For starters, this will not apply to those who always buy the best of everything. Don't bother.
Let me explain. We are frugal... very frugal in some cases, and stupidly frugal in others. We buy at Walmart, The Dollar Tree, Aldi's, and we frequent Goodwill, Garage Sales, and Resale stores.
Over many years, this has paid off, allowing us to have things that wouldn't normally be able to afford. I truly believe that without this tightfisted approach, we might still be working, instead of being retired for over 20 years. Frugal extends to limited eating out, outside entertainment... Movies, Concerts, what we used to call "Nightclubs", flying for any reason, or expensive vacations. Never had a new car, a new house, or boat, and have never done extensive remodeling or landscaping. (Of course moving 22 times would have made permanent changes to our housing unnecessary.)
So about two years ago, as we were walking through one of our "bettr stores", my bride suggested that she'd like a new "pot" for the kitchen. "What!!!! We have a perfectly good "pot" that we've had for years." "But it's hard to clean" says she. That earthshaking moment began a new stage in our lives. We still shop in the same places, but have done a broad review of "Things", with an eye to spending money where it really counts. On "stuff" that works well, and lasts. Simple!
So here's our short list of things that we think are really important, where we've made mistakes in the past, by being penny wise and pound foolish. Where we learned a lesson. So, am passing on some of these "discoveries". Things we wish we had bought (invested in)60 years ago.
Kitchen-
1. Best knives possible, and a good sharpener. Some mistakes we made were to buy brand knives at the low end.
2. Best Stainless dinner utensils.
3. Manual can opener... (hard to find).
4. Pots and pans. Still have our original Revere Ware set, but the newest (more expensive) sets made of newer compounds are best. Should be a great payback over the Walmart "specials".
5. Ice cream scoop. Yeah... $15+ for one that works.
6. Scissors- "Fiskars" only... throughout the house and garage.
7. Slide out shelves.
8. Dishwasher... only the best. Other appliances, refrigerators, washers, dryers etc., not so much.
9. A good "pusher" for the garbage disposal. We just discovered this.
Living room- Bedroom
Nothing particular here..EXCEPT! Decide early on, what type of furniture and accessories you like, and stay with the basics... ie. Decorating style... modern, conventional, period etc. Type of wood, cloth, leather, colors, lamps and accessories. A very important decision over the years. Keep in mind the possibilty of moving. This was probably our biggest mistake. Over 50+ years, trying to adjust has cost us perhaps an extra hundred thousand dollars or more.
A good, plain colored quilt... Sounds funny, but we use it to cover, to hide messes, to cozy up, and to stay warm until the house warms up on a cold night.
Throw rugs, where possible in traffic areas. Saves carpeting and increases resale value.
Garage/workshop- YMMV
The absolute necessities:
Top of the line electric CORDED drill.
Good Sawzall and hand jigsaw
Better or best full socket set... all sizes, 100 pc. or more.
One each Best hammer, screwdriver set, vise grips, pliers, wire cutter, metal shears.
Average hatchet, prybar, cordless drill
Best reamer (discovered late in life...)
Best Spade, Shovel, Garden Rake, Leaf Rake, hand gardening tools including pruner.
While there are literally thousands of tools available, my philosophy is that the rarely used tools don't require a Snap-On (sic)label.
This may sound like an unnecessary thread, and of course very incomplete. It's just a result of looking back to see how many wasted dollars we spent on replacing items that might have cost more in the beginning, but in hindsight would have been better choices.
It's a Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda thing, but for anyone looking forward 20, 30, or 40 years... something to consider.
Your thoughts?
Let me explain. We are frugal... very frugal in some cases, and stupidly frugal in others. We buy at Walmart, The Dollar Tree, Aldi's, and we frequent Goodwill, Garage Sales, and Resale stores.
Over many years, this has paid off, allowing us to have things that wouldn't normally be able to afford. I truly believe that without this tightfisted approach, we might still be working, instead of being retired for over 20 years. Frugal extends to limited eating out, outside entertainment... Movies, Concerts, what we used to call "Nightclubs", flying for any reason, or expensive vacations. Never had a new car, a new house, or boat, and have never done extensive remodeling or landscaping. (Of course moving 22 times would have made permanent changes to our housing unnecessary.)
So about two years ago, as we were walking through one of our "bettr stores", my bride suggested that she'd like a new "pot" for the kitchen. "What!!!! We have a perfectly good "pot" that we've had for years." "But it's hard to clean" says she. That earthshaking moment began a new stage in our lives. We still shop in the same places, but have done a broad review of "Things", with an eye to spending money where it really counts. On "stuff" that works well, and lasts. Simple!
So here's our short list of things that we think are really important, where we've made mistakes in the past, by being penny wise and pound foolish. Where we learned a lesson. So, am passing on some of these "discoveries". Things we wish we had bought (invested in)60 years ago.
Kitchen-
1. Best knives possible, and a good sharpener. Some mistakes we made were to buy brand knives at the low end.
2. Best Stainless dinner utensils.
3. Manual can opener... (hard to find).
4. Pots and pans. Still have our original Revere Ware set, but the newest (more expensive) sets made of newer compounds are best. Should be a great payback over the Walmart "specials".
5. Ice cream scoop. Yeah... $15+ for one that works.
6. Scissors- "Fiskars" only... throughout the house and garage.
7. Slide out shelves.
8. Dishwasher... only the best. Other appliances, refrigerators, washers, dryers etc., not so much.
9. A good "pusher" for the garbage disposal. We just discovered this.
Living room- Bedroom
Nothing particular here..EXCEPT! Decide early on, what type of furniture and accessories you like, and stay with the basics... ie. Decorating style... modern, conventional, period etc. Type of wood, cloth, leather, colors, lamps and accessories. A very important decision over the years. Keep in mind the possibilty of moving. This was probably our biggest mistake. Over 50+ years, trying to adjust has cost us perhaps an extra hundred thousand dollars or more.
A good, plain colored quilt... Sounds funny, but we use it to cover, to hide messes, to cozy up, and to stay warm until the house warms up on a cold night.
Throw rugs, where possible in traffic areas. Saves carpeting and increases resale value.
Garage/workshop- YMMV
The absolute necessities:
Top of the line electric CORDED drill.
Good Sawzall and hand jigsaw
Better or best full socket set... all sizes, 100 pc. or more.
One each Best hammer, screwdriver set, vise grips, pliers, wire cutter, metal shears.
Average hatchet, prybar, cordless drill
Best reamer (discovered late in life...)
Best Spade, Shovel, Garden Rake, Leaf Rake, hand gardening tools including pruner.
While there are literally thousands of tools available, my philosophy is that the rarely used tools don't require a Snap-On (sic)label.
This may sound like an unnecessary thread, and of course very incomplete. It's just a result of looking back to see how many wasted dollars we spent on replacing items that might have cost more in the beginning, but in hindsight would have been better choices.
It's a Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda thing, but for anyone looking forward 20, 30, or 40 years... something to consider.
Your thoughts?
