What instances can you think of when it's more "frugal" to spend more, invest in quality and get things that will last or be better than their cheaper alternatives?

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Cars. Clothes. Shoes. Name brand electronics. All the unfrugal things you can think of..lol.
Cars: DH and I both bought our vehicles brand new, this way, (for one reason anyway) we know we are the only owners, there has been nothing done to the vehicle without our knowledge, no wrecks hidden, etc....if anything happens to be wrong with it initially, we know it's a defect or a problem for the dealer....yes there are lemons, but most situations, at least it's under warranty. Now, we didn't go out and buy huge expensive SUVs or anything, we bought sensibly.
Clothes: We never buy cheap clothes (not that we buy expensive either) but we buy good quality clothing, whether it's on sale or not, and we only do it ever so often. I'd rather have ten really good pieces than 50 things that don't make it through 10 rounds through the dryer. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with garage sales, consignment, etc....it's just a personal preference, and I definitely do not judge those who go another route. If we needed to, we would.
Shoes: I buy really good quality tennis shoes and heels...I have fairly bad feet and need those things to be as good of quality as i can get. Now, everyday things like flip flops and sandals, I'll buy cheaply, as they are usually seasonal.
Electronics: We won't buy anything (TV, DVD player, etc.) from a name that we've never heard before simply because it's priced lower. I'd rather get something from an established dealer for a higher price, which usually has some sort of warranty. Granted, these things are bought so few and far between, that it's not like we go out and buy the latest and greatest, we buy it when we need it.

Backpacks and luggage need to be pretty sturdy. They will last forever that way. I still use my backpack from college and that was almost 20 years ago!!

Also shoes. I don't scrimp on shoes for the kids or us! We do a lot of walking/jogging/running so good shoes are important. Plus, my middle child has large feet and it is better to get Stride Rite for him, but pricey. I do get them online or at the outlets, but Stride Rites last forever!

i would say
furniture
appliances
vehicles
shoes
clothing

this way you are not replacing them as frequently.

I also agree with shoes, and clothes (of course on sale and clearance- or even from goodwill and yard sales!). When we need to buy a new appliance we check out the prices of what is on sale and try to find out who really makes it (most of the Off name companies are made by "major" companies- kind of like "generic" foods).

-Shoes, especially work shoes for DH since he is sometimes on his feet for 12-15 hours at a time.

-Clothing items for me...not so much for DD since she grows out of them before they can wear out. Not so much for DH either since the slacks or button up shirts he wears for work (he's a restaurant manager) are just as likely to get trashed by food, grease, chemicals, bleach, etc. if they are $9.99 or $59.99. Geez, my dh can ruin a shirt or pair of pants in record time...especially if they are new.

-Cars. We don't go for all the "extras" in our cars, but we do buy brands that have a good track record for reliability.

-Power tools. We went cheap on our jigsaw, circular saw, and cordless drill and all 3 had to be replaced within 2 years. We definitely learned our lesson and bought the best we could afford. It has really been a good investment since we do a lot of home improvements ourself.

-Furniture, we bought cheap living room furniture once and learned our lesson.

-Mattresses, a good mattress is so important to getting a good night sleep. I don't think it is necessary to get the highest end you can find, but I would never buy the cheapest one around.

-Car seats

-A good stroller. Again, we didn't buy the highest end, but got one somewhere in between and it has been a good investment.

-Carpet and carpet pad, you can definitely tell the difference in the cheaper/thinner carpet vs. paying a little more for the more plush varieties.

For me defienetly bra's. I am rather heavy in the chest and would rather make a good investment and get some good onces than have my boobs by my knees.

Some baby toys - my daughter has a tiny love gym, the accessories are slightly expensive, but they are longer lasting - which means my next one will be able to get it.

I agree w/many of the above. But, one thing goes against many on here. I spend (OK, past tense, spent, mostly pre-kids) good money on purses and buy quality ones. Not overpriced Vuitton, although there's a $900 one I REALLY want, but will never own. But Dooneys, Coach, etc. It's something I literally use every day and I like to have a nice looking, quality purse. When I was younger, I tried the less expensive ones and ended up throwing them out so quickly. They broke, wore down rapidly or just never worked well to begin with.

I also can't buy cheap shoes. They hurt and I just run them down too quickly, so that's more a need than a splurge.

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I think you always want to look at quality especially with big purchases.
Appliances, vehicals, homes, education, health care are all things that should be researched.

The smaller stuff I think depends on use yes I think you should spend money on quality shoes when they are going to be worn 2-3 times a week or more. No you shouldn't when its the shoes to match a dress for the company christmas party.

Same thing with clothes spend the money on a supportive bra and find a cheep sun dress.

With kids stuff it is the same thing is it going to be used enough to warent the cost.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

It depends what the item is and how much it gets used.

Shoes for one specific outfit, I will buy cheaper. Everyday, I will buy more expensive.

Furniture, cars, appliances, we tend to stick with brands we know and trust. I am fortuate, my FIL worked for Ethan Allen for a lot of years and a lot of our furniture is from there. I have my old Ethan Allen bedroom set in DD8's room. Cars, we have done new, but DH's latest car was used one year by someone we know. It's a Toyota, and so far so good!

I like quality purses, but will go cheap for a seasonal purse.

Kids shoes wind up mostly coming from Stride Rite, I have one in a narrow and one in a wide so it's hard to find shoes for them.

We also consider how long the big purchase will last, or how long we think we will use it before a newer version is out and consider that before buying big ticket items.