresso ground is up there as my favorite. Grind is perfect for aeropress too. So on one hand I agree with you. Don’t buy crappy coffee. But where I differ is that there cheap coffees that taste good, at least if you drink it every day. Note: I do have some more expensive coffee I save for when guests are over etc as more of an event. Right now it’s Yemen coffee beans, apparently they invented coffee or something and this was grown in the original place in the world? I dunno it was a gift but it tells a nice story. And tbh the taste is good and strong but not wildly better
This. Got my own espresso machine and grinder, been a game changer. Plus so much more variety
I just have a chemex pour over and I had a coffee snob moment at the airport Starbucks last month
BAND-AID brand bandages. Pretty much all other bandaids are crap.
Try Curad fabric flex. I prefer it to bandaid brand.
Brother you wanna try any with a real zinc oxide adhesive. White box "steroplast" brand but they are incredible. I can shower three times and they're still glued.
Welly's are far superior to band-aid
Generic store brand (Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc) are crap, but some of the other name brand (Wellys, Curad) are as good as Band Aid.
A hydrocolloid bandage will stay on AND heal cuts faster, I’ve used bandaid brand and RX house brands from CVS and Walgreens.
I'm from a bread culture. If I cannot have nice bread, life loses all meaning.
God, good bread is so good. Where im from, sourdough is popular, but not readily available in stores (not the good stuff anyway). Within the last 5 years, I started picking up weekly bread from a bakery I work next to. The person that opened the bakery because she is German and could not find good bread. I did not understand good bread until I started picking up loaves from that bakery. Growing up, it was cheap American bread, tortillas, or rice. As I got older, I got introduced to French style bread and pastries. Good, but no desire or craving for them. Once I got a heavy seeded sourdough loaf with great crust, I openly embraced being a bread slut. Also, when I eat a slice off the loaf with some type of topping, I do not get hungry for a while. Now I have to stop myself from destroying a loaf just standing in the kitchen with a knife and some butter. Now I just gotta find some of those pate-style meat spreads to try with it…
I just put down a $2.39 “whole wheat” 47 ingredient loaf for a $7 5 ingredient AMAZING SOURDOUGH… last night right before bed I had toast with butter. It’s that good.
I recently bought the supermarket's own brand of golden syrup instead of Lyle's thinking 'What flavour difference can there be?' A lot. The answer is a lot of difference. It tastes awful.
Hair products. Like shampoo, conditioner, combs, brushes, hair dryers. I have four different hair dryers. I'm a guy. Lol.
Shoes. I went from buying shoes at PayLess and buying $30 sneakers every 4-5 months while waiting tables in my 20s to now only buying high quality shoes. I turn 50 in September. I buy items for life now, for quality not price. I am privileged, I know, but as an outdoor tradesperson, I value my spine and all the nerves attached to it.
A lot of things are like this. If you can afford the more expensive version of something where cost translates to quality, do that because it'll last longer & you'll spend less in the long run. Sam Vimes's Boots Theory of Economics!
Tits and teeth. The cheap ones look cheap.
Lasik. Don't go for the two for one special.
You need a bidet homie
Doubling down on this. The silly little butt washer we added to our toilets was a life changer.
Truths! I feel like a caveman when I crap way from my bidet now. Best money I ever spent.
Love my bidet, but you still need some good toilet paper. Just use a alot less.
I bought a 20 packs of cheap washcloths, One last a day, just for drying. They get tossed in a tiny basket, washed and used again. I am the only one that uses my toilet though, if you share one you'd all have to use your own.
Haha! I’d love one!
They're like $25 on Amazon, friend. Life changing devices.
This part!! I got a great one for about $25 a couple years ago and it's revolutionized my life!!
From now on I’m calling my BM a “Morning Reflection”; thank you. Won’t cheap out on socks, shoes, or mattress. Comfort and durability in these is worth a premium.
Anything you NEED. Wants can be cheap.
My phone! I use it so much on a daily basis. Yes, I know I shouldn't be on my phone so much but I am so I get the one I really want.
Face moisturizer
Tattoos. The number of people I’ve met who have boasted about their free or heavily discounted tattoo is staggering. Girl, that shitty melty frog is gunna be on your back forever.
A friend of mine has a phrase he claims he got from his grandfather – "don't skimp on things that keep you off the ground". Mattresses, footwear, and chairs are things he refuses to cheap out on.
Brakes.
Jeans. I have an odd body shape and only one brand fits me well. so I get on eBay and poshmark and buy them used for 1/3 of what I would pay new, whenever possible.
Yep! I hate jeans shopping. Loooooove jeans, but it’s so hard to find the right fit.
Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper and very sturdy but soft bath towels are a requirement.
We're an Ultra Strong household here.
Kudos to another fine choice in ass cleaning supplies.
You can cheap out on good toilet paper, don't cheap out on bad toilet paper, If that makes any sense.
It’s a place you really don’t want to cut any corners
Try the bidet, it’s a deep clean
Such a small thing but makes a huge difference- Q-tips
Definitely toilet paper. Cookware (induction stove, you *can't* cheap out!) That said... There are very few Walmart stores brands that fall short. Best pie filling, best Mac and cheese, and some of the silliest panties and sleepwear I've ever had on my bod.
Toothpaste. I remember buying a cheap one the toothpaste didn't foam at all I was just thinking oh lord my teeth gonna rot up
fluoride content is really what’s important. i use an expensive one called prevident cause it’s made for people like me who are prone to cavities and don’t have insurance
Foam does nothing for cleaning per se. Sodium lauryl sulphate is the sole responsible for it. Actually, an SLS free toothpaste is recommended whenever possible.
Yup. It also causes canker sores. My husband had them his whole life. I bought him SLS free toothpaste, and he hasn't had one since.
Not saying you should cheap out on toothpaste, I have no idea about whether the expensive stuff is better/worse, but I do know they actually add the foaming agent because people believe it works better when really it makes no difference.
Perhaps investing in a bidet would be best of both worlds. It saves $$ in the long run and is even better.
Bidets are the best, no shit. (Not afterward, anyway)
Not really sure, but good quality air, water and food.
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I like the list except #2. I am ok cheaping out on the room, usually. Spend more time on experiences and more places. So I Hotwire all hotel rooms. I'd rather do Vegas and Miami than just Vegas, if that makes sense.
I had a good cheap dentist whom also was a large animal vet. He did dental in the morning on site vet work in the afternoon. Typically the only open appointments were at 5am. The fillings he put in my teeth are still good after 15yrs. At that time I got 3 large fillings and x-rays for $150. The only scary thing was he shook really bad (at the time he was like 75yrs old) with the drill like over 1 inch total back and forth rapidly but he somehow always managed to touch down in the correct spot and stop shaking while drilling.
Your bed. Almost 1/3 of your life there. Tv. Almost 1/3 of your life there. Job. Believe it or not, 1/3 of your life.
Coffee....I'd burn the world for good coffee.
Toilet paper. You'll regret it with every single wipe.
Bread. The amount of shit put in most bread is appalling. Yet the simpler the ingredient list, the more expensive it is. Worth it!
I spent $1,700 on an ergonomic office chair. I sit in it more than I lay in my bed. Best investment ever
Couch. Mattress.
Shoes. Cheap shoes will cause serious foot issues.
Car tires, a good pair of scissors, shoes, socks, gloves, and a hat. At least for me those are the things I don’t cheap out on even when poor.
Socks. All I wear these days is wool socks with padding. Look for ones marketed for construction workers
Anything that separates you from earth…mattress, chair, shoes Beef is number 2, good quality beef is a game changer
Boots, and shoes to a lesser extent. There’s a big difference between $30 boots and $100 boots. Longevity, durability, comfort
Toilet paper
Dish soap. To hell with Ajax, dawn to the death!
Canned tomatoes. A few bucks will drastically change your dish.
Coffee, ketchup, peanut butter.
Perfume Nothing wrong with a dupe But you can smell some cheap perfume and it smells like something grannies would wear 😰
Decent drugs.
anything to protect your body from gravity
Condoms
Scotch
Instead of toilet paper get a bidet attachment for your toilet. Thank me later. I only use toilet paper to dry off now.
A wise old man once told me "Don't skimp on anything that separates you from the ground: Tires, shoes and a good mattress".
Real butter, real vanilla.
Dad always said to never skimp on 2 things in life: Tires and brakes. I guess I should add on there condoms.
Tires. Why spend 70k on a Lexus SUV just to drive on bald tires?
dentistry
I'm a cyclist...so basically NOTHING I have is cheap. Sunglasses? Oakleys. Shoes? Carbon... Gloves... pro... Over the years, the saying 'you get what you pay for' really stands out. There's just small but measurable quality differences in the good stuff that the cheap things don't have, even if they look okay or can last a little while... Wasted a bunch of money on cheap things that ended up breaking easily or early, from bikes to helmets.
Music: I always get cd's for sound quality and bonus tracks Coffee: I always get local coffee no no dunkin doughnuts or starbucks. I love black coffee so the beans have to be good.
A person of good tastes 👍🏽
My motto is: Never go cheap on anything that separates you from the floor. Specifically things you use frequently/alot. Like shoes, vehicle tires, matresses, office chairs. Things of that sort. Its ALWAYS better to buy quality.
Insurance. Lack of quality, thorough, high coverage is one of the leading causes of bankruptcy
Shoes. You'll spend $20 on shoes that you bought at Walmart just for them to tear up 4 months later. End up buying 3 pairs in a year when you can spend $60 up front on a great quality and comfortable shoe & they'll last
Toilet paper, paper towels, mattress, ketchup and mayo, tea bags, coffee, soap and toothpaste.
Pest control. I'll deal with a crappy lifestyle only if there are no rats or roaches.
I go thrifting all the time for clothes. The money saved there is to buy quality underwear and socks. Never skimp on taking care of your feet and undercarriage.
A snowblower if you live upstate NY. Wasted $100 because it could not handle the sheer amount of snow.
Shoes -- I have to buy good quality shoes.
Cling wrap. The no name stuff sucks!
Hair dresser. Not always the most expensive is the most skilled, but I don’t skimp on a good one.
Dental care.
Shoes, I usually get them on sales but I like nice pair of sneakers, not in the sense that they have to be expensive but in the sense that I have to be able to walk a lot on them and they have to keep my feet warm and dry. Bought a cool pair of DCs sometime last year and I sometimes wore those shoes for the whole week
A good barbecue grill
Plastic surgery
Tires
Tires and brakes.
Lately clothes. I used to be all for $5 shirts. Now I can’t stand how disposable my closet feels and all I was is some high quality lasting basics .
Safety equipment. Glasses gloves respirator boots etc
Bed sheets. The difference between cheap sheets that cost ~$20 and the ones that have a high thread count that cost ~$50-80 is absolutely worth it to me. They are so much more comfortable, and I use them literally every night!
Just go for a bidet man
Just go for a bidet man
Air travel. I live in a remote area of Alaska and always splurge on first class tickets when visiting my loved ones in the lower 48. It is a game changer for those 16 hour travel days!
Deodorant. Needs to be clinical strength or it doesn’t work.
Aloe (or other moisturized) Toilet paper Quality mattress Properly fitted shoes with wide toe box
Protecting things. No really - mattress protectors, motorcycle covers, phone cases.... I had a few mattresses over the years and didn't bother with and eventually got a protector: less than a week later, tripped head-over-tit when stupidly leaning over the bed with some water.....spilled it all on the bed. No need to stress beyond airing out the bedding, no fuss. Ditto for phones - had a cheap crap case, dropped it, case was as durable as an anemic chicken's egg and my phone's screen and corner were buggered. I paid extra for Otterbox cases for a while, but since have gone for less rugged options as I changed work fields (but still decent enough to survive most grief). Bike cover....again, learn the hard way that cheaper ones are thin and let water through, stuff rusts.....so spend a bit more, get a decent one (in my case, Oxford Stormex) and appreciate the lack of rust, soft inner lining and actual minor protection against the odd little bump too.
As an artist: paint and paper - sure you can make art with anything, but it’s a whole lot more enjoyable when you’re not fighting your materials + if you want your work to actually last, you need materials that will last and not fade or break down.
None of the things I'm going to list are necessarily super expensive, but I do my research and get good quality stuff. Some of it is expensive, some of it is just about spending a little more but getting a lot in return - coffee. I spend 1,50€ extra per pack and in return my mornings are a lot better. Cheap coffee has no depth in it's flavour and that light roast swill gives me stomach issues. - shoes that I exercise in. You simply can't work out daily in bad shoes and not expect to get/develop injuries. - haircut. I don't pay much per haircut, but I go frequently to keep it fresh and tidy. Letting my hair lose its shape costs me a lot of time and frustration, and forces me to use a lot more product to look neat. - pasta. The cheapest brands can ruin an otherwise perfectly cooked dish. Good pasta can elevate it. Some cheap pasta brands are actually good, but not the ones my grocery store carries. - t-shirts and jeans. I wear this combo almost daily for most of the year. It looks very nice on me as long as everything fits properly, and as long as the clothes are such good quality that they maintain their shape even after many washing cycles. I then wear them for years. I no longer spend money on cheap versions of these clothing items, because I find that they lose their shape/wear out much faster, which will cost me just as much money in the end and have me looking worse most of the time. I just calculated that all these things put together cost me about an additional 1,65€/day, which is totally worth it imo.
Philadelphia cream cheese knock offs suck
Dark chocolate. It is worth getting the good stuff, even if you only have it once in awhile.
A car. A car such that if you are in an accident, you live.
"Always splurge on a good mattress and good shoes as chances are, if you're not in one of them, you're in the other." -a person with great common sense
Parmesean. I have some student friends who don’t want to spend a lot of money on food. Whenever i am at their place and we eat something that’d usually go with parmesean, i buy it for them. I’d rather die than eat whatever horrendous replacement they’d buy themselves.
Spend money on things between you and the ground. A good bed, good shoes, good socks, good tires.
As OP mentioned toilet paper. And tea. I don't mind driking what is available if I am ouside or visiting someone, but at home I want to have the one I love. I tried multitude of different ones, but no other hits the spot just like my favourite.
American Cheese - gotta be Kraft.
Good weed, don't buy into designer crap.
All paper products - t.p., facial tissues, paper towels, etc. Shoes Pillows/mattresses
Just gotta say, ever since I got a bidet, I no longer need or care about good toilet paper.
Windex. Lol. It’s literally just about the only product that I will deny the store brand / Equate version of.
If I cheap out on a condom, I don't even wanna think about the consequences
Worcestershire sauce. Nothing beats Lea and Perrins.
Vacuums.
dental floss. i’ll die on that hill!!