7 of the Best Things to Spend Money On
If I can save a buck, chances are I’m going to do it most of the time. However, there are times that it is better to put a little money into the item you are going to buy, because buying a cheaper version will cost you more in the long run. Today I am going to share with you some of the best things to spend money on.
This post contains affiliate links. Please see our full disclosure policy HERE.
I am convinced that so many of us spend more than we have to on so many items we use in our every day lives. I am known to look for the cheapest price in most circumstances. I don’t want to pay more if I know I can get it for less.
However, there are some situations where spending more money instead of less will save you trouble in the long run. Sometimes we may buy a cheaper version of something only to have it break down on us rather quickly, and then we need to pay money to replace it. In the end we spend more money than if we had just bought a higher quality version of it in the first place.
Here are 7 of the best things to spend money on, in my opinion.
7 OF THE BEST THINGS TO SPEND MONEY ON
KITCHEN APPLIANCES. This goes for big or small kitchen appliances. Let me tell you, I have spent way too much money on replacing kitchen appliances because of not putting the money into a better item in the first place.
Years ago our old, used fridge was dying after only owning it for a couple of years. We decided we didn’t want to spend the money on a brand new fridge. We buy most of our things used so it just made sense to buy our fridge used. Boy, was that a mistake. We bought a used fridge at a local second hand appliance store. It came with a 6 month warranty.
Guess what happened in month 7? It died.
We bought a new fridge after that. Not a top of the line fancy one that talked to us (seriously, it’s a thing) but a decent middle of the line, brand name fridge.
The same goes for smaller kitchen appliances. I own a Vitamix blender. Some people will look at me and ask how I can say I live a frugal life when I own a blender that cost me 500 dollars. Well, let me explain that one. I used to buy the cheap blenders. I use my blender everyday. I’d burn out the engines every 6 months to a year. I was constantly replacing my blender. The Vitamix, however, comes with an 8 year warranty. The cheaper blenders did not come with warranties beyond 30 days. I have had my Vitamix blender now for about 9 years and it is still going strong.
If you have the money, I definitely recommend investing in decent quality kitchen appliances.
COOKWARE. For the longest time I would bake cookies and constantly burn them. I figured I must just be bad at baking cookies. Then we got some brand new, decent quality cookie sheets and all of a sudden I could make perfect, delicious cookies.
I’m not even joking, guys. If you have a history of baking failures, it MIGHT be your cookware. (Notice that I said, *might*. I can’t be sure of why your cookies keep burning, but I know once I got new pans my cookies came out perfect.)
This wasn’t just with cookies. Once I started investing in good cookware (and a brand new stove that worked properly) my cooking improved substantially.
We recently invested in some cast iron pots and pans after years of being frustrated with my other pot set. Again, I wish I had invested in this stuff years ago! I use it almost every day and it makes cooking so much more enjoyable when the food turns out the way it’s supposed to.
WINTERWEAR. I am convinced that most of the time when people hate winter, it’s because they aren’t wearing proper winter clothing, though I’m sure others who dislike winter may argue with me about that one. 🙂 For years I had just a regular, cheap winter coat. Then someone gifted me a down filled winter coat. I’m not going lie, I can never go back. Winter has become a dream in that coat. It’s like I am walking around in the snow in a great big hug. When that coat has no wear left in it I will be investing in another down filled coat.
The same goes for good quality boots. You want boots that can withstand the cold, that keep your feet dry, and let’s be honest, that look cute. You can sometimes find decent winter wear in the thrift stores or consignment stores. I just encourage you to make sure wherever you buy it, that it is in good shape and it is good quality. I’m telling you, winter, especially Canadian winters, are so much more enjoyable when you are bundled up in some quality winter clothing.
WORK BOOTS. My husband spends a good portion of his life in work boots. We don’t invest in top of the line work boots, but we make sure to buy some boots that are somewhere in the middle. Even then he still goes through them quite quickly because of how hard he works in them everyday. Buying the absolute cheapest work boots you can find will break in no time, and often they aren’t very comfortable. Plus, work boots often are required for safety and you don’t want to cheap out on protecting your feet on the job.
TOILET PAPER. Anytime I’ve purchased cheap toilet paper I’ve instantly regretted it. Aside from the fact that it resembles sand paper, it’s gone in no time because it’s so thin. Always buy good quality toilet paper. In our area they constantly put name brand toilet paper on sale, and the sales are always really good. I always stock up when I see them in the flyer.
SERVICES. If you need some plumbing done, or some carpentry work done, or you need an electrician, this is the kind of stuff you do NOT want to cheap out on. Think about it – they are working on your HOME. You want whatever work that is done to be safe, and to be done right. If you are just looking for the cheapest price there is a good chance the only reason they can offer you that low price is because they are cutting corners and using low quality materials. When it comes to where you live and where you raise your family you do not want poor work to be done. I’m not suggesting you pay the highest price you can find, but if you have shopped around and there is a company that is offering a significantly lower price, it’s time to start asking why they are able to offer that price. Chances are the reason they are able to offer it significantly lower than all the other tradesmen in your area is because they work is not what it should be.
TOYS. Okay, this one always ends up being a little controversial, but here me out. I definitely think if you can buy used, good quality toys in good condition you should do THAT first. What I mean is, be careful about dollar store toys. I only know from years of experience with three kids that the dollar store toys don’t last. There’s also some very cheap toy brands that they sell at some of the main department stores that break very easily too. I can appreciate that they are trying to make these types of toys available to people who just can’t afford the higher end toys, but if you have to pick between a used toy that is made well and a brand new toy that is cheaply made I would go with the used toy.
I do want to put a disclaimer about the toys though. I’ve had a few people in the past say to me that they have purchased dollar store toys for loved ones knowing full well they won’t last but wanted to give them some short term fun. By all means, if that is your objective, don’t feel bad buying kids dollar store toys. Kids will have a ton of fun with them in the short term.
I also once had someone comment on a post that they take their grand child to the dollar store and give them a few dollars to pick something out. I think that is a great idea too. It turns the toy into a whole experience, as well as teaching them about money!
There are instances dollar or budget store toys may be worthwhile. However, for toys you are hoping will last for awhile, investing a bit of money will go a long way. We have purchased a lot of Lego and Matchbox cars over the years and they get a ton of mileage and last forever!
THINGS WORTH INVESTING IN
While you never want to spend money you don’t have, if you do have the cash, the above are some of the best things to spend money on. It can actually save you money in the long run because you don’t have to continually replace broken or failing items.
Amen to everything you said here! I do not regret one bit spending almost $300 on my Zojirushi bread machine and I have the little Zojirushi rice cooker that I scored for almost half off but still $85. They have both paid for themselves. We bought LL Bean coats when our kids were growing up because we could pass them down and we just could not wear them out. They were often passed on to other families after our 5 wore them.
I have never heard of Zojirushi! I am going to have to google it and check it out!