Cheap, middle ground, or expensive?

When buying things do you tend to buy cheaper things, things that are kind of middle ground (in between cheap and expensive, this is where I usually buy unless I wanna spoil myself), or expensive?

I think my 2 most expensive areas are Diapers (because I usually buy the ABDL diapers), and jackets for winter (must make me warm when i wear it, but i like stylish as well), though my jackets were around $80 each, so really not that bad.

I buy what is going to work. And it's not always the most expensive option!

I've had expensive things break easily and inexpensive ones that stand up to abuse.

It's variable. We bought a fancy fiberglass-handled garden rake and I ended up snapping the handle in half raking rocks back into our driveway. I went back and got the rusty old cheap one from our garage and it's still going strong. O_O

I bought an off-brand dvd player. Everyone mocks me for it. I bought it because it was regionless and can play -anything-. I got it for $15 and it works fine for what I want from it.

That's also another thing...have realistic expectations of the things you purchase.

Well, coming from Hoodies costing 80 and up (and my 2 thicker ones would have cost more like $150 at a sports clothing store), I think if I had to go back to a $10 or $15 Hoodie I would probably be disappointed, now if I could find a $40 basic looking Hoodie with the same features as my Hoodies I probably would be happy with that.

It's kind of like going from a $5000 old sports car to a new Mustang Boss 303, once you get spoiled you wouldn't want to go back, but if you had to go to a more basic Mustang GT you might be happy enough.

It depends what I'm buying. If it's music related, I buy expensive stuff, not necessarily the top of the line, but up there. I bought a Yamaha Avant Grand N2 digital piano that cost close to $13,000. But if I bought the grand piano it was sampled from, it would have cost me more than a quarter of a million dollars. It's all relative.

Depending what it is. I'm a bit of an audiophile and I can hear the details in my music so we'll that I can tell when my headphones are going out. Or if the headphones are cheap. I can't stand the cardboard box noise that cheap headphones have. I GLADLY paid $200 for my current set, and they've lasted longer than any pair I've ever had. They've also had the best audio fidelity: once broken in (initially the treble was a little muddy, compared to the breaking down pair I compared it with} they sounded as good as the symphony. (I was testing with a symphonic tune I'd heard live twice and recorded like… a thousand times)

Yeah I know it's all relative; I think In almost any market for almost any product there are always really good value products where you aren't losing much (if anything) from not buying a more expensive product.

Like for example Cars, you may not notice a major difference between one car and another that cost $10,000 - $15,000 more between one brand and another if both have all the same features you need.

Its nice when you do have money for "Top of the Line", but when you don't a slightly cheaper product may (or may not) suit the need just as good.

I used to sell home appliances. Let me tell you one thing that my customers did not understand: Expensive != lasting longer. You are paying for extra features, that will just break or not work properly. Also, in some cases you're paying for the brand name.

There's specific things that I'd buy the more expensive option for, but most of the time I'm a middle of the road type of person. I like to do my homework before purchasing anything.

Do you think an Acura is better than a regular Honda? That they must get their elite workers to build them because they cost more?

They roll off of the same. exact. line. They literally flip flop all day long on what they're building. :laugh: (In fact, the NSX is the only one that is specially built in it's own location. And that's only because they hand-build them like the 'olden days'.)

What about Toyota and Lexus? Same thing. Ford and Lincoln. Yep. Same places.

Same thing goes with a lot of stuff, not just cars. It's got a different name on the outside, but inside it's made by the same company/people. I read the maker on a cheap item one time and it was the same company that made the more expensive stuff. They just didn't put it in the brand name box. (I can't for the life of me recall exactly what it was, I'm thinking some type of cookies.)

dogboy said:

It depends what I'm buying. If it's music related, I buy expensive stuff, not necessarily the top of the line, but up there. I bought a Yamaha Avant Grand N2 digital piano that cost close to $13,000. But if I bought the grand piano it was sampled from, it would have cost me more than a quarter of a million dollars. It's all relative.

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I'm going to sound completetly spoiled, but I've never had to buy an instrument, I inherited all of mine. That being said, I would gladly save up a lot of money to be able to buy a more expensive violin that suits me rather than go with a cheaper one, because it really does make a difference. I own two violins, one was cheaper (still like 500 Euros, but that's nothing for a violin) and one that was really expensive, and I know which one I like to play more.

Though I must say there are some hidden gems out there: So, for the uninitiated, when a kid learns to play the violin, they're usually too small to hold it correctly, so there's smaller versions of them. When I got my 3/4th violin, it was obvious that I was growing fast and wouldn't be using it for much longer than a year, so my parents didn't want to spend a lot of money on it. We ended up buying a 100 Euro violin (again, nothing compared to what one could pay) and it was really really good. As predicted, I soon moved on to a full sized violin, but man, that was a surprisingly good instrument.

And now I've started playing the viola, and the instrument (also inherited from a very tall family member) is waaaay too big for me, but it sounds so darn beautiful that I am loathe to get a different one. It was also very expensive when bought, and I've tried cheaper ones, but the sound and feel of it is completely different.


In non-musical things, I tend to go for inexpensive things, or second-hand-stuff. I'm also someone who takes full advantage of sales, like the one my fabric store is having right now where everything is 50% off. Quality is still important to me, if I know something is only gonna last through 5 washes I'm not gonna buy it, but waiting for sales means I can buy quality products on a student's budget. I definitely go by the "cost per wear" thing: If I can only wear something 5 times, but another thing 50 times, I can afford to splurge on the 50 Euro thing and get the same cost per wear as I would with the 5 Euro thing.

I'm considering buying a new sewing machine and maybe even a serger soon as I'm getting more serious about sewing: Mine still works, but it has many flaws. Here I'd go middle ground: I don't need a fully computerized machine that can stitch fancy disney motives (though that might be nice one day...), but I need one that will sew a seam without the thread ripping halfway through. A serger could be seen as an investment: I wouldn't want to open an online shop for clothing if I can't properly finish the seams, but with a serger, I'd feel confident enough to sell my creations. But a proper sewing machine has higher priority.

CuddleWoozle said:

Do you think an Acura is better than a regular Honda? That they must get their elite workers to build them because they cost more?

They roll off of the same. exact. line. They literally flip flop all day long on what they're building. :laugh: (In fact, the NSX is the only one that is specially built in it's own location. And that's only because they hand-build them like the 'olden days'.)

What about Toyota and Lexus? Same thing. Ford and Lincoln. Yep. Same places.

Same thing goes with a lot of stuff, not just cars. It's got a different name on the outside, but inside it's made by the same company/people. I read the maker on a cheap item one time and it was the same company that made the more expensive stuff. They just didn't put it in the brand name box. (I can't for the life of me recall exactly what it was, I'm thinking some type of cookies.)

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Well I know clothing specifically can go both ways, sometimes cheaper and more expensive are the same thing (just with different "brands" ), other times there is quite the difference, for one thing, some Hoodies are fine if it is mildly cold and windy, some are fine in snow but not when it rains.

These reasons are why I have 3 really good hoodies, 2 are thicker and I use them for both when it's cold and if it rains, my other one I use when it's not raining and may be mildly cold.

I also have 3 because they need to be washed and dried at times, so if I have 1 or 2 in the wash I usually can still be prepared for bad weather.

CuddleWoozle said:

I buy what is going to work. And it's not always the most expensive option!

I've had expensive things break easily and inexpensive ones that stand up to abuse.

It's variable. We bought a fancy fiberglass-handled garden rake and I ended up snapping the handle in half raking rocks back into our driveway. I went back and got the rusty old cheap one from our garage and it's still going strong. O_O

I bought an off-brand dvd player. Everyone mocks me for it. I bought it because it was regionless and can play -anything-. I got it for $15 and it works fine for what I want from it.

That's also another thing...have realistic expectations of the things you purchase.

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I agree with CuddleWoozle: I buy what is going to work for me. I have bought expensive, moderate, and lower-cost in many different categories over the years. I generally try to stay away from "cheap" because I believe you "get what you pay for." I will buy better things after they have gone on sale and I usually try to wait for a sale on most of the things I buy and use. I do buy a few brand names (Folgers Coffee for example) just because I like that particular brand. I do the same with winter coats (Columbia) because I think the quality is worth the price.

It totally depends. Sometimes there's no difference at all between the cheapest and most expensive products -- like with OTC drugs. Why pay £3 for a pack of Panadol when you can get unbranded paracetamol for 20p? If you check the manufacturing code on the box, you will often see that the drugs originate from EXACTLY the same production line.

Other times, when comparing cheap and expensive products, the cheaper one is actually "better". Cheaper dehumidifiers and microwave ovens often have a mechanical control panel -- a physical switch and rotary dials -- much easier to use than the expensive model with a complicated digital panel (that will be more likely to break down and be harder to repair) and all sorts of settings that you just don't need.

And sometimes it's hard to say whether you're buying a "cheap" option or an "expensive" one. I spent £100 on a pair of earphones. Most people would say that's expensive, but they were the cheapest model of that brand, and would be considered sub-entry-level for professional musicians.

I also try to plan ahead, so I'll buy summer cycling gear in October, when it's "reduced to clear". Last year I got a pair of £60 shorts reduced to £15, and a windproof top for £60 instead of £160. Woo!

The one thing where there seems to be a good correlation between price and quality is with food. I spend a ridiculous amount of money on food, but I can't imagine life without good food. Perhaps spending £3.50 on a small loaf of bread is extravagant... but it's so delicious (and more healthy) than a 70p a loaf of cheap aerated bread.

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Leio said:

I personally buy a mix of products. Though... I also believe in the you-get-what-you-pay-for. Even so, I've learned some tricks from my mother to get good things for lower price. For example, when I was growing up, my mother would always find things like Designer clothes for a much reduced price at TJ Maxx, especially in the clearance aisles.

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TK/TJ Maxx are quite sneaky. Most of their clothes have been specially commissioned for TK Maxx at much lower price points, so the "full price" shown is just made-up to mislead customers into thinking that they're getting a real bargain. There was a documentary made about it, also detailing the fraught relationship with suppliers who were torn between manufacturing cheap clothes for TK Maxx and maintaining the exclusivity of their brand.

https://www.independent.co.uk/voice...o-good-to-be-true-it-probably-is-8993940.html

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/...ncerns-about-pricing-and-labelling-at-tk-maxx

Having said that, I've picked up a few genuine bargains from TK Maxx, but you really have to sort through the crap and check the quality to find the good deals. Their trainers and wallets mostly seem to be good value, and some of the children's books.

I am always alert for value. Wine is a great example. You can spend a lot on a bottle but the ideal is finding something you like that is moderately priced. I try to be thrifty and not waste money but will splurge on occasion.

I buy according to what it is that I want/need and I always do my homework. For example, I had no issue paying $1k for the new Note 9 because the quality of the Note 8 was so great, it's a product that I know will be reliable for the time that I have it. At the same time though, I don't mind buying my clothes and shoes from discount stores like Ross or TJ Maxx.



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I consider my myself in the middle, on pretty much everything, and not just on buying stuff.

Chanch0 said:

I buy according to what it is that I want/need and I always do my homework. For example, I had no issue paying $1k for the new Note 9 because the quality of the Note 8 was so great, it's a product that I know will be reliable for the time that I have it. At the same time though, I don't mind buying my clothes and shoes from discount stores like Ross or TJ Maxx.



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True, technology is one place where you are usually much better off spending at least a little bit more money; though the divide between cheap and expensive can be quite big in not just price, but also quality and features.

I usually spend 300+ on my phones the last couple phones I got and I spent $800 on my TV (though retail was like $2300+ brand new), and I also opted to get a PS4 pro (but only after I got the SUHD Samsung TV, before that i had the regular PS4).

As far as clothing goes Hoodies is the one area where i spend more than i absolutely have to because i find it to be worth spending on since I'm in NYS and like not only how warm they are and how good they feel, but also the look.

i buy things depending on reviews and pricing, i suppose I lean towards the cheap or middle side for most things besides diapers, mostly buy the abdl ones because I dislike most non abdl diapers.

video and games and such ... I often buy after they become old or look for a sale/used one so yeah I do lean towards the cheap side for a lot of things.

I usually go the cheaper to mid range route, however there is an exception and that is on anything that separates you from the ground. (Shoes, bed, chair, tires) those need to be high quality items simply because they are going to get used every day and getting the correct things helps long term.