When Not To Be Frugal
Lots of companies will price up products just to turn a higher profit, which is why many people seek out frugal alternatives. While it’s smart to find good deals, for certain products, you’ll want to invest in quality instead. In fact, here are 20 items that you should not get the cheap version of. How were your experiences using these products?
1. Masking Tape
Odds are, if you’re buying masking tape, you’re probably doing some renovations or painting a room. If that’s the case, you’ll definitely want to get the high-quality professional stuff. If not, you’re going to have poor sticking and tape peeling as you’re trying to paint straight lines.
2. Underwear
It’s pretty easy to get bulk underwear for cheap, but they’re usually quick to tear and feel thin and too warm. Higher-quality underwear is worth it, both for durability and hygiene purposes, as well as comfort, of course. Premium fabrics like cotton, modal, and bamboo are more breathable and will keep moisture from building up.
3. A Mattress
You don’t have to get the most expensive mattress out here, but if you have the money to spare, buy a high-quality one. You spend a third of your life sleeping, so ensuring that you have good support every night is essential. Otherwise, you’ll wake up feeling unrested and may develop back problems.
4. Chargers
Isn’t it weird how those chargers keep breaking so fast? From frayed wires to low output, the quality just isn’t there. It turns out the expensive one’s last way longer, so you’re better off getting those to save money in the long run.
5. Fabric Scissors
Do you try to cut things with scissors only to notice the cuts are jagged, and straight lines are pretty tricky? Well, fabric scissors are far better than the cheap alternatives and basically last a lifetime. You’ll really only ever need to buy one, so be sure to grab a good one.
6. Bandages
When it comes to bandages, you’ll specifically want to buy those from the Band-Aid company. Cheaper generic brands have a tendency to slip off. So, you’ll want the official Band-Aid ones for the most durability and longevity.
7. Scrub Daddy
When it comes to buying sponges, Scrub Daddy reigns supreme. It’s not more expensive than the alternative, but unlike others, they don’t get stained or stinky and last four times longer than the usual blue sponges. You can also clean them in the dishwasher, and in the long run, they’re cheaper than constantly replacing other sponges.
8. Knives
If you’re serious about cooking, you’ll want to invest in some high-quality knives. Many people swear by Japanese knives, which are usually made of Damascus steel and are sharp enough to cut through chicken bones. But you might still want to keep cheap ones around for any non-serious culinary activity like chipping open a jar or offering to guests.
9. Tampons
Maybe those recycled-material tampons are cheaper, but they certainly aren’t worth the friction and discomfort. When it comes to these feminine products, you’ll want to spend on the quality to ensure comfort and cleanliness. You might also consider investing in cup or discs, as they are initially expensive, but you only need to buy them once.
10. Hair Heat Tools
Lots of people rely on straighteners, curlers, and blow dryers to manage their hair. Obviously, heat can damage your strands, but if you’re going to do it, you should certainly get the higher-quality products. That’s because the more expensive ones offer you more temperature control and can achieve the desired look with less heat and less time.
11. Toilet Paper
Even if you buy the super cheap toilet paper, you end up using more per wipe due to the thinness of the material. So, at the end of the day, you’re going through it much faster than you would the thicker ply ones. Additionally, you should consider the softness of the material as it can make the experience more comfortable than cheap brands.
12. Dollar Cheese
You know those cheese brands that are around 99 cents? Well, they might not even count as real cheese. Not only are they a strange emulsion that feels unnatural, but they taste like brittle plastic, too. It certainly can’t be good for you, and you might be better off getting a block of cheese to shred yourself.
13. Trash Bags
It may seem frugal to buy a bunch of bags for cheap from Dollar General, but these bags are notorious for ripping and tearing. When they tear inside your trash can, they leak, which means you’ll have to clean the entire can. A more durable bag isn’t too much more expensive, and you won’t run into the usual issue of the bag breaking mid-air or the drawstrings tearing. You can get a box of 200 at Costco!
14. Cookware
Low-quality cookware has a variety of issues that dampen its performance. For instance, it’s impossible to achieve uniform heating with certain parts of the pans being hotter than others. Then there’s the whole chipping and peeling issue, where the inner layer comes off during cleaning or gets into your food.
15. Toothpaste
Buying toothpaste with the right ingredients is far cheaper than paying for fillings down the line. Look beyond Colgate, and you might find other toothpastes that dentists recommend for preventative and proactive care. Either way, if you have a certain dental issue, the right toothpaste can certainly help.
16. Shoes
Going to Payless or the Dollar Store is a great way to get relatively cheap shoes. Of course, this comes with the caveat of them falling apart in a matter of months. On the other hand, a pair of $200 shoes can easily last you over a decade. That being said, cheap shoes are a great option for growing children whose size changes month by month.
17. Batteries
It turns out that Duracell batteries tend to last longer than others, but there are probably some that have it beat, too. Either way, super-cheap batteries have a pretty short lifetime. You’ll end up paying more for replacements than you would just buying higher quality ones from the get-go.
18. Shampoo
If you have damaged hair, are struggling with hair fall, or just haven’t achieved that shiny look, then shampoo can help. Sure, there are Head & Shoulders, which doubles as body wash. But a more expensive shampoo can certainly increase the quality of your hair and help you achieve that supermodel shine.
19. Cat Litter
The price of litter often determines its clumping quality, smell, and how much dust is spread around your house. Additionally, more expensive brands like Pretty Litter also have added benefits where they track your cat’s health, and the sand turns a different color to indicate internal problems. These litters serve as early warning signs and can save you costly vet bills in the long run.
20. Paint
If you are painting a new room, you’ll want to invest in some high-quality paints. With cheaper paints, you’ll have to go over the same lines over and over again to get the full pigment. Plus, you might run into that all-too-common dry streak problem.
