Pride of Ownership

[RobbieB]

I get my miles out of furniture. The sofa gets replaced when holes appear not before.

 

[brucethebroker]

The last dozen years, we have been buying more and more items at thrifts and on craigslist. We recently paid less than $200 for 6 high quality chairs (equal or better than Thomasville) with solid mahogany legs, and in mint condition. DW could not find similar chairs for less than $400 EACH at high end furniture stores. We bought an Ethan Allen solid cherry dining room set for under $500 a few years back. And we still have many pieces of our original EA bedroom set we purchased (retail, ouch!) in 1976. Well made, and classic styling.

There are so many estates and downsizing sales...lots of good values if you like to shop that way and save serious $$.

 

[travelover]

I tend to take really good care of stuff, probably to an excess, as it is not like I need to worry about resale value. I just hate to see things scuffed, scratched or misused - it seems disrespectful .

 

[Hermit]

Nice. However I never would have never owned a 2003 Taurus or particleboard cabinets in the first place. Buy quality and keep it forever. I should have qualified this in my post.
Thanks.
Also, the street sweeper does not do that good of a job. And I value the exercise.

I ordered a Kraft Maid vanity for my new house because the last house I remodeled I used Kraft Maid and they were nice. This time the backs and sides were particleboard.

 

[Ronstar]

It’s tough to find good cabinetry and furniture these days. I visited several cabinet companies during our remodel, and asked for a tour of their production facilities. Only one tour impressed me, and I went with that company. It’s even more important now to take care of our stuff to make it last longer, because very few things are being made now as well as they used to be.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

For us, I'm not sure if pride of ownership is solely our underlying principle. Obviously, if we buy something, we want to take care of it to make sure it lasts.

But we also want to understand how much value and usage we're going to get out of it. The larger the price tag, the more analysis.
Are we going use something enough where we're going to get enough value/happiness from buying it or a higher end version?
Do we have enough space to store it?
Is it going to be better just to rent it?
Are we going to get enough use of it before it becomes obsolete/surpassed by newer technology?
Are we skilled enough to appreciate the higher end versions that provide more precision?
Should we need pay more for bells and whistles that we may not use?
(However, we're also not immune to buying something just for the sake of liking it. )

 

[Sunset]

For us, I'm not sure if pride of ownership is solely our underlying principle. Obviously, if we buy something, we want to take care of it to make sure it lasts.

But we also want to understand how much value and usage we're going to get out of it. The larger the price tag, the more analysis.
Are we going use something enough where we're going to get enough value/happiness from buying it or a higher end version?
Do we have enough space to store it?
Is it going to be better just to rent it?
Are we going to get enough use of it before it becomes obsolete/surpassed by newer technology?
Are we skilled enough to appreciate the higher end versions that provide more precision?
Should we need pay more for bells and whistles that we may not use?
(However, we're also not immune to buying something just for the sake of liking it. )

Agreed, it is a complex issue, best analyzed on a case by case basis.

Example, DW car is 21 yrs old, probably because we park it in a garage and don't leave it outside all the time, helps it to last longer without rust holes.

I just bought new cell phones Moto G6 for $160 each (unlocked), instead of buying $900 apple phones because I know in 3 or 4 years they will be thrown away, or lost or stolen.

 

[donheff]

I do not generally worry about maintaining stuff forever but I do agree that some things, like furniture and kitchens, can last a long time if you pick the right stuff. We added an addition to our house about 30 years ago and remodeled the kitchen and the bathroom with quality materials and design. Both are still going strong. I have replace all the kitchen appliances over the years but the cabinets and counters (granite) still look great. I had to replace the hinges in the cabinets since the springs wore out but that is about it. I wasn't focused on cost - just aesthetics.

As for cars, I used to keep them for about 8-10 years but this year I tried leasing since I want to see how much I enjoy a three year replacement cycle. Cost isn't the objective there at all.

 

[misshathaway]

This group is a pretty conservative bunch in my estimation. Never the less I would like an opinion regarding owning "things" and minimal waste in our lives. For example when putting away our lawn furniture my DS exclaimed that we should get the record for lawn stuff lasting over 25 years. Likewise our inside furniture, kitchen (all white which I guess is back in fashion) other than a new faucet and 50 knobs is over 25 years old. DW's Lexus is 14 years old and spotless. We clean the street and gutters in front of out house. Old time German approach to belongings and an attitude of preservation.

I feel that this basic attitude contributes greatly to success, rather than discussions about AA, SWR and when to take SS. Thoughts?

I love to watch home renovation shows at the club which has HGTV. They always demolish the kitchen and they make a new one with granite countertops and sleek appliances that looks like every other kitchen. The new kitchens leave me cold. There is no personality.

I may take it to the extreme though. I love the look of my oven, original to the house circa 1960. A very old guy used to fix it who could diagnose its problem and find the old parts. His wife had to drive him. They were so cute. Now he's gone and it hasn't worked for about 2 years. I have a countertop one instead so I don't miss its function.

Hmmmm. Maybe that should be my next home improvement project. I certainly couldn't break it any further.

 

[brett]

We shop on value and I, unlike DW, do not like shopping. So I tend to buy higher end products and keep whatever it is for a long time. When I do shop, the internet is my friend.

Cars...last one we retired was 18 years old. It went to our son. Still running and in good shape. Current ones are 2008 and 2007. No plans to replace either at the moment. I did go into the Acura dealership a few years ago with the intention of buying a new vehicle. I did not buy. Money, or even parting with it was not the issue. I did not feel any of that new car excitement that normally comes from buying a new car. So I walked.

 

[ivinsfan]

Not trying to be snobby and I'm sorry if it came across like that. The point I was trying to make was to take care of what you have and minimize waste yet present yourself well.

I got that same impression when you mentioned driving Fords. People that have driven Fords like myself have pride of ownership as well. Now if your contention is that things that cost more money last longer, that hasn't been my real world experience.

 

[tmm99]

I don't try to be a minimalist for the sake of being a minimalist. I hate throwing good enough things away (even if you recycle/donate, etc), but at the same time, I don't want to keep on using things or looking at things that are unpleasant. Functionalities are important to me, and aesthetics as well. I don't want to live my life surrounded by junk (=not only cheap and also ugly).

As for what foxfire said about buy quality and keep forever, I love my All-clad cookware. They cost a lot, but they are great (in terms of performance and they are solid and very nice-looking). Same with my Honda Accord EX-V6. It cost more than other Accord models, but it's fast, and the leather interior is easy to maintain, so even though I've had it for over 14 years (but with only 75,000 miles!), I still love it all the same.

 

[38Chevy454]

I find that buying quality does tend to pay off in the long term most of the time. But so does taking care of what you already have so it can last longer. The pride thing to me is that I want my things to look nice and not look neglected. Also has the benefit of helping them last longer. I am a big believer in preventative maintenance (PM), as result of my years working in production environments where unscheduled downtime is detrimental.



One discussion item though, in the past items were made to be fixed, rebuilt and keep going. Now everything is throw away and get a new one. Much more of a disposable mentality now than in the past. Some of this probably driven by electronics, as they are not cost effective to repair, but mechanical type things are just not designed with intention to be rebuilt or have parts replaced.

 

[SumDay]

The last dozen years, we have been buying more and more items at thrifts and on craigslist. We recently paid less than $200 for 6 high quality chairs (equal or better than Thomasville) with solid mahogany legs, and in mint condition. DW could not find similar chairs for less than $400 EACH at high end furniture stores. We bought an Ethan Allen solid cherry dining room set for under $500 a few years back. And we still have many pieces of our original EA bedroom set we purchased (retail, ouch!) in 1976. Well made, and classic styling.

There are so many estates and downsizing sales...lots of good values if you like to shop that way and save serious $$.

Same here. And I'm finding Facebook Marketplace to be almost as good as Amazon. You set your parameters for how far you're willing to drive, search on what you want, and save it to be alerted if you don't get any hits. I had broken a couple of my everyday dishes (which I really like) and they're no longer sold retail and Replacements Ltd. wanted $30 each. I just got 12 plates, salad bowls and salad plates for $40 so I should have enough to last hopefully until I can no longer eat off a plate.

We've also bought lots of furniture that way, as well as art for the walls. People get tired and want to refresh, and their loss is my gain.

 

[Scuba]

I believe in taking care of nice things as well. Our cars are both 2007’s and still look and drive great. However, I also value aesthetics. When we remodeled our 10 year old condo, we completely gutted it and replaced everything to our taste. We love it now, but there may come a time in the future when we want to change out some of it, not because it’s worn out, but because there are new, innovative materials or products that appeal to us. I see nothing wrong with updating and modernizing.

 

[Music Lover]

Case by case. Furniture and cabinets are not the same as electronics. With electronics, I no longer rely on longevity. Last fall I bought on sale a 65" Proscan 4K TV for $700 rather than one of several other models that were $1500 - $3000.

If it fails in 5 or 6 years I'm only out $700 rather than $3000...and the difference in features and picture quality is negligible. Even if it still works in 7 years I'll probably give it away and buy as new one that's bigger or has some features I want.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Nice. However I never would have never owned a 2003 Taurus or particleboard cabinets in the first place. Buy quality and keep it forever. I should have qualified this in my post.
Thanks.
Also, the street sweeper does not do that good of a job. And I value the exercise.

The old-timers in Milwaukee used to sweep up the alleys behind the house. I recall the former mayor, John Norquist, nabbing a fleeing burglar or other miscreant while he was out tidying up his alley.

Norq stood about 6-foot-6 ... people used to mistake him for NBA star Jack Sikma when Sikma was playing for the Bucks. The county exec at the time weighed about 400 pounds. "Milwaukee," the joke went, "home of big-and-tall government."

 

[Sunset]

Case by case. Furniture and cabinets are not the same as electronics. With electronics, I no longer rely on longevity. Last fall I bought on sale a 65" Proscan 4K TV for $700 rather than one of several other models that were $1500 - $3000.

If it fails in 5 or 6 years I'm only out $700 rather than $3000...and the difference in features and picture quality is negligible. Even if it still works in 7 years I'll probably give it away and buy as new one that's bigger or has some features I want.

About 5 yrs ago I bought a 55" plasma for $600 (they are supposed to be bad after 5 years).

Now I'm itching to replace it with a 75" 4K, but delaying as I have no use for what would become the old one...

 

[happy2bretired]

I get my miles out of furniture. The sofa gets replaced when holes appear not before.

Ammm how does your wife feel about the holes in your furniture? I’m sure she’s really appreciative of her new kitchen.

I like quality things especially leather furniture and very well made wooden furniture. I have a very small house and I don’t require many pieces of furniture. The furniture that I have now, I hope will last for many many years. I do have a slight problem with pride.

 

[ponyboy]

I own a home so I can live in it. I use things. I dont tip toe around my house. Things wear out. Ive always taken care of things but I also use those things.

Like others said...sometimes people do not have the pocket to purchase expensive items right off the bat and keep them for life. Thats not a bad thing. If you can take care of something that is less quality...you can take care of something that is really good quality. nuff said

 

[Music Lover]

Like others said...sometimes people do not have the pocket to purchase expensive items right off the bat and keep them for life.

Another factor may be kids and pets. My friend put down 0.99¢ laminate flooring in his house when his kids were 2 and 4. 15 years later he put down $8 hardwood.

 

[FreeBear]

Case by case. Furniture and cabinets are not the same as electronics. With electronics, I no longer rely on longevity. Last fall I bought on sale a 65" Proscan 4K TV for $700 rather than one of several other models that were $1500 - $3000.

If it fails in 5 or 6 years I'm only out $700 rather than $3000...and the difference in features and picture quality is negligible. Even if it still works in 7 years I'll probably give it away and buy as new one that's bigger or has some features I want.

I don't bother with "nice" electronics and home appliances either. Just buy the cheapest stuff that suits the job. Hope to get 10 years out, but if I only get 5 years, then at least it was cheap. The replacement, when needed, will be nicer and often cheaper, with nearly the latest tech.

As for cars, we we've bought hondas and toyotas for decades. Not super cheap, but we drive them forever.

 

[pb4uski]

About 5 yrs ago I bought a 55" plasma for $600 (they are supposed to be bad after 5 years).

Now I'm itching to replace it with a 75" 4K, but delaying as I have no use for what would become the old one...

Yes, it can work against you. About 10-12 years ago I bought a 47" Vizio for our home... at the time it was highly rated by Consumer Reports. Obviously, tvs have changed a lot over the last 10 years. At our winter home we have a nice two year old 65" LG that we really like... but that damn 47" Vizio at home just won't die... picture is as good as the day we bought it.

 

[TwoByFour]

And I rarely replace anything that’s still working, no matter how out is date it might be.

DW has a perfectly good iPad that is now about 5 years old. Still works but it can no longer be updated with newer versions of our apps because the OS is too old, and we cannot update the OS because the hardware is too old. Forced obsolescence. Grrrr.

</rant>

 

[pb4uski]

^^^^ You would think that they would be smart enough to design the hardware to fail about the same time that the OS can no longer be updated so their forced obsolescence would be less noticeable.