Comments on: Should You Pay More Money For Quality?

By: JuliaA

JuliaA — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:41:18 +0000

doing research is key. i look at amazon reviews a lot, along with reviews on other sites, before i decide.

i keep contemplating a dyson–i have cat hair all over!

By: Mac

Mac — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:02:25 +0000

Good advice on research, buying refurbished, and save. As far as buying quality is concerned, I tend to buy the best value…which tends to be more on the quality side anyway. If I can’t wait for the newest models to fall in price, I just get the best bang for the buck. Amazon is a great site to determine the sweet spot for most of the big ticket items.

By: DG

DG — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:25:01 +0000

I think quality for some things such as computers is important but quality for furniture and everyday clothes? Not necessary!

By: DG

DG — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 07:53:15 +0000

I think extended guarantees are good for things such as laptops but not necessarily every piece of electronic luxury you purchase!

By: Sean

Sean — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:48:48 +0000

Wow, that is awesome! I actually haven’t worked out the math myself. I just know that the coffee I make at home tastes better than the stuff I can get at Starbucks, especially when I can get some good locally roasted beans. Of course, the next step is to start roasting at home :-)

By: Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:13:01 +0000

We have had our car for over 10 years. It was purchased new. Yeah, we have had to put money into it from time to time. All in all, it has cost us less than $150 a month so far, the longer we have it the lower this cost will become.

I balanced price with quality. I bought new, I bought quality and now I am reaping the benefits.

By: Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:06:27 +0000

We dropped $500 and used the model for a year, then when it broke, the company offered us a $1000 model for $500. We have been using that model for at least 4 years. We have made 2500 cups of coffee in the new model (the quality is Starbucks level if not better). At least 500 cups in the old model. This means that each cup of coffee I drink is about .60 cents a cup (.33 on the coffee maker and .25 on beans).

I never buy coffee out (I take a travel mug) and I am happy all day long with my good coffee. One of the best purchases we have made.

Most people never do the “math” and really see the difference.

By: Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:00:53 +0000

Be a bit wary of out dated models. They can cost you more money in the long term because you cannot find parts when they break. I had this problem regarding a fryer. The cord broke and because it wasn’t a current model, the company no longer had replacement cords. After much fussing and a couple of phone calls. The company shipped me a new fryer for the cost of a replacement cord (which the company was out of stock on). I think I got a lucky break on this one.

By: Dale Wyrick

Dale Wyrick — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:18:12 +0000

This is also very true for food.
When grocery shopping, many people may scoff at the prices of “grass-fed, pasture raised” meats. I have found through reading and research that it is much healthier to eat this way and can actually save you money in medical bills.

I now look to get the most bang for my buck in groceries by eating healthier. Fruits and vegetables are not that expensive and its much better to fill up on them, than fill up on a $4 bag of Doritos.

By: Efren

Efren — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:41:45 +0000

Frugality, quality and inexpensive things cannot be had all the time. There are instances that we can use inexpensive or cheap products depending on the period of usage. If you will use a product just once or for a day only why not get the cheapest that would do the job. Why buy a quality product that can be used only once. So we better use wisdom when buying things.

By: Skirnir Hamilton

Skirnir Hamilton — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:49:06 +0000

I have to agree on it is worth it to pay more for a vacuum. Our history was that we kept buying cheap vacuums that lasted two or three years and then we bought from a local vacuum dealer a lyndhouse. It has a great filter, so that vacuuming no longer bothers my asthma. And we have had it for more than 5 years with 2 cats and it is working great. When the hose had a problem, the dealer fixed it, no cost.

Now, our more expensive dishwasher model, I am not as happy with. We were talked into it by a salesman and I am not sure if it has been worth it.

By: Craig

Craig — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:28:33 +0000

I think it is. A lot of times especially if it’s something you plan on using all the time it is. Because higher quality could mean a longer life span. For example I saved and paid in full for a top of the line TV about a year and a half ago. I watch TV every day for shows, movies,sports, and to play video games. To me buying the best was worth it. Same could be said for other things you use.

By: Erik Folgate

Erik Folgate — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:18:34 +0000

Hey Everyone, thanks for all of the examples of paying for quality and how it was a good choice. I think we all agree the extra money is worth if it’s something that you need and use on a regular basis and it truly is superior to its competitors.

By: Karmella

Karmella — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:12:36 +0000

Oh my, now I am kind of coveting a Dyson. I wish I had not been cheap when I bought my washer/dryer – the cheap dryer is fine, but it was really a mistake on the washer and now I am stuck with it.

By: Audra

Audra — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:53:42 +0000

I’m a firm believer in paying for quality clothes. I’m not talking about paying a high price for a brand or a “label”; I mean paying for well constructed, quality fabric clothing. I have shirts that I’ve paid (more than the average cost for a shirt) that has lasted me for over 10 years. While on the other hand, I’ve caved and bought a cheaply made shirt from (I won’t say where, I think you could probably guess), and had it shrink, fall apart at the seams, and be unwearable in less than 3 months. The same goes for shoes, you usually do get what you pay for. Unless of course, you are buying soley…can’t pass that pun by…for the sake of wearing a name. I have shoes that still look nice, and they are over 8 years old. I just try to keep the investment aspect of an article of clothing in mind while shopping, and not try to pick out something only because it’s cheaper.

By: thriftygal

thriftygal — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:42:11 +0000

I need to show this post to my hubby! We have a hand-me-down vacuum that is about 10 years old! It does work ok, but we have to vacuum multiple times a week, and he thinks it’s just fine as long as we clean out the filter.

My real life experience is with mattresses. We initially bought a cheapy model sealy which felt like a rock to me, so I was glad we could sell it when we moved. Then it was a succession of air mattresses, and a no-name brand which began to sink in after a year. So when my daughter was born, I went and purchased a new mattress. A day after it was delivered, I realized that it was too firm for my daugther (who coslept) and returned it and spent an additional $250 which was the best $250 I’ve ever spent as all of us sleep much better.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:16:40 +0000

Yep, I’ve got a Dyson for the same reason. I kept an eye out for sales and was able to get one 15% off not long after getting my dog. When “paying for quality” I usually look at the price per day/week/year/whatever. The Dyson, with its 5-year warranty, worked out to less than $2 per week to clean my carpets better than anything else I’ve used. And that’s assuming it only lasts the 5 years.

I’ve also done the same thing with shoes. I’m usually a Payless gal but i just couldn’t find any good work shoes (square toe, low heel, ankle boots, black). Finally found some for $80 at DSW but spending that much on a pair of shoes – eek! Did the math and they worked out to ~$0.50 per day if they lasted as long as my last, cheaper, pair. They lasted longer.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:43:20 +0000

We did the same thing with a Dyson. I didn’t want it at first because it was so expensive and looked like a hamster ball. My hubby convinced me we should get it, so we used wedding money left over and also a sale that the woman at the register helped us with. That thing is the best thing we’ve ever bought. Our friends with two dogs that shed like crazy would borrow it every few weeks and do a major cleanup, and the thing never lost suction. Definitely worth the investment, because it’ll be a loooong time before we have to replace that thing!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:26:31 +0000

Most of the time quality is worth paying a little more for. We got a Dyson a year ago, and love it. It was especially worth it since it has helped my wife’s allergies much more than our previous semi-cheap vacuum.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:10:42 +0000

My expensive, but worth it item was a coffee maker. After doing research on coffeegeek.com I decided to suck it up and drop close to 200 dollars on a capresso machine and a burr grinder. I make myself a thermos of very tasty coffee every morning and it’s been worth every penny for me. Although I’m sure some people think I’m crazy, but for me it was a worthwhile investment.