Author Topic: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable  (Read 26392 times)

Brother Esau

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #50 on: December 21, 2019, 09:12:55 AM »
Mountain bikes and associated accessories.

fuzzy math

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #51 on: December 21, 2019, 11:53:17 AM »

2. Quality footwear.  In a sense this is actually an extension of #1 for me.  I'm not worried about how long shoes last or what they look like - it's all about function.  I've had major foot issues(and have size 15 feet), and as such finding the *RIGHT* shoes is both difficult, and is a major health/quality of life issue for me.  Money is not a consideration for where shoes are concerned.

My heaven is Brooks running shoes with Powerstep insoles. Every time I wear something else (even as a daily casual wear) I regret it.

Buffaloski Boris

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #52 on: December 21, 2019, 12:34:44 PM »
Eggs. I’m an egg snob due to one too many cases of food poisoning. And it’s usually the eggs that causes it. So, it’s Egglands Best for us. Very good quality control. If we can find them (we usually can’t), Land O’ Lakes are really good.

Buffaloski Boris

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #53 on: December 21, 2019, 12:39:45 PM »
Jif crunchy peanut butter
Thomas plain bagels (non plain bagels are fine from other sources)

JIF is the best. But I’ve tried and now use “Peanut Delight” crunchy from Aldi. I can’t tell the difference.

habanero

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #54 on: December 21, 2019, 01:15:41 PM »
No skimping on ingrediens for homebrewing. With the alcohol taxes we have  home brewing is dirt cheap no matter what you do so can just as well go for top quality ingredients. Fresh hops, the correct yeast and so on

Cranky

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #55 on: December 21, 2019, 04:23:51 PM »
1.  Top-notch health care.  You can't put a dollar value on staying alive/quality of life.


Well, evidently you CAN because they do send you a bill. ;-)

Sailor Sam

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #56 on: December 21, 2019, 08:10:42 PM »
Ticonderoga #2HB pencils


Bumbles8

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #57 on: December 21, 2019, 08:33:41 PM »
Darn tough socks.  They are amazing for my feet.  Lifetime warranty which is the real deal.  Farm to feet is another really comfortable sock but I’ve only ever owned one pair. 

Exofficio underwear is up there too.  I’m sure other fancy brands of underwear are similar, but I haven’t tried many. 

Nice socks and nice underwear really brighten up every day.

YttriumNitrate

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #58 on: December 21, 2019, 08:41:25 PM »
Ski boots. Anything less than a high quality perfectly fitting ski boot is unacceptable.

If the house is on fire, and the humans / pets are safe, my 20 year old Nordica boots are in the top 5 things to grab on the way out.

Telecaster

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #59 on: December 21, 2019, 09:08:12 PM »
JIF is the best. But I’ve tried and now use “Peanut Delight” crunchy from Aldi. I can’t tell the difference.

Not a fan of JIF.  It is highly processed with a bunch of sugar and other ingredients added.  I prefer Adam's.

Misstachian

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #60 on: December 21, 2019, 09:33:00 PM »
Thought long and hard about this and the only thing I got is-- sanitary pads.  I'll cheap out and buy generic for just about any-fucking-thing else, but Always brand is the only one I'll touch when it comes to pads.

Ha, came here to say this. My one attempt at store brand ended up with liners stuck to very uncomfortable places. Never again!

OtherJen

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #61 on: December 21, 2019, 09:38:12 PM »
JIF is the best. But I’ve tried and now use “Peanut Delight” crunchy from Aldi. I can’t tell the difference.

Not a fan of JIF.  It is highly processed with a bunch of sugar and other ingredients added.  I prefer Adam's.

I have never seen that brand. It appears to be available in-store only in certain regions (not mine). I am intrigued, especially as there is a "no-stir" version.

Wrenchturner

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #62 on: December 21, 2019, 09:45:40 PM »
1.  Top-notch health care.  You can't put a dollar value on staying alive/quality of life.


Well, evidently you CAN because they do send you a bill. ;-)

I'm considering paying for an MRI in Canada... so I guess I agree.

lonegun

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #63 on: December 22, 2019, 07:17:27 AM »
real maple syrup

iris lily

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #64 on: December 22, 2019, 12:24:28 PM »
No dog other than a cute bulldog is worthwhile for me.

I tried Frenchies but they are —problematic.

My bulldog has to be cute by my definition. He has to be bulldoggy,, for lack of a better term. He doesnt need to have championship confirmation, but he had better look like a bulldog.

I dont buy these dogs, but their upkeep is $$$.

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #66 on: December 22, 2019, 03:28:12 PM »
I can’t think of anything I buy that has to be namebrand, but I needed vegan margarine for a recipe and I had to go to 3 stores and it was actually more expensive than butter. And I’ve still got 3 sticks of it in the freezer.

Am I mistaken in thinking that any oil based marg is vegan???

Yes, you are. Almost all margarine has dairy added. I needed Earth balance sticks suitable for baking.

Dammit. It's amazing how many things have unexpected animal products in them.

Cranky

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #67 on: December 22, 2019, 04:41:11 PM »
I can’t think of anything I buy that has to be namebrand, but I needed vegan margarine for a recipe and I had to go to 3 stores and it was actually more expensive than butter. And I’ve still got 3 sticks of it in the freezer.

And ordinarily, I don’t care. I like butter for baking and margarine isn’t that much cheaper these days (which is why dairy farmers are going broke I guess.)

But I volunteered for a project which turned out to be “vegan cookies suitable for decorating.”

The vegan loved them and everyone else was surprised at how Not Awful they were, so it was good.

Am I mistaken in thinking that any oil based marg is vegan???

Yes, you are. Almost all margarine has dairy added. I needed Earth balance sticks suitable for baking.

Dammit. It's amazing how many things have unexpected animal products in them.

Buffaloski Boris

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #68 on: December 22, 2019, 07:21:28 PM »
JIF is the best. But I’ve tried and now use “Peanut Delight” crunchy from Aldi. I can’t tell the difference.

Not a fan of JIF.  It is highly processed with a bunch of sugar and other ingredients added.  I prefer Adam's.

I have never seen that brand. It appears to be available in-store only in certain regions (not mine). I am intrigued, especially as there is a "no-stir" version.

I believe it's Aldi's brand so Im curious as to why it's not available where you live.  Next time you're on the east coast, you might pick up a jar. 

OtherJen

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #69 on: December 22, 2019, 07:47:59 PM »
JIF is the best. But I’ve tried and now use “Peanut Delight” crunchy from Aldi. I can’t tell the difference.

Not a fan of JIF.  It is highly processed with a bunch of sugar and other ingredients added.  I prefer Adam's.

I have never seen that brand. It appears to be available in-store only in certain regions (not mine). I am intrigued, especially as there is a "no-stir" version.

I believe it's Aldi's brand so Im curious as to why it's not available where you live.  Next time you're on the east coast, you might pick up a jar.

I meant "Adam's," and was responding to Telecaster in the above quote. I have a jar of creamy no-stir Peanut Delight in my cupboard right now.

BussoV6

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #70 on: December 23, 2019, 04:39:37 AM »
New Balance 880 running shoes. Comes in extra wide for those of us who have duck feet :-)

Have tried some others but nothing seems to feel as good.

Aelias

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #71 on: December 23, 2019, 07:41:45 AM »
I think there are very few things that I would buy regardless of cost— prescription meds and glasses, including my IUD (cannot function without these), shoes that fit properly. Obviously, you shop around for the best deal, but one way or another, these things must be bought.

There’s a larger group of things that if they became prohibitively expensive, I’d rather do without than buy some fakeout substitute or lower quality item.  Real maple syrup, quality meat, and coffee are at the top of the list.



imadandylion

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #72 on: December 23, 2019, 11:29:55 AM »
- Dr. Tung's or Coco Floss. These have grit and don't shred themselves between my teeth and they just do a better job overall of flossing. I can't just use regular string floss, they don't seem to grab anything...
- I can't use any toothbrush that doesn't have the extra long fine bristles (e.g. the nimbus, gum 'deep clean,' or equivalent) because those work better for removing plaque especially below the gum line and other bristles are too harsh anyway.

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #73 on: December 23, 2019, 03:21:24 PM »
I can't wrap my head around the concept of this thread. 

chemistk

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #74 on: December 23, 2019, 04:45:25 PM »
High quality, name brand tires. Your car has four (usually) contact surfaces with the road and they're very small. I don't care that all tires meet DOT regulations, some are infinitely better than others.

I second the shoes notion. You don't need the most expensive ones but cheap ones over time are a great way to guarantee knee and hip problems.


PaulMaxime

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #75 on: December 23, 2019, 09:14:35 PM »
Apple computing products.

Android and Windows both suck. And I have developed software for both and they just aren't any good.

Fight me if you must.

MaybeBecca

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #76 on: December 24, 2019, 06:17:40 AM »
1.  Top-notch health care.  You can't put a dollar value on staying alive/quality of life.


Honestly, I can't relate to really having a functional choice. My options are between my and my spouse's employer-sponsored plans, which are generally still quite expensive.  I could use the exchange, I suppose, but the one time I've looked, even the cheapest plan was twice what it cost at either employer for a similar plan.  The last time I had "top-notch healthcare", I was still on my dad's insurance, and they had an onsite doctor at his worksite that only cost $7/visit.

Hirondelle

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #77 on: December 24, 2019, 07:19:05 AM »
JIF is the best. But I’ve tried and now use “Peanut Delight” crunchy from Aldi. I can’t tell the difference.

Not a fan of JIF.  It is highly processed with a bunch of sugar and other ingredients added.  I prefer Adam's.

I'm honestly very surprised about the JIF love here. Being used to Dutch peanut butter, buying my first jar of JIF was a full on shock of sugary disgust. I felt like 'that's not peanut butter but sugar butter'. It was the only thing I'd go to Wholefoods for so I could get some super fancy sugar-free organic brand.

Dutch peanut butter is much, much better folks. You guys don't know what you're missing out on. 

Uturn

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #78 on: December 24, 2019, 07:45:22 AM »
Why not make your own peanut butter?  You basically pour some peanuts in a food processor and mash the button until you have butter.  Add some oil if you want it creamy. 

I refuse to buy off-brand sockets.  The chances of a knock-off brand socket breaking is directly related to close a hard or sharp knucklebuster is. 

Hirondelle

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #79 on: December 24, 2019, 08:06:58 AM »
Why not make your own peanut butter?  You basically pour some peanuts in a food processor and mash the button until you have butter.  Add some oil if you want it creamy. 


Although I totally agree with you, as an exchange student I wasn't gonna buy myself a food processor for that one semester. My peanut butter consumption dropped anyway as cheap American bread also tends to be very sugary for my standards and I was on too low of a budget to buy much of the fancier breads.

I'd certainly recommend it to people currently in the US struggling with this :)

darkadams00

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #80 on: December 24, 2019, 08:26:44 AM »
1) Brooks saddles
2) Topeak Super Tourist MTX bike rack & bags system
3) Fresh, raw peanut butter (not crunchy, not sweet, and 1 ingredient I grind on the spot)
4) Good, fresh bread with flavor, substance, and texture (nothing bland, white, or gummy) - I buy, not bake, but I have good variety here.

I use (1) and (2) everyday so I can eat (3) and (4) whenever I want. Motivation!!


robartsd

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #81 on: December 24, 2019, 09:48:20 AM »
2) Topeak Super Tourist MTX bike rack & bags system
I get the benefit of a rack and trunk system making putting the bag on and off easy, I am curious why you think this particular system is by far the best (Ibera PakRak sells better on Amazon, Orlieb's Rack-Lock system adjusts to most racks). I can't say that if I were choosing between the three systems that costs would not be a factor.

PaulMaxime

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #82 on: December 24, 2019, 09:57:19 AM »
Mountain bikes and associated accessories.

Yes! Add to that high quality road bikes and accessories too. Ride too often and too long to ride a crappy bike!

MayDay

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #83 on: December 24, 2019, 10:49:33 AM »
I agree that regular American peanut butter (jif, etc) is disgustingly sugary.

May I suggest Simply Jif. No sugar, but does contain emulsifiers, making my life measurably better.

I HATE HATE HATE trying to stir natural peanut butter. Oil splashing everywhere, and the bottom of the jar is a brick. It's never creamy again.

Simply Jif for life.

darkadams00

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #84 on: December 24, 2019, 12:11:49 PM »
2) Topeak Super Tourist MTX bike rack & bags system
I get the benefit of a rack and trunk system making putting the bag on and off easy, I am curious why you think this particular system is by far the best (Ibera PakRak sells better on Amazon, Orlieb's Rack-Lock system adjusts to most racks). I can't say that if I were choosing between the three systems that costs would not be a factor.

My Topeak racks and trunk bags have over 10 years of flawless service-- >25,000 day and night miles in all four seasons, and I don't skip my ride to work or out on an errand because it's raining or snowing a little (racks on 3 bikes and 2 different sized trunk bags that my wife and I interchange as needed). I've used this equipment for multi-day rides and daily commutes and hauled papers, clothes, food, tools, shopping, etc. I should point out that I was referring to the rack and the trunk bags specifically. I use Ortlieb panniers exclusively when needed, and this particular rack model accommodates the trunk bag and panniers at the same time when I need the extra luggage space. Many racks (including the Topeak MTX Explorer) do not.

The track system on the rack simply can't be more solid. My only crash didn't move or scuff the bag at all. The clip keeps the bag from sliding in the track but doesn't attach the bag to the rack like lift-and-clip bags. The track does. When I bought this equipment, I was replacing a second car with a bike, so I needed gear that i thought would be dependable but preferably simple. At the time when I was looking to buy, this was the most logical option I could find, so I bought it. Now, given its history with me, I would be hard pressed to even look for an alternative. When I need to replace something, I go with what has worked for me if it's available. I'm not into new bells and whistles. If someone else bought differently and had a good experience with their choice, then that's fine. I hope they can pass along similar knowledge and experience to the broader audience.

Alternatepriorities

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #85 on: December 24, 2019, 12:58:51 PM »
I agree that regular American peanut butter (jif, etc) is disgustingly sugary.

May I suggest Simply Jif. No sugar, but does contain emulsifiers, making my life measurably better.

I HATE HATE HATE trying to stir natural peanut butter. Oil splashing everywhere, and the bottom of the jar is a brick. It's never creamy again.

Simply Jif for life.

I use a single paddle from a hand mixer in my DeWalt drill. Works great and stay mixed for as long as a half gallon Costco jar of Adams last me. Pro tip: Storing the jar upside down for a couple of days moves the oil to the bottom. Pro tip 2: Keep the drill on low speed no matter how temping it is to speed it up...

The only ingredients in Adams are peanuts and salt so it’s as good as grinding my own and last time I priced peanuts it was cheaper per pound.

OtherJen

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #86 on: December 24, 2019, 08:16:15 PM »
JIF is the best. But I’ve tried and now use “Peanut Delight” crunchy from Aldi. I can’t tell the difference.

Not a fan of JIF.  It is highly processed with a bunch of sugar and other ingredients added.  I prefer Adam's.

I'm honestly very surprised about the JIF love here. Being used to Dutch peanut butter, buying my first jar of JIF was a full on shock of sugary disgust. I felt like 'that's not peanut butter but sugar butter'. It was the only thing I'd go to Wholefoods for so I could get some super fancy sugar-free organic brand.

Dutch peanut butter is much, much better folks. You guys don't know what you're missing out on.

*shrugs* People like what they like. Jif was the only brand my mother ever bought when I was little, and the spreads that are just mashed nuts don’t appeal to me (oddly, I have no problem with the same nuts, eaten whole). Since I eat peanut butter maybe once a week, I eat what I like.

MayDay

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #87 on: December 25, 2019, 06:57:08 AM »
I agree that regular American peanut butter (jif, etc) is disgustingly sugary.

May I suggest Simply Jif. No sugar, but does contain emulsifiers, making my life measurably better.

I HATE HATE HATE trying to stir natural peanut butter. Oil splashing everywhere, and the bottom of the jar is a brick. It's never creamy again.

Simply Jif for life.

I use a single paddle from a hand mixer in my DeWalt drill. Works great and stay mixed for as long as a half gallon Costco jar of Adams last me. Pro tip: Storing the jar upside down for a couple of days moves the oil to the bottom. Pro tip 2: Keep the drill on low speed no matter how temping it is to speed it up...

The only ingredients in Adams are peanuts and salt so it’s as good as grinding my own and last time I priced peanuts it was cheaper per pound.

During the ~5 years that I was determined to eat natural peanut butter, I stored it upside down sometimes for months. There was always a solid chunk of peanut solids at the bottom of the jar.

I didn't ever try mixing with a drill.....  I'll pass on that.

OtherJen

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #88 on: December 25, 2019, 07:36:36 AM »
I agree that regular American peanut butter (jif, etc) is disgustingly sugary.

May I suggest Simply Jif. No sugar, but does contain emulsifiers, making my life measurably better.

I HATE HATE HATE trying to stir natural peanut butter. Oil splashing everywhere, and the bottom of the jar is a brick. It's never creamy again.

Simply Jif for life.

I use a single paddle from a hand mixer in my DeWalt drill. Works great and stay mixed for as long as a half gallon Costco jar of Adams last me. Pro tip: Storing the jar upside down for a couple of days moves the oil to the bottom. Pro tip 2: Keep the drill on low speed no matter how temping it is to speed it up...

The only ingredients in Adams are peanuts and salt so it’s as good as grinding my own and last time I priced peanuts it was cheaper per pound.

During the ~5 years that I was determined to eat natural peanut butter, I stored it upside down sometimes for months. There was always a solid chunk of peanut solids at the bottom of the jar.

I didn't ever try mixing with a drill.....  I'll pass on that.

My experience with storing natural peanut butter upside down was that the solids always remained firmly adhered to the bottom of the jar, while the seal under the lid became coated in oil and dripped all over the countertop when opened (not to mention the mess when I would try to stir the two layers together).

DaMa

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #89 on: December 25, 2019, 01:14:22 PM »
Shoes and socks.  Asics athletic, Birkenstock sandal, and Naot dressy shoes and SmartWool performance socks.  I wear a woman's 12, have narrow feet, and lots of foot problems.  I look for deals, but have no problem paying $$$.

I'm picky about a few food stuffs.  I just recently decided I'm buying Garden Fresh salsa for eating with chips from now on (brand is out of Ferndale, MI.)  It's pricy, but so worth it.  I'll use others for cooking, though.

OtherJen

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #90 on: December 25, 2019, 01:45:51 PM »
Shoes and socks.  Asics athletic, Birkenstock sandal, and Naot dressy shoes and SmartWool performance socks.  I wear a woman's 12, have narrow feet, and lots of foot problems.  I look for deals, but have no problem paying $$$.

I'm picky about a few food stuffs.  I just recently decided I'm buying Garden Fresh salsa for eating with chips from now on (brand is out of Ferndale, MI.)  It's pricy, but so worth it.  I'll use others for cooking, though.

Garden Fresh is very tasty. Our favorite jarred salsa is Herdez.

use2betrix

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #91 on: December 25, 2019, 06:16:32 PM »
1. Red wing heritage line boots (their dress boot line still made in the U.S., I have 5 pairs and with their replaceable sole, they should last me 20 years)
2. On my nicer “casual” clothes, those made in the USA, Canada, or Japan. My jeans are from Japan. Flannels from the U.S. Belts and wallet made in the U.S. Have some short sleeve button ups made in Canada. Favorite article of clothing is my 3sixteen jacket, made in the U.S.
3. Darn tough socks, have around 5 pairs for work and 6-7 short pairs for running, etc. Made in Vermont, lifetime warranty.
4. My American made “Bradley Mountain” backpack and carry on travel duffle.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2019, 09:26:01 PM by use2betrix »

Alternatepriorities

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #92 on: December 25, 2019, 09:37:28 PM »
I agree that regular American peanut butter (jif, etc) is disgustingly sugary.

May I suggest Simply Jif. No sugar, but does contain emulsifiers, making my life measurably better.

I HATE HATE HATE trying to stir natural peanut butter. Oil splashing everywhere, and the bottom of the jar is a brick. It's never creamy again.

Simply Jif for life.

I use a single paddle from a hand mixer in my DeWalt drill. Works great and stay mixed for as long as a half gallon Costco jar of Adams last me. Pro tip: Storing the jar upside down for a couple of days moves the oil to the bottom. Pro tip 2: Keep the drill on low speed no matter how temping it is to speed it up...

The only ingredients in Adams are peanuts and salt so it’s as good as grinding my own and last time I priced peanuts it was cheaper per pound.

During the ~5 years that I was determined to eat natural peanut butter, I stored it upside down sometimes for months. There was always a solid chunk of peanut solids at the bottom of the jar.

I didn't ever try mixing with a drill.....  I'll pass on that.

My experience with storing natural peanut butter upside down was that the solids always remained firmly adhered to the bottom of the jar, while the seal under the lid became coated in oil and dripped all over the countertop when opened (not to mention the mess when I would try to stir the two layers together).

I’ve only ever tried it with Adams. I don’t know why other brands would would behave differently. Maybe it’s the jar shape or maybe it’s a different variety of peanut? Since I started using the drill I don’t usually bother with storing it upside down first.


*shrugs* People like what they like. Jif was the only brand my mother ever bought when I was little, and the spreads that are just mashed nuts don’t appeal to me (oddly, I have no problem with the same nuts, eaten whole). Since I eat peanut butter maybe once a week, I eat what I like.

That's probably why I persisted in eating a brand that requires stirring. I grew up eating Adams and though I will happily eat peanut spreads with extra ingredients they have never really tasted right. I did notice while backpacking that there are many parts of the world where peanut butter is not a cheap source of protein and calories. I think I was in Morocco when someone tried to argue that Nutella was equivalent to peanut butter... I'm not that flexible.

OtherJen

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #93 on: December 26, 2019, 07:20:36 AM »
I agree that regular American peanut butter (jif, etc) is disgustingly sugary.

May I suggest Simply Jif. No sugar, but does contain emulsifiers, making my life measurably better.

I HATE HATE HATE trying to stir natural peanut butter. Oil splashing everywhere, and the bottom of the jar is a brick. It's never creamy again.

Simply Jif for life.

I use a single paddle from a hand mixer in my DeWalt drill. Works great and stay mixed for as long as a half gallon Costco jar of Adams last me. Pro tip: Storing the jar upside down for a couple of days moves the oil to the bottom. Pro tip 2: Keep the drill on low speed no matter how temping it is to speed it up...

The only ingredients in Adams are peanuts and salt so it’s as good as grinding my own and last time I priced peanuts it was cheaper per pound.

During the ~5 years that I was determined to eat natural peanut butter, I stored it upside down sometimes for months. There was always a solid chunk of peanut solids at the bottom of the jar.

I didn't ever try mixing with a drill.....  I'll pass on that.

My experience with storing natural peanut butter upside down was that the solids always remained firmly adhered to the bottom of the jar, while the seal under the lid became coated in oil and dripped all over the countertop when opened (not to mention the mess when I would try to stir the two layers together).

I’ve only ever tried it with Adams. I don’t know why other brands would would behave differently. Maybe it’s the jar shape or maybe it’s a different variety of peanut? Since I started using the drill I don’t usually bother with storing it upside down first.


*shrugs* People like what they like. Jif was the only brand my mother ever bought when I was little, and the spreads that are just mashed nuts don’t appeal to me (oddly, I have no problem with the same nuts, eaten whole). Since I eat peanut butter maybe once a week, I eat what I like.

That's probably why I persisted in eating a brand that requires stirring. I grew up eating Adams and though I will happily eat peanut spreads with extra ingredients they have never really tasted right. I did notice while backpacking that there are many parts of the world where peanut butter is not a cheap source of protein and calories. I think I was in Morocco when someone tried to argue that Nutella was equivalent to peanut butter... I'm not that flexible.

Nutella is basically sugar and palm oil paste (the first two ingredients on the list) with some cocoa powder and enough hazelnut powder to justify calling it chocolate-hazelnut spread. Far, far too sweet for my taste. Actual hazelnut butter, on the other hand, would be delicious.

I had to look up the ingredients for Jif for comparison, and the Simply Jif is the one that I buy when I don’t buy the Aldi brand (the one labeled 90% peanuts with just a few other ingredients).

Linea_Norway

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #94 on: December 27, 2019, 10:06:13 AM »
We just bought a new bunch of lip balsam from the brand DH and I prefer to use. It costs more than the cheaper alternatives, but I don't care.

MrMoogle

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #95 on: December 27, 2019, 10:18:49 AM »
Deodorant. I finally found a "natural" brand that works and doesn't cause my armpits to break out in a red, angry-looking, painful rash. Cheaper options and all antiperspirants have failed on either one or both counts. I'm completely willing to spend $10 per tube, especially since the tubes last for several months.
This was what came to mind for me.  I started having allergy problems, and deodorant took me a long time to find a new replacement.  Mine's pretty cheap, but may not work for you:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078QJKWP7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Panly

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #96 on: December 27, 2019, 10:28:16 AM »

Motorbiking clothes: top quality racing gloves and custom made leathers.
Quite literally a second skin,  no alternative comes close.

markbike528CBX

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #97 on: December 27, 2019, 10:34:29 AM »

Motorbiking clothes: top quality racing gloves and custom made leathers.
Quite literally a second skin,  no alternative comes close.

I miss my Tourmaster racing gloves with the studded heel.  Probably kept me from breaking my wrist after doing "The Superman" after a highside.

OtherJen

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #98 on: December 27, 2019, 10:41:33 AM »
Deodorant. I finally found a "natural" brand that works and doesn't cause my armpits to break out in a red, angry-looking, painful rash. Cheaper options and all antiperspirants have failed on either one or both counts. I'm completely willing to spend $10 per tube, especially since the tubes last for several months.
This was what came to mind for me.  I started having allergy problems, and deodorant took me a long time to find a new replacement.  Mine's pretty cheap, but may not work for you:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078QJKWP7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks. Unfortunately, the active ingredient in anti-perspirants is one of the things that makes me break out in a rash, and a lot of the alcohols in gel deodorants cause an eczema flare-up (my skin is often a jerk). Native and Schmidt’s deodorants are the only ones that have worked decently well without causing skin issues.

Panly

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Re: No Matter What ________ Costs No Substitute Is Acceptable
« Reply #99 on: December 27, 2019, 10:44:13 AM »

Motorbiking clothes: top quality racing gloves and custom made leathers.
Quite literally a second skin,  no alternative comes close.

I miss my Tourmaster racing gloves with the studded heel.  Probably kept me from breaking my wrist after doing "The Superman" after a highside.

Hands are affected in 95% of motorbike crashes/accidents, and fortunately even the gloves MotoGP racers use, are available and affordable. 
Not smart to save money on this.  Cause when you need them, you really need the best money can get.

Even when I cycle, I feel 'naked' without my cycling gloves and helmet.


 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!