I’ve been seeing one too many people around me go cheap instead of frugal on things. After writing my frugal vs. cheap quiz, I found that even more people were living the cheap lifestyle!
So, after hearing from reader feedback, I decided to write this post about 5 things you should never go cheap on! To preface, these are things that are important to me so they might not be as important to you. Everyone’s life is different. These are just the items that I happen to value and would never go too cheap on.
My car
This has been debated for ages. I’m not in the group that promotes buying ultra-used cars and running them into the ground. I happen to fall into the category of buying a “slightly used” car and driving it for 10+ years. When I graduated college, I could have just stuck with my piece of junk Geo Prizm. But with a full time job and tons of additional income, there was no reason to buy an ultra-used car again. It was time to get a used car that I wasn’t embarrassed about. I ended up buying a 2004 Acura TL. No, not a 2010 model, but a 2004 model. The car is a tank and I love the power behind the wheel. Could I have gone cheap on my car? Sure. But I didn’t and I went with “best value” instead. Not only do I never have mechanical issues but I own my car outright.
Toilet paper
How do I talk about this without sounding crude? Look, I like quality toilet paper! I think you can guess why but it’s a fact of life, durable and soft toilet paper should not be a luxury, instead it should be a necessity! I’m not about saving pennies here and there. There are too many opportunities to increase income to start worrying about the cost of toilet paper. Don’t you hate it when you’re in an office building and you grab the toilet paper and it rips because it’s only a single layer? Well I can’t stand it when this happens to me, not happening in my home thank you very much.
Shoes
Shoes are what makes an outfit. Although I’m not the most fashionably conscious person in the world, happen to love nice shoes and a variety of shoes. Not only does it boost my confidence but it’s more professional in the workplace. Along those lines, a comfortable pair of shoes is truly something precious. I used to buy cheap stuff from Sears and I’d end up having multiple blisters all over my feet by the end of the work day. Those days are gone! I only buy name brand shoes now and my feel can tell the difference. One thing to note her though is that I never pay full price. This is where the frugal side comes in. Instead of going to Macy’s or Nordstrom’s, I head over to Ross or Burlington Coat Factory. Often times, these discount retailers will have the same shoes for a fraction of the cost. This is a winning situation in my book!
Mattress
The average person sleeps 7 hours a day. Multiply that my how many days the average person lives and you have quite the number. Lesson? Buy a nice mattress! I’m not saying you should go into debt for an item like this but I do believe that you should get a top tier bed to sleep on. A comfortable bed is critical for your back. Want to have back pains by the time you’re 40? I know I don’t. Avoid buying a used bed off of Craig’s List, it’s just not worth it. I’m actually shopping for a bed right now due to getting married in a couple months. I won’t be going cheap on this, my back will thank me.
Groceries
“You are what you eat.” It’s one of the most famous sayings dating back until God created Adam and Eve. If you want to live a long time, you need to not only eat healthy but eat quality foods. I never buy processed foods and I try to buy organic as often as I can or remember to. Lately, a couple items I haven’t been going cheap on are eggs, fish, and vegetables. I don’t like hormones pumped into my foods and hate the thought of pesticides on my vegetables. Our bodies weren’t created to consume man-made chemicals. I’ll pass on shopping the bargain bin at the grocery store and go straight to the good stuff.
What about you?
So what do you never go cheap on? Are there some items that you would rather pay the extra money for? I’d love to hear about them so please comment below!
Great list. I agree with you on some. We spend a decent amount of money on groceries but that’s because health is important to us. We want healthy and organic food and we are willing to pay for it. It means our health long term which is always a good investment.
Miss T @ Prairie Eco-Thrifter recently posted..How to Make a Relationship Last
I totally agree Miss T! Although it’s a higher cost, quality groceries are important for long years. We are what we eat and I want to enjoy my retirement, not be sick in the hospital all day because I ate too many big macs.
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! One tip about mattresses, since you are getting married- consider getting a king size! I used to scoff at people that had them, but I can tell you that it is much more comfortable if your spouse is a bed hog! We purchased one a few years ago, and it is the best thing ever. My husband worked in the mattress industry in his younger years, and it is very important to research all the types and brands, and also to shop around for the best price. In addition, it never hurts to try and negotiate a better deal with the salesperson when buying a mattress. I had a good laugh at the toilet paper tip- it seems to take more of the cheap stuff to do the job than the good stuff. Best of luck to you!
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Thanks Monica! We actually talked about a king size bed yesterday but we can’t do that because we’ll be living in a condo! Once we buy a house, a king size bed will be around the corner. I’m lost when it comes to beds, any tips for brands or styles?
From a techie perspecitive, I never go cheap on computer components – especially desktop components. I always go brand name. The reason? The brand name components are better built and should last past their warranty expiration.
More importantly, a good brand name power supply is by far the last thing I will ever go cheap on – especially if my entire computer rests on the power supply working properly. If the power supply has issues, it could destroy my whole computer – data and all.
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I hear you on computer components. I used to buy custom computers but now all I need is a simple laptop, it’s funny how times change.
So true about the power supply, it’s the life and blood of a computer functioning properly. Thanks for the comment and thanks for sharing Paul!
Don’t go cheap on furniture. It might look good but it’s not. Oh and don’t go cheap on your husband. I only wrote that in case my wife is reading.
Haha, I just laughed out loud Jai. I’m sure she smiled if she read that lol.
I have a hard time with furniture. I mean, to me there is a line of a piece of furniture being worth the money. To me, wood is wood. Hannah will call me out on this but to me, the cheaper the furniture is, the better.
I agree with your choices and would add vacations. I take one great one every other year and I want a memorable expereience. I use my frequent flier miles and find every discount, but I do cut corners.
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I spend laviously on vacations as well. It’s just something I’m OK with spending some extra money.
I definitely would not skimp on food either! I think you can save money and don’t need to necessarily buy organic bananas, but it pays to be informed and also pay for quality. Many of the cheapest oils and artificial foods are not that good for you.
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Yes sir, food is huge! Olive oil is one I never go cheap on. I could buy the generic for $4 but it tastes horrible!
Great article. I can agree with pretty much everything on here.
To add another reason not to get a complete junker, would be the fact that your or someone will be spending their time tinkering it often. I remember having to tinker my car in the middle of an intersection because it died when the light turned green. Just alot of potential hassles.
Toilet paper is an easy sell to me because I buy in bulk, so I get more for less already, so I go for the name brand.
I use to build my computers as well, and again I did regrettably about 6 months ago. It was a fun hobby, but its not a necessity. The prices of name brand built systems have dropped dramatically. Although it is fun, I don’t see myself buying the parts separately anymore. Its too much time and research as well.
Our personal priorities change, and we as individuals must adapt to our changes.
Love your comment about adapting to change. I think you;re on point with that statement. Culture changes and so do prices for desirable goods. Thanks Scott!
Great point about food. We’ve been trying to eat more fruits and vegetables this year and so far, I’ve been feeling a lot better. It’s weird how your body gets used to all the processed food and sugar, but when you take a break, you realize that your energy levels go up.
Spending a little extra is worth it to me.
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Definitely TIm. It’s fascinating how our bodies adjust to what we put in our mouths. When I quit bad food and went all natural quality food, I felt a huge difference too. I even have energy to blog after hours now!
Jon, toilet paper should be top of the list – I’ll take a single over paper that leave you with the ‘freshly sanded down’ feeling
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Haha, so true Jim. In fact, I should have bolded it. It’s the only time I want my city government using my tax dollars to go above the bare minimum! When I go to the park and need to go, I want double ply…
Love the toilet paper one. I can never buy generic brand toilet paper
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No way jose
It’s all about luxury TP!
I recently did a post like this, too! And our first two are the same. Where I differed was my liquid foundation, hair dryer, and renters’ insurance.
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Haha, well we like to enjoy different things I guess.
I agree whole heartedly with car, mattress, and food. A big one for me is to not go cheap on energy saving investments. I’m more than willing to shell out extra cash upfront, for an HVAC system, hot water heater, etc. thats going to cut a huge chunk of my energy bill in the long term.
An HVAC system is something where you definitely don’t want to go cheap on, I totally agree. Whenever an expensive item NOW saves you money in the LONG RUN, it’s always worth it to not go cheap.
I agree with everything mentioned above, especially food. When it comes to food, it should be the quality of food that should matter and not the price for which you get it. Compromise with everything, but food?! Dangerous, huh!
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