Re: Cheapskate or Spend-O-Matic ?
Always on the lookout for the best value/price ratio. I buy generics for small purchases like canned food and toothpaste but for bigger purchases, its tougher.
I've never bought a new car and probably never will.
Scan craigslist for furniture and hardware.
For consumer electronics, I buy new but look for middle-end. Low-end is usually crap and high-end is just the middle-end with bells and whistles.
I've learned to pay a little more for clothes lately. I used to never want to go over $20 for a shirt. But I'd buy three and wear one. So now I just buy one for $4O and look damn good. :cool:
I also bought Ford at $1.35.
Re: Cheapskate or Spend-O-Matic ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
OldRightHander
I have a Mac and a pair of Bose headphones. Worth every penny.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bucksfan2
I have a Dyson vacuum and it is great. If you use a normal vacuum and then go over the same area with a Dyson it is scary how much crap is still on the ground. As for Bose I really like the sound it produces. I have used the Bose airplane headphones and they were great.
I agree that Macs and Dysons and Bose are good products. It is just that you can get better products for less money if you know what to buy.
This is true for Bose especially. Their radios and speakers are nice, but you can get much better radios and speakers for half the price from several other brands that are not household names.
Just think how much money Bose and Dyson and Apple spend on commercials and advertisements. Hundreds of millions of dollars. Every bit of that money is just added to the price of their products. Their technology is not unique or superior, but their marketing skills are fantastic.
Re: Cheapskate or Spend-O-Matic ?
As others have said, I will buy the brand name item when it comes to appliances and other big ticket items. Haven't had much luck with the off brands, so saving a few bucks in the beginning, only to have to replace it a short time later, doesn't really work for me.
When it comes to groceries, I mostly buy name brands, but that's because they taste better. IMO, nothing compares to a Coke (Zero), Heinz Ketchup or Bounty Paper Towel. That's not to say that I won't buy store brands. I buy lots of the Kirkland products from Costco (my favorite store).
This past year, I decided to put aside all the money saved from clipping coupons from the Sunday paper. As of last week, I had saved about $550. While it may not be much, it's money that would have been given to Jewel (grocery store) or Target.
Re: Cheapskate or Spend-O-Matic ?
I also tend to look at it this way. If I am going to buy something that I need to be durable or something that I want to last over a number of years I will spend more. If I am buying a winter coat I am going to spend more money on something that will not only be warmer or last. I will look around for the best deal on a particular coat but I am not going to buy a cheap one to save money.
Re: Cheapskate or Spend-O-Matic ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Red in Chicago
This past year, I decided to put aside all the money saved from clipping coupons from the Sunday paper. As of last week, I had saved about $550. While it may not be much, it's money that would have been given to Jewel (grocery store) or Target.
I think that's pretty good. There are a lot of nice things you can do or buy with $500+. :thumbup:
Rem
Re: Cheapskate or Spend-O-Matic ?
I just bought a new furnace. It ain't a Trane, but guess what- the same company that makes Trane makes mine. And I got a better warranty with mine for about 15% less.
And here's the kicker about furnaces; after doing a couple months of research I learned that the single most important factor in furnace life is whether the installer knows what they're doing.