Spending a lot of money on purchases that you know you can get for a lower price can be difficult, but overall, some of these purchases will save you money in the long run. I think it’s worth spending more money on something that’s important to you and something that you use every day.
In my case, I focus on quality when comparing the price. It doesn’t mean that expensive equals good quality, so with every purchase you will need to do a bit of a research. I never skrimp on laptop (I need it for work and I spend on it up to 10 hrs a day), phone (it doubles up as camera) or shoes (I like my feet too much to squish them into cheap uncomfortable shoes).
When looking to buy expensive items, sometimes quality is really more important than the cost. We all know the basics — if you get a trendy t-shirt from a discount retailer, it likely won’t be durable and will be thrown away after a few uses.
But if you buy a classic piece from a high-quality retailer, it can be in your wardrobe for years. So where else does this rule apply? Here are a few more items that are worth the investment:
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Smartphones
Smartphones can carry a large upfront cost at the time of purchase, but getting a new model from a reliable brand with a reliable carrier is definitely worth the extra expense.
Technology is constantly evolving, and you will never be able to stop upgrading your phone; however, quality of service and product can save you a lot of headaches in the meantime. Most people spend a large portion of their day on their mobile phones, so don’t be stuck wishing you could upgrade.
One way to save is by using mobile phone plans. You will receive money back for your current smartphone and the savings on your monthly bill will have you jumping for joy.
Cooking equipment
When it comes down to what you put in your body, you should definitely make the investment in high-quality goods.
Even if you only cook a couple times per week, your kitchen tools will fall victim to wear and tear. Opting for a cheaper frying pan might be appealing when you’re standing in the shop, but when the handle detaches in the middle of making some pancakes, you’ll be right back where you started.
Plus, less expensive options may be bad for your health. Aluminium can leak into your food and Teflon can flake off and get mixed in with your meals.
Stick to materials like stainless steel, cast iron and ceramic. They will not fall apart as easily as their cheaper counterparts and are healthier for you and your family!
Energy-saving Items and Improvements
Switching your appliances over to energy-efficient models, adding solar panels to your home and a number of other options for becoming eco-friendly may seem like a waste of money.
But these are some of the best investments you can make for yourself! Let’s look at switching from a gas-guzzling SUV to a small hybrid sedan. It may cost more up front, but the savings are clear.
For example, you can be getting double the miles per litre of petrol. While the savings might not be as stark or noticeable in day-to-day life, the investments are still more than worth it.
Switching to energy-efficient appliances will probably cost a bit more at the check-out counter, but that difference will be made up in a matter of months with lower electricity bills. These changes are good for the environment and your bank account!
Shoes
This is my personal thing and I know a lot of people won’t even think about this option. I like the countryside walking and when I was growing up there was no much choice of shoes around. In fact, there was only about one or two types of walking shoes that you could buy.
These were made with hard leather, wooden sole and sturdy buckles. They were built to last and I was very proud of taking them home from the shoe shop. I wore them several times for shorter walks to break them in, but they never felt very comfortable.
But I didn’t have much choice, but to wear them on the next day walk. It was going to be another Saturday countryside walk with a group of friends, which was planned few weeks in advance.
The day started great and I enjoyed walking in my new shoes until we got lost and found out that we need to carry on walking for another 15km to get to our final destination. That and the fact that it was a hot sunny day, meant that I got blisters so bad that I could hardly walk. The last few kilometres were on a flat road and I vividly remember being in so much pain, that I didn’t think I was going to make it to the train station. I spend the next day with my feet up and didn’t move an inch!
This is my reason for not buying badly made shoes, which are often very cheap and I like my feet far too much to subject them to any more blisters!
But, on serious note, good shoes are going to support your feet and your body much better than cheaply made shoes and because they are usually made from better material, they will last longer too.
I now buy just a few pairs of shoes at the time and wear them regularly, rather than having far too many shoes that I’ll never wear, because they pinch me!
Laptop or computers
It depends on whether you need your laptop for work or just for home. My laptop is my work, so I can’t have anything that will have a bad resolution, run slowly or would be too heavy to carry around. Since I use my laptop practically non-stop during the day, it really needs to be a good quality one. Saying that I didn’t go for the total high end laptop, just one or two down.
Despite the fact that technology is changing very fast and most people recommend replacing laptops every three years, my first laptop lasted just over 6 years. Since I paid around £700 for it in 2011, I think that’s a pretty good value for money!
If you need a laptop for occasional use you’ll be absolutely fine with a student budget style, which will probably last you as long as mine did.
When faced with buying cheap or buying quality, it’s easy to defer to the less expensive option. But keep in mind that you are probably not saving money. Before making big purchases, do some research into which option will save you cash in the long run.
Stay in touch
Hope this post inspires you and of course, I’d love to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below or find me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and add the hashtag #practicalfrugality so that I can see your post.
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Magdalena
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