Are there some things you are willing to pay high prices for?

[FriedClams]

Tools. I hate replacing things and DH uses his - so it's worth paying more for it once.

 

Music Lessons. I won't skim on price anymore - but the best teacher is not necessarily the most expensive.

 

Paint. The difference between good paint and cheap paint is amazing and it's really not much more expensive.

 

Wheat Grinder. Love the Nurtimill. LOVE it.

 

Curriculum. I bought a few things I really WANTED and we LOVE instead of trying to price together used stuff this year. It's been well worth it.

[msjones]

Hair cut/color. It's up there on my head every day, all day.

 

Jeans/pants that are in style and fit properly.

 

I buy a nice quality dress coat every few years, too. The nice coat and nice jeans/pants dress up all the other stuff I buy cheap.

[SailorMom]

Shoes

Paint

school supplies

2 hotel rooms instead of 1 for the 4 of us

wine

tools

vehicles (for quality, not status - I own a VW Golf....)

[MariannNOVA]

I haven't read the other answers, so if I am repeating, apologies.

 

Running shoes, gym quality equipment, food (organic), my haircuts and hair color, skin care (to a certain extent).

 

Everything else: I am a bargain hunter! Although, my dh disagrees.

[Britomart]

And all my hair clips are seamless, too. My preferred brand is about $40/clip - but they are *so* worth it. Gorgeous and they work wonderfully.

 

 

May I guess? Ficcare? Don't have one myself, but I've heard good things . . .

 

We'll pay more for coffee and tea in our house. We're frugal in that we brew it ourselves, but with those, why even drink it if it doesn't taste good?

 

Beer. My husband and I split a bottle a week maybe, but we buy the good stuff. (Eye of the Hawk, for us. Or Young's Double Chocolate Stout, if I'm getting my way. :tongue_smilie: )

 

There's certainly a ceiling on our budget, for sure, but on things we can pay more for, on the assumption that they'll last longer, we certainly do. Things like handbags (I think I only buy them about every six or seven years, but I buy ones that'll last) and cars (buy used, but good brands, well taken-care-of) and computers and tools.

 

And music. It's worth paying the artists, IMHO.

[AngieW in Texas]

bras that actually fit and are NOT underwire

good quality shoes to put my orthotics in

good quality shoes for my 12yo (has the same foot problems that I have)

curriculum

pants for my 17yo that actually fit her body shape (very hard to find)

 

If my youngest ends up as interested in sewing as she seems to be, then I'll add a sewing machine to the list.

Edited September 4, 2010 by AngieW in Texas

[JFSinIL]

I spring for those $100 pair of running shoes with the arch support and pay another $20 to get the better insoles (I rip out the thin things that come with the shoes and insert my, well, inserts). I do this every six months w/o fail - I had plantar fasitist (no I can not spell this and spell check want to make it a Nazi word!) once and never want to go there again!!!

 

I was told running shoes have better support than any other - I do NOT run ;-)

[Audrey]

I am normally very frugal and cringe at thinking of spending $4.99 for jeans at Goodwill when I can often find them at Love, Inc for $1 and sometimes 50 cents. I buy most things on sale/clearance, rarely pay full price for anything, etc.

 

That said, I am coming to the idea that I will pay just about ANY price for a pair of tennis shoes (for walking and exercising) that FIT both of my feet well and are COMFORTABLE. I went today and came home with my 3rd pair to try---these are $100 ones.

 

Another thing is bras. I really need to go for a good bra fitting to find a bra that is comfortable (those wires tend to POKE me yet I need a lot of support) and looks good.

 

I am not even talking about being high fashion here. I told the shoe lady today that I didn't care about color or style, mens or womens model, etc. as long as they FIT and were COMFORTABLE for my 3-4 mile walks.

 

I guess there are just some things that are worth paying dearly for and right now it seems like bras and shoes are at the top of my list...............of course, once I find the best fit/model/style for each I can start bargin hunting for more of the same:)

 

 

I think I've got my limits on pretty much anything, but I am willing to spend more for bras and shoes. For bras, I have a certain brand and style I prefer, but I've found some similar bras that I've liked as well. I wear a DD cup, so I need good support.

 

I don't buy $800 designer shoes, but I will spend a bit more on dressy shoes to get ones that are well built and will last. I will spend quite a bit of money to make sure ds has good shoes, too. He has flat feet like his father, and we really don't want him to have the same problems dh has had. Well fitted shoes with good support can help prevent a lot of problems down the road.

 

For clothes, I am willing to spend more on well constructed, classic clothes for work (suits, slacks, blouses) because I expect them to last and I've generally found that they do. Cheap clothes look tatty after a couple of washes. I don't feel it's very frugal to keep buying cheap clothes all the time when they just fall to tat so quickly.

 

Lastly, I'll spend more on local produce and meat as a matter of general principals.

[SailorMom]

I spring for those $100 pair of running shoes with the arch support and pay another $20 to get the better insoles (I rip out the thin things that come with the shoes and insert my, well, inserts). I do this every six months w/o fail - I had plantar fasitist (no I can not spell this and spell check want to make it a Nazi word!) once and never want to go there again!!!

 

I was told running shoes have better support than any other - I do NOT run ;-)

 

 

Yep - I was referring to running shoes in my post as well, and I don't run :) I've already had one knee surgery and am in a lot of pain if I wear cheap shoes.

[ma23peas]

Great timing!!

 

We just adopted a cash only budget...I take out a certain amt each month and if we don't have it we don't get it...and hoping it will help us reassess what we 'really' need....I think I've turned down 10 purchases easily this week b/c it's not worth taking money out of the month's budget...

 

So my priorities have changed....I do buy organic milk and Eggland's best eggs....I used to buy clothes only from Hanna Andersson (clearance only), Land's End (clearance only) and Talbot's (ultra clearance only)....now I'm really thrilled with thrift shopping! We make enough money to pay full price for most dept. stores (not Gucci of course)...but I've had to re think...would I rather my husband retire at 60 or 75? Any discretionary budget has been reallocated....we can pay off our mortgage in 15 years instead of thirty if we just pay $5000 more a year...I really looked at our budget and we blew that much on JUNK!! No more impulse buy here...hubby works very hard for his income, we're going to work equally hard at frivolous spending....dollar movies only, no eating out..except on birthdays....

 

Instead of spending what we make, we'll save what we make and get out of debt 10 years ahead of time (mortgage..we're 5 into it) and we'll only pay cash for cars/big items from here on out!! Well, that's the plan...

 

:)

T

[meet me in paris]

Coats. If I have to wear a coat every day all fall, winter and spring, I better like it.

 

Bathing suits. Cheap bathing suits are the worst.

 

Coffee. No Maxwell House to be found around here. If I only have one cup a day, it's going to be a reeeeally good one.

 

And we don't buy much meat, so when I do, I try to get grass fed, organic, etc. since the cheap stuff wigs me out a bit. :tongue_smilie:

[cjbeach]

My hair. Too many haunting memories of bad perms and cuts from Supercut-type places from when I was young.

This.:001_smile:

 

Healthcare and anything preventative...

 

My gardening "stuff" because it = my sanity saver. New house has a greenhouse and I find puttering in there very satisfying.

[LibraryLover]

I need to be talked into doing something with my hair. I have so neglected it. It needs a trim, some color or high lights....something. The barrette thing is getting old. I could also use a facial. :)

[Carol in Cal.]

Art materials--good ones or nothing. Cheap ones are just frustrating and a waste of time.

 

Shoes--they don't have to be expensive, but good moderately priced shoes must fit very very well.

 

Organic produce--this is tough for me, and I'm not 'pure' but I do buy about 3/4 of our produce organic.

 

Chemistry--Real Science 4 Kids. Pricey and worth it.

 

Jeans--I went through a jeans trauma. Can no longer fine decent ones to fit at a thrift store. Tried a bunch of cheap brands. Landed on a medium-pricey one that I'm very happy with--Not Your Daughter's Jeans. Having said that, they wear like iron so end up being less expensive than they seemed when I bought my first pair.

[lynn]

Bra's are on top of my list. Bali has been my choice for years.

 

Good meat. There are only a couple of stores I purchase meat at. I only will buy columbus or boars's head luncheon meat.

 

 

There are also several food items I will only buy certain brands of.

 

We also don't mind spending money on experiences. i.e. DH took the boys for a helicopter ride over the grand canyon.

 

I am also picky about my make up.

[LizzyBee]

I think there is a difference between being cheap and frugal. I am very frugal and I love good deals from Goodwill or clearance racks. However, I've discovered that good shoes are worth paying for. I have also started paying an obscene amount of money for medical-grade skin care products because, for the first time in my life, I finally have skin that looks and feels healthy.

[cathmom]

I spring for those $100 pair of running shoes with the arch support and pay another $20 to get the better insoles (I rip out the thin things that come with the shoes and insert my, well, inserts). I do this every six months w/o fail - I had plantar fasitist (no I can not spell this and spell check want to make it a Nazi word!) once and never want to go there again!!!

 

I was told running shoes have better support than any other - I do NOT run ;-)

 

I was just diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, and believe me, I'll be doing whatever I can to avoid it ever coming back again!!! :tongue_smilie:

[LizzyBee]

Coffee. No Maxwell House to be found around here. If I only have one cup a day, it's going to be a reeeeally good one.

 

 

 

A couple years ago, my taste buds changed and I just could not find a decent cup of coffee. We went through all kinds of expensive brands. One time, we were completely out of coffee, which is considered a dire emergency in our house. We were driving right by Dollar General, so I ran in to see what they had. They didn't have whatever we'd been buying, so I picked up a container of Folgers Columbian. Oh my gosh, I love that coffee. Dh asked me how much it cost, and when I told him he repeated it as an exclamation. I was like, Is that bad? (He does all the grocery shopping, so I don't really know what things cost these days.) He said no, that's really cheap. We've been drinking it since, and I still like it. :001_smile:

[DarlaS]

A couple years ago, my taste buds changed and I just could not find a decent cup of coffee. We went through all kinds of expensive brands. One time, we were completely out of coffee, which is considered a dire emergency in our house. We were driving right by Dollar General, so I ran in to see what they had. They didn't have whatever we'd been buying, so I picked up a container of Folgers Columbian. Oh my gosh, I love that coffee. Dh asked me how much it cost, and when I told him he repeated it as an exclamation. I was like, Is that bad? (He does all the grocery shopping, so I don't really know what things cost these days.) He said no, that's really cheap. We've been drinking it since, and I still like it. :001_smile:

 

I buy Eight O'Clock and grind it myself. It's getting harder and harder to find the varieties I like in whole bean though. Stores around here are really cutting back their selection (amazon.com here I come...).

 

It's at just the right price point to have a fast turnover in my area. Fresher coffee's better. If I bought the high end beans, I'd be one of a very few people buying them and they would likely be stale.

[Jennifer in MI]

I need to be talked into doing something with my hair. I have so neglected it. It needs a trim, some color or high lights....something. The barrette thing is getting old. I could also use a facial. So, somebody send me $250. :iagree: (The highlights alone are going to be over $100, unless I want to hack off most of my hair). This would be a wonderful lift for fall. :sigh:

 

Sure! I'll send you a Money Order in the amount of $300. Keep the extra for your trouble. :lol:

 

It really is amazing how a good hair style/cut can make you feel 1000% better about yourself!

[KidsHappen]

Bras

jeans

shoes

haircuts

toilet paper

Starbucks

Air Filters (I have really bad allergies. My house requires 3 filters which I change monthly and I buy the highest quality available which is very expensive)

and I would kill to find a decent purse that meets my needs.

[StaceyinLA]

Food. I just will not buy garbage.

 

We also don't skimp on major household items, and that includes furniture and appliances, as well as our Apple products.

[forty-two]

May I guess? Ficcare? Don't have one myself, but I've heard good things . . .

 

Yep ;). I have 16 of them (5 are new), and I wear them every day. It's my hair jewelry :tongue_smilie:.

 

Also, I do try to buy healthy, whole foods, regardless of price, but I don't do organic.

 

And I have gotten pickier about getting quality editions of books rather than the cheapest - the sensory experience matters more to me now, than just having access to the words on a page.

[Merry]

preventive health care

good haircut....I have gone for years w/out haircuts when I couldn't afford the high priced ones and had my hair trimmed by my dh

shoes/sandals

nail polish/lipstick

curriculum

art supplies

no plastic cups or dishes

[MamaT]

Lets see . . .

 

quality food

face care products (I'm getting older)

shoes

bras

handbags (I'm picky - if I find one I like I buy it, whether it's $10 or $200)

Starbucks

books

clothes for my teenagers (I think self image is important at that age)

[MissKNG]

Coach Purses!

[Mommy22alyns]

My hair, definitely. I also don't mind paying $$$ for a great handbag. I'm talking so great that my girls will carry it one day. ;) Coffee & face care products too.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I will no longer buy cheap shoes. I will try to find ones I know fit me well and are good quality on sale or clearance.

 

I prefer nice clothes too. :001_smile: Again, I only buy what I find on clearance, but I wait for the good stuff. They hold up better and fit nicer.

 

I also believe that you get what you pay for when it comes to appliances, furniture, and vehicles.

 

There are some food products that I prefer name brands, but I usually don't mind the store stuff.

[Tutor]

Organic milk, cage-free eggs, and my Birkenstock sandals. I still look for the best price on them, but I am willing to pay a bit more for the quality and health benefits they provide for us (me).

[Firefly]

Food comes to mind first-- I'm just not going to bargain shop when it comes to the stuff we consume. I will also pay more to buy from certain companies based on my own principles... the power to change things really lies in where I choose to spend my money, I believe. I'd rather go without certain items than compromise on these issues. And I am always willing to pay more for a quality item or something that is built to last.

[BakersDozen]

My everyday sandals (Taos brand) & socks (I wear them year-round)

Carseats (spent $1400 or so on 6 carseats and haven't regretted it)

Nursing bras (worn 24/7 for 7mo...yeah, I spend $ on them!)

double stroller (BOB was worth every penny! Cheap strollers are junk)

 

That's it for me! Aside from those three items I'm a cheapo...er, I mean frugal woman. :D

[Mommy22alyns]

My everyday sandals (Taos brand) & socks (I wear them year-round)

Carseats (spent $1400 or so on 6 carseats and haven't regretted it)

Nursing bras (worn 24/7 for 7mo...yeah, I spend $ on them!)

double stroller (BOB was worth every penny! Cheap strollers are junk)

 

That's it for me! Aside from those three items I'm a cheapo...er, I mean frugal woman. :D

 

Oh yes, I forgot about those. :iagree:

[DawnM]

Hmmmm....

 

We do try to be frugal. We are now debt free (other than mortgage) and hope to stay that way.

 

I do buy good coffee beans and have a very overpriced coffee maker/latte machine that I hope will last a good LONG time! I use it every day.

 

We have good quality cars, paid for, that we did pay a lot for. Reliable transportation is a must, but we take care of them and hope they last for a very long time.

 

Computers

 

We do vacation, but we do it fairly frugally.....I can do Disney for very cheap if necessary!

 

Dawn

[cin]

Shoes, for all of us, kitchen tools, certain foods (no MSG or artificial colors; allergies), medical, backpacks/messenger bag, and furniture that is highly used (family room--the living room will be MUCH less expensive!).

 

I buy quality clothes for the girls and I, but I get them mostly at Goodwill or the thrift store. I can get some shirts for DH there, but his pants for work are bought new. And Christmas sweaters for the picture (can you tell what I'm shopping for right now?!?)

[claire up north]

 

Apparently I like things that will make my wallet thinner and my bottom wider.... :glare:

 

 

 

HYSTERICAL!!! :smilielol5:

[ChrisOR]

o Shoes (though I usually thrift brand-new, high-quality brands for myself)

 

o Food (organic produce, local and grass-fed beef, bulk/co-op ... often cheaper than grocery stores and I spend less overall because I shop at the store less)

 

o Haircut

[Sweetbeebie]

Hair!! I have learned my lesson to never settle on cuts, highlights or anything else hair related:D

[TechWife]

Saran Wrap - the other stuff doesn't stick

 

like others:

shoes - athletic shoes

hair care

cosmetics - my face breaks out easily and at my age, I'm done with it!

certain brand name drugs (generics don't always work for me)

blue jeans (only one brand works for me right now)

vacation - hotels especially

[DesertDweller]

 

• Haircut and color
  
• Hair products
  
• Books
  

Nothing worse than a bad haircut. It took me three years to find someone here that I trust to do a great job. Her prices are a bit high, but not unreasonable. I'd pay whatever she charged though. I don't have to color my hair yet, but I do get highlights. I would never do it myself.

 

And, books. I have a serious book habit. I don't buy as much as I used to now that the kids are older. I'll spend whatever if it's something I really want.

Edited September 5, 2010 by DesertDweller

[maralyn45]

I can pay anything for organic products as they keep ourselves healthy...

[Laura Corin]

Comfortable shoes. Good apples. Waterproof outer clothing.

 

Laura

[LuvToRead]

Athletic Shoes for me

 

Work books for DH - this is a must

 

LL Bean sheets - they are not the most expensive sheets I've bought, but so far, they are my favorite.

 

Bras - I found a brand that fits well and holds up. The under-wire doesn't poke me. I've learned that a more expensive bra is cheaper than a less expensive bra because it just lasts that much longer.

 

Hotels - We don't take expensive vacations. We've never even been to an amusement park as a family. (I don't think DH has ever been to an amusement park, ever). But, I get claustrophobic, and I really prefer a two room suite.

 

I'm currently saving up to buy some All Clad cookware.

[HRAAB]

Shoes!

Bras!

A few really good pans and knives for the kitchen.

Cheese - my one weakness. Good cheese.

[dakarimom5]

I see a lot of themes here!! For me it's bras..nothing hold them completely up but some keeps them from looking at my toes :lol:

 

This is a weird one...feminine products. I just found some new ones and they are the best thing EVER!!

[Carol in Cal.]

I spring for those $100 pair of running shoes with the arch support and pay another $20 to get the better insoles (I rip out the thin things that come with the shoes and insert my, well, inserts). I do this every six months w/o fail - I had plantar fasitist (no I can not spell this and spell check want to make it a Nazi word!) once and never want to go there again!!!

 

I was told running shoes have better support than any other - I do NOT run ;-)

 

There are actually shoes that have better support than running shoes. Trail running shoes have better support than standard running shoes. In my horrendous PF experience, neither has as good support as well fitting Dansko sandals or shoes with WalkFit inserts--you can get those for about $20 at Target. Thanks to Strider, who suggested the WalkFits to me--a miracle for only $20!

[Carol in Cal.]

Underwear

 

Shoes - I'll drop $100 to get a good pair - but they last for years.

 

Hair accoutrements :tongue_smilie: - I have knee-length hair, and hair that length is getting pretty old and fragile - it needs all the TLC it can get. So I only use good quality, seamless combs and brushes (just spent $50 for two quality combs). And all my hair clips are seamless, too. My preferred brand is about $40/clip - but they are *so* worth it. Gorgeous and they work wonderfully.

 

Chocolate ;) - we spend about $40-50 a month on Ghiradelli (I put it in the budget :D)

 

Wow, you don't hear about Ghirardelli chocolate much on these boards. It's definitely a local favorite--I think it's the best chocolate around. I have been able to buy it in 10 lb chunks at Trader Joe's or Costco from time to time. I use an ice pick to get it off to use for baking. When I have one of those in the house, I routinely double the chocolate content in everything I make. There is nothing like chocolate chip bars with double chocolate!

 

Please tell me about your seamless hair tools! I have long, fragile hair, too, and I would like to keep it healthier. I think that it's starting to break at the metal clips, and have been trying to use hair sticks instead, but would love to find clips that were more forgiving.

[QueenCat]

I do try to get the best deal on these but still have minimum standards for certain things:

bras and jeans that fit well

 

everyday shoes

 

travel- if it's more than one or two nights, give me a condo, which is often cheaper than two hotel rooms, or even one, with careful research. And I must have a break from reality at least once a year. Thankfully, my parents will let us exchange their timeshare if money is a real issue that year.

 

produce and most food (whole wheat pasta is more expensive than white but so much healthier

 

curriculum- I try to find it used or cheaper but once I've decided what is best for my child, I won't compromise with something else just because it's cheaper

 

education

 

good hair cut

 

I'm sure there's more but these are some of the basics.

[Parrothead]

Most everything I buy I pay regular sale prices for. Being in small towns in the middle of nowhere for most of my adult life, I've never had the option to go to Goodwill regularly. 90% of my shopping is done online.

[SheilaZ]

camping gear, shoes, and cookware. Oh, and yarn. I'm such a yarn snob.

[Medieval Mom]

I like to biy a small quantity of excellent things that will last and last, rather than heaps of bargains. I'd rather have:

One Easton Press book than 100 paperbacks

One pair of Troentorp/Bastad clogs that last me 5-10 years, than a dozen cheap shoes that hurt and wear out

One pair of jeans that fit than several that don't

No furniture at all rather than cheap furniture (We had empty rooms for several years :), but now our furniture should last for generations)

One lovely set of earrings than a dozen cheap ones.

One excellent, wool cardigan than 20 acrylic or cotton or blend

One piece Lubecker marzipan than a bar of Hershey's

 

You get the picture. My dad and I are the same way, and "get" each other. We'd rather do without, than do with poor quality/things that won't last. Since we're not wealthy, this often means we do without :lol:

 

Money does not always denote quality, however! I've seen more and more and MORE expensive junk out there, as well and more and more stores that used to carry quality items carry cheap stuff at their customary high prices. Ugh.