They say life is all about the little things, and I couldn’t agree more. When I was in college and as a recent graduate I struggled a lot with finances, mainly because I just wasn’t making enough. That’s when I first learned to be creative with my spending and try to be as frugal as possible. In those financial experiences I learned a great deal about what it truly means to be frugal. It’s not about knowing how to save or skimp, it’s about knowing when to spend.
I used to think that getting the cheapest versions of everything was the way to go. When I first started living out on my own I fell in love with all the generic “store-brand” alternatives that were at my local grocery store. I thought “man this stuff is only 54 cents and taste mildly similar to the real thing,” or something equally as entertaining. But what I started learning over time is that there are some things that you just should never skimp on. Here are 5 things I have experienced and vowed never again to go cheap with.
Sliced Cheese
My very first bad experience was with the cheapest package of cheese in the store. I soon found out why. The creamy goodness of a normal Kraft slice was no where to be found with what I had bought. It tasted like a mix of cold Cheez Whiz and plastic. It was seriously a traumatizing experience. Pay the extra $2 and enjoy it.
Toilet Paper / Tissue
Some people would argue that toilet paper by it’s very nature is wasteful since you basically buy it just to throw it away. I disagree. When it comes to cleaning yourself down there, you don’t want to skimp. You want something that will do the job and keep you comfortable. There are some places in our lives where luxury is a necessity.
Medicine
When it comes to your health, take it serious. Generics….definitely. A bottle of pills from some guy at your local flea market…no.
File Cabinet
Take it from me, the last thing you want to do is store all your important documents in a wobbly old thing that doesn’t even open cleanly. We spend so much time making sure we’re organized and have all our of most important documents in order, yet we decide to put it into a metal death trap that cost us $20. If you have things that are important enough to store, spend a little money for something sturdy.
Legal Advice
Sure, some lawyers can be parasites looking to suck as much money out of you as possible but don’t use that as an excuse to take the cheap route when it comes to your legal issues. Try to find a reputable lawyer around your town that tries to be cost-efficient, there definitely are some. If you find someone good, keep a good relationship with them and if they can’t help you for future items (because it’s outside of their specialty) ask if they can refer you to someone similar. Trying to get the best deal when it comes to legal advice will often cost you much more in the end anyway.
Most people think being frugal is just about finding the lowest prices for everything, but that’s not really true. It’s more about being smart with your money by spending less in areas where you can afford to, while making sure to spend the right amount for the things that you need to. Don’t get caught up in the lowest price all of the time, because all things are not created equal. Believe it or not, there are times when spending a little more is the smart thing to do.
April 21st, 2008 at 4:39 pm
“Some people would argue that toilet paper by it’s very nature is wasteful since you basically buy it just to throw it away.”
Anyone who would make this argument must be ignorant of the benefits of toilet paper. People don’t buy things because they can keep them forever. We buy stuff because it improves our lives.
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:40 am
[…] We’re on the right path when we count the costs of our purchases, but there are some things you simply never should buy used or sell. Sometimes going with the cheap option isn’t wise, it’s dangerous. […]
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:30 am
Read my post on figuring out the best deal on toilet paper. Sometimes when you buy cheap, you’re actually spending more money. http://www.outofdebtagain.com/2008/02/flushing-money-down-drain.html
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I bought some nasty “cheese” stuff too. Bleh!
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:59 am
[…] “5 Things You Shouldn’t Go Cheap On” from Know the Ledge. I mostly agree with these but there are always exceptions. […]
April 24th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Definitely agreeing on the sliced cheese - with one caveat: our store brand is just fine. Other store brands or cheaper “name” brands we’ve tried - ick!
But I have to somewhat disagree on the TP. THE cheapest stuff - as in the single-ply, might-as-well-be-at-the-local-gas-station stuff - is awful. But I don’t like name-brand TP. I prefer something in between, quality-wise.
April 25th, 2008 at 11:10 am
[…] the Ledge writes about 5 things you shouldn’t buy cheap. I can’t say I really agree about all of them, but it’s definitely entertaining to […]