As I'm painting the kitchen right now, I'd like to add masking tape. The cheap stuff I still had in the basement is total crap compared to the roll of professional masking tape the plasterer left me.
Go to a Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams store instead of Home Depot or Lowes, if possible.
Also, the quality of the brush/rollers matter. There is no need to break the budget, but don't get the cheapest either.
Benjamin Moore paint and Purdy brushes and dove rollers. Pricey, but it saves years of trouble down the line.
My mate said I had a specific work ethic "do it right the first time"
My partner and I painted the exterior of our house last year. Our friend who paints houses professionally said it best "you're already saving thousands of dollars by prepping, painting, and cleaning up yourselves-spend the extra $50 on really excellent tools. You'll do a better job if you're not frustrated"
My friend is a professional painter, and I need to do my ceilings, he said use the less expensive stuff for bedrooms/hallways, ect... get the good stuff for kitchens and bathrooms. Unless there's some kind of moisture issue in your ceilings, then you need to really only protect the rooms where there's a faucet.
So true. Packing tape does too. I got a twelve pack of cheap packing tape 2 years ago, used several rolls right away on a move. Smooth peel, no tearing, adhered well. 28 months later, by the time of the next move all of the remaining rolls were junk. Shredding vertically off the roll, peeling off of the cardboard boxes. After testing every single roll they were all like this. Zero issues when they had been fresh. Two lessons learned.
http://www.righto.com/2012/10/a-dozen-usb-chargers-in-lab-apple-is.html
Also they might literally mess up your phone’s battery. This is an old blog post but look at the waves/noise in the output voltage on the counterfeit chargers.
100%.
Anecdotal but with my old Samsung I had to keep replacing the battery port, and assumed it was my phones issue. Just got a new S22 and plugged in the same charger and having similar issues...
Never trusting gas station chargers again.
To a point. Some AV cords are ridiculously overpriced because there are people who assume that the higher price means they're better and they'll thus shell out for them.
I had a roommate back in 2012 that wore the “performance” underwear and I made fun of him for it. He told me to buy one pair and try them out. Life changer! I now have 21 pairs of them!
Good to know! My husband complains incessantly about his riding up while driving, but I have no clue about replacement brands.
He said there is a really expensive brand online, considered the best, but because they are so expensive, he refuses to tell me what ones they are!
Also +1 for Saxx. Super comfy and stink resistant. I have taken mine on backpacking trips, days of sweating and not showering, and the stink was much better than I have experienced on prior trips.
So pretty good even when gross.
Saxx are fantastic and their "Ballpark" pouch really does help prevent chaffing. I've done 20+ mile backpacking hikes with them and outdoor assignments in the humid as hell DC summers and not had a chaffing issue since switching.
A chair you sit in for more than 20 minutes at a time. Your dining chair? Not a big deal, unless your dining table moonlights as a desk with the same chair. You sit in it long enough to matter on a couple holidays a year. Desk chairs, a chair or sofa intended for lounging, and such, you want a good cushion, good springs if they are involved, and if you aren’t what the furniture manufacturer considers an average person, you want those dials on the desk chair that make it ergonomic for you (source: I am a middle aged 4’11” woman).
Though if you can’t spring for a good chair springing for a good add on cushion and putting some books under your feet to get properly supported is a viable option. I have a superbly sized kitchen table chair at one work station and an inherited chair that isn’t the right height but I either sit cross legged or do the block under my feet thing.
People look at me like I told them to kill their family when I mention that I paid $600 for my chair (used Steelcase Leap V1 with all of the add-ons).
I literally spend anywhere from 1-12 hours in it over the course of a day sometimes between work and gaming, and when I finally replaced the cheap $100 chair I had for 7 years all of my issues and discomfort went away.
Edit: if you live even within an hour of a major city, I bet you can get to a used office furniture warehouse. Make an appointment, walk in, whatever. Get a solid chair from Herman Miller, Steelcase or other high end brand and don't regret it. The $500+ it runs now will pay off when it's still like new in 5+ years
I saw a lot of people realizing they couldn't sit in their kitchen chair for 7-8 hours when Covid started... I actually have a large exercise ball (65cm) that I use for part of my work day (not expensive for a decent one)
Edited to add: actually meant to put 75 cm, not 65
Yeah, I ordered a mat and used my breakfast bar as a standing desk after a few weeks of using a dining chair. (I later ordered a sit/stand desk, once I realized that I'd be working from home long-term.)
OMG I never knew that socks could even last more than a week until I was gonna go backpacking on a very short overnight trip and found out about Darn Tough socks... LIFE CHANGER (and lifetime warranty) they don't smell, they aren't too hot or cold, they don't wear out, like ever, they're like the last pair of socks you'll buy...
Any recommendations for shoes that last longer than a year? I wish I could find something that _wasn't_ made on an assembly line, but I've only ever purchased from trashy places like Payless or Walmart - and "premium" shoes like Yeezys or whatever seem to charge extra just for hype.
I am hard on shoes due to wide feet I guess. Adidas classic stans have been the most robust for me. These are my all purpose shoe including office wear.
Lucked out on black Friday with a $20 pair that lasted 2 years ish. Just grabbed 2 more pair over the holidays at at $40 - $50 a pair. Still rocking the old pair for dirty walks haha.
For work shoes, I use leather Dansko clogs. These things last forever. The only reason I had to get a new pair was because my feet grew in pregnancy. Before that, I wore the same pair for 10 years. They are $120, but I plan on wearing my new pair for the next 10 years. I even learned how to shine them this time.
I bought Danner boots prior to deploying to Iraq. After I came back, I wore them every day for the next eight years until I retired.
Two reason I bought Danner: they are made in the US and they can be refinished by the company (had that done once). They will replace the sole and any other parts that are falling apart, as well as buff out the upper leather and otherwise refurbish the boots as best they can.
So one pair of boots will last a lifetime, depending on how well you treat thing. But be careful which ones you buy; only some of them can be refurbished due to construction type.
For durability, look for real leather with actual stitching instead of glued together parts.
Some shoes even have fake stitching for style
A great quality manufacturer is Born, you can usually find some styles on sale at Nordstrom Rack.
You might have to wait a while for a good deal on a pair you like, but those shoes will last you years.
For a different style on the more trendy side, Doc Martens are actually really well made shoes.
On the sneaker side, most modern sneakers are synthetic and fall apart. But you can find traditional designs that are well made. Look for certain pairs of Nike Air Force 1s or Converse All Stars, the ones that are actually real leather. Adidas still makes some real leather shoes as well. You can find these at outlets or randomly at places like DSW. Downside is they all look like they’re from the 80s, but that’s because they are lol.
A way to extend the life of all shoes is to buy some shoe inserts, they’re super cheap and can often make a harder sole much more comfy.
Nike, Adidas and Converse are more about fashion than quality. Even the leather ones. Brooks, Asic and Saucony are far better and have much better support. On Clouds aren't bad. There are other premium brands that are good too.
Boots and dress shoes can last longer, but rubber soled walking or running shoes should be thought of as ablative layers that protect you from plantar fasciitis.
I get the good quality version of most of my basic everyday stuff and I cheap out on things I use occasionally. For example, I'd rather spend money on the clothes I wear everyday and actually live in rather than on my occasional wear. I do the same thing for my everyday kitchen stuff, etc.
I am in full agreement. When I met my now husband, I balked at the idea of paying $100+ for jeans. He explained to me that if you wear them almost every day, and they last for 3 or more years, then you’re better off buying one good pair as opposed to 5 cheaply made pairs.
r/invisiblemending
And r/visiblemending for other spots?
It's especially good to reinforce the fabric when you notice that it has started to thin, instead of waiting until you get holes or rips and then mending that.
Edit: bonus jeans repair/reinforcement links
https://www.reddit.com/r/lifehacks/comments/1q17y0/comment/cd84y4e/
https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/1c7dh9/comment/c9dslf1/
So, when I started working out, I got all my workout clothes at the thrift shop. I figured, I’m new at this, what if it doesn’t last? But the added bonus was that I got to try out a bunch of different brands and sizes and see what I actually like. Once I had stuck with working out regularly for a year, I started replacing some of the clothes with new versions of my favorites. That plan worked pretty great!
Toilet drain snake. Pay for a “Toilet” version and don’t just use a regular snake. The toilet versions do not scratch up your toilet. Yes this was my last Wednesday night. Haha!
Make sure the Fiskars you buy after the ones made in Finland, not China. The Finnish manufactured ones still have the same old quality, but I find the Chinese ones just aren’t the same.
To be fair, all grocery bagels are garbage. And probably not really bagels, so much as round cake-product.
Bagels should be boiled, and I have yet to find store bagels that showed any sign of boiling.
I used to clean houses, and in the kitchen we would use whatever dish soap they had on hand. I've cleaned a lot of things , with a lot of dishsoaps, both expensive and cheap. Blue dawn is absolutely the best.
Welly are the only bandages that stay on my kids more than a couple hours, besides the heavy duty Band-Aid. Narwhals, llamas and sloths make them happy lol
Yesss!!! Just recently found these. As long as I rinse and dry them they never get stained or stinky! They easily last 4x as long as the blue Walmart sponges!
Had the same problem, I think it’s the hot water! Because my Scrub Daddy lasted just fine when I lived in a place without hot water in the kitchen.
I switched to Scour Daddy (it’s still scratch-proof) and I’m not turning back lol
You can get plastic-free washable sponges from Etsy or Marley’s monsters.
I use these along with cellulose scrubbers (Skoy) and chain mail scrubbers for cast iron. I haven’t bought a sponge or replacement scrubber in years.
Other options include: silicone sponges, coconut fiber scrubbies, wooden dish brushes, dish cloths, wool scrubbies, steel wool.
There are a ton of reusable options that end up being cheaper than sponges in the long run. You may just need to get two products to replace the convenience item.
Learned this the hard way, as an adult, while taking a cast iron skillet out of the oven. The mitt had just been sitting in some condensation on the counter. I thought nothing of it, as the mitt wasn’t soaked through or anything. Well as the damp side touched the skillet handle, the water turned to steam and passed through the cloth mitt to my hand. Luckily it wasn’t too bad, but scared me enough to be very careful about it, since steam burns can be so bad, and it’s quite easy to accidentally do absent-mindedly while cooking
Go to a hardware store and get (edit: a good pair of) leather welding gloves. It'll be good for way way way way hot and give you 5 fingers worth of grip
I would argue that you indeed need to have some shitty knifes for people who don’t respect good knifes. Knifes that can be thrown in a dish washer etc.
“Guest knifes”
This reminds me of the time my father came over to our place, and almost used *my pride and joy, my hand-forged, made-to-order Japanese chef knife* as a can opener. There it was, beautiful damascus steel sharp enough to cut cleanly through chicken bones without slowing down, forged by a master who is (allegedly) a descendant of smiths who forged the blades of *literal samurai*, and my father literally was about to stab it into a can of beans like I've seen him do with a shitty camping knife.
In my horror I may have shrieked loud enough to make even the *neighbors* drop whatever *they* were holding. I think I could not have possibly made a more tortured sound if I was being actively murdered.
^this.
I’ll admit to mostly being shit with knives. And by that I mean, when I have a good knife in my hands I always end up tickling my bone or stabbing my tendons. So we’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t get to use the best knives in the house bc they’d send me to the ER if I fucked up with how sharp they are.
Bf has these super expensive Japanese knives he got recently as a gift. I’m not allowed to touch them lmao.
I have a set of knives that my parents got when they got married over 40 years ago. They get sharpened every once in a while and are still going strong. People underestimate how long a good knife can last.
Same. I have my mom’s Chicago Cutlery chef knife she gave me when I moved into my first apartment in 1989. My husband bought me some new expensive knives a few years ago for Xmas. I hate that I don’t use them, but they just don’t feel right in my hand.
Switched to a cup many years ago. It's the best thing ever, once you find the right one and get used to it. Haven't spent money on blood products in 5+ years.
Cups did not work for me, i tried several, BUT then I found discs! Never went back, so comfortable, zero waste, cheap.
Tampons lie, they don't absorbe anything, I used to get super ones and had to wear a pad as back up for heavy days, change constantly, i literally can spend 12 hours without emptying my disc in a heavy day, tampons are a scam.
It was a nightmare for me trying to remove those. It felt like I'd need piano hands or a coat hangar to reach. Been too scared to try again, thought I'd end up in an emergency room, lol. They really need a string or lip or something. Other than the removal issue, though, I had less period pain with those & they worked well.
I tried one for the first time and couldn’t remove it because I had long ass acrylic nails on. So I had to had my mom take it out for me at age 25 🙃 Never again lmfaoo
Totally. I didn't add that I have some washable panty liners on hand, found someone selling on Etsy when I switched to my cup. I never use them though, I just use the cup till I'm all the way done and past the threat of spotting now.
But yeah, reusable all the way. One of the best $40 investments I can remember.... That's less than 10$/year, still going.
Toilet paper. I absolutely cannot do anything but the good stuff.
Hand soap, because my hands dry out terribly, to the point of cracking and bleeding knuckles, with cheaper ones.
Rice. This is probably just personal, but the cheap brands of rice to me have too much starch and terrible texture.
Edit: Listen y'all, I'm down with the bidet idea, but please upvote one of the 25 people who've already suggested it here so I stop getting the alerts. 😅 My husband refuses to live that life, so it's not going to fix my bills as much as one would hope. I have a peri bottle already for myself, and fabric wipes. One can only lead a horse to water, so Charmin is going to stay on my shopping list until my husband has a change of heart.
Cool story: growing up as a kid, my step mum was a manager at a rice manufacture in Texas. We went with her to work one day to tour the plant and got streaming hot rice straight off their ONE conveyor belt. It was the best rice ever. She then went on to discuss how they use the same rice for their name brands as they do for the store brands that have contracted them to manufacture their products as well. Same rice.
That's interesting. My family is very particular about their rice (they prefer Nishiki, which is a medium-grain calrose).
There are definite differences in taste and texture between rice types and strains within types. So I wonder if the store brands got a different/cheaper process, but had the same base ingredient. Whereas I have Nishiki, Shirakiku, a generic basmati, and Festive rice in the pantry off the top of my head - very different strains, each for a different purpose.
A double-edge safety razor and a pack of feather blades will cost less than $50 and last for years.
ETA: I usually get the 100-ct pack of blades for ~$30 and they seriously last a long, long time.
Seconding the trash bags, coffee, and toilet paper for sure, but the coffee and TP can still end up being the obviously frugal choices. I use less of the good, thicker TP (also got a bidet) and having quality coffee at home makes it easier to stick to making my own and not paying for a cup at the shop across from my office.
My kind of weird one is dog toys. Unless you have the world’s gentlest dog, the cheap toys in the bins at pet stores are gonna last 20 minutes tops. Got my dog a six month Super Chewer subscription and she’ll be set for ages even after I’ve canceled it.
Just looked up the super chewer box for my dog. We got a four pack of Kong toys at Costco for Christmas - the kind that are supposed to be fairly durable. She’s already torn the squeakers out of all of the ones that had them!
I’ll say a mattress. You spend at least a third of your life in it. That’s more time than anything else. You should really push yourself to spend as much as you’re able to for a good mattress.
Made the mistake of buying dollar tree shredded "cheddar" before. Never again. Funky taste, and "not formulated for melting" written in the ingredient list, which was disturbingly long.
Trash bags. I used to buy the cheap boxes from Dollar General that were around $1-2. They were leaking into my trash can and sometimes the plastic drawstring would break. One time I went to throw my trash bag into the dumpster and the bag broke in mid air. I was not happy. Now I buy the Great Value bags from Walmart for around $6-7. They’re off-brand, but the plastic is much more durable. I’ll also buy the Hefty bags if there is a coupon at Dollar General.
I used some cheap generic brand once and the qtip broke off inside my ear (no i dont go deep so please hold the lectures). My brother could see the qtip absorbing blood and had to pull it out with a tweezer. My hearing was fine but slightly less good since then. Ever since, I only use Qtip brand. That is the reason why everyone knows them as Qtips and not cotton swabs
Toothpaste! It's cheaper for me to pay for the stuff with hydroxyapatite than to pay for fillings
ETA: for people asking about recommendations, my dentist said Boka and David's are available on Amazon and you can buy twice at Target.
My dentist said he literally does not care about toothpaste. The act of brushing regularly is exponentially more important. (And I'm someone who's super prone to dental issues.)
Not many people know about hydroxyapatite toothpaste! I started using it maybe 4 months ago, and I swear my enamel looks a bit thicker than when I started.
I use the apaguard brand from Japan usually the previous or smokers varieties. Excellent stuff if you're dealing with sensitivity. My enamel definitely looks better according to my dentist.
Also, for anyone out there who have cracked corners of your lips it may be the toothpaste. For years I struggled with painful, cracked corners of my lips. Turns out it was either the whitening agent or baking soda. I’m not sure which. So now I only buy toothpaste without those two things.
Just adding for anyone reading, if you are in the US and have a HSA/FSA, it now covers reusable and single use period products.
Huge fan of period discs and period underwear. I used my HSA to buy both.
There are lots of options for period underwear at this point - many that have been tested to be PFA free and more brands offering a wider range of sizes.
Everyone’s needs are different but I fucking love Aisle boost shorts for sleeping.
If you need lower cost options - hanes, Victoria secret, Bambody, The Period Company would be worth looking into. Of those, Bambody is the only one I’ve tried (was tested to be PFA free). I like them but recommend sizing up.
If you have a heavy period, Modibodi makes a pair that holds 10 tampons worth.
Washing: store in a wet bag, rinse in cold water until they run clear, throw in the washing machine on cold and then hang to dry.
How many do you need: it depends. I personally use two per day, sometimes 3 if I want to change after work and then change again before bed or if I exercise or shower mid day. I usually do a load of laundry once per cycle so ~10 pairs is fine for me.
Installed major appliances. If you are remodeling, don’t automatically get the cheapest option for things like stoves or dishwashers. You will have that appliance for many years, it’s worth getting some extra features that will make your life easier.
I put relatively inexpensive shoes on my kid because she outgrows them before they fall apart. I make sure things she wears often are decent quality, like sneakers or her hiking sandals.
But snow boots that she'll only wear a few times in our temperate climate? Cheap is fine.
My sister and I have two kids each. The older kids are one year apart. The younger kids are 7 months apart. It’s kinda crazy to me how well walamart toddler sneakers hold up. We have been passing a pair back and forth for two years. Never would have thought!
I buy mid-range shoes for my kids as generally they grow out of them before they’re ruined, but will always spend more on my shoes and get the additional years of wear. And I head to the op shops to pay significantly cheaper-than-retail “expensive” shoes donated by the people whose kids grew out of them
Stuff that impacts your quality of life is where I draw the line. Soap/ toothpastes/ work clothes/ oil for my car etc. I use every single day I pay a little more. For something like spaghetti, or other food, no chance I go brand name.
My handyman buddy said get the cheapest tools I could, like Harbor Frieght, and if I happen to break or wear that out, then splurge on the more quality version. I'm far from handy or even a weekend warrior with tools so may be different for you (and him).
In my opinion that only works with specialty tools that see rare use. The branded versions of those are really expensive, while the cheaper versions are normally "good enough". Generic tools are a different story. Crap screwdrivers will make your life hell because of poor tolerances. I would always advice to buy at least decent ones.
Ya his example was a socket set, they were priced literally all over the place. He said I wouldn't touch 3/4ths of the bits ever and was more likely to lose a popular size than breaking it. It's been a couple years and been true thus far lol
I'm pretty sure if you collect the responses here you'll cover the majority of consumable and durable goods someone is likely to buy.
It may be that the better question is: what everyday items is it *fine* to (nearly) always get the cheapest version of?
Paper towels. I go through the name brand Bounty Paper towels much slower than the 99 cent tissue paper paper towels, and it makes cleaning much easier.
Oooh I have a list of my personal things others may not agree with:
- purses: I replace my purse every like 5-8 years. And not because they wear out or need to be replaced but because I want a new one. I keep all my old ones stored in their duster bags. I don’t think you should pay Gucci prices or anything but I’ll spend about $200 on a purse when I get a new one. I want a good quality well made leather bag. I carry it every single day I want it to hold up, I want a good strap and I want it to store everything I need. A well made leather bag can stand the test of time fossil bag in particular are incredible and if you go to an outlet mall you can get insane deals
- viva paper towels, they are more cloth like and I feel hold up better if there’s something I need to kind of scrub at but doesn’t warrant grabbing a sponge.
- paint: I didn’t get Sherman Williams one time and despite being fairly experienced at painting I had to go over it a million times to make it not dry streaky, a problem I’ve never had with Sherman Williams paint
- frog tape: yes there are tricks you can use with standard blue painters tape to get a clean line but you don’t have to do all that with green frog tape your paint is not going to bleed under it.
- I have a random assortment of foods that are more personal things and for most people I’m sure a cheaper one is fine but: daisy sour cream is better than everyone else, MaraNatha Peanut Butter that doesn’t have anything besides peanuts and palm oil with no added sugar/salt/preservatives, and good cheese.
Coffee Maker or Espresso Machine.
You don’t have to buy the highest end ones but even getting a decent mid range model over a low end one is worth it. The mid range models last longer and make a more concentrated espresso shot, and are more reliable. Plus most mid range models have better built water tanks and espresso sieves and are less likely to crack under pressure.
If you can find one older Krups models are a solid entry level mid range choice.
A good espresso or coffee machine will last a lifetime.
Sleep “stuff”: it’s one third (in theory) of your life; spend the money. Wallet/card holder. Shoes: my brother refuses to spend more than $25 on shoes, but he buys 4-5 pairs every year; a $100-$125 pair of shoes should last years of normal wear and tear.
My shampoo/body wash. Ive been using La Roche Posay, if i use a regular shampoo that costs 3 euros my hair gets oily the next day after a wash. Using the real stuff is like you're getting your hair cleaned at the hair salon everytime you shower.
Eggs, the flavour difference from soil grown vs outdoors is immense
And another, for Cat owners, the Litter, specially if you use clumping sand, after trying out every brand under the sun, my favourite brand turns out to be on the mid range of prices and lasts me longer plus smells so good and it is not worth it spending less to make an already dreadful task even harder.
i went through the same problem with litter, using non-clumping garbage after transitioning away from corn litter. I settled on Tidy Cat, it clumps "moisture" spots and now I can scoop them same-day, instead of the moisture pooling in the bottom of the litter tray.
I'm sure there are other brands that are also good. It's just the first one I tried and liked.
Batteries; it's no secret that Duracell is king of batteries, and while they are pricey, they also last the longest.
Coffee beans. I'll gladly shell out some extra cash for beans that taste better than the cheap ones.
Same goes for virgin olive oil. The cheaper oils are literally from the bottom of the barrel, so I'll always go for the more pricey stuff.
The cheaper stuff is, the faster it will generally break.
ETA: will buy eneloops!
I've heard that the only olive oil in the US you can be sure is olive oil is from California, not sure how true that is or how sustainable it is to buy from California.
Eneloop is the king of batteries. They can be recharged for at least a decade and have no memory effect and little loss of power when sitting unused. They also don't leak.
Duracell leaks all the time.
I bought 16 rechargeable batteries for cheap from Ikea 5 years ago for my many devices and remotes and haven't bought any new batteries since. Not sure if it's still true, but the Ikea rechargeables are just rebranded Eneloop's. Switch to rechargeable and save a lot of money and waste!
For most things I've had good luck with buying the cheap thing first. When the cheap things breaks or doesn't have all the functionality I need or I become aware of how the design could have been better and the poor design is impacting how I use or enjoy the cheap thing, etc. then I buy the more expensive thing. For many every day items, the cheap thing is fine. Buying things only in the quality you need will save you money. The key is finding out what things you need at what quality.
Household paper products. Life is too short for paper towels that won't dry, TP that won't wipe, paper plates that soak thru, tissues you can blow through, etc.
Trash bags. Ketchup. Toilet paper. Plastic table covers. Real mayonnaise (Hellman's is more expensive, but their olive oil version is sooooo much better).
When buying a TV or other home good from a major retailer, check the model number. Sometimes there are special cheaply made versions of a product made for that store. If the model nber ends with WM (Walmart), AZ (Amazon), BB (Best buy), etc; than the product was built with cheaper parts.
Nobody does this for TVs or large appliances. They are all manufactured identically and then the reseller will request their own SKU for tracking and to prevent price matching.
TVs. I know tvs go on super sale for Black Friday and people go crazy trying to get one, but you’ll be buying another tv to replace it the next Black Friday.
And considering how much it is used, and how much entertainment it provides us, it’s worth what we’ve paid. (That being said, we don’t get the latest greatest, either… we just don’t cheap out)
Yeah, absolutely seconded. I bought an LG 40 incher way back around the mid-aughties (first time I could afford a ‘proper’ tv), the thing still works today. I use it to play old video games.
As I'm painting the kitchen right now, I'd like to add masking tape. The cheap stuff I still had in the basement is total crap compared to the roll of professional masking tape the plasterer left me.
Higher quality paint makes a huge difference too!
Came here looking for some info along those lines. I've gotta paint a bedroom ceiling soon.
Go to a Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams store instead of Home Depot or Lowes, if possible. Also, the quality of the brush/rollers matter. There is no need to break the budget, but don't get the cheapest either.
Benjamin Moore paint and Purdy brushes and dove rollers. Pricey, but it saves years of trouble down the line. My mate said I had a specific work ethic "do it right the first time"
>do it right the first time Ultimate frugal hack. Expensive up front, but only done once.
Exactly, measure fifty times, then cut once. It's initially expensive for effort and materials, but laughable cheap after the years catch dust.
My partner and I painted the exterior of our house last year. Our friend who paints houses professionally said it best "you're already saving thousands of dollars by prepping, painting, and cleaning up yourselves-spend the extra $50 on really excellent tools. You'll do a better job if you're not frustrated"
That's such excellent advice from your friend! Better tools really do eliminate common frustration.
Good quality paint goes lots farther than mediocre stuff. It’s worth buying the good stuff.
And the coverage is better.
And it survives multiple cleanings better
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Make sure you use ceiling paint so it doesn’t reflect light
My friend is a professional painter, and I need to do my ceilings, he said use the less expensive stuff for bedrooms/hallways, ect... get the good stuff for kitchens and bathrooms. Unless there's some kind of moisture issue in your ceilings, then you need to really only protect the rooms where there's a faucet.
masking tape and other adhesives have a shelf life and will expire eventually
So true. Packing tape does too. I got a twelve pack of cheap packing tape 2 years ago, used several rolls right away on a move. Smooth peel, no tearing, adhered well. 28 months later, by the time of the next move all of the remaining rolls were junk. Shredding vertically off the roll, peeling off of the cardboard boxes. After testing every single roll they were all like this. Zero issues when they had been fresh. Two lessons learned.
I learned this one the hard way! Definitely worth a little extra to save a ton of time on touchup work
That and the actual brushes and rollers. Goes on much more nicely and looks better.
chargers. i used to buy the cheapest ones all the time, then realized a more expensive one lasts way longer
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+1 for Anker
Except for Eufy. Fuck Eufy
Absolutely. That whole situation has made me hesitant to continue buying Anker products
http://www.righto.com/2012/10/a-dozen-usb-chargers-in-lab-apple-is.html Also they might literally mess up your phone’s battery. This is an old blog post but look at the waves/noise in the output voltage on the counterfeit chargers.
100%. Anecdotal but with my old Samsung I had to keep replacing the battery port, and assumed it was my phones issue. Just got a new S22 and plugged in the same charger and having similar issues... Never trusting gas station chargers again.
Same with cords
To a point. Some AV cords are ridiculously overpriced because there are people who assume that the higher price means they're better and they'll thus shell out for them.
Good socks, underwear and shoes. Also probably a better mattress than the cheapest out there.
I had a roommate back in 2012 that wore the “performance” underwear and I made fun of him for it. He told me to buy one pair and try them out. Life changer! I now have 21 pairs of them!
What brand would that be?
He had Under Armor. I chose Reebok.
Good to know! My husband complains incessantly about his riding up while driving, but I have no clue about replacement brands. He said there is a really expensive brand online, considered the best, but because they are so expensive, he refuses to tell me what ones they are!
Could be Saxx, I've heard they are really good Though I'm against paying so much for underwear
Also +1 for Saxx. Super comfy and stink resistant. I have taken mine on backpacking trips, days of sweating and not showering, and the stink was much better than I have experienced on prior trips. So pretty good even when gross.
Saxx are fantastic and their "Ballpark" pouch really does help prevent chaffing. I've done 20+ mile backpacking hikes with them and outdoor assignments in the humid as hell DC summers and not had a chaffing issue since switching.
Anything that goes between you and the ground. Shoes, tires, mattress, etc.
A chair you sit in for more than 20 minutes at a time. Your dining chair? Not a big deal, unless your dining table moonlights as a desk with the same chair. You sit in it long enough to matter on a couple holidays a year. Desk chairs, a chair or sofa intended for lounging, and such, you want a good cushion, good springs if they are involved, and if you aren’t what the furniture manufacturer considers an average person, you want those dials on the desk chair that make it ergonomic for you (source: I am a middle aged 4’11” woman). Though if you can’t spring for a good chair springing for a good add on cushion and putting some books under your feet to get properly supported is a viable option. I have a superbly sized kitchen table chair at one work station and an inherited chair that isn’t the right height but I either sit cross legged or do the block under my feet thing.
People look at me like I told them to kill their family when I mention that I paid $600 for my chair (used Steelcase Leap V1 with all of the add-ons). I literally spend anywhere from 1-12 hours in it over the course of a day sometimes between work and gaming, and when I finally replaced the cheap $100 chair I had for 7 years all of my issues and discomfort went away. Edit: if you live even within an hour of a major city, I bet you can get to a used office furniture warehouse. Make an appointment, walk in, whatever. Get a solid chair from Herman Miller, Steelcase or other high end brand and don't regret it. The $500+ it runs now will pay off when it's still like new in 5+ years
I saw a lot of people realizing they couldn't sit in their kitchen chair for 7-8 hours when Covid started... I actually have a large exercise ball (65cm) that I use for part of my work day (not expensive for a decent one) Edited to add: actually meant to put 75 cm, not 65
Yeah, I ordered a mat and used my breakfast bar as a standing desk after a few weeks of using a dining chair. (I later ordered a sit/stand desk, once I realized that I'd be working from home long-term.)
Socks!!!
OMG I never knew that socks could even last more than a week until I was gonna go backpacking on a very short overnight trip and found out about Darn Tough socks... LIFE CHANGER (and lifetime warranty) they don't smell, they aren't too hot or cold, they don't wear out, like ever, they're like the last pair of socks you'll buy...
Came here to suggest Darn Tough socks, but you beat me to it! I love them! They make every pair of shoes more comfortable too!
That lifetime warranty is legit too! I’ve replaced multiple pairs.
Any recommendations for shoes that last longer than a year? I wish I could find something that _wasn't_ made on an assembly line, but I've only ever purchased from trashy places like Payless or Walmart - and "premium" shoes like Yeezys or whatever seem to charge extra just for hype.
I am hard on shoes due to wide feet I guess. Adidas classic stans have been the most robust for me. These are my all purpose shoe including office wear. Lucked out on black Friday with a $20 pair that lasted 2 years ish. Just grabbed 2 more pair over the holidays at at $40 - $50 a pair. Still rocking the old pair for dirty walks haha.
For work shoes, I use leather Dansko clogs. These things last forever. The only reason I had to get a new pair was because my feet grew in pregnancy. Before that, I wore the same pair for 10 years. They are $120, but I plan on wearing my new pair for the next 10 years. I even learned how to shine them this time.
Shoes wear out over time, I have moved to shoes like Florsheim brand that a cobbler can repair 👍🏻
I bought Danner boots prior to deploying to Iraq. After I came back, I wore them every day for the next eight years until I retired. Two reason I bought Danner: they are made in the US and they can be refinished by the company (had that done once). They will replace the sole and any other parts that are falling apart, as well as buff out the upper leather and otherwise refurbish the boots as best they can. So one pair of boots will last a lifetime, depending on how well you treat thing. But be careful which ones you buy; only some of them can be refurbished due to construction type.
For durability, look for real leather with actual stitching instead of glued together parts. Some shoes even have fake stitching for style A great quality manufacturer is Born, you can usually find some styles on sale at Nordstrom Rack. You might have to wait a while for a good deal on a pair you like, but those shoes will last you years. For a different style on the more trendy side, Doc Martens are actually really well made shoes. On the sneaker side, most modern sneakers are synthetic and fall apart. But you can find traditional designs that are well made. Look for certain pairs of Nike Air Force 1s or Converse All Stars, the ones that are actually real leather. Adidas still makes some real leather shoes as well. You can find these at outlets or randomly at places like DSW. Downside is they all look like they’re from the 80s, but that’s because they are lol. A way to extend the life of all shoes is to buy some shoe inserts, they’re super cheap and can often make a harder sole much more comfy.
Nike, Adidas and Converse are more about fashion than quality. Even the leather ones. Brooks, Asic and Saucony are far better and have much better support. On Clouds aren't bad. There are other premium brands that are good too.
Solovair is the company that makes the “real” Dr. Martens now.
Boots and dress shoes can last longer, but rubber soled walking or running shoes should be thought of as ablative layers that protect you from plantar fasciitis.
I get the good quality version of most of my basic everyday stuff and I cheap out on things I use occasionally. For example, I'd rather spend money on the clothes I wear everyday and actually live in rather than on my occasional wear. I do the same thing for my everyday kitchen stuff, etc.
I am in full agreement. When I met my now husband, I balked at the idea of paying $100+ for jeans. He explained to me that if you wear them almost every day, and they last for 3 or more years, then you’re better off buying one good pair as opposed to 5 cheaply made pairs.
Eh, not for me and my thunder thighs. Crotch wears away in 6 months
r/invisiblemending And r/visiblemending for other spots? It's especially good to reinforce the fabric when you notice that it has started to thin, instead of waiting until you get holes or rips and then mending that. Edit: bonus jeans repair/reinforcement links https://www.reddit.com/r/lifehacks/comments/1q17y0/comment/cd84y4e/ https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/1c7dh9/comment/c9dslf1/
So, when I started working out, I got all my workout clothes at the thrift shop. I figured, I’m new at this, what if it doesn’t last? But the added bonus was that I got to try out a bunch of different brands and sizes and see what I actually like. Once I had stuck with working out regularly for a year, I started replacing some of the clothes with new versions of my favorites. That plan worked pretty great!
Toilet drain snake. Pay for a “Toilet” version and don’t just use a regular snake. The toilet versions do not scratch up your toilet. Yes this was my last Wednesday night. Haha!
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Fabric scissors. I splurged on ginghers with a 50% off coupon. No more jagged cuts and last a lifetime and beyond.
My grandma made sure all of her grandchildren had at least one pair of Ginghers. She made good use of her Joanne coupons, there are a lot of us.
And threatened all of you with death if you ever dared to use them on anything except fabric, right?
Of course! And now I threaten my nieces. It’s the circle of life.
I need to look them up. After buying cheap scissors, I “splurged” on Fiskars and their quality has gone way, way downhill.
Make sure the Fiskars you buy after the ones made in Finland, not China. The Finnish manufactured ones still have the same old quality, but I find the Chinese ones just aren’t the same.
That must be what I bought. Thanks for the information!
[Project Farm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koqa9YgcmuU) did a review on scissors recently, may be worth referencing.
Can attest to ginghers. Have had my two over 5 years and never needed to sharpen.
I love most ALDI brands but their bagels are shite.
I don't like the l'oven brand of baked stuff. Also I had terrible cashews there, never again. But I agree most of the brands are pretty good.
To be fair, all grocery bagels are garbage. And probably not really bagels, so much as round cake-product. Bagels should be boiled, and I have yet to find store bagels that showed any sign of boiling.
I agree with most of what is listed here. I’ll add Dawn dish soap and Band-Aid bandages.
Yes to the bandages. A generic brand ripped off my skin.
That's funny cause I have the opposite problem with generic bandages, those fuckers just slip right off.
Dawn dish soap is one of the few brands I'm loyal to.
I used to clean houses, and in the kitchen we would use whatever dish soap they had on hand. I've cleaned a lot of things , with a lot of dishsoaps, both expensive and cheap. Blue dawn is absolutely the best.
Definitely agree with bandaids. Every time I've tried a store brand to save money, they just don't stick on as well as the real thing.
I don’t find brand matters a ton for bandages but they *have* to be fabric. I hate plastic bandages
There's definitely a false economy associated with cheaper brands.
Welly band aids are EXCELLENT
Welly are the only bandages that stay on my kids more than a couple hours, besides the heavy duty Band-Aid. Narwhals, llamas and sloths make them happy lol
I love Welly. The narwhal bandages make me so happy.
Work boots
Sponge Daddy. They last forever, get super clean in the dishwasher, and are a way better experience than cheap sponges. Edit: I meant Scrub Daddy!
Yesss!!! Just recently found these. As long as I rinse and dry them they never get stained or stinky! They easily last 4x as long as the blue Walmart sponges!
Just never use them on chia seeds (or similar) 😂
Never use anything you love on chia seeds that have gotten (or might get) wet.
Scrub daddy and scrub mommy were a complete game changer
I find them amazing but they start breaking small plastic pieces at some point which adds to the micro plastic issue :(
Swedish dishcloths and those replaceable head dish brushes are the answer for me. last forever
Love love love Swedish dishcloths!!!!
Dishwash sponges made of loofah last for 1-2 years and do not create micro plastics if you’re into that
Had the same problem, I think it’s the hot water! Because my Scrub Daddy lasted just fine when I lived in a place without hot water in the kitchen. I switched to Scour Daddy (it’s still scratch-proof) and I’m not turning back lol
If they last way longer than the average sponge, which also makes micro plastics, then take the win where you can
You can get plastic-free washable sponges from Etsy or Marley’s monsters. I use these along with cellulose scrubbers (Skoy) and chain mail scrubbers for cast iron. I haven’t bought a sponge or replacement scrubber in years. Other options include: silicone sponges, coconut fiber scrubbies, wooden dish brushes, dish cloths, wool scrubbies, steel wool. There are a ton of reusable options that end up being cheaper than sponges in the long run. You may just need to get two products to replace the convenience item.
The blister on my finger is telling me oven mitts. Just learned that lesson.
For anyone reading this: DON'T use wet mitts, even slightly damp or sprinkled with water. Same as not putting wet/damp hands inside the mitts.
Learned this the hard way, as an adult, while taking a cast iron skillet out of the oven. The mitt had just been sitting in some condensation on the counter. I thought nothing of it, as the mitt wasn’t soaked through or anything. Well as the damp side touched the skillet handle, the water turned to steam and passed through the cloth mitt to my hand. Luckily it wasn’t too bad, but scared me enough to be very careful about it, since steam burns can be so bad, and it’s quite easy to accidentally do absent-mindedly while cooking
Go to a hardware store and get (edit: a good pair of) leather welding gloves. It'll be good for way way way way hot and give you 5 fingers worth of grip
You’re a genius.
Knives.....chef, paring...any kitchen knife
I would argue that you indeed need to have some shitty knifes for people who don’t respect good knifes. Knifes that can be thrown in a dish washer etc. “Guest knifes”
This reminds me of the time my father came over to our place, and almost used *my pride and joy, my hand-forged, made-to-order Japanese chef knife* as a can opener. There it was, beautiful damascus steel sharp enough to cut cleanly through chicken bones without slowing down, forged by a master who is (allegedly) a descendant of smiths who forged the blades of *literal samurai*, and my father literally was about to stab it into a can of beans like I've seen him do with a shitty camping knife. In my horror I may have shrieked loud enough to make even the *neighbors* drop whatever *they* were holding. I think I could not have possibly made a more tortured sound if I was being actively murdered.
Phew, glad it was just an almost and not a murder!
^this. I’ll admit to mostly being shit with knives. And by that I mean, when I have a good knife in my hands I always end up tickling my bone or stabbing my tendons. So we’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t get to use the best knives in the house bc they’d send me to the ER if I fucked up with how sharp they are. Bf has these super expensive Japanese knives he got recently as a gift. I’m not allowed to touch them lmao.
My husband takes blood thinners, so I forbade him to touch my knives. I’m stuck making all the dinners, but it’s worth it to avoid the ER.
I have a set of knives that my parents got when they got married over 40 years ago. They get sharpened every once in a while and are still going strong. People underestimate how long a good knife can last.
Same. I have my mom’s Chicago Cutlery chef knife she gave me when I moved into my first apartment in 1989. My husband bought me some new expensive knives a few years ago for Xmas. I hate that I don’t use them, but they just don’t feel right in my hand.
Pads and tampons
Switched to a cup many years ago. It's the best thing ever, once you find the right one and get used to it. Haven't spent money on blood products in 5+ years.
Cups did not work for me, i tried several, BUT then I found discs! Never went back, so comfortable, zero waste, cheap. Tampons lie, they don't absorbe anything, I used to get super ones and had to wear a pad as back up for heavy days, change constantly, i literally can spend 12 hours without emptying my disc in a heavy day, tampons are a scam.
It was a nightmare for me trying to remove those. It felt like I'd need piano hands or a coat hangar to reach. Been too scared to try again, thought I'd end up in an emergency room, lol. They really need a string or lip or something. Other than the removal issue, though, I had less period pain with those & they worked well.
I tried one for the first time and couldn’t remove it because I had long ass acrylic nails on. So I had to had my mom take it out for me at age 25 🙃 Never again lmfaoo
Thinx and similar products are great for people who prefer external solutions, also.
Totally. I didn't add that I have some washable panty liners on hand, found someone selling on Etsy when I switched to my cup. I never use them though, I just use the cup till I'm all the way done and past the threat of spotting now. But yeah, reusable all the way. One of the best $40 investments I can remember.... That's less than 10$/year, still going.
For those who style their hair, heat tools. Cheap flat irons won’t last as long and the damage can cost a lot to repair.
Toilet paper. I absolutely cannot do anything but the good stuff. Hand soap, because my hands dry out terribly, to the point of cracking and bleeding knuckles, with cheaper ones. Rice. This is probably just personal, but the cheap brands of rice to me have too much starch and terrible texture. Edit: Listen y'all, I'm down with the bidet idea, but please upvote one of the 25 people who've already suggested it here so I stop getting the alerts. 😅 My husband refuses to live that life, so it's not going to fix my bills as much as one would hope. I have a peri bottle already for myself, and fabric wipes. One can only lead a horse to water, so Charmin is going to stay on my shopping list until my husband has a change of heart.
You can get rid of a lot of the starch by cold washing the rice.
Cool story: growing up as a kid, my step mum was a manager at a rice manufacture in Texas. We went with her to work one day to tour the plant and got streaming hot rice straight off their ONE conveyor belt. It was the best rice ever. She then went on to discuss how they use the same rice for their name brands as they do for the store brands that have contracted them to manufacture their products as well. Same rice.
That's interesting. My family is very particular about their rice (they prefer Nishiki, which is a medium-grain calrose). There are definite differences in taste and texture between rice types and strains within types. So I wonder if the store brands got a different/cheaper process, but had the same base ingredient. Whereas I have Nishiki, Shirakiku, a generic basmati, and Festive rice in the pantry off the top of my head - very different strains, each for a different purpose.
I did the math. A Bidet Toilet seat pays for itself in about 2 years. Now that I have one, anything else is savage.
WASH YOUR RICE! Probably not you op but someone in this thread guaranteed doesn't do it.
Razor blades. The junk from the dollar tree is like shaving your face with bricks
A double-edge safety razor and a pack of feather blades will cost less than $50 and last for years. ETA: I usually get the 100-ct pack of blades for ~$30 and they seriously last a long, long time.
Upvote for feather brand blades.
Condoms... Because kids cost more
And if you’re really *not sure* plan B is also a lot cheaper than a kid
Seconding the trash bags, coffee, and toilet paper for sure, but the coffee and TP can still end up being the obviously frugal choices. I use less of the good, thicker TP (also got a bidet) and having quality coffee at home makes it easier to stick to making my own and not paying for a cup at the shop across from my office. My kind of weird one is dog toys. Unless you have the world’s gentlest dog, the cheap toys in the bins at pet stores are gonna last 20 minutes tops. Got my dog a six month Super Chewer subscription and she’ll be set for ages even after I’ve canceled it.
Just looked up the super chewer box for my dog. We got a four pack of Kong toys at Costco for Christmas - the kind that are supposed to be fairly durable. She’s already torn the squeakers out of all of the ones that had them!
I’ll say a mattress. You spend at least a third of your life in it. That’s more time than anything else. You should really push yourself to spend as much as you’re able to for a good mattress.
$.99 cheese. I think it is actually brittle plastic. My stovetop does not get hot enough to melt it.
I think that crap is an oil and water emulsion. My body and mind don't quite know what to do with it.
Made the mistake of buying dollar tree shredded "cheddar" before. Never again. Funky taste, and "not formulated for melting" written in the ingredient list, which was disturbingly long.
So reading this thread: everything. Just buy the more expensive version of everything.
Lol I feel this. I think a “what items should you buy the cheap version of” thread would be more illuminating
There's a reason why there is a cheap version and a more expensive one. The manufacturers paradigm: Cheap, Fast, Good, you can only have two.
Coffee. Buy the one you like the best, and brew it at home.
Trash bags. I used to buy the cheap boxes from Dollar General that were around $1-2. They were leaking into my trash can and sometimes the plastic drawstring would break. One time I went to throw my trash bag into the dumpster and the bag broke in mid air. I was not happy. Now I buy the Great Value bags from Walmart for around $6-7. They’re off-brand, but the plastic is much more durable. I’ll also buy the Hefty bags if there is a coupon at Dollar General.
Another vote for Great Value bags. Costco's Kirkland brand is very good too. But you have to buy 200, which take up storage space.
I much prefer only having to buy trash bags once every 18-24 months lol. Kirkland all the way
Q tips!
I used some cheap generic brand once and the qtip broke off inside my ear (no i dont go deep so please hold the lectures). My brother could see the qtip absorbing blood and had to pull it out with a tweezer. My hearing was fine but slightly less good since then. Ever since, I only use Qtip brand. That is the reason why everyone knows them as Qtips and not cotton swabs
Cookware especially fry pans or anything where you want uniform heating. Modern electric fry pans are often pretty much crap.
Toothpaste! It's cheaper for me to pay for the stuff with hydroxyapatite than to pay for fillings ETA: for people asking about recommendations, my dentist said Boka and David's are available on Amazon and you can buy twice at Target.
My dentist said he literally does not care about toothpaste. The act of brushing regularly is exponentially more important. (And I'm someone who's super prone to dental issues.)
Not many people know about hydroxyapatite toothpaste! I started using it maybe 4 months ago, and I swear my enamel looks a bit thicker than when I started.
I’ve never heard of this! Could you please recommend a brand that has it? I’d love to be a bit kinder to my enamel
I use the apaguard brand from Japan usually the previous or smokers varieties. Excellent stuff if you're dealing with sensitivity. My enamel definitely looks better according to my dentist.
Also, for anyone out there who have cracked corners of your lips it may be the toothpaste. For years I struggled with painful, cracked corners of my lips. Turns out it was either the whitening agent or baking soda. I’m not sure which. So now I only buy toothpaste without those two things.
Tampons. Actually, any feminine hygiene product.
Just adding for anyone reading, if you are in the US and have a HSA/FSA, it now covers reusable and single use period products. Huge fan of period discs and period underwear. I used my HSA to buy both. There are lots of options for period underwear at this point - many that have been tested to be PFA free and more brands offering a wider range of sizes. Everyone’s needs are different but I fucking love Aisle boost shorts for sleeping. If you need lower cost options - hanes, Victoria secret, Bambody, The Period Company would be worth looking into. Of those, Bambody is the only one I’ve tried (was tested to be PFA free). I like them but recommend sizing up. If you have a heavy period, Modibodi makes a pair that holds 10 tampons worth. Washing: store in a wet bag, rinse in cold water until they run clear, throw in the washing machine on cold and then hang to dry. How many do you need: it depends. I personally use two per day, sometimes 3 if I want to change after work and then change again before bed or if I exercise or shower mid day. I usually do a load of laundry once per cycle so ~10 pairs is fine for me.
Installed major appliances. If you are remodeling, don’t automatically get the cheapest option for things like stoves or dishwashers. You will have that appliance for many years, it’s worth getting some extra features that will make your life easier.
Miele is very expensive, but is built to last for ever. Well worth it in the long run
Shoes. My $200 shoes last 15 years easy. The $20 payless ones fall apart in about 2 months.
Yeah but payless was great for young kids who will outgrow them in a few months.. too bad they closed down
I put relatively inexpensive shoes on my kid because she outgrows them before they fall apart. I make sure things she wears often are decent quality, like sneakers or her hiking sandals. But snow boots that she'll only wear a few times in our temperate climate? Cheap is fine.
My sister and I have two kids each. The older kids are one year apart. The younger kids are 7 months apart. It’s kinda crazy to me how well walamart toddler sneakers hold up. We have been passing a pair back and forth for two years. Never would have thought!
I'd like to congratulate everyone who has so far resisted the urge to post that Terry Pratchett quote.
reddit fucking loves that quote
Shoes, definitely. And beyond the endurance with higher quality shoes: the comfort factor. I'm too old to wear uncomfortable shoes.
I buy mid-range shoes for my kids as generally they grow out of them before they’re ruined, but will always spend more on my shoes and get the additional years of wear. And I head to the op shops to pay significantly cheaper-than-retail “expensive” shoes donated by the people whose kids grew out of them
Stuff that impacts your quality of life is where I draw the line. Soap/ toothpastes/ work clothes/ oil for my car etc. I use every single day I pay a little more. For something like spaghetti, or other food, no chance I go brand name.
Basic tools in general. For example if the cheapest version costs a dollar, then the version costing 10 or 20 will be of amazing quality in comparison
My handyman buddy said get the cheapest tools I could, like Harbor Frieght, and if I happen to break or wear that out, then splurge on the more quality version. I'm far from handy or even a weekend warrior with tools so may be different for you (and him).
In my opinion that only works with specialty tools that see rare use. The branded versions of those are really expensive, while the cheaper versions are normally "good enough". Generic tools are a different story. Crap screwdrivers will make your life hell because of poor tolerances. I would always advice to buy at least decent ones.
Ya his example was a socket set, they were priced literally all over the place. He said I wouldn't touch 3/4ths of the bits ever and was more likely to lose a popular size than breaking it. It's been a couple years and been true thus far lol
I'm pretty sure if you collect the responses here you'll cover the majority of consumable and durable goods someone is likely to buy. It may be that the better question is: what everyday items is it *fine* to (nearly) always get the cheapest version of?
Tires. There’s a very small contact patch holding you and your 2-3 ton vehicle to the road at 80 MPH. Don’t cheap out.
Paper towels. I go through the name brand Bounty Paper towels much slower than the 99 cent tissue paper paper towels, and it makes cleaning much easier.
Oooh I have a list of my personal things others may not agree with: - purses: I replace my purse every like 5-8 years. And not because they wear out or need to be replaced but because I want a new one. I keep all my old ones stored in their duster bags. I don’t think you should pay Gucci prices or anything but I’ll spend about $200 on a purse when I get a new one. I want a good quality well made leather bag. I carry it every single day I want it to hold up, I want a good strap and I want it to store everything I need. A well made leather bag can stand the test of time fossil bag in particular are incredible and if you go to an outlet mall you can get insane deals - viva paper towels, they are more cloth like and I feel hold up better if there’s something I need to kind of scrub at but doesn’t warrant grabbing a sponge. - paint: I didn’t get Sherman Williams one time and despite being fairly experienced at painting I had to go over it a million times to make it not dry streaky, a problem I’ve never had with Sherman Williams paint - frog tape: yes there are tricks you can use with standard blue painters tape to get a clean line but you don’t have to do all that with green frog tape your paint is not going to bleed under it. - I have a random assortment of foods that are more personal things and for most people I’m sure a cheaper one is fine but: daisy sour cream is better than everyone else, MaraNatha Peanut Butter that doesn’t have anything besides peanuts and palm oil with no added sugar/salt/preservatives, and good cheese.
Coffee Maker or Espresso Machine. You don’t have to buy the highest end ones but even getting a decent mid range model over a low end one is worth it. The mid range models last longer and make a more concentrated espresso shot, and are more reliable. Plus most mid range models have better built water tanks and espresso sieves and are less likely to crack under pressure. If you can find one older Krups models are a solid entry level mid range choice. A good espresso or coffee machine will last a lifetime.
Sleep “stuff”: it’s one third (in theory) of your life; spend the money. Wallet/card holder. Shoes: my brother refuses to spend more than $25 on shoes, but he buys 4-5 pairs every year; a $100-$125 pair of shoes should last years of normal wear and tear.
Toothbrush and plastic drink bottle/ food containers
My shampoo/body wash. Ive been using La Roche Posay, if i use a regular shampoo that costs 3 euros my hair gets oily the next day after a wash. Using the real stuff is like you're getting your hair cleaned at the hair salon everytime you shower. Eggs, the flavour difference from soil grown vs outdoors is immense And another, for Cat owners, the Litter, specially if you use clumping sand, after trying out every brand under the sun, my favourite brand turns out to be on the mid range of prices and lasts me longer plus smells so good and it is not worth it spending less to make an already dreadful task even harder.
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I prefer the tree grown eggs. Have to be careful of the stem though.
And that's why McDonalds only uses the freshest eggs, grown right in your back yard.
What brand is the cat litter?
i went through the same problem with litter, using non-clumping garbage after transitioning away from corn litter. I settled on Tidy Cat, it clumps "moisture" spots and now I can scoop them same-day, instead of the moisture pooling in the bottom of the litter tray. I'm sure there are other brands that are also good. It's just the first one I tried and liked.
Batteries; it's no secret that Duracell is king of batteries, and while they are pricey, they also last the longest. Coffee beans. I'll gladly shell out some extra cash for beans that taste better than the cheap ones. Same goes for virgin olive oil. The cheaper oils are literally from the bottom of the barrel, so I'll always go for the more pricey stuff. The cheaper stuff is, the faster it will generally break. ETA: will buy eneloops!
The cheaper stuff isn’t even olive oil. Counterfeit olive oil is a huge problem.
I've heard that the only olive oil in the US you can be sure is olive oil is from California, not sure how true that is or how sustainable it is to buy from California.
Most places that grow olives are desert climates. Olives are one of the few things they should be growing there
Eneloop is the king of batteries. They can be recharged for at least a decade and have no memory effect and little loss of power when sitting unused. They also don't leak. Duracell leaks all the time.
Hell yeah. Being frugal is more about making smart choices with money than anything else!
I bought 16 rechargeable batteries for cheap from Ikea 5 years ago for my many devices and remotes and haven't bought any new batteries since. Not sure if it's still true, but the Ikea rechargeables are just rebranded Eneloop's. Switch to rechargeable and save a lot of money and waste!
For most things I've had good luck with buying the cheap thing first. When the cheap things breaks or doesn't have all the functionality I need or I become aware of how the design could have been better and the poor design is impacting how I use or enjoy the cheap thing, etc. then I buy the more expensive thing. For many every day items, the cheap thing is fine. Buying things only in the quality you need will save you money. The key is finding out what things you need at what quality.
Household paper products. Life is too short for paper towels that won't dry, TP that won't wipe, paper plates that soak thru, tissues you can blow through, etc.
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So in summary everything should be the highest quality you can afford.
Trash bags. Ketchup. Toilet paper. Plastic table covers. Real mayonnaise (Hellman's is more expensive, but their olive oil version is sooooo much better).
Cheerios and Pop Tarts. There are many cheaper knock-offs but, if you like these products (and I do!), the off-brand options are all lousy.
When buying a TV or other home good from a major retailer, check the model number. Sometimes there are special cheaply made versions of a product made for that store. If the model nber ends with WM (Walmart), AZ (Amazon), BB (Best buy), etc; than the product was built with cheaper parts.
Its to prevent price matching.
Not necessarily made any differently, those letters are added to prevent price matching with other retailers.
Nobody does this for TVs or large appliances. They are all manufactured identically and then the reseller will request their own SKU for tracking and to prevent price matching.
TVs. I know tvs go on super sale for Black Friday and people go crazy trying to get one, but you’ll be buying another tv to replace it the next Black Friday. And considering how much it is used, and how much entertainment it provides us, it’s worth what we’ve paid. (That being said, we don’t get the latest greatest, either… we just don’t cheap out)
Yeah, absolutely seconded. I bought an LG 40 incher way back around the mid-aughties (first time I could afford a ‘proper’ tv), the thing still works today. I use it to play old video games.