Being frugal with your purchases is a great way way to save money, but there are times where you just have to pay a bit more to get a better quality product. In my opinion I think that you should spend a bit more money on shoes and bags. They're not related, but they're both two things that tend to wear out very quickly. I'd rather spend a few hundred dollars on a nice leather messenger bag and well-made sneakers that will look nice and last me a good, long time. Shoppers of DontPayFull, what products do you think are worth spending extra on? What do buy that is worth getting "name brand" as opposed to generic?
Food wise, I am prepared to spend more on good quality chocolate and ice cream. My friend bought some generic chocolate ice cream and it just was not enjoyable to eat. I may buy a generic cooking oil, peppercorns and spices as I can't see much difference, but I will spend more on a loaf of wholewheat bread, that may have less additives and preservatives. The same goes for pancake or cake mixes, it's just flour and sugar added together so I will buy generic there and spend more on the fillings and toppings. I think you have to look at the long term use and the enjoyment. For example I will spend more nice pillowcases as we use them everyday, but I will buy generic kitchen roll that is used in a matter of seconds.
People's priorities in this case are funny. Spend more on looking food, dressing well, entertainment, things things things, but ignore out health entirely until it's too late. I will always put my health first. People say they can't afford to eat properly, but many who say it will spend a little more on things that don't matter as much. My money goes to necessities first and that includes quality whole foods to keep me from needing doctors or an early coffin. I eat a ton of good things and still I pay less than most here on a grocery store diet. I sound like I'm patting myself on the back.. I'm just pointing out the excuses people tell themselves so they can choose the bag over health. Which doesn't even make sense actually lol.
In terms of actual items I will spend more on food because I primarily eat organic and I do occasionally splurge on a bag or another well made staple piece that I can see in my wardrobe for years to come. I like to save money but will generally buy the best I can afford especially if I think it will last longer. I also will spend more money on nice experiences. I like to take my friends and family to nice restaurants and shows so a lot of my money also goes there.
This is a good question, and i have some good advice on this very subject that was passed down to me. Never buy cheap toilet paper or cheap dish washing liquid. In the end no pun intended) you will only end up using two or three times as much of the cheap toilet paper anyway, because it is so thin. And the dish soap is even worse. The cheap stuff doesn't do well against grease, and it doesn't retain it's bubbles at all. You might as well wash your dishes in water. I few drops of the good stuff goes a lot farther then a cup of the cheap.
I like spending more for shoes as well, because is think it's much better to get quality ones and have them last longer as compared to getting cheap ones that would break easily, and I think in the long run I'd probably end up paying the same that way or even more, and the sad part is that I wouldn't even be able to wear good quality ones for the same expense. I also spend more for food especially ones wherein I'd be able to tell whether the quality is good or bad.
I think certain small appliances are worth spending a little more on. I've had various cheap coffeemakers from Walmart ranging from $6 for a Rival to $15 for a generic cheapo brand and they all leaked coffee all over the counter. It's worth spending at least $20-$25 on a decent coffee machine that doesn't sputter and leak all over the place.
In my opinion, any kind of electronics must be made of quality materials and must be durable, so you should naturally look for a popular brand as compared to buying just a cheap brand, because cheap brands don't last long. Also, For me cheap bags, clothes and shoes can last a decade or more especially if you are careful when using it and you don't use it everyday. I have some bags that are regularly used and that old and still look presentable because they're not made of leather, they're made of cloth.
The things worth spending money on are items you can't afford to have break down or will be with you for a long time. My short list: house, car, dish washer, washer and dryer; and air conditioner. Clothes that'll go out of style next week or perishable products aren't always worth what they cost. So it's best to spend moderately or cheaply.
If you're trying to maximize the value and longevity of the product, then you have to pay a higher price for electronics (especially computers), towels, vacuum cleaners, certain clothing items, and more. Paying full price or a higher price for a name brand does matter with tons of things. For instance, you're going to be disappointed if you purchase a $50 tablet. Trying to be cheap in that case will give you a junky machine that doesn't work. It's the same thing for other items, too.
I would say keyboards are worth spending more money on, It's much better to buy a nice mechanical keyboard than buying a cheap Chinese rip off.Log Inis a whole site on explaining why mechanical keyboards are better than normal ones.
I'll spend more on stuff that I'll need to use for a long time. In such a case durability trumps price. It doesn't necessarily mean going for the most expensive brand. Sometimes price and quality are not related. Rather, I rely on practical observation [how something works and how long it lasted] and what others tell me, to find out which equipment/product is better for longevity. For me it's farm equipment and other [farm] supplies I'm always willing to spend more money on anytime.
