You could argue that life revolves aroundeconomics: it’s an endless series of choices and tradeoffs. Due to opportunity cost, you can’t have everything that you want. What you can do, however, is make thebest decisionsabout what (not) to do with your money and time with the information you have available to you.Sometimes, you come across a product or service that changes your life in a very meaningful way. The AskReddit community recently shared all the things they think are extremelyworththeir expensive price tags. Scroll down to read their opinions, and be sure to upvote the ones that you agree with.Bored Pandagot in touch with G. Brian Davis, a real estate investor and the co-founder ofSparkRental.com, for his thoughts on how to tell if something is worth investing your hard-earned money in, and where it’s not worth being cheap. You’ll find our interview with him below, including why being frugal is very different from being cheap.This post may includeaffiliate links.
You could argue that life revolves aroundeconomics: it’s an endless series of choices and tradeoffs. Due to opportunity cost, you can’t have everything that you want. What you can do, however, is make thebest decisionsabout what (not) to do with your money and time with the information you have available to you.
Sometimes, you come across a product or service that changes your life in a very meaningful way. The AskReddit community recently shared all the things they think are extremelyworththeir expensive price tags. Scroll down to read their opinions, and be sure to upvote the ones that you agree with.
Bored Pandagot in touch with G. Brian Davis, a real estate investor and the co-founder ofSparkRental.com, for his thoughts on how to tell if something is worth investing your hard-earned money in, and where it’s not worth being cheap. You’ll find our interview with him below, including why being frugal is very different from being cheap.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
Pets.Melodic-Head-2372:Saves on therapy bills
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Quality work shoes if your job requires you to be on your feet for long stretches of time.
A good mattress. Spent thousands on mine and my husband was pissed. He’s never slept better, his body doesn’t hurt and we’re both nicer people because we now get a proper comfortable nights sleep. First time in my whole life and I hope to never have to go back.
According to Davis, broadly speaking, you get what you pay for, however, it doesn’t necessarily mean that spending more always makes sense. “There’s almost always an affordable path forward. Sometimes, that requires you to step back and look at your broader goal rather than assuming your choice is what you think it is,” the co-founder ofSparkRental.comtold Bored Panda in an email.“For example, when you’re planning a vacation, you could compare Cheap Hotel A to Expensive Hotel B, and sure, the expensive hotel is almost certainly nicer. But do you have to stay at a hotel at all? What if you stayed at an apartment or house through Airbnb? What if you rented an RV and slept in that instead of flying and staying at a hotel?” he said.“For that matter, what if you designed a cheaper but just as fun vacation from scratch? You could crash with friends or family somewhere you’ve been meaning to visit, or do a road trip, or go camping.”
According to Davis, broadly speaking, you get what you pay for, however, it doesn’t necessarily mean that spending more always makes sense. “There’s almost always an affordable path forward. Sometimes, that requires you to step back and look at your broader goal rather than assuming your choice is what you think it is,” the co-founder ofSparkRental.comtold Bored Panda in an email.
“For example, when you’re planning a vacation, you could compare Cheap Hotel A to Expensive Hotel B, and sure, the expensive hotel is almost certainly nicer. But do you have to stay at a hotel at all? What if you stayed at an apartment or house through Airbnb? What if you rented an RV and slept in that instead of flying and staying at a hotel?” he said.
“For that matter, what if you designed a cheaper but just as fun vacation from scratch? You could crash with friends or family somewhere you’ve been meaning to visit, or do a road trip, or go camping.”
Good ergonomic chair if you sit all day.
Regular visits to the dentist.xioenmexico:In general, any medical attention, even though it may be expensive, is worth it, health is not negotiable.
A good bra!
In the meantime, the co-founder ofSparkRental.comdrew attention to some red flags that everyone should watch out for when it comes to products and experiences that might not offer more quality in exchange for a higher price. For instance, something to look for is “slick, expensive marketing campaigns.”
Of course, there are always going to be areas in your life where it’s worth spending more money. According to Davis, it’s essential to make the distinction between being ‘cheap’ and ‘frugal.’ “‘Cheap’ means always choosing the cheapest option, regardless of quality or needs. ‘Frugal’ means looking for the best value, all things considered. I love fine wine, and sometimes spend a lot on a bottle, but I also maintain a list of outstanding affordable wines as well, that would stand up in a blind taste test to fancy bottles,” he shared.
Saving for retirement.
A good haircut. Someone with skill will cut your hair in a way that looks good the entire time between your salon appointments, not just the day you leave the salon.
A quality pillow will change your life.
“Avoid being cheap with your health. That includes products like running shoes, so you don’t end up with injuries. Avoid being cheap with products or services that will improve your earning potential. Invest in your skills and qualifications—if they’ll directly lead to higher income,“Davisadvised.
Clothes that are made well with a “slow fashion” vs “fast fashion” mission in mind. My favorite clothing brand sells their wool button downs for about $120. Some would say that’s way to much to spend, but it’s beautifully made from recycled clothing (good for the earth), weather resistant, simple but elegant, and if it rips or tears they will repair it, or if it is not repairable they will send a new one, this is a lifetime guarantee on the clothing I buy there. I don’t buy extremely often, but investing in ethically sourced and produced clothing is really worth the price in my opinion. I think repairing clothing vs just throwing it away and buying a new one is the proper idea behind well made clothing. Not a 10 year guarantee, but lifetime.. they also take care of their works and I do care very much about the conditions under which my clothing was made.
An Uber if you’ve been drinking.
Twice a year car maintenance with regular oil changes. You can head off expensive repairs if you maintain your car.
According to Vimes, buying quality items helps you save money in the long run. It’s what he called the ‘Boots’ theory of socioeconomic unfairness. “The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money,” Pratchett writes.
“But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.”
If you fly, even occasionally, noise cancelling headphones are worth every penny. With just the noise cancelling on without playing any music it significantly softens most sounds. When you listen to music/videos/whatever with the noise cancelling on, you can’t hear anything else, even crying babies.Analyst_Cold:Worth it for waiting rooms too, public transport. Anytime there is too much noise.
The ‘Boots’ theory has seen lots of popularity over the years. Pratchett’s estate hasactually authorizedanti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe to use the Vimes Boots Index as the name of her new price index, meant to document the creeping prices of basic food products.Pratchett’s daughter Rhianna had this to say: “My father used his anger about inequality, classism, xenophobia, and bigotry to help power the moral core of his work. One of his most famous lightning-rods for this was Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch - a cynical, but likable, man who attempts to better himself whilst railing against the injustices around him. Some of which he’s had a hand in perpetrating in the past.
The ‘Boots’ theory has seen lots of popularity over the years. Pratchett’s estate hasactually authorizedanti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe to use the Vimes Boots Index as the name of her new price index, meant to document the creeping prices of basic food products.
Pratchett’s daughter Rhianna had this to say: “My father used his anger about inequality, classism, xenophobia, and bigotry to help power the moral core of his work. One of his most famous lightning-rods for this was Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch - a cynical, but likable, man who attempts to better himself whilst railing against the injustices around him. Some of which he’s had a hand in perpetrating in the past.
Not that it’s too expensive but costs more. But real maple syrup is leaps and bounds better tasting than the flavored corn syrup replicas.
Quality kitchen knives.Serious_Scheme_3584:This one is too true. My parents would buy a block set and although they got the job done I never realized how terrible they were until I used my buddies Miyabi Chefs knife…. Holy cow. I think it’d be more logical to buy 2 or 3 good quality knives over a block set. I just can get myself to cough up the change for the bearing knife!
Genuine Irish butter.So. Let me acknowledge upfront: I’m a boomer.Now we got that ugliness out of the way, I can tell you this heartwarming tale of falling in love with Irish butter. When I was a kid, we only had the cheapest brand of margarine at home (my parents were both children of the Depression and they were REALLY poor and grew up to be REALLY frugal).Cr*ppy margarine just kinda tasted oily and gross and I never really liked it. My best friend’s parents were “rich” so they always had actual butter, but it was just some, regular name brand butter. I tasted it but I wasn’t impressed with it either. Kinda blah to me.I spent the next 40ish years and raised a family of my own, never really eating much butter OR margarine except maybe in cooking cos I thought, meh, what’s the fuss. My wife never really made much of it either. We were just boring, no-butter people.HOWEVER, about 10 years ago, I went to Ireland with my wife (her business trip, me as a tourist) and we stayed in a nice hotel. Went to breakfast and they had all this fresh bread and mounds of this beautiful, golden stuff that I mindlessly spread on a piece of warm bread…I thought, “MY GOD! WHAT SORCERY IS THIS TASTE???“Anyway, long story just to say: spend the extra money to get imported, Irish butter. My LDL levels say “thanks,” while my tongue says, “spread it thicker, big boy! Eat it like yogurt!”.
“Vimes’ musing on how expensive it is to be poor via the cost of boots was a razor-sharp evaluation of socio-economic unfairness. And one that’s all too pertinent today, where our most vulnerable so often bear the brunt of austerity measures and are cast adrift from protection and empathy. Whilst we don’t have Vimes anymore, we do have Jack, and Dad would be proud to see his work used in such a way.”
Toilet paper. The cheap stuff just seems to rub me the wrong way.
Not really that expensive, but a good shower head. Even if you rent, swapping out the default shower head for one that will help with low pressure is a life changer. Swap it back when your moving out. When I was renting, money was tight but it is a necessary splurge.
Therapy.hiddensquirrelTO:Came here to say therapy. Good quality therapy (for me, that’s emdr). It can change your life, make you happier and more at peace, and prevent you from repeating the same patterns over and over again.For everyone who says, “I tried it and it didn’t work” or “I didn’t like it”. You need to give a few therapists a shot. Not everyone is going to be a fit.
What are the bestexpensive purchasesthat you’ve ever made, Pandas? What do you look for when you’re on the prowl for true quality?
On the other hand, what are yourbiggest regrets? What are some major red flags that you’d warn others about when it comes to subpar products and services?
A good cordless drill.
I’m gonna get a lot of pushback, but glasses. They’re a medical device you wear on your face. It’s like if you had prescription shoes: they have to be comfortable, stylish, and work properly, all while lasting a year or two. It’s worth it to get quality if you can. Bargains tend to follow the Sam Vimes boot problem, to continue to shoe comparison, though I’m glad they exist for people who couldn’t otherwise afford them, and as backups for folks who wear contacts primarily or who have big Rx changes and can’t use last year’s glasses as a backup.
Motorcycle helmet.
Quality nail clippers.
If you hike, good hiking boots. I hate spending a lot of money on shoes. I refuse to spend $100+ on any pair of shoes. So, when I started hiking I bought a pair of $35 boots. My feet were killing me on every hike. I finally broke down and bought a decent pair of boots that were definitely over $100. It killed me to do it. The difference was unreal. I probably would have stopped hiking if I had continued to wear the cheap boots.
Good Olive oil.
A good laptop. Or in some cases desktop computer.
Pet insurance (well some may think it’s too expensive).
A good wheelchair. Wheelchairs in general are expensive but having a brand new one with smooth wheels that rolls smoothly and without excessive effort is so beyond worth it and saves so much energy and accidents if you have the good fortune to get one.
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Education and insurance.
Travel.
I moved countries about 7 years ago - everything was sacrificed so my partner could be with her family.It meant I started over career wise. I put every element of my life on lockdown and focused on speed running grown up life to re establish myself.Bought a house, renovated and worked 70 hour weeks to build an emergency fund.Last year I spent 5k EUR on a new bed…..It took 4 months to come, but let me tell you. It was worth every penny.I sleep well, I have no aches or pains. I look forward to sleeping every day. I now sleep a solid 8hrs plus. So not only do I physically benefit, but I have less stress and anxiety. It changed my life after I changed my life.
High quality tools.
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Good air conditioning/filtration, Chest freezer (can save you thousands a year if you can afford to buy in quantity).
A decent divorce attorney.
Costco membership.At first it seemed silly to me to pay $60 a year to shop somewhere but between the savings on gas, groceries, travel, appliances, tires….well worth it.
An older Toyota. You see the price for the age and miles and think “no way is it worth that” but it may have 220,000 miles and go another 100k.
Nice underwear.
Cleaning lady.
Flying business for long flights.
Bidet fixed my life.
Laser hair removal.
I’m usually a cheapskate but experience has taught me that some things are worth spending money on. For example:1. Car wash vacuum cleaners. So worth it to spend $1.50 or whatever to use one rather than trying to use your own vacuum cleaner. And, they get your car cleaner much faster than dragging out your home vacuum to try to clean your car with.2. Electronics. Buy them new from brand name shops. It isn’t worth hassling to save $10 somewhere and getting something that doesn’t work or doesn’t have a reasonable return policy.3. Household help. If you can afford it get someone to come in and clean your house on a regular basis. So it stays…always clean, without you having to do anything.4. Education. Now this is a big one and far more could be written about it. Obviously not all education expense is worthwhile, so I’m not necessarily referring to a college degree or whatnot. But educating yourself - or especially, educating kids if you have them, can return dividends throughout their life.
Bosch dishwasher. The only dishwasher that cleans like the old ones did but much quieter. I get the least expensive 3rd rack version. 3rd rack is awesome.
Heated bathroom floor and Heated toilet seat.
Good headphones and a good speaker.
A good keyboard and mouse.
This one is gonna sound so mundate but pencils-ticonderoga #2 pencils or nothing. I do a job that requires a lot of writing in pencil and erasing and while I use bic mechanical pencils most of the time, having good pencils are worth it. Especially if your department insists on buying the cheapest c**p for office supplies, I buy my own stuff.
Heavy gauge jumper cables, not the cheap lightweight ones.
LASIK eye surgery. It’s very expensive up front but if you consider how much you spend on contacts and glasses it’s worth the price tag.Completely changed my life for the better.
Good furniture.Like so many things, it’s cost vs value. if you buy the cheap stuff, you’ll be uncomfortable for two years until you have to replace it because it fell apart anyway.
I might get downvoted for this, but I hope I make my point effectively - I buy art, handbags & jewelry that appreciate over time, in case I fall on hard times & need to liquidate on short notice. One art piece I sold for double what I paid for it when I lost my job once, and it covered the bills for the month. I’ve since replaced it with a much larger version, and that has appreciated significantly as well. A handbag I bought less than a year ago was a limited-edition LV and it’s selling for triple now on the secondary market - $4k to $12k. If you actually buy things with the resell value & appreciation in mind, it’s a smart investment. Plus you’re not filling up landfills with cheap s**t that falls apart after 6 months. I tell people about some of the things I’ve resold for double or triple what I paid for it, and they either get really excited for me, or they get mad and gripe about how they could never afford to do that. Luckily there’s way more of the former than the latter. I bought a big house & it’s appreciated over $150k since July 2023. And I am literally not trying to brag, I’m just trying to share my thought process & experiences. Make your spending have potential for good returns.
Youtube premium, I couldn’t go back to ads now.
Phone. I know they seem expensive af but I literally use it all day every day. It’s with me at all times. I never buy the newest latest version but still $700-$900 is totally worth it considering how much use i get out of this damn thing.
Deep tissue massages every once in a while.
$25 Socks. There is a distinct before and after on my life’s timeline when I discovered quality merino wool socks. As an added bonus, Darn Tough socks come with a lifetime warrantee.
Wool/cashmere/silk/goosedown/leather winter clothing, as well as a reliable shell. Socks underwear pants hoodies gloves you name it.No one likes to be cold in winter.Do not expect cotton or polyester (literally recycled water bottles) to keep you warm like proper, name brand gear.
Maybe a little niche, but plumbing fixtures. (This will be US/Canada specific.)The plumbing fixtures you get a a plumbing supply house or showroom (like where plumbers shop) are better quality than the ones on the shelf at big box stores (like Lowe’s and Home Depot), even if they’re the same name brand. (Like Kohler, Delta, Moen, etc.) Both supply house and big box store fixtures are better than the random c**p you find on Amazon.Supply house: More brass, heavy duty, last longer, generally use interchangeable internal parts that are cheaper/easy to find (or free with their warranty). You also have a person you can call if something goes wrong.Big box: more plastic, made to be cheaper, often have more issues, sometimes have cheaper/harder to find internal parts. If something goes wrong you’ll have to call the manufacturer.Amazon/online: much more cheaply made, may be not certified to sale in the US/Canada, meaning they may contain harmful things like lead or other prohibited heavy metals that can poison you, parts will be impossible to find when they inevitably start to leak. There is nobody to call and some plumbers won’t even install them.
A membership to a good gym, one you actually WANT to go to, the benefits of regular exercise are worth the cost.
- All-Clad - or any 3-ply - steel pots and pans. I finally convinced my husband (who does most of the cooking) we should replace our inexpensive ones when a set went on sale 5 years ago, and I can’t count the number of times he’s said, “Why did we wait so long?” They heat more slowly but hold heat better so you don’t have to turn the heat up as high, so food cooks more evenly and doesn’t burn easily.2. A Cuisinart 14-cup food processor - we use it to make fresh hummus in seconds, way cheaper than store bought and tastier. We use it to quickly prep veggies for fried rice, roasting, stews/soups, etc, and to whip up feta, garlic, and other dips and pesto. We didn’t think we’d use it as much as we have.3. KitchenAid stand mixer - we bought the Mini for space reasons. We don’t use it as often as the food processor, but it’s completely changed how we bake. Cakes, cookies, pastries, yeast doughs, custards, merengues - all turn out better than with a hand mixer. We make a Basque cake that we could never get the texture right - the first time we made it after getting the stand mixer, it came out perfectly. Attachments make fresh pasta, tomato sauce, and grinds meat for burgers, meatloaf, and sausage.ETA: I’ve only used Kitchen Aid brand, but the most important thing is the motor power and quality.What ISN’T: we bought a 4qt and a 6qt Lodge brand enameled cast iron Dutch oven, and after 15 years they’re still perfect, at 1/4 of the price of the same size Le Crueset pieces.
For me an espresso machine. I don’t go too crazy but the basic setup was around €250. My weekly coffee costs are about €1.50-2 now. I can get €.50 espressos and macchiatos in my town but the ability to make any coffee drink when I want it is worth it.
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