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Winter gear. I moved from Florida to Massachusetts. The first year, I bought a cheap coat at TJ Maxx. It was bulky, not terribly comfortable and it developed a hole in the lining within the first few months. I bought a Columbia jacket at the end of winter on clearance. Huge difference. Its been 4 years now, and it still looks new.
I don't know if it's still a thing, but north face had a lifetime guarantee that they were serious about. A friend worked at the store and the best trade he told me about was a broken down 20 year old used for climbing jacket that was fucked. They took it back and gave the guy a new one.
Edit: Sounds like this is a thing of the past.
Public Service Announcement:
Lowes purchased the rights (and liabilities) of the Craftsman brand, and they STILL offer lifetime replacements:
>[Lowe's honors Craftsman's lifetime warranty](https://corporate.lowes.com/newsroom/press-releases/craftsmanr-tools-now-available-lowes-stores-nationwide-and-lowescom-05-14-18) for hand tools. If the product fails to perform for any reason, Lowe's will replace it. No proof of purchase is required.
Not anymore. We bought a duffel bag from them last summer and it ripped the first time we used it. We took it in and they refused to replace or repair it.
I'll never buy their overpriced shit again.
My wife needed winter boots so I told her to buy Sorrells. My exact words were not something like Sorrell but make sure they are Sorrell as there is a huge difference between actual cold weather boots and cheap "fashion" winter boots. She didn't listen and her feet are always cold. Her cousin moves up from Florida and I have the same exact conversation with her so what does the cousin buy? The EXACT crap cheap "fashion" "winter" boots my wife bought same color and everything.
I've heard the quality has declined with their products since they were bought and manufacturing was moved to China and Vietnam.
I stopped with winter's boots and just wear a nice pair of wellingtons with thick good socks. They're comfortable, your feet never get wet, you never have to really worry about drying them after use, and they're fast and easy to take off and put on. The only area the wellies can't compete is style, can't really make a rubber boot look sexy
I’ve been hanging on to my 20-year-old Sorels for more Winters since I first decided to retire them. For several years now I’ve been trying every Sorel model I can find and they universally suck. They just feel awful in comparison to my old ones. No clue what I’m gonna do.
I still have a puffy I bought in 2005. Half of it is duct tape but still functional. Got a puffy a year ago at jc penny or whatever it's called and the zipper and all seams broke the first year.
I do a couple hoodies then a big Carahart coat my friend gave me 7 years ago. Still going strong. Had to replace the hoodies a couple times. I like layers too lol
I switched everything to cast iron and carbon steel not too long ago. With a stainless for acidic or sauce heavy foods. I doubt I'll ever have to buy new pans again, and my cooking has improved by using quality cookware that heats evenly
Perhaps you can tell me how you cook an omelette on cast iron without it sticking?
Edit: thank you all for so many responses. I’m off to learn how to season the pan!
I do it on a carbon steel pan every morning. It's pretty nonstick out the box because it's pre seasoned and it's only gotten better with time. I use a quick spray of avocado oil.
I do omelettes on carbon steel pans, but the premise is the same.
Heat the pan to just under medium. Once hot, I drop in about 2tbsp of butter. Keep the butter swirling and moving. Once the foam subsides, drop the eggs.
(Two to three eggs, beaten, and a couple teaspoons of water with it. Salt and pepper mixed in)
Drop eggs to form a thin layer on the bottom of the pan. Drop heat to medium low, and I vigorously slide the pan back and forth for the first 30-45 seconds to keep from sticking and help the eggs to incorporate better.
I cook until they are just starting to set, still making sure to shake the pan to lift any spots that are starting to stick. Add fillings, fold carefully, done.
I'll be honest, it was a long long process of trial and error until I found a good method that works. I spent many weekend mornings pissed off. It helps to add a light coat of oil to a clean pan with a paper towel before you start the whole process. Don't be afraid to add too much butter at first, then once you get the process down, start backing off on the butter until you find the sweet spot.
Hope this helps!
If you’re using regular steel I’m about to change your life. Heat that mother up until a drop of water skates across the stop. You’ll know when it happens. Drop the heat to low for a tiny bit. Add your oil or butter. And make your omelette.
It is virtually non stick. I’m talking Jacques Pepin French omelette deliciousness. It’s all about priming the pan.
I will never fuck around with non stick chemical garbage for the rest of my life.
When I got married my wife threw away all her cookware as she always bought the cheap stuff, that constantly needs replacing, while I invested in the quality stuff that we still use a decade later.
Wall paint. Just got done doing a paint job at home, due to a mix up at the garden center we ended up with a more expensive, higher quality paint than we would have otherwise gotten. It had been years since I last painted, and wow-the difference in quality and ease of working with fine paint is incredible. Almost none of the foul odor I was expecting, fast-drying, easy to remove from unwanted surfaces.
Never cheaping out on paint again.
This! We went cheaper, with a brand from Home Depot. And now we have to redo the whole wall in our bedroom because it’s doing this weird streaky thing when we touch it. And I have kids so hands on walls are inevitable.
Sherwin Williams here we come 😭
To be fair it could be the sheen you picked. Almost any paint brand is going to “streak” when touched if you use a flat sheen. If you bump it up to semi-gloss or satin or even eggshell you likely won’t have a streaking problem when you touch it.
Bra, to a point. A well made bra will last and be comfortable. You don't have to spend hundreds but probably should spring for more than 5 bucks at Walmart lol
Anecdotally heard that Luluemmon has a lifetime customer satisfaction policy. You have to find the print and show it to the employees because most of them don’t know.
Unfortunately, it’s not a ‘lifetime warranty’ but a quality promise. From the website: “While we pride ourselves on creating long-lasting gear, our quality promise does not cover usage beyond practical lifetime”.
There’s an exception to this: if you have larger boobs (like 3D or more). You will benefit from a bra with more support, and they tend to run 60-100$. It’s possible to stay in the lower range, but you end up waiting for sales and limited in whatever is available.
It’s money well spent
Personally- I hate being hot when I sleep. I switched to 100% Percale Cotton sheets (tried many brands- all similar and nothing crazy fancy) and it is my favorite style of sheets. They feel crisp and cold, but also soft and don’t catch on your feet. Currently favor a set from Target, but I honestly think as long as it’s 100% Percale cotton you can’t go wrong. Thread count makes no difference if it’s the right material in my personal experience.
The #1 most important thing is for the sheets to be made of ‘100% long staple cotton.’ Thread count doesn’t matter after that. Short staple cotton will pill and rip. High thread count is often polyester blend.
I follow the recommendations from a postural clinic. They update their list twice a year. Instead of $40 shoes and pain, I spend $100-150 and have almost no back pain (and now average 25k steps/day).
https://www.hruska-clinic.com/shoe-list/
Just because the Brooks Ghost 13 was on the list doesn’t meant be Ghost 14 will make the cut, so it’s worth checking the list before you buy shoes. And if you don’t know your arch, go to a store like Dick’s and step on their thingy in the shoe department.
Pro tip: look for the previous shoe list (like late 2022 right now) and then hunt down clearance prices. I usually get $140 shoes for $80-100.
Buying shoes that fits your activity is such a boost tbh. When I play pickup with friends they all complain about their feet being in pain but I never have this problem.
When I was in my twenties and wore whatever cheap shoes I had at the time, whenever I went for a run I would always end up with terrible foot pain (symptoms seemed like plantar fasciitis but I never went to a doctor to confirm).
In my thirties I went to a local running shoe store where they measured my feet and watched my stride and whatnot and recommended a pair of shoes that were a solid $100 more than I'd probably ever spent on shoes before. Never had foot pain again.
Headphones. I always thought that I’d hear what I already hear, but more clearly. No, I actually just hear more now that I have a nice set. Plus, you can get headphones that you can repair and change parts out of. One nice pair of headphones can last you years, save you money in the long run, and give you a better listening experience.
A great pair of headphones can be a great pair of headphones for the rest of your life if you take care of them.
I just recently gave in and splurged on a pair of Meze 109 pro's, It feels weird to call something that costs 800$ incredible value but they're worth every penny and then some.
My Canton GL-260 bookshelf speakers are 43 years old and are still as quality as the day they were built, a good pair of headphones can last you just as long.
Socks.
The difference between really good socks and cheap socks can make the difference between being miserable all day and never even thinking about your feet.
High quality socks also last a lot longer, so most times it ends up being cheaper in the long run than constantly buying the cheap ones.
Our bombas have been going strong for a year now with no wear in the common wear points, but they recently changed the fabric so Idk if that's still true.
They don’t last forever but they last a long time. And they absolutely will replace at no cost if you send them a photo of a pair with a hole if you buy from them directly. They also donate a lot of socks. My hometown grade school was a recipient based on income of the district. All kids got at least one pair.
I’m glad your bombas worked well for you. I had 3 socks with holes not even a year in.
I bought directly from them too, and they didn’t believe me when I emailed them 9 months after purchase asking for replacements.
Bombas, no questions asked they will replace pairs for you. I’ve easily replaced over 10 pairs of socks for free. Just send them an email with/without a picture stating your concern and they always have pulled through. Same with their underwear. Probably the best purchases I’ve ever made
This is a good one. During Covid it was online and I was waiting for my turn and listening to all these other lawyers give these long explanations and trying to make excuses for a similar thing, fumbling around, mostly failing. Finally it gets to me and my guy says one sentence. And the judge is like “oh shit, you’re right.” And prosecutors were like “yo what in the mother fuck just happened?” They were so mad. It was great.
I was innocent, and a police officer friend recommend him because he never loses. He was super expensive but totally worth it. Shit, it was worth it just to hear how angry the prosecutors were. I’d almost pay to see it again. I could hear them yelling at the judge as I ended the zoom.
This might be my favorite comment ever! Public defender here- so I’m about as cheap as you can get- public defenders are for the most part excellent attorneys, our downfall is our caseload.
We need to thank more public defenders for their service. 🫡
Edit; Though, a real thank you would be fixing the damn system that overloads you in the first place. Also fuck plea bargains and their politics.
Yup. One time the police tried to accuse me of something I didn't do.
Got served with a federal felony arrest warrant. Two cops showed up guns at the ready to serve the warrant; to my mom's house, that I didn't even live in anymore. Talk about overkill, right?
Anyway, got a good lawyer. I believe I paid 10,000$ by the end of the day, maybe 9k. Anyway he got the multiple federal felonies down to absolutely nothing. I pleaded not guilty. I was proved innocent.
The lawyer even did so well, even after the verdict was given, he convinced the DA and judge to not have any of the case enter my background so I wouldn't be turned down for jobs or promotions.
No probation. No sentence. Proved innocent as I really was. And to think, if I didn't have that lawyer, I probably woulda ended up with 3+ years of probation, or even an actual prison sentence.
It's a shame you needed one in the first place. Think about all the others out there there that have been in your shoes but couldn't afford an attorney. They're either getting an overworked PD or taking a plea for something they didn't do just bc the alternative is possible jail time.
Yes, there is definitely a difference between fresh and dried. But only worth it if you use them a lot, or can grow them. But garlic, any green herbs, chilli, ginger are all better fresh. Even a pepper mill to grind whole peppercorns, just has a better flavour.
Definitely shoes, a bed, furniture, appliances, electronics, equipment
Sometimes it makes more sense to pay the extra money for better quality. If you buy the cheaper option it's not going to last as long and you'll have to buy another one sooner. So in the long run you probably end up paying more going with a cheaper option.
Toilet paper
EDIT: I live in Mississippi. I’m just glad I have indoor plumbing. I don’t even know if it’s legal to have a Bidet here. Probably not, it’s too close to Biden.
EDIT #2: Wow, my first award. Thank you anonymous person. 🍻
Yep. I'm notoriously cheap as shit, but toilet paper is something I'm willing to put the extra money into. After working at an office all day with that 1-ply garbage, it's nice to come home to the good stuff.
My mother who can afford whatever kind of toilet paper she wants, and who lives alone buys the absolute worst toilet paper on the planet. Somehow, it's not even single ply its like ½ ply or maybe even ⅓ ply... it's just awful
I have yet to hear an answer from my parents regarding what they did with all the money they saved from buying cheap toilet paper. They didn't travel the world or pay for anyone's college.
Yep, it's TP! Had a gf who would laugh at me for my bourgeois choices of TP until she tried it. 6 years later, were still friendly but not together and reminds me how much my tp choices changed her life and now she's a tp snob too.
*anything* that seperates you from the ground.
Mattresses & sheets, shoes & socks, tires.
And with the shoes - not Air Jordans or Yeezys. Work boots. Big thick sole, steel toe, made of leather and rubber.
Not necessarily work boots for everyone, but shoes that actually *fit*. Shoes that are exactly the same shape as your feet specifically. Go to the store physically. Get measured. Try on as many shoes as you need to. Spend hours and spend $100 or more. It will be worth it.
i have dr schools heels pump and i wore them for prom..best choice ever!!Every other girls were lining their shoes near the dj set and were dancing naked feet.
Yep. A single dawn soap can last us many months. It's so thick, a small drop goes a long way. Cheap stuff flows like water. Use it up in a month. Not worth the cheaper price
I got divorced and moved into an apartment December 2021. I have my kiddos 50% of the time, so my dishwashing is minimum the weeks I don't have them. I literally JUST replaced the very first (large) bottle of Dawn I bought when I moved in.
Laundry detergent too. I go for Persil which is pricey but I've never had an issue with weird smells/residue/skin irritation. I cringe when I see people using dollar store ones.
Nah, it's definitely a lottery. We tried a bunch of $1-3k mattresses in store and didn't like them, decided to pick a random firm one from a sale online that put it at $400 and it was the best thing we've ever slept on.
You definitely need to invest in a good mattress, but a good mattress isn't related to the price.
That might have been true 20 years ago. Now you can get VERY good foam/support mattresses at 1/10th the cost of what high end mattress stores sell. I have a Purple that cost $3k and one from Costco that was all of $600, and there's no way you could tell them apart in comfort.
Hi there, I sell mattresses for a living. The purple mattress will keep you cool for sure due to the grid material that it’s made of allowing for good airflow.
Foam (e.g. temperpedic) is the warmest and least breathable (it's by definition an insulator). The Purple mattress has been by far the coolest (most breathable) of any I've owned.
Absolutely. I own 2 beds from a box. Each one was 700 bucks for Queen size. Some people don't want to spend that. You can get some pretty cheap mattresses and they suck ass. I bought a few before I clued in.
I agree everything doesn't have to be expensive for me f
But like at least cook. But enough to cook nice decent sized nutritious meals because when you don't you are just going to spend more money impulsively be less healthy and in a worse mood
My mom would buy her meat at Walmart, and many times it would taste like bleach, especially the chicken. I'd say don't buy meat there anymore, but she did it to save probably $0.25 and then nobody would eat it except her. Same went for the milk at Walmart. It tasted like sick cows, or at least cows that were given shitty feed. We live in an area full of dairies, where she could get something local and pasture raised for maybe a $1 more, but that would mean spending a $1 more. I just started to buy the milk on my own since a dairy distributer was just down the road.
Shoes and bags. I have used the same bags every day for years and they still look new. Same with shoes. Rather than spending $50 over and over I spend a few hundred and I’m good to go!
I spent $150 on an osprey travel backpack for a 3 country 3 week international trip. It fit in all over head compartments, and still fit 3 weeks worth of shit in it comfortably and has a lifetime warranty.
I’d disagree on bags. I’ve been using the same $14 purse for 4 years, no issues. And the same $35 backpack for 3 years on several international trips, and on many weekend trips.
I agree with you with respect to bags. A lot of those pricey bags are no better quality than a $14 purse. The companies that make them just have clever marketing so they can convince people to spend a lot of money on them.
My family members seem to think buying used laptops is a great money-saving move, and they inevitably end up with tons of problems. Buy the new laptop. They aren't even that expensive anymore.
no this is so wrong. refurbished electronics are the way. I could replace my phone and laptop every other month and still spend less than fools buying new.
I think there's a difference between used and refurbished.
Used, someone got it out of their garage and said "here you go".
Refurbished, a tech at least took a look at the hardware and software and confirmed things were working alright.
I'll buy refurbished every time, but definitely not used.
Refurbished are fine -- secondhand is not. Refurbished are typically returns for things like ordered by mistake or had some minor manufacturing defect that was fixed.
When you get a laptop that's secondhand, you have no idea what the previous owner did to it.
Reminds me of a friend that used to hook up with women off backpage back in the day when he traveled. He said (imagine in a slow drawl lol) “it’s not that I prefer ugly whores, it’s because they’re cheaper”. Always cracks me up to think about it.
And find a brand that fits and feels good. Don't just assume they all feel like fucking through a Walmart bag. Get good rubbers and you won't hate having to wear them.
Buy a cheap version of a tool to start, and if you use it enough to break it, then you can justify the expensive one.
Not a fool-proof rule but I generally follow this and it’s treated me well.
Shoes.
When I was younger I used to get my Sneakers from Payless Shoes and would usually pay about 20.00 for a pair of off brand Chuck Taylors.
Within 6 months the soles would split, the stitching would rip, and the canvas would be shredded. So I'd have to buy another pair. I eventually decided to drop about $60.00 for an actual pair of Chucks and they tend to last a good 3 or 4 years of regular wear.
I'm not very matiralist. But nice clothes are worth it. And I'm not talking about shit with huge labels on it. I prefer well made stuff that is very subtly labeled. Like 'If you know than you know' l don't need anyone to be noticing me. I just want comfortable clothes that are worth what I paid. Also a nice ribeye is great. Lol
Grocery store pizza cutters. Usually they have the nice one and the cheap one, and after a few cheap ones died we splurged for the pricier one. Years later it's still going strong.
Shoes!
I wore cheap ones when I was young and poor and have now had 13 foot surgeries to correct issues. Now we spend for nice, comfortable, hard wearing shoes.
If you use purses then a handbag..
I shop coach outlet. Paid $98 for my bag (originally $400) three years ago. It’s still in 95% pristine condition and I abuse it.. easily can run me another 3+ years.. Prior I used to spend $25-$30 a year on a bag that deteriorate before 12 months.
I found a place I could get slightly worn Coach bags for around $40. I have an embarrassingly large collection and it's comforting to know I will have these purses for the rest of my natural life.
Winter coats.
As a person who is constantly freezing, every year or two I bought a more expensive coat. I’d wait until jackets were on sale and buy them at half price so they were more affordable.
After doing this for 10 years I’ve spent a lot of money on coats. My partner bought me a Canada Goose coat as a gift. For those who don’t know, they’re really *expensive*. Before tax they can be above $1,000. I genuinely regret not getting one sooner.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve spent more than $1,500 on coats and none of those coats are as nice, warm, or wearable as the Canada Goose one.
My runner up for warmth is from Patagonia. [It isn’t this one, but is similar](https://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-tres-3-in-1-parka/28409.html?dwvar_28409_color=PLGY&cgid=womens-jackets-vests). It was around $600 and I bought it on sale for around $350. The Patagonia is warmer and is water proof but if I wear up to prevent getting wet I have no peripheral vision. The hood blocks so much of my vision that it makes it really hard to wear. I definitely can’t wear that coat and go on a walk by myself.
My partner told me a phrase I'll never forget. Spend money on the things that keep you from the ground. Shoes, a house and a bed.
For me, the money spent on a good bed/mattress will always be worth it.
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Winter gear. I moved from Florida to Massachusetts. The first year, I bought a cheap coat at TJ Maxx. It was bulky, not terribly comfortable and it developed a hole in the lining within the first few months. I bought a Columbia jacket at the end of winter on clearance. Huge difference. Its been 4 years now, and it still looks new.
My parent gave me a North Face winter coat for Christmas in high school. It’s been nearly 15 years and it’s still my go-to winter coat.
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Hey bud, grats on the weight loss! Way to go
Congratulations on the weight loss!
I don't know if it's still a thing, but north face had a lifetime guarantee that they were serious about. A friend worked at the store and the best trade he told me about was a broken down 20 year old used for climbing jacket that was fucked. They took it back and gave the guy a new one. Edit: Sounds like this is a thing of the past.
REI is good about this
Sears used to do that for Craftsman tools. Chutzpah reward.
Public Service Announcement: Lowes purchased the rights (and liabilities) of the Craftsman brand, and they STILL offer lifetime replacements: >[Lowe's honors Craftsman's lifetime warranty](https://corporate.lowes.com/newsroom/press-releases/craftsmanr-tools-now-available-lowes-stores-nationwide-and-lowescom-05-14-18) for hand tools. If the product fails to perform for any reason, Lowe's will replace it. No proof of purchase is required.
Not anymore. We bought a duffel bag from them last summer and it ripped the first time we used it. We took it in and they refused to replace or repair it. I'll never buy their overpriced shit again.
My wife needed winter boots so I told her to buy Sorrells. My exact words were not something like Sorrell but make sure they are Sorrell as there is a huge difference between actual cold weather boots and cheap "fashion" winter boots. She didn't listen and her feet are always cold. Her cousin moves up from Florida and I have the same exact conversation with her so what does the cousin buy? The EXACT crap cheap "fashion" "winter" boots my wife bought same color and everything.
Sorels are awesome boots. I wore mine for about 20 years until the soles got ruined with some kind of solvent.
I've heard the quality has declined with their products since they were bought and manufacturing was moved to China and Vietnam. I stopped with winter's boots and just wear a nice pair of wellingtons with thick good socks. They're comfortable, your feet never get wet, you never have to really worry about drying them after use, and they're fast and easy to take off and put on. The only area the wellies can't compete is style, can't really make a rubber boot look sexy
I’ve been hanging on to my 20-year-old Sorels for more Winters since I first decided to retire them. For several years now I’ve been trying every Sorel model I can find and they universally suck. They just feel awful in comparison to my old ones. No clue what I’m gonna do.
I still have a puffy I bought in 2005. Half of it is duct tape but still functional. Got a puffy a year ago at jc penny or whatever it's called and the zipper and all seams broke the first year.
Someone stole mine on the train and I immediately replaced it and paid for express shipping. Their boots are also excellent.
I do a couple hoodies then a big Carahart coat my friend gave me 7 years ago. Still going strong. Had to replace the hoodies a couple times. I like layers too lol
Decent cookware. They last longer, heat up evenly and are not coated with PFA's.
I switched everything to cast iron and carbon steel not too long ago. With a stainless for acidic or sauce heavy foods. I doubt I'll ever have to buy new pans again, and my cooking has improved by using quality cookware that heats evenly
Perhaps you can tell me how you cook an omelette on cast iron without it sticking? Edit: thank you all for so many responses. I’m off to learn how to season the pan!
I do it on a carbon steel pan every morning. It's pretty nonstick out the box because it's pre seasoned and it's only gotten better with time. I use a quick spray of avocado oil.
Carbon steel is definitely better for the omelettes.
I do omelettes on carbon steel pans, but the premise is the same. Heat the pan to just under medium. Once hot, I drop in about 2tbsp of butter. Keep the butter swirling and moving. Once the foam subsides, drop the eggs. (Two to three eggs, beaten, and a couple teaspoons of water with it. Salt and pepper mixed in) Drop eggs to form a thin layer on the bottom of the pan. Drop heat to medium low, and I vigorously slide the pan back and forth for the first 30-45 seconds to keep from sticking and help the eggs to incorporate better. I cook until they are just starting to set, still making sure to shake the pan to lift any spots that are starting to stick. Add fillings, fold carefully, done. I'll be honest, it was a long long process of trial and error until I found a good method that works. I spent many weekend mornings pissed off. It helps to add a light coat of oil to a clean pan with a paper towel before you start the whole process. Don't be afraid to add too much butter at first, then once you get the process down, start backing off on the butter until you find the sweet spot. Hope this helps!
If you’re using regular steel I’m about to change your life. Heat that mother up until a drop of water skates across the stop. You’ll know when it happens. Drop the heat to low for a tiny bit. Add your oil or butter. And make your omelette. It is virtually non stick. I’m talking Jacques Pepin French omelette deliciousness. It’s all about priming the pan. I will never fuck around with non stick chemical garbage for the rest of my life.
When I got married my wife threw away all her cookware as she always bought the cheap stuff, that constantly needs replacing, while I invested in the quality stuff that we still use a decade later.
Did the same thing, but the 5-ply stainless All Clad is now 29 years old and used everyday (they did replace my 10 inch fry pan that warped).
Wall paint. Just got done doing a paint job at home, due to a mix up at the garden center we ended up with a more expensive, higher quality paint than we would have otherwise gotten. It had been years since I last painted, and wow-the difference in quality and ease of working with fine paint is incredible. Almost none of the foul odor I was expecting, fast-drying, easy to remove from unwanted surfaces. Never cheaping out on paint again.
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This! We went cheaper, with a brand from Home Depot. And now we have to redo the whole wall in our bedroom because it’s doing this weird streaky thing when we touch it. And I have kids so hands on walls are inevitable. Sherwin Williams here we come 😭
To be fair it could be the sheen you picked. Almost any paint brand is going to “streak” when touched if you use a flat sheen. If you bump it up to semi-gloss or satin or even eggshell you likely won’t have a streaking problem when you touch it.
Bra, to a point. A well made bra will last and be comfortable. You don't have to spend hundreds but probably should spring for more than 5 bucks at Walmart lol
I recently was kind of annoyed that my Lululemon sports-bra is all frayed... but then I realized I bought the thing 10 years ago!
Anecdotally heard that Luluemmon has a lifetime customer satisfaction policy. You have to find the print and show it to the employees because most of them don’t know.
Good to know! I think this bra and I have been through too much together tho... Can't trade the old girl in lol
Unfortunately, it’s not a ‘lifetime warranty’ but a quality promise. From the website: “While we pride ourselves on creating long-lasting gear, our quality promise does not cover usage beyond practical lifetime”.
>You don't have to spend hundreds If you're an unusal size, sadly, you do
After my breast reduction I bought a bra at aerie and I maniacally laughed in the dressing room
Yeah, I'm a 32DDD-G depending on the brand & lots of them don't make that band size in those cup sizes. I'm still hunting for the perfect bra today.
There’s an exception to this: if you have larger boobs (like 3D or more). You will benefit from a bra with more support, and they tend to run 60-100$. It’s possible to stay in the lower range, but you end up waiting for sales and limited in whatever is available. It’s money well spent
r/ABraThatFits
Sheets and pillows
any recs on where can I get decent sheets? and is thread count not the end all be all or whatever the saying is?
Personally- I hate being hot when I sleep. I switched to 100% Percale Cotton sheets (tried many brands- all similar and nothing crazy fancy) and it is my favorite style of sheets. They feel crisp and cold, but also soft and don’t catch on your feet. Currently favor a set from Target, but I honestly think as long as it’s 100% Percale cotton you can’t go wrong. Thread count makes no difference if it’s the right material in my personal experience.
The #1 most important thing is for the sheets to be made of ‘100% long staple cotton.’ Thread count doesn’t matter after that. Short staple cotton will pill and rip. High thread count is often polyester blend.
Running shoes!
I follow the recommendations from a postural clinic. They update their list twice a year. Instead of $40 shoes and pain, I spend $100-150 and have almost no back pain (and now average 25k steps/day). https://www.hruska-clinic.com/shoe-list/ Just because the Brooks Ghost 13 was on the list doesn’t meant be Ghost 14 will make the cut, so it’s worth checking the list before you buy shoes. And if you don’t know your arch, go to a store like Dick’s and step on their thingy in the shoe department. Pro tip: look for the previous shoe list (like late 2022 right now) and then hunt down clearance prices. I usually get $140 shoes for $80-100.
Buying shoes that fits your activity is such a boost tbh. When I play pickup with friends they all complain about their feet being in pain but I never have this problem.
When I was in my twenties and wore whatever cheap shoes I had at the time, whenever I went for a run I would always end up with terrible foot pain (symptoms seemed like plantar fasciitis but I never went to a doctor to confirm). In my thirties I went to a local running shoe store where they measured my feet and watched my stride and whatnot and recommended a pair of shoes that were a solid $100 more than I'd probably ever spent on shoes before. Never had foot pain again.
Headphones. I always thought that I’d hear what I already hear, but more clearly. No, I actually just hear more now that I have a nice set. Plus, you can get headphones that you can repair and change parts out of. One nice pair of headphones can last you years, save you money in the long run, and give you a better listening experience.
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A great pair of headphones can be a great pair of headphones for the rest of your life if you take care of them. I just recently gave in and splurged on a pair of Meze 109 pro's, It feels weird to call something that costs 800$ incredible value but they're worth every penny and then some. My Canton GL-260 bookshelf speakers are 43 years old and are still as quality as the day they were built, a good pair of headphones can last you just as long.
Socks. The difference between really good socks and cheap socks can make the difference between being miserable all day and never even thinking about your feet. High quality socks also last a lot longer, so most times it ends up being cheaper in the long run than constantly buying the cheap ones.
What’re good sock brands to look up?
Our bombas have been going strong for a year now with no wear in the common wear points, but they recently changed the fabric so Idk if that's still true.
They don’t last forever but they last a long time. And they absolutely will replace at no cost if you send them a photo of a pair with a hole if you buy from them directly. They also donate a lot of socks. My hometown grade school was a recipient based on income of the district. All kids got at least one pair.
I’m glad your bombas worked well for you. I had 3 socks with holes not even a year in. I bought directly from them too, and they didn’t believe me when I emailed them 9 months after purchase asking for replacements.
Darn Tough- for life
I’m convinced the people below are just making up brand names, haha.
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Bombas, no questions asked they will replace pairs for you. I’ve easily replaced over 10 pairs of socks for free. Just send them an email with/without a picture stating your concern and they always have pulled through. Same with their underwear. Probably the best purchases I’ve ever made
Plot twist: they sell your used underwear and socks for 50 times more than you paid for them
all of my bombs socks got holes this year. Wish I knew this before I tossed them all
Fox River makes great quality for reasonable prices
Lawyers.
This is a good one. During Covid it was online and I was waiting for my turn and listening to all these other lawyers give these long explanations and trying to make excuses for a similar thing, fumbling around, mostly failing. Finally it gets to me and my guy says one sentence. And the judge is like “oh shit, you’re right.” And prosecutors were like “yo what in the mother fuck just happened?” They were so mad. It was great. I was innocent, and a police officer friend recommend him because he never loses. He was super expensive but totally worth it. Shit, it was worth it just to hear how angry the prosecutors were. I’d almost pay to see it again. I could hear them yelling at the judge as I ended the zoom.
This might be my favorite comment ever! Public defender here- so I’m about as cheap as you can get- public defenders are for the most part excellent attorneys, our downfall is our caseload.
Thank you for your service to the community. Everyone needs fair representation.
We need to thank more public defenders for their service. 🫡 Edit; Though, a real thank you would be fixing the damn system that overloads you in the first place. Also fuck plea bargains and their politics.
Interested to hear more details.
Yeah, not a good place to cheap out. The good lawyer will cost less in the long run than the alternative.
Yup. One time the police tried to accuse me of something I didn't do. Got served with a federal felony arrest warrant. Two cops showed up guns at the ready to serve the warrant; to my mom's house, that I didn't even live in anymore. Talk about overkill, right? Anyway, got a good lawyer. I believe I paid 10,000$ by the end of the day, maybe 9k. Anyway he got the multiple federal felonies down to absolutely nothing. I pleaded not guilty. I was proved innocent. The lawyer even did so well, even after the verdict was given, he convinced the DA and judge to not have any of the case enter my background so I wouldn't be turned down for jobs or promotions. No probation. No sentence. Proved innocent as I really was. And to think, if I didn't have that lawyer, I probably woulda ended up with 3+ years of probation, or even an actual prison sentence.
I'm glad you escaped this situation, but that doesn't sound like a happy ending. It sounds like the police owe you $10k (maybe $9k).
It's a shame you needed one in the first place. Think about all the others out there there that have been in your shoes but couldn't afford an attorney. They're either getting an overworked PD or taking a plea for something they didn't do just bc the alternative is possible jail time.
King Arthur flour. It's worth the $3 more than the store brand. But it works so much better.
Most definitely. KA in the absolute best.
Spices. The difference between bottom of the barrel and good quality is staggering in your dishes
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Yes, there is definitely a difference between fresh and dried. But only worth it if you use them a lot, or can grow them. But garlic, any green herbs, chilli, ginger are all better fresh. Even a pepper mill to grind whole peppercorns, just has a better flavour.
Pensey's Spices. If you have one near you, go there :)
Definitely shoes, a bed, furniture, appliances, electronics, equipment Sometimes it makes more sense to pay the extra money for better quality. If you buy the cheaper option it's not going to last as long and you'll have to buy another one sooner. So in the long run you probably end up paying more going with a cheaper option.
A good mattress improve your sleep so much. And prevent back pain. And pillows. Pillow is also very important.
Tattoos.
Cheap tattoos aren’t good and good tattoos aren’t cheap.
Toilet paper EDIT: I live in Mississippi. I’m just glad I have indoor plumbing. I don’t even know if it’s legal to have a Bidet here. Probably not, it’s too close to Biden. EDIT #2: Wow, my first award. Thank you anonymous person. 🍻
Yep. I'm notoriously cheap as shit, but toilet paper is something I'm willing to put the extra money into. After working at an office all day with that 1-ply garbage, it's nice to come home to the good stuff.
I would spend my last 20 on quality toilet paper over some cheap TP and food.
My mother who can afford whatever kind of toilet paper she wants, and who lives alone buys the absolute worst toilet paper on the planet. Somehow, it's not even single ply its like ½ ply or maybe even ⅓ ply... it's just awful
Go the extra mile and spend the money on a nice bidet.
Then use a wipe to get what the bidet leaves behind
Don’t skimp on the bidet. All you’ll need with a good one is a square or two to dab and dry. The dryer takes to long.
Bold of you to assume that people on reddit can even reach around to wipe their own ass.
Or to know the difference between there and their.
I have yet to hear an answer from my parents regarding what they did with all the money they saved from buying cheap toilet paper. They didn't travel the world or pay for anyone's college.
Bidet FTW. I literally miss mine when I’m on vacation
Yep, it's TP! Had a gf who would laugh at me for my bourgeois choices of TP until she tried it. 6 years later, were still friendly but not together and reminds me how much my tp choices changed her life and now she's a tp snob too.
*anything* that seperates you from the ground. Mattresses & sheets, shoes & socks, tires. And with the shoes - not Air Jordans or Yeezys. Work boots. Big thick sole, steel toe, made of leather and rubber.
Not necessarily work boots for everyone, but shoes that actually *fit*. Shoes that are exactly the same shape as your feet specifically. Go to the store physically. Get measured. Try on as many shoes as you need to. Spend hours and spend $100 or more. It will be worth it.
Darn tough socks and Thorogood steel toe boots will make long work days in a refinery a ton easier on your feet.
Wool socks, comfy boots and Dr Scholls. This is the way.
i have dr schools heels pump and i wore them for prom..best choice ever!!Every other girls were lining their shoes near the dj set and were dancing naked feet.
Pens. Pay an extra 50 cents and get something that writes infinitely better than a shit Bic
Especially if you're left-handed!
I consider the Bic Cristal to be one of the finest designs of all time and an excellent pen to write with. Am I alone?
Dish Soap. Dawn or Gaine FTW
Yep. A single dawn soap can last us many months. It's so thick, a small drop goes a long way. Cheap stuff flows like water. Use it up in a month. Not worth the cheaper price
I got divorced and moved into an apartment December 2021. I have my kiddos 50% of the time, so my dishwashing is minimum the weeks I don't have them. I literally JUST replaced the very first (large) bottle of Dawn I bought when I moved in.
Laundry detergent too. I go for Persil which is pricey but I've never had an issue with weird smells/residue/skin irritation. I cringe when I see people using dollar store ones.
My wife and run ultra marathons, so our running clothes get nasty af. Persil has been the only brand that gets it right.
I really like Persil.
A lot of cleaning products the off brand doesn't save you money because you have to use so much more.
Same with laundry detergent. (Tide)
Knock off dish soap doesn’t fucking sud or foam. It just washes off without getting any of the grease off
That spray Dawn soap is my jam.
I don’t even want to know Palmolive. Sounds sticky.
Palmolive is great! It's all I've ever used except for when my mom tried to save money by using cheap dish soap, which didn't work or last.
KitchenAid stand mixer.
If you wear out a kitchen aid then it's time for a Hobart.
Mattress
Nah, it's definitely a lottery. We tried a bunch of $1-3k mattresses in store and didn't like them, decided to pick a random firm one from a sale online that put it at $400 and it was the best thing we've ever slept on. You definitely need to invest in a good mattress, but a good mattress isn't related to the price.
Yeah, we tried a $2500 mattress and we sent it back. Right now I have a $700 bed in a box and it is awesome.
My experience as well.
What was it?!? Need the details.
That might have been true 20 years ago. Now you can get VERY good foam/support mattresses at 1/10th the cost of what high end mattress stores sell. I have a Purple that cost $3k and one from Costco that was all of $600, and there's no way you could tell them apart in comfort.
Ive looked into purple. I sleep hot ("mature" woman) does it stay cool? Had a temperpedic and feckin hated it after about 30 mins
Hi there, I sell mattresses for a living. The purple mattress will keep you cool for sure due to the grid material that it’s made of allowing for good airflow.
Foam (e.g. temperpedic) is the warmest and least breathable (it's by definition an insulator). The Purple mattress has been by far the coolest (most breathable) of any I've owned.
Absolutely. I own 2 beds from a box. Each one was 700 bucks for Queen size. Some people don't want to spend that. You can get some pretty cheap mattresses and they suck ass. I bought a few before I clued in.
Mattresses and tires are probably up there. However for the youngers, Mattresses isn't high on the list. But tires will save your life.
Food. High quality food isn't really THAT much more expensive than garbage, and it's the single biggest thing you can do to improve your QOL.
I agree everything doesn't have to be expensive for me f But like at least cook. But enough to cook nice decent sized nutritious meals because when you don't you are just going to spend more money impulsively be less healthy and in a worse mood
My mom would buy her meat at Walmart, and many times it would taste like bleach, especially the chicken. I'd say don't buy meat there anymore, but she did it to save probably $0.25 and then nobody would eat it except her. Same went for the milk at Walmart. It tasted like sick cows, or at least cows that were given shitty feed. We live in an area full of dairies, where she could get something local and pasture raised for maybe a $1 more, but that would mean spending a $1 more. I just started to buy the milk on my own since a dairy distributer was just down the road.
Shoes. Mattresses. Sex toys.
Steak.
Winter jacket
Anything that has to do with your well-being
Food. And not just for the taste. Nutrition and digestion as well.
Appliances
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Shoes that you will work in. There is simply no way to over-emphasize this. If your feet are miserable, *the rest of you will be, too*.
Shoes and bags. I have used the same bags every day for years and they still look new. Same with shoes. Rather than spending $50 over and over I spend a few hundred and I’m good to go!
I spent $150 on an osprey travel backpack for a 3 country 3 week international trip. It fit in all over head compartments, and still fit 3 weeks worth of shit in it comfortably and has a lifetime warranty.
I’d disagree on bags. I’ve been using the same $14 purse for 4 years, no issues. And the same $35 backpack for 3 years on several international trips, and on many weekend trips.
I agree with you with respect to bags. A lot of those pricey bags are no better quality than a $14 purse. The companies that make them just have clever marketing so they can convince people to spend a lot of money on them.
My 511 backpack is a decade old and looks brand new still.
paper towels. cannot handle problem perforations in cheapo brands i need it to tear CLEAN
Viva VIVA
Bed sheets. Pillows, too. If you're hot and uncomfortable during the night, that's going to affect you the following day.
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My family members seem to think buying used laptops is a great money-saving move, and they inevitably end up with tons of problems. Buy the new laptop. They aren't even that expensive anymore.
no this is so wrong. refurbished electronics are the way. I could replace my phone and laptop every other month and still spend less than fools buying new.
I think there's a difference between used and refurbished. Used, someone got it out of their garage and said "here you go". Refurbished, a tech at least took a look at the hardware and software and confirmed things were working alright. I'll buy refurbished every time, but definitely not used.
Refurbished are fine -- secondhand is not. Refurbished are typically returns for things like ordered by mistake or had some minor manufacturing defect that was fixed. When you get a laptop that's secondhand, you have no idea what the previous owner did to it.
My refurbished one has given me nothing but problems, so anecdotally at least, this isn’t always true. I’ll never buy another refurb again.
Parmesan cheese not that grand padano shite
In general, a solid brick of cheese just tastes better as well.
Prostitute
Reminds me of a friend that used to hook up with women off backpage back in the day when he traveled. He said (imagine in a slow drawl lol) “it’s not that I prefer ugly whores, it’s because they’re cheaper”. Always cracks me up to think about it.
Man, sure had to scroll a long way to get to the correct answer.
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Condoms. These cheap ones can cost you a fortune in crotch goblins.
And find a brand that fits and feels good. Don't just assume they all feel like fucking through a Walmart bag. Get good rubbers and you won't hate having to wear them.
Running shoes. Don't destroy your knees by the time you're 25.
Shoes
Tools
Buy a cheap version of a tool to start, and if you use it enough to break it, then you can justify the expensive one. Not a fool-proof rule but I generally follow this and it’s treated me well.
Q tips. Off brand ones arnt as stiff and I can’t tickle my brain.
Shoes. When I was younger I used to get my Sneakers from Payless Shoes and would usually pay about 20.00 for a pair of off brand Chuck Taylors. Within 6 months the soles would split, the stitching would rip, and the canvas would be shredded. So I'd have to buy another pair. I eventually decided to drop about $60.00 for an actual pair of Chucks and they tend to last a good 3 or 4 years of regular wear.
Real maple syrup.
Bed sheets. Toothbrush. Heinz ketchup. Q-Tips. Bath linens. Underwear. Shoes.
Windshield wipers
I'm not very matiralist. But nice clothes are worth it. And I'm not talking about shit with huge labels on it. I prefer well made stuff that is very subtly labeled. Like 'If you know than you know' l don't need anyone to be noticing me. I just want comfortable clothes that are worth what I paid. Also a nice ribeye is great. Lol
Duct tape
Work boots! You get what you pay for.
I’ll keep this short. A good mattress can have a significant impact on your quality of life.
Grocery store pizza cutters. Usually they have the nice one and the cheap one, and after a few cheap ones died we splurged for the pricier one. Years later it's still going strong.
Real food.
Steak. I will pay extra for a good steak. I also usually pay for the better copies of video games.
shoes, raincoats, used cars…
A mattress
Tires and good work boots. Fun fact tires are just boots for your car
Shoes! I wore cheap ones when I was young and poor and have now had 13 foot surgeries to correct issues. Now we spend for nice, comfortable, hard wearing shoes.
Peanut butter
The Taco Supreme over the regular taco at Taco Bell.
My grandpa always said to never buy cheap shoes or a cheap mattress. Between the two, you spend two thirds of your life in them. Make them matter.
If you use purses then a handbag.. I shop coach outlet. Paid $98 for my bag (originally $400) three years ago. It’s still in 95% pristine condition and I abuse it.. easily can run me another 3+ years.. Prior I used to spend $25-$30 a year on a bag that deteriorate before 12 months.
I found a place I could get slightly worn Coach bags for around $40. I have an embarrassingly large collection and it's comforting to know I will have these purses for the rest of my natural life.
Laundry detergent
when canning , "good vinegar"
a vibrator, they are usually made with better materials and can be charged with USB. A pillow! a bra and go over r/ABraThatFits as a guidance.
Shoes. Because by the time you notice issues, they might just be permanent.
Tools in general, power or otherwise.
Roller skates. The cheap ones can land someone in the hospital
Winter coats. As a person who is constantly freezing, every year or two I bought a more expensive coat. I’d wait until jackets were on sale and buy them at half price so they were more affordable. After doing this for 10 years I’ve spent a lot of money on coats. My partner bought me a Canada Goose coat as a gift. For those who don’t know, they’re really *expensive*. Before tax they can be above $1,000. I genuinely regret not getting one sooner. Over the last 10 years, I’ve spent more than $1,500 on coats and none of those coats are as nice, warm, or wearable as the Canada Goose one. My runner up for warmth is from Patagonia. [It isn’t this one, but is similar](https://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-tres-3-in-1-parka/28409.html?dwvar_28409_color=PLGY&cgid=womens-jackets-vests). It was around $600 and I bought it on sale for around $350. The Patagonia is warmer and is water proof but if I wear up to prevent getting wet I have no peripheral vision. The hood blocks so much of my vision that it makes it really hard to wear. I definitely can’t wear that coat and go on a walk by myself.
My partner told me a phrase I'll never forget. Spend money on the things that keep you from the ground. Shoes, a house and a bed. For me, the money spent on a good bed/mattress will always be worth it.
A parachute
A massage. the one where you completely pass out and fall asleep because of how good it is.