The Case for Spending a Little More Sometimes – Interesting. This is something I struggle with a lot, as demonstrated by all the IKEA in our house. I want to be frugal, but I know that buying cheap can often end up costing more in the long run. I just find it really hard to justify paying $2000+ for a couch! It’s a conundrum. On a related note, I just realised my awesome wool winter coat is now EIGHT years old and still looking great. That’s a case where spending more than I felt I should actually worked out really well…
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We spent $6000 on a Moran sofa 8 years ago (probably less because it was in the January sales, but the list price was just over $6K) and it’s still as comfortable as the day we bought it. It’s fully inner-sprung, the cushions haven’t sagged at all and the fabric hasn’t faded. It fared much better than the Freedom $1500 sofa it replaced that only lasted 3 years and was extremely uncomfortable for the last year.
Spending more on quality items that you like is *always* worth it if you have the money. There’s more than one way to be frugal – not throwing away junk every year because you have to replace it is the best option.
I was going to tell you the exact same story as JulieK, but our Moran lounges were a bit cheaper and we haven’t had them for 8 years (yet) and our Freedom lounge was cheaper but lasted a bit longer. But hands down the Moran lounge has totally been worth it. Similarly, our $3000 mattress (bought on sale so cheaper) is so much better than the $500 one I bought at uni, and we’ve had it for 12 years now. I think you make a choice about what you buy for cheap and what you “invest” in.
(coincidentally, re your coat story, our lounges and mattress were also from DJ’s)
Yes and no, you still can put a lot of money in something, because you thinks it’s quality and it is dead after one year. I bought some huggy puppy for around 150 and it was on sale and after one year, I had hole on the sole!!! I know I ask them a lot (wear them maybe 2/3 of the year), but they died as quick as a cheap pair of shoes…
And how paradoxal I am, the substitute were even more expensive, but they seems they will survive more than one year…
We usually buy in the mid-price range in a good brand for clothes, appliances and furniture. So far we haven’t been disappointed very often.