What are somethings worth buying for the purpose of saving in the long run?

[cnash1303]

I haven't seen this thread on here before, and if it does exist there certainly isn't one that is active... I am going to link (non-affiliate of coarse) everything that gets said so it can be a comprehensive list!

1. A drying Rack - http://amzn.com/B00H7P1GPO - Don't buy this one, you can find cheaper ones in stores

2. A Soap Holder - http://amzn.com/B000DZFA66 - This makes your soap last like 10x longer, and keeps it cleaner. Again don't by the one on amazon, they sell them at the dollar tree

3. Spray Mop - http://amzn.com/B00KB75YE4 - This isn't the exact model I have, but I advise one like it that has a spray handle and not ones with motors like the Swiffer Wet Jet. Also make sure you get one that the cloth is washable, if not you can usually just attach a $1 microfiber cloth to it, just please don't by disposable pads. You can replace the liquid with vinegar water, bleach water, generic floor cleaner and water, etc.

4. Wash Clothes - http://amzn.com/B00P1M12XG - I have never bought paper towels in my life...seriously, people don't believe me when I say that. I keep one of these hanging on the handle of my oven and dry my hands on it. I keep saying I am going to buy a hand blow dryer, but haven't yet.

5. Foam Dispenser - http://amzn.com/B00OCB455E -  You may have one of these laying around your house, there are all kinds of how-to instructions to make one out of a mason jar... Long story short fill whatever container you have with 1/3 soap and 2/3 water and shake it. You now have foaming soap...and it lasts 1000x longer.

6. Speaking of Mason Jars - http://amzn.com/B001DIZ1NO - Why don't you have like 1000 of these things? They are the most useful things in the world... I use them as replacements for ziplock bags, cups, shaker bottles etc. You can put them in the freezer, you can put them in the microwave. I threw out all my plastic food containers and replaced them with these many many moons ago without any regret. One not-so-mustachian thing to say is I always go name brand on these.

(From Username: Ketchup)
7. Big Ass Chest Freezer - http://amzn.com/B00O9ZKZHU - Make sure you keep it full and it will use less energy

8. Safety Razor Set - http://amzn.com/B00T5EQC1I

9. A Good Case for Phone/Tablet - http://amzn.com/B015PKNZ74 - Let me just say, for awhile there was a rumor that if you broke your phone in an Otterbox that they would replace it for you, but that is not at all true, so there is no real reason to not get a knock-off

10. 5-Day Cooler - http://amzn.com/B0052EBRC4 - One of the only times my family eats out is when they are on the road, just throw some sandwich stuff in this baby and you are ready to go. Also check out videos on how to properly pack a cooler and you can learn to make your ice last much longer.

(From Username: Kaizen Soze)

11. A Spray Bottle - http://amzn.com/B00008VXNE - Fill it with dishwashing soap and spray your dishes to make soap last way longer

12. Gym Equipment/ Membership

[bobechs]

Deadly poisonous snakes.  For home protection, after the zombie apocalypse

[ketchup]

Big-ass chest freezer.  Perfect for stocking up on cheap meat or CSA/bulk meat.  Saves massive $$$$ in the long run.  They don't use very much electricity if you're smart about using them (open infrequently, keep reasonably full for thermal mass reasons, even if it's just a big unsightly block of ice).  I found a ~7cu ft one on craigslist three years ago for $100.  We also use ours to store frozen "homemade" raw dog food.

Probably not worth it if you don't eat much meat or maybe if you live alone.

Safety razor + blades.  Excellent shave, handle was $5, blades are super cheap (I bought 100 for ~$10 and use each blade twice).

A cheap case (<$10 will usually do the job) for your damn smartphone.  They're too fragile, and the right two-foot drop can kill them.  Not needed with a flip phone.

5-day cooler if you travel at all frequently.  I think ours was ~$50.  They live up to the name and will actually last that long if you're smart about it.  Super convenient and saves money/hassle on ice and worrying about hotels having refrigerators.

It took substantial effort to think of random things to recommend people buy.  Mustachian people problems.

[kaizen soze]

Similar to soap foamer, a spray bottle for dishwashing liquid.  Fill with water and liquid soap,  and spray it on your dishes as you wash them.  Using one,  I've been on the same bottle of dish soap since last summer.   

Also,  I would add gym equipment if you have room and currently pay for a gym membership.   If you don't have room,  a gym membership is almost certainly cheaper than a bigger house or appartment.

[cnash1303]

Safety razor + blades.  Excellent shave, handle was $5, blades are super cheap (I bought 100 for ~$10 and use each blade twice).

A cheap case (<$10 will usually do the job) for your damn smartphone.  They're too fragile, and the right two-foot drop can kill them.  Not needed with a flip phone.

I just wanted to second these two. My wet shaving set-up was probably $20 and has saved me some serious bucks over the years since I switched. Also I bought a knock-off otterbox for my ipad for $15 and it does great!

[Restless Consumer]

I've got an easy one. Rechargeable batteries!

[WerKater]

A bike.

[FrugalFan]

Some great ideas here, many of which we already use. My favorite new ones are the foaming soap dispenser and putting dish soap in a spray bottle.

[Cannot Wait!]

Contraceptives!   

[Miskatonic]

Any home brewers will know about this: Star San Sanitizer. 1 oz in 5 gallons of water makes a potent sanitizing solution. Put some in a spray bottle and you'll never run out. It's good for sanitizing anything, not just brewing equipment.

[Cannot Wait!]

Dental floss.

[aperture]

Contraceptives!

+1 - LOL

[Bracken_Joy]

For me, mason jars/glass jars. Bonus points if you look for pasta sauces that come in Atlas jars- I've had great luck with them as food storage jars. This allows me to buy bulk rice from Costco (jasmine, 25lbs, $14.95), bulk coffee (5lb bags from the roasters, highest quality you can imagine, for less than the stuff in the grocery store tubes), and bulk oatmeal (again, costco). (Those are my main examples, but really anything that comes in those awful plastic bags like dry beans that are hard to work with!). Bonus points that then my food serves as decor, because jars of whole foods are pretty.

+1 to dental floss. Not just for your teeth- flossing reduces heart disease and stroke risk, too! And no guys, mouth wash is not a substitute for that.

[nereo]

Some of the above I agree with (particularly the bike, rechargeable batteries and spray bottle).  Others don't fit as well into our lifestyle.

A couple of things that work for us
1) hair trimming kit.  I like short hair and there's no need to pay to get it cut to ~1/2"
2) freezer foil containers.  I'll make batches of lasagnas, enchilladas, etc. and freeze them. Saves us from ever ordering takeout.
3) canning equipment.  Moving up to pressure-canning this year!

all I can think of right now.  Might edit this list later.

[Paul der Krake]

+1000 to hair clippers. This thing pays itself after the second haircut. Oil them regularly and at $15 per haircut once a month over 10 years you are looking at $1,800 of savings before compounding.

Modem and router for US residents. Much more reliable, and breakeven point comes around 6-9 months depending on the model and the ISP.

Who here pays for contraceptives? The pill is considered preventative (and therefore free) by virtually every insurance plan, and condoms are available on campuses for free.

[Miskatonic]

Buy a silicone baking mat and never use tinfoil again. Extra bonus - you produce less waste.

[Bracken_Joy]

Oh! And we cannot let a thread go by where we don't mention menstrual cups as a cost saving option =D Diva cup, luna cup, etc, has changed the lives of many. Bonus to money savings and environmental friendliness.

[retiringearly]

The owner's manual for your car - reading it and following it will save you a ton of money over time.  It will prevent the dealership/mechanic from getting you to do unnecessary "maintenance" and will keep your car running longer preventing breakdowns due to poor maintenance.

[retiringearly]

Shoe shine kit - for those that have to wear nice shoes to work, shining your own shoes is fairly easy and saves money.

[geekette]

Vacuum sealer - great for the freezer, but with an attachment, it can also vacuum seal those mason jars.

[randymarsh]

Nice laptop.

Apple gets some hate on this forum, but I'm typing this on a Macbook Pro I purchased in the summer of 2010. Used it for 4 years of undergrad, where it saw lots of abuse from being dropped or tossed in my book bag.

Yeah, it was $1,200 but we're almost at 6 years and still going. I've never seen a $400 Dell/HP/whatever still work well after 5.5 years.

[smalllife]

Yeah, it was $1,200 but we're almost at 6 years and still going. I've never seen a $400 Dell/HP/whatever still work well after 5.5 years.

My $400 Toshiba from 2011 begs to differ ;-)

Quality clothing - you'll buy less and it will last much longer.

[Vanguards and Lentils]

Nice laptop.

Apple gets some hate on this forum, but I'm typing this on a Macbook Pro I purchased in the summer of 2010. Used it for 4 years of undergrad, where it saw lots of abuse from being dropped or tossed in my book bag.

Yeah, it was $1,200 but we're almost at 6 years and still going. I've never seen a $400 Dell/HP/whatever still work well after 5.5 years.

Having used cheaper/refurbished laptops for a long time with no problem, I would say this depends on what you are using the computer for.

Also, you need to take into account the time value of money when deciding to get an expensive item versus a cheaper item with periodic replacements. If a $1200 macbook lasts as long as three Dells, and each Dell comes at a cost of $400 (for the price and the time spent shopping), then you would actually come ahead with the Dells because you spent $1200 over a longer period of time.

[randymarsh]

Having used cheaper/refurbished laptops for a long time with no problem, I would say this depends on what you are using the computer for.

Also, you need to take into account the time value of money when deciding to get an expensive item versus a cheaper item with periodic replacements. If a $1200 macbook lasts as long as three Dells, and each Dell comes at a cost of $400 (for the price and the time spent shopping), then you would actually come ahead with the Dells because you spent $1200 over a longer period of time.

The aggravation of having to replace a busted computer 3X outweighs the price premium IMO. I'd rather have a machine that works when I need it to every time. It's also not environmentally friendly to buy 2 additional computers.

If you're using it for 3 hours a week to look at pictures of the grandkids, then no a 1200 Macbook probably isn't a great financial decision. I used it to complete an Information Systems degree and am now using it for a side-hustle so I'd say I'm getting my money's worth.

[Vanguards and Lentils]

The aggravation of having to replace a busted computer 3X outweighs the price premium IMO. I'd rather have a machine that works when I need it to every time. It's also not environmentally friendly to buy 2 additional computers.

If you're using it for 3 hours a week to look at pictures of the grandkids, then no a 1200 Macbook probably isn't a great financial decision. I used it to complete an Information Systems degree and am now using it for a side-hustle so I'd say I'm getting my money's worth.

All valid reasons, but that doesn't take away from the fact that you can ignore the time value of money. To deal with the things you mentioned, you could add "penalties" to the purchase price. I already mentioned including the time it costs to shop for a replacement - maybe that is "worth" $50 to you. The machine beginning to fail and the trouble it costs is also something you should add in $ terms. The damage to the environment would be counteracted by you making a $ donation to your favorite environmental org each time you buy a replacement.

I'm just to make the point that it's not as straightforward as saying "This expensive thing was DEFINITELY worth it because I haven't had to replace it yet!"

[randymarsh]

The aggravation of having to replace a busted computer 3X outweighs the price premium IMO. I'd rather have a machine that works when I need it to every time. It's also not environmentally friendly to buy 2 additional computers.

If you're using it for 3 hours a week to look at pictures of the grandkids, then no a 1200 Macbook probably isn't a great financial decision. I used it to complete an Information Systems degree and am now using it for a side-hustle so I'd say I'm getting my money's worth.

All valid reasons, but that doesn't take away from the fact that you can ignore the time value of money. To deal with the things you mentioned, you could add "penalties" to the purchase price. I already mentioned including the time it costs to shop for a replacement - maybe that is "worth" $50 to you. The machine beginning to fail and the trouble it costs is also something you should add in $ terms. The damage to the environment would be counteracted by you making a $ donation to your favorite environmental org each time you buy a replacement.

I'm just to make the point that it's not as straightforward as saying "This expensive thing was DEFINITELY worth it because I haven't had to replace it yet!"

Isn't that the entire point of this thread? Buying the $50 widget instead of the $10 one because the latter is not a good value even if it is cheaper at the time of purchase?

But to your example, 3 $400 Dell computers = $1200. $50 in effort/lost productivity each time I have to replace it after the initial purchase= $100. And maybe $20 for environmental stuff. So the $1,200 one time purchase wins.

[Vanguards and Lentils]

But to your example, 3 $400 Dell computers = $1200. $50 in effort/lost productivity each time I have to replace it after the initial purchase= $100. And maybe $20 for environmental stuff. So the $1,200 one time purchase wins.

No, it still may not win, and I'll say the keyword again: the time value of money. Because of your username I'm happy to write out the details: suppose your money can grow at 5% (which is conservative). Let's say in scenario 1 you spend $1200 and the macbook lasts 12 years. In scenario 2 you buy a dell (which costs you $470 in money+trouble with your numbers) every four years. What happens to your money?

1) Spend $470, invest the remaining $730, which grows to $887 by the next replacement.
2) Again spend $470, and invest the remaining $417, which grows to $507 by the next replacement.
3) Spend the last $470, and you're $37 richer than compared to scenario 1.

So the answer to: should you buy the expensive high-quality item, or buy cheaper low-quality versions, whether laptops, clothes, cars, or whatever? It depends.

[ketchup]

I would say a "good" laptop is an efficient buy if your usage patterns/computing requirements dictate it.

I bought a cheapie Acer netbook on Black Friday 2009 for $168 ($299 normal price at the time).  Intel Atom with 1GB of RAM, running XP.  It lasted me right up until XP went end-of-life (2014).  Then I threw Linux on it and gave it to my sister-in-law for free to help her start her work-from-home webcam business. 

This was appropriate for me, since my usage was all very low-horsepower (web browsing, email, light MS Office, Simpsons marathons, etc), and it was my secondary machine to my desktop PC.  I've since adopted a work-issued Dell laptop and use that on occasion, but if they didn't give it to me, I probably would have just gone without a laptop altogether.  Desktop + smartphone give me all the computing I need.

My girlfriend will soon be buying a "nice" powerful laptop (Skylake i7, GTX 960M) for probably about a grand.  She'll probably only use it on average 2-3 days a month (desktop being primary for her too), but she needs the performance for Photoshop, as she's a pro photographer and travels monthly.

A "good" desktop PC is also an efficient buy if your usage patterns/computing requirements dictate it.  Desktop hardware has far more longevity than laptop hardware, is a lot more flexible, and everything is cheaper at the start.  I built my desktop for $700 in 2008, bought a monitor for $190 in 2009, did some CPU/RAM/motherboard refactoring for ~$60 net in 2011, and replaced the SSD, graphics card, and monitor last year for about $600.  So for about $1550 *total* over the last eight years, we've had a bitchin' desktop system that sees daily use and will continue to be exceptional without more upgrades for likely another year or two doing lots of Photoshop heavy lifting in the process.  Currently sports an overclocked i5 2500K, 16GB of RAM, 256GB Samsung 850 SSD (Win7 installed), a GTX 750, and 24" Dell 4K (3840x2160) monitor.

We also have a Debian file server with 8TB of storage and ~13TB worth of external hard drives, but none of that is applicable to most people that aren't professional photographers with obscene digital storage needs.

[Paul der Krake]

Then I threw Linux on it gave it to my sister-in-law for free to help her start her work-from-home webcam business. 

Oh yeah?

[ketchup]

Then I threw Linux on it gave it to my sister-in-law for free to help her start her work-from-home webcam business. 

Oh yeah?

I hear it's going pretty well for her.

[randymarsh]

Then I threw Linux on it gave it to my sister-in-law for free to help her start her work-from-home webcam business. 

Oh yeah?

I hear it's going pretty well for her.

I believe a couple forum members have cam'ed successfully. It can be pretty lucrative once you built up a client base.

[ketchup]

Then I threw Linux on it gave it to my sister-in-law for free to help her start her work-from-home webcam business. 

Oh yeah?

I hear it's going pretty well for her.

I believe a couple forum members have cam'ed successfully. It can be pretty lucrative once you built up a client base.

Seems that way for her.  I don't know any hard numbers, but I know she quit her day job.

[Bracken_Joy]

Then I threw Linux on it gave it to my sister-in-law for free to help her start her work-from-home webcam business. 

Oh yeah?

I hear it's going pretty well for her.

I believe a couple forum members have cam'ed successfully. It can be pretty lucrative once you built up a client base.

Seems that way for her.  I don't know any hard numbers, but I know she quit her day job.

Do you happen to have any info about starting in this field? Theoretically of course. Also would be curious for links to any threads about the members your mentioned! Thanks.

[randymarsh]

Then I threw Linux on it gave it to my sister-in-law for free to help her start her work-from-home webcam business. 

Oh yeah?

I hear it's going pretty well for her.

I believe a couple forum members have cam'ed successfully. It can be pretty lucrative once you built up a client base.

Seems that way for her.  I don't know any hard numbers, but I know she quit her day job.

Do you happen to have any info about starting in this field? Theoretically of course. Also would be curious for links to any threads about the members your mentioned! Thanks.

I do not have anything specific but a Google search for "how to be a camgirl" or "camgirl tutorial" or "camguy" should produce some decent results. There's an old post on www.budgetsaresexy.com that was written by a phone sex operator that might be helpful.

The posts on MMM were quite a while ago and I can't remember who made them.

[marty998]

Bakeri tried out the webcam thingo for a while

[NextTime]

Anyone have a good recommendation on the BEST spray bottles?

I need a few for different applications, but have yet to find a decent one. Hell some barely even work at all.

I need one for hair (for the kid in the morning) and also for cleaning. So it needs to be able to do the mist and the stream.

[retiringearly]

Anyone have a good recommendation on the BEST spray bottles?

I need a few for different applications, but have yet to find a decent one. Hell some barely even work at all.

I need one for hair (for the kid in the morning) and also for cleaning. So it needs to be able to do the mist and the stream.

I bought one of these at Walmart that I use to mist my shower:

http://www.bottlecrew.com/browse/retail-products/32-oz-high-output-spray-bottle/

It is surprisingly high quality so I would suspect that their other spray bottles are quality

[ketchup]

My girlfriend has a few of these: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-Christensen-Bottle-double-Trigger/dp/B00MBSITXE  and they are fantastic.  She uses them mostly for dog grooming, so I don't know how they compare to your purpose, but they are workhorses.  Sprays water when you press AND when you release so you can spray a LOT of water quickly if that's your goal.

As a balding 25-year-old-dude, I know very little about such things, but I do know those are quality.

[maco]

A dehydrator lets you buy vegetables cheap in season then keep them for months and months. My lodger picked up mangoes this week, and he's going to use my dehydrator on them so he can stop paying extra for already-dehydrated ones.

[cnash1303]

A dehydrator lets you buy vegetables cheap in season then keep them for months and months. My lodger picked up mangoes this week, and he's going to use my dehydrator on them so he can stop paying extra for already-dehydrated ones.

I have been thinking about buying me one lately. Is there any reason not to buy a cheap one if I don't plan on using it every day? Some are on amazon for $33.

[nereo]

A dehydrator lets you buy vegetables cheap in season then keep them for months and months. My lodger picked up mangoes this week, and he's going to use my dehydrator on them so he can stop paying extra for already-dehydrated ones.

I have been thinking about buying me one lately. Is there any reason not to buy a cheap one if I don't plan on using it every day? Some are on amazon for $33.

If you like DIY projects you might not have to buy one at all. You can build dehydrators that can dry a lot more than those plastic contraptions with little more than some fiberglass windowscreening, some scrap wood and a small fan to promote airflow. There's a good chance you can either have some of this or can get most of it for free (e.g. free pallet wood is perfect).

Or you could use just a baking sheet or wire rack and set it someplace warm (oven, dashboard of your car...). 

As long as you don't live in a super-humid environment it's easy to dehydrate stuff for free or nearly free. 

[maco]

As long as you don't live in a super-humid environment it's easy to dehydrate stuff for free or nearly free.

And this is why I have a boughten one. Sticky sticky mid-Atlantic summers. Also, it seemed that finding food-safe screen was difficult. If it was going to go a few days without raining, and I could find food-safe screen, then I'd like a solar one. Some friends up in the hippy commune in the mountains (not joking!) have one of those they built.

[Rural]

As long as you don't live in a super-humid environment it's easy to dehydrate stuff for free or nearly free.

And this is why I have a boughten one. Sticky sticky mid-Atlantic summers. Also, it seemed that finding food-safe screen was difficult. If it was going to go a few days without raining, and I could find food-safe screen, then I'd like a solar one. Some friends up in the hippy commune in the mountains (not joking!) have one of those they built.

Dash of the car works even here in the Deep South, though, as long as it's summer. Relative humidity doesn't go under 80% for months. I use a cookie sheet which gets around the screen problem. I do also have one of the little plastic jobs, and it's better for denser things and thicker cuts.

[forummm]

2. A Soap Holder - http://amzn.com/B000DZFA66 - This makes your soap last like 10x longer, and keeps it cleaner. Again don't by the one on amazon, they sell them at the dollar tree

This is useful for sinks. But for a shower I think the open top of that one will make it last less long than the one I use. Water can spray on it and erode the soap, unless you can put it somewhere away from any of the stream or splashes. For the shower I use a closing travel soap container and I just make sure that there's no water in it after I put the soap back  in.

[redcedar]

Anything that allows you to cook in bulk or batches. Crockpot, pressure cooker, smoker, etc or save the food for later use like a chest freezer.

[nereo]

As long as you don't live in a super-humid environment it's easy to dehydrate stuff for free or nearly free.

And this is why I have a boughten one. Sticky sticky mid-Atlantic summers. Also, it seemed that finding food-safe screen was difficult. If it was going to go a few days without raining, and I could find food-safe screen, then I'd like a solar one. Some friends up in the hippy commune in the mountains (not joking!) have one of those they built.

Dash of the car works even here in the Deep South, though, as long as it's summer. Relative humidity doesn't go under 80% for months. I use a cookie sheet which gets around the screen problem. I do also have one of the little plastic jobs, and it's better for denser things and thicker cuts.

Regarding finding food-safe screen... amazon.com is your friend. Lots there from screens to nets to corrugated plastic.  We dried apples in Virginia with no problems, though the frequent rain storms do slow things down.
Nothing wrong with buying a dehydrator, just point out cheaper options (that have way more capacity).

[cnash1303]

2. A Soap Holder - http://amzn.com/B000DZFA66 - This makes your soap last like 10x longer, and keeps it cleaner. Again don't by the one on amazon, they sell them at the dollar tree

This is useful for sinks. But for a shower I think the open top of that one will make it last less long than the one I use. Water can spray on it and erode the soap, unless you can put it somewhere away from any of the stream or splashes. For the shower I use a closing travel soap container and I just make sure that there's no water in it after I put the soap back  in.

Yeah, I should have wrote that I keep mine in the back part of my shower away from the actual shower head, the steam doesn't seem to effect it though.

[ShortStuff]

Thanks for foam soap dispenser tip!  I will buy one in the future as we constantly see gobs of soap on the side of the sink from how much comes out of the soap pump.  I always think it's such a waste. 

One item we bought for about $38 was a carbon steel frying pan: www.amzn.com/B000RWGC12

We were tired of buying cheap teflon "nonstick" ones and watching the coating come off after a couple years and then needing to throw it out. 
The carbon steel is slightly lighter than a cast iron pan but works the same way regarding an initial seasoning, etc. The pan has cooked fantastic for the past years, and we plan to have it for life.   

[chaskavitch]

Oh! And we cannot let a thread go by where we don't mention menstrual cups as a cost saving option =D Diva cup, luna cup, etc, has changed the lives of many. Bonus to money savings and environmental friendliness.

Absolutely +1.  Love my Diva Cup.

[Dicey]

"Of coArse?"
"Wash clothEs?"

"Should have wrote?"
"I have a boughten one?"

Sorry to go all Grammar Nazi on y'all, but if you want to make this a permanent list, a little editing would go a long way.