Cheaper isn’t always better.
Right now, it’s baby wipes. The cheap ones aren’t as moist and are thinner, less durable find using more of them so buying more of them. It’s cheaper to buy the more premium ones in the long run. The budget ones from the large e-commerce store just aren’t comparable to the brand ones from Costco.
What’s your buy it cheap buy it twice that you avoid like the plague?
What’s your this is a false economy that you swear by?
byu/Elegant-Fisherman555 inFrugal
Posted by Elegant-Fisherman555
11 Comments
Cloth baby wipes are the way to go. They’re reusable and washable.
Toilet paper is what comes to mind. Getting several rolls of one-ply may look cheaper but usage wise it isn’t. You end up using 2-3 times as much as a good 2-ply.
Shoes are another huge one. You may think you’re saving money by buying cheap shoes but in reality you’re spending more replacing shoes. Buy the expensive shoes and they’ll last a long time.
Jackets. I have 3 trusty ones that I’ve been wearing for 10+ years and with proper care they’re in great condition. One thin for spring, one coat, and a winter fur coat. I only have to mend the pocket lining occasionally.
I stopped skimping on laundry detergent after I noticed musty smells appearing quickly after wearing freshly washed clothes. Also stopped using fabric softener – the price evens out and my clothes feel more breathable.
Magnesium supplements – the cheap oxide type doesn’t do anything. Citrate is a mid-range, highly-bioavailable option.
Earphones (wired) – necessary for my work, I wear them 8+ hours a day. Used to need a new pair of Sony’s every 6 months or so. Finally bought a great pair of JBLs, so much more comfortable, sound quality is great, and they’ve been going strong for a year and a half now.
I recently splurged on pampers wipes. Deeply regret it. They’re less moist, thinner, and they pill fuzz and fray like crazy. Shrinkflation is real and it’s awful. I’ve had better luck with generic.
I used to buy cheap shoes and wear them until they were no longer fit for purpose – which usually took about a year. On a whim, I decided to try a different approach. I purchased two pairs of Skechers, totalling around £230. Four years and hundreds of miles across Europe later, they’re holding up very well, and are still exceptionally comfortable. (Who knew that walking wasn’t supposed to be painful?!)
I’m still a naturally frugal person, but if a product is the only thing separating me from the floor, I will spend a little more money on it. This includes things like mattresses and tires.
coupon with cvs. I get free baby wipes almost weekly. their coupons can double up on Sundays. Sundays is the day to shop with them.
I buy single ply TP. I fold three squares two times and that is cheaper and good enough for me. My wife buys Charmin Ultra. We don’t fuss about such minor things.
Baby wipes for me as well. Also, dish soap. I’ll only buy Dawn.
You need to think further out of the box, buy 30 face cloths and use them as wipes with water. $10 upfront cost and no more disposable wipes
Cheap paint. We’ve recently moved, and we used so much crummy paint in our old house that just didn’t hold up— we had it repainted before the move with better quality paint, and I’ll pay more for that in the future.
Also, for some jobs, it’s a false economy to DIY. We DIY a lot- hubs has done amazing work on a couple of 20+ yo cars and saved thousands—- but sometimes it’s worth paying more to the person who has the special tools needed for a job and the skills to do a great job in less time.
My mom waa just saying the other day about dryer sheets. She was buying the store brand ones and ended up using a fistful cause they were terrible. Now we switched to name brand and only use once.
Get whole sale or invoice pricing