Are there times that you should not be frugal? Could being too frugal cost you in the long run? It sure can and here are my thoughts on that.
One of the first things I learned after I got married was not to buy the cheapest appliances. If you buy the cheapest, they most likely will not last you as long as getting one that is priced in the middle. The middle priced ones are usually better quality, more energy efficient, and reliable lasting us many, many years. I have always stuck to this way of buying our washing machines, dryers, stoves, microwaves, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers and some of them have lasted us over 25 years.
The only time I would consider buying the cheapest appliance would be if Consumer Reports or another reporting company rated it highly. But, in my experience, that rarely happens.
The only time I will buy one used is if I am buying it from a relative and know the history of how it was used and for how long it had been used. For example, I purchased my washer and dryer from my son and daughter-in-law. I will have it 10 years in a few months. They had it for, I believe, 5 years. A couple of those years it was stored and not in use.
We have done the same with automobiles. We have never purchased the cheapest model. We saw too many friends who did that and ended up spending much more on maintenance and repairs than we did with our cars.
I have never purchased the cheapest luggage, wallets, or purses. I find that luggage that is middle priced lasts us for years. I always buy a real leather purse because they also last me for 15-20 years or longer when I take the time to clean and maintain them.
We also don’t buy cheap furniture. It falls apart in a few years. If you are going to watch a lot of TV or read sitting on a sofa or chair, you want it to last a long time so quality is important.
We have never skimped on a mattress set. Comfort is important to us. A cheap bed set would make us miserable. Right now, we have a sleep number bed. Sure it was expensive when we purchased it. However it has lasted us almost 19 years. If a part wears out, you can replace just that part. We have had to replace one part in all these years. It has been worth every dime we spent. We will have it many more years.
I buy us high quality, high thread count, Egyptian cotton sheets. We love our sleep and it you have ever slept on cheap sheets, you will understand why I choose the sheets I do.
We have never purchased cheap paint. We buy quality and always pay attention to what Consumer Reports says. Because of this, we have to paint less often or pay someone to do it less often. Better paint also washes easier when you get a mark on it or when you are washing it during your spring or fall cleaning.
Please feel free to leave a comment and share your experiences on this topic.
We don’t buy cheap shoes. I did that as a teenager and I remember how uncomfortable they were and the blisters they gave me. We buy good quality shoes and sneakers. Our feet are important to us.