Eye care and lenses. Only one set of eyes, etc. Also dentistry. For that matter, any important medical care for me and my family.
Orange juice. I prefer Florida’s Natural but will accept Tropicana.
Me too on the first. We have a gloriously thick down comforter and lots of pillows and a comfy feather bed. Besides when I feel warm enough I can turn down the heat and save some money at night.
I like nice designer handbags.
I also like good jewelry. I enjoy costume jewelry too, but the real stuff wins my heart every time, baby!
I wouldn’t have thought about education, but I’m with this one. Both my kids got to go to the college they wanted and could get into, even if state schools were cheaper. That might be because my father did the same for me.
Sheets. We bought really good sheets once, and it made such a difference that I’ll never buy cheap ones again.
Theater and concert tickets. I’ve sat way back on the grass in Shoreline when I got free tickets, and I’ve paid for real seats up front, and real seats are so much better. I like being able to see the people on stage as people.
Not ice cream. I actually prefer the Safeway store brand to Ben & Jerry’s. They have some types of ice cream that are really, really good. Their store brand popcorn, on the other hand, sucks.
Heh. I found some Nexxus “Color Save” shampoo and conditioner at such a great price I had to try it! Can’t stand the smell-it smells like burnt grapefruit! I do use Aussie 3-minute Miracle on my hair, though.
Beer - Goes without saying.
Sheets - I’m going to spend /13 of my life on them, so they ought to be better than I can really afford.
Cat food - The girls deserve it.
Booze - I’m a booze snob, I’ll admit it. But if I’m going to drink it, it has to be worth my time. Currently I am cursing Tuckerfan for turning me onto Buffalo Trace bourbon.
Kitchen equipment - Kitchenaid and Henckel’s.
Razors - Nothing but Fusion touches my scalp.
Vacation dinners - We may get the hotel room for free, but I’ll splurge on food in Vegas. Mesa Grill cost us $300, but it was worth every penny.
Skin care products - I have sensitive skin with mild rosacea. I don’t use the over-priced products, but I can’t afford to risk using the cheap stuff.
Shoes - I am currently experiening the effects of 40 years of cheap shoes. Now, I only buy shoes made especially for comfort and/or support.
There’s a thread in GQ right now: “So how cold was it indoors in days of yore?” and the OP says he’s keeping his living room at 58 degrees to save money.
I spare no expense with heat. I hate being cold and as long as I have two nickels to rub together I will keep my house toasty warm in the winter. Of course it helps to live in the deep south, but it’s 20 F outside right now.
Medical care and medical insurance. Our insurance is pricey, but has saved us at least $30k in the last year alone. I have also paid hundreds of dollars a month on medications and procedures not covered, even while living on a $10k/year budget, when I’ve had to do it. Health comes first.
Agreed on education. The cost of my education will not influence my decision to get it. I consider education (along with maybe a house or a life-saving operation) to be the only thing worth going into debt for.
Every time I’m at the dollar store, and I see the condoms at the front, I think “Who in the world would buy those?” It’s one thing if the tape I’m buying for my kid’s school project isn’t as good as Scotch brand, but condoms?
Well, just like dollar store pregnancy tests, dollar store condoms are regulated by the FDA and checked for safety and effectiveness. Now, I’d check the expiration date closely, but there’s no reason a dollar store condom should be any less effective than one at Walgreens.
Although I’ve never *seen *condoms at the dollar store, now that you mention it.
I suppose you could be right, but there’s gotta be some reason they’re cheaper, is all I’m sayin’. Anyway, I wouldn’t take the chance.
(And when my wife suspected she was pregnant, she went to a doctor. We didn’t trust the drug store pregancy kits, let alone a dollar store one. )
Cheddar: well, if it’s for actually eating, not cooking. I’ll cook with crappy store brand cheddar, but I am presently sitting at the computer with some crackers and a nice slab of 5 year old locally made cheddar. There’s no point trying to pretend the other stuff can be eaten on its own.
I don’t eat ice cream very often, but when I do it’s Haagen-Daz, President’s Choice (pretty good), or the little independent place a few blocks away. And once a year or however often I get there, gelato from a truly fantastic gelato place, unfortunately halfway across the city.
We don’t drink store-brand cola, either. Coke only, please.
Toilet Paper
Trash Bags
Jalapenos
Pickles
Cigarettes
Next time you’re in Montana, stop by and I’ll disabuse you of the notion that there’s no good American beer. I could come up with dozens–possibly hundreds–of American beers that will stand up to anything out of Europe. A few favorites:
- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (and try their Christmas Ale)
- Anchor Porter (their Anchor Steam is good, too)
- Moose Drool (a Montana favorite)
- Mirror Pond Pale
- Fat Tire (a good ale from Colorado)
We also have a local brewery here in town that makes an awesome porter, a great chocolate stout, and a very good Scottish ale.
I use what used to be Therappe and Humectress (they’ve gone organic and changed names and packaging). They both have rich smooth scents. I guess I should be glad I have no color to save!!
That sounds so nice. I am keeping my thermostat at 52 and using electric blankets and throws, but it would be sweet to turn it up to 68. It’s warm right now (35) but was in the single and negative digits over the past couple of weeks.
Pots and pans. You’ll take my Le Creuset dutch oven from me when you pry it from my cold, dead hands - but I’d probably win, 'cause the thing weighs a ton and I’d smash your skull in first. It makes a huge, huge difference, particularly in the “forgiveness” area.
Much simpler at that point to just make our own pasta, methinks.
Olive oil. I don’t skip on that. Ditto on the tools.
Hitmen.
The cheaper ones seem to make the most costly mistakes. If you want a job done right - spare no expense, but make sure you check references.
I’d start praying now. As Dangerosa mentioned upthread, Target is starting to carry it. Denver carries about 15 shades.