I like to think that the difference between being cheap and being frugal is you get to spend money on items that you will use regularly and get a longer lifespan out of, saving money over the long term. But there are products that last roughly the same, independently of their cost.
Do you sometimes break things and say “they don’t make them like they used too”, thinking the equivalent product would have lasted for a longer time if you had bought it 20 years ago? We are still using a chair that belonged to BF’s mum in the 60s. The sturdy woodwork will last many more years, while an Ikea chair will probably not last for half a century.
The case of clothing
Kathleen wrote a post recently on The College Investor where she said she would never drop $228 on a pair of Diesel jeans no matter how much money she made. It got me thinking about my last few pairs of jeans. I found a great pair that was really fitting me well on a trip to the US three years ago, and since then, I have bought two more pairs of the same from Ebay (because Levi’s discontinued the exact model and I don’t have a Levi’s store nearby to find a new model that fits well). I paid extra to have the pants shipped to France once, and Guatemala the second time, but I think it was always coming to around $50 per pair.
I own one pair of jeans at a time, and they last for a year or so. Because I have fat strong thighs, the denim wears off with the friction when I walk, makes a hole and I just throw the pair. Intense traveling where I would spend 8 hours per day on a motorcycle, getting on and off added to the wear those past years. Even though the cost per wear is very low, I wouldn’t spend more than $50-$80 on some piece of clothing that is only going to last for a year.
Determine the lifespan of the item
If I knew for a fact a $228 pair of jeans would last more than five years I would maybe pay the high price tag to avoid shopping every year, but the wear comes from my body shape and it is almost sure that I will use the jeans just as fast.
Over at Save.Spend.Splurge, Mochimac was recently criticized for buying $600 worth of underwear. Her point was she knew she would use that quality underwear for at least 10 years. Another thing I can’t relate to, because I lose things. I move house, travel, stay with friends, pack a box and forget about what is inside… while some items have miraculously survived since high school (and even more miraculously still fit me!), most of my clothes stand a very small chance of still being mine five years from now.
Will you keep using it?
Last but not least, life happens. Five years ago, I was just starting what would be my last cubicle job. I wore business casual, lived in London and enjoyed going out in a nice dress, I even owned several pairs of heels! Flash forward today, I live in the jungle, most of the time wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and the workers look at me like I am the first lady when I wear jeans and a clean shirt to go to town (and shoes! the rest of the time it is flip flops or barefoot).
Back to Mochimac, she drastically changed her diet all the way to vegan and lost a lot of weight, so after looking for perfect long lasting pieces she had to get rid of some and buy some more.
It can be pregnancy, weight loss, fashion, taste, even allergies or intolerance, … so many factors that may prevent you from using something you thought you would use for years.
While I usually advocate buying the best things you can afford, and see no reason to make your life miserable by using inconvenient items like a sticky pan, knives that are not sharp anymore, or itchy bed sheets, sometimes the difference between medium quality and high quality will not be worth the big price difference, because of the use you will get out of the item.
What do you think?
This post was featured on Girl meets debt, Outlier Model, Money Smart Guides, Life and my Finances, thank you!
I think I will choice the quality of the products. Living frugally does not mean to patronize cheap materials. It also suggests to purchase materials, stuffs or products that has the longer life span rather than the cheap one.
Five years ago we bought bed frame, closet and chest cabinet from IKEA, those materials are cheap but it takes only two years. Especially we have two kids, who keep jumping on the bed. Indeed, buying quality products is simply being smart and frugal.
I can imagine how kids easily wear out even sturdy pieces of furniture!
I like the way you think. People will make excuses about how they are being frugal when they do something, almost as if it has become “in” to be frugal. But there is definitely a difference between being frugal and finding a good deal on something. Both are important, it’s hard to be frugal if you don’t find good deals, but they are also different.What I always tell people is it comes down to making good decisions. It doesn’t matter if those shoes are 70% off, if you only wear them once and they cost 50% of one weeks earnings, it’s not the best decision. Between credit cards, student loans, mortgage etc. I’m sure there is a better way to spend that money, even if you want to spend it enjoying yourself and not paying down any debt.
I go through this sort of analysis when I purchase tools. There is always such a wide range of prices for many hammers that look the same.
I’ve learned price doesn’t always correlate with quality, so if I’m making any sort of long term purchase, I will first do some research. Then, if I can afford a nice one that will last for life, I will make that purchase, otherwise I just get the cheapest one I can and hope it lasts until I can afford something better.
tools should last a lifetime. We are using a hammer from my BF’s parents. But again I don’t think if we bought one today it would last 50 years.
Thanks for the double mention!
I actually have clothes from high school I still love and wear. This one dress I can’t get rid of. I had it tailored to make it fit on my body better.
I find the higher quality I buy, the longer things last. They don’t stretch out, pill, fade, they just look the same as they did the day I got them if they aren’t cheap.
Certain fabrics make a difference too (ponte jersey looks old easily).
For me, I have never understood that frugal = cheap. I always thought frugal = spending more money on things like food (which I definitely do), and things that matter to you (books, clothing, but not cars and furniture for me)
I care a lot about style and clothing which is why I buy the best in that area. I too only had 1 pair of jeans for years, but then it got too big for me, keeping them for when I have kids and need “maternity” jeans. I had to buy another pair of jeans in two styles (bootcut and skinny). 3 pairs of jeans. 2 to wear now (skinny and bootcut), 1 to keep for when kids come along.
)You might want to look at “Lucky Brand” jeans the next time you buy a pair. Krystal liked hers a lot, and was a Levi’s fan before.)
I would totally agree on the lucky jeans. The fabric is just different from others you might buy at the Gap or similar. They seem to have a bit more stretch or something. They are a bit more expensive, but I can usually find them at a discount store in the US, like TJ Maxx. I would certainly pay more if I knew it would last, but sadly, most clothes do not.
lol about the maternity jeans. Thank you for the recommendation, I’ll have a look at Lucky. Levi’s is more for laziness of going elsewhere, I have had a few other brands but mostly Levi’s since I was 15 and last time I shopped in the US and found this model I had a good staff advise me.
You look at quality, people look at the price-tag. As long as that is true, your move is very smart. If you buy stuff just for the designer label, then you confirm people’s bias and I don’t think that is a smart thing to do.
I’m pretty frugal, but some of my spending habits will raise eyebrows. When my faucet started leaking, I went and bought one that was super expensive, relatively speaking. I didn’t buy it for the label or the fact it is expensive, but I for the reviews and the fact they do last a long time.
Short term pain for long term happiness!
and low cost per use!
Unfortunately with clothes it seems unpredictable how long they will last. I’ve had $25 shirts I’ve worn once and a $3 polo from the clearance rack I’ve worn 50 times. I do use the same strategy with jeans. If I find ones I really like I try to buy a few pairs. I recently have been exposed to the world of eBay used clothes, and might even start looking for “lots” of things that I like that are for sale.
that can be a big saving. Until now I was moving too often to justify having more than one pair of jeans, now I could have 2 or 3 if I find a good model and keep them there for a while.
I normally wear a good sturdy pair of jeans when I am on my bike for shorter trips, but when I am going long distances (which sucks on my bike) I wear a really nice pair of riding pants. They let the air go right through and keep me cool. If it starts raining, I can put on the rain cover and if I get cold I can put in the liner to keep the wind out. Probably the best pair ot “pants” I own. Of course I looke a little silly in them when I am not on my bike
are they leather? I had a pair of riding pants but with the knee caps and other protection they were really uncomfortable to walk around in when we would get to a new city. And in summer they were just unbearable. We took the unsafe approach to ride in jeans but feel more comfortable.
They are one of those nylon type fabrics that is supposed to keep from shredding up to 700 feet if you are sliding across the pavement. I have never owned a pair of leathers because they are too pricey and they don’t breathe well. I personally love riding in jeans and if I am at a fesitval sometimes I am stupid and do shorts, t-shirt and no helment, but that is usually under 20 mph. I know it is dumb, but riding that way I can see why people want to never wear a helmet or a jacket.
I tried wearing no helmet in a state that allowed it, CO I think, it was weird, I felt naked and exposed. I know they removed the mandatory helmet because more accidents are caused by the lack of 180 degree vision than by smashing your head against the asphalt but still, it felt really weird.
I try to go for quality as I hate to buy something and only have it break on us shortly afterwards. However, the price tag does not always determine what the quality level is…even though we think it does. I am perfectly fine spending a little more for something that’ll last, but there is certainly a line to that I won’t generally cross.
Cheap stuff is usually junk(clothes, whatever) so I tend to buy more expensive, quality items. However, I do like to get things used when I can and that helps with the price!
I will sometimes spend more money on things because they support my values. I buy most of my clothes used. But I’m not frugal enough to buy underwear used. However, I do buy it made from organic cotton from a company who pays its staff fair wages.
Great stuff. It’s never enough to simply look at the price tag. I never understand the people who are intent on spending as little as possible in the short-term, as that often only forces you to spend more in the long-term. But it’s also important to not simply assume that the more expensive version is better. Value can be difficult to truly determine, but that’s what we’re all really after.
I find it really frugal to think of the quality instead of the price, there is actually behind the high price, but if you think nothing is different between the two product then go for what you think is much better.
I have noticed that $10 jeans fall apart pretty quickly, but there usually isn’t much difference between $50 jeans and $100+ jeans. Most of my clothes I have had since high school. If you look for quality first your clothes can last a long time!
True, although I have bought the same brand again later and I still have the high school shirt but the most recent shirt fell apart. Yet the price was still the same.
I have noticed that while many of the clothes I buy are cheaper on average (I mostly shop in the kid’s section, since few stores carry my size in adult) but they rarely last as long. I also hold off on my jeans, and only replace them once there are holes in them. I keep two pairs around though, so I have a little more luxury in waiting for the sales to come around for my favorite style.
PS Your motorcycle is awesome!
Thanks! It is my boyfriend’s. Mine is even more awesome lol.
This article brings up a good point. I normally go the cheap route, but I’ve been burned by this before when the cheap item breaks down and then I need to buy another of the same thing. I really like looking at the price differential and then decide if the extra quality is worth the extra price. It’s not always easy to determine this, but it helps me make a decision on which brand/item to buy.
it has to be projected use mainly. No point in buying a good quality item you will need once, but a daily item is worth it.
The furniture back in the old days were so well built for great prices. I wish more furniture stores had the same quality that they use to! Great post Pauline!
I don’t know about prices, I think it was rather expensive but people needed less items, so now we want so many items they have to produce them cheap so we can afford them all.
I normally always lean toward quality. I always try to get the lowest price I can get. The determining factor is it a one time item or something I use all the time. Clothes, I usually spend more because I believe it lasts longer and looks better. We still have our bedroom set we bought 45 years ago.
wow, impressive not so much that you didn’t give in to lifestyle inflation but that an object you use daily is still functional half a century later.
Psh, you’ll be lucky if that Ikea chair lasts a decade. A lot of things are cheaper today; as a mother I’ve noticed that I can afford toys for my kids that my parents couldn’t even though I’m not quite caught up to where they were economically. The trade off: things are made a lot more cheaply. I try to do a good mix of quality vs. price, spending money on the things that are worth it and being able to identify the things that really just aren’t.
Good point, or maybe our parents had grown with fewer toys and it seemed unreasonable to them that we would have a dozen dolls or mini trucks. When I see my niece’s room you can barely walk between the toys but really she plays with a couple of things.
Thanks for mentioning me! 🙂 I love the idea of designer denim, but I’m unwilling to spend more than $20-40 on a pair of jeans, no matter how great they make my butt look. Thank goodness for Goodwill!
Here goodwill is what the US disposes of in the clothes bins, there are $0.5 t-shirts! I don’t have the patience to go look for a bargain but my handyman recently bought some $1.5 Timberland shoes!
I trend towards purchasing things of better quality even if the price is higher. It seems as though I have gotten burned too often by buying cheap things. I hate it when I feel like I try to do the frugal thing and end up spending more because I have to replace the cheap item. Recently I bought a cheap oscillating fan. It lasted two weeks. Needless to say the next one I bought was more expensive.
Sounds like the typical thing you buy in a rush because it is hot and you don’t think it will be hot for long but you do need it every year so better spend on quality.
Things that are cheaply made may only last a short period of time. But, not all things that are cheap are really of low quality that it’ll break within weeks of use. I bought an expensive fan without the blades and it broke 3 months of use. I bought it because it was on sale and I liked the unique design. I still had my $50 oscillating fan that has worked for 3 years now.
I try for a middle ground. I don’t like spending money on crap. But I usually don’t know where the line is between paying more for high quality, and paying more just for a brand name. So I tend to buy things within the middle of the pricing spectrum.
I like old brands too, sometimes they are a bit more expensive but many have stellar customer service and sometimes even a lifetime guarantee.
I just interviewed (spoiler!) Amanda Grossman for our next podcast (frugalconfessions.com). She said that’s her version of frugal….how to live well but still spend less money. I’m not about to move into the woods and create my own furniture, but give me a deal on shampoo where I can spend half? I’m in.
Of course, if the saving is effortless why not go for it. I wouldn’t spend hours clipping coupons but if there is a deal I’ll grab it.
We go cheap when it’s meant to be consumed quickly (dollar store fabric softener works just as well as the stuff that costs 4x as much!), but aim for BIFL (Buy It For Life) if it’s something we know we’ll want forever. The BIFL stuff is often tools and other useful things…
Jeans are in the middle for me. I usually go through a pair per year and they run around $50 if I get them at the JCrew outlet. After that they don’t look nice enough to be office wear, but I keep them around as project pants for painting and doing stuff around the house.
But I love how soft the denim gets right before it’s going to rip… =)
oh yes it is so soft, I like it too. too bad they don’t last much after that.
I find it much harder to find quality things these days that actually justify the cost. I tend to purchase things that have worked well for me in the past.
Right? I do too but even those reliable brands seem to have lower quality somehow, if they are now producing in China or have changed materials.
Depends on the item and the level of use. I buy cheapo cotton t-shirts at Target once a year or so. I wear them under sweaters or alone during the summer The cost about $15 a top (sometimes less). I’m going to buy another set of 3-4 each year, so I don’t bother buying more expensive ones. I’m sort of a slob, the first time I spill something the shirt is a goner (well it becomes a “sleep shirt” for around the house). I have price points I’d pay for each “type” of item. Jeans I wouldn’t spend more than $60, sneakers $50 etc. For good quality comfortable shoes that will wear for 2-3 uses for years $100 or more.
I am lazy too with the spills and buttons to sew back but trying to get over it!
Buying cheap means creating a lot of junk. Most cheap crap is disposable. The concept of disposable has gone awry and is making a terrible mess everywhere we look. Even my beginning guitar students are encouraged to avoid going on Craigslist or over to Uncle Bob’s to simply get the cheapest or a free guitar. The instrument needs to be the appropriate size, needs nylon strings, and must have good intonation. Anything short of that is a disservice to the student and to me. On the other hand, I’ll admit I need very few top quality items aside from my guitar, sheet music, foot wear for walking so much and books.
For me, the trick is to have very little so I can afford the best of what really matters to me without creating a shitload of waste.
In Guatemala the ladies used to have two or three traditional dresses (3 tops 3 bottoms) it was beautifully knit with the colors of your village, but each cost about $50 so you wore it for life. Now they can get 2nd hand clothes shipped from the US for $0.5 so all those beautiful colors are slowly fading… so sad.
I spend money on items that are of quality that I want to last for a long time that I know will give me the best value. There are other things that I don’t mind buying second-hand such as a vehicle. I just pick and choose but I hate to spend my money twice when I don’t need to.
Yes, buying a new car doesn’t make a lot of sense. Even in garage sales you can find used tools that are better quality than anything new made in China.
It depends on what I’m buying. Many of my clothes have lasted me years, and they are all pretty cheap. I’ve never really been interested in designer brands. I certainly see the argument in buying better quality for it to last longer, and I definitely take that into consideration when making a big purchase that I plan to keep/use for the long-term, but I still wear jeans I had in high school. I don’t really spend over $25 for jeans, and I don’t remember the last time I bought a pair. I guess I am lucky in that regard…
Yes, lucky you they don’t rip apart! I could buy looser jeans but then they wouldn’t fit well around the waist so I’d rather have something comfortable even though they last less.
It’s so hard to know how much of the price is ‘mark up’ and how much is a mark of the quality workmanship. Particularly with furniture or appliances.
With clothing, the fabric itself is part of my decision making process – and I expect wool or silk to cost more, and I’m willing to. I was lucky to find second hand jeans by chance in a school fete stall – identical size, length and brand as the favourites (just a little longer). And not ‘stretched’ out which means… lots of life left in them! (almost as good as ebay, but totally coincidental)
PS I also have strong (water polo playing) thighs, and have patched my favourite jeans – actually in time from my trip to France in Oct 2012
I considered patching but have procrastinated on it. I still have a couple of pairs here so may take them to the mending lady! The pair that went on the bike trip has like 5 holes so no mending but still comfy for painting or getting dirty around the house.
For clothes…eh…whatever. For most other things I tend to research my purchases a bit to see what level of quality will work with my intended use. If I’m buying a tool or something I’ll rarely use then I’ll probably go lower end as long as it’ll get the job done, but for things we use regularly, like my bike or our BBQ I’ll opt for a lightly used higher end one off Craigslist.
It really depends on the desired lifestyle you want to live understanding that and living it affordably. I tend to go for quality at the best price possible when it comes to items I know I’ll be using for a very long time. Items that are typically disposable I shop based on price.
I usually don’t spend much on clothing, simply because as you stated, you can gain/lose weight and then they won’t fit anymore. But for other items, I will spend some more money to get a quality item. I remember when I first bought my house, I purchased rugs for my bathroom at Walmart. I didn’t want to spend the money on a nicer set. Well, within a few months, the rugs started to fall apart. I ended up just buying the nicer set and they lasted close to 5 years. Maybe it was just the set I picked up originally that had a flaw, but I didn’t want to chance it.
Designer jeans are kind of my vice so I will spend a bit more on them. But, I make sure to take care of them (hang dry so it doesn’t fade as quickly) and wear them every 1-2 weeks since we can wear jeans at work. I’m a big fan of Lucky, as well as Hudson since it’s lighter material. Tops/dresses I tend to go cheap on, though.
You know it just depends on the item. I don’t spend a lot of trendy tops because I know they don’t last long, and although spending anything over $100 on jeans seems crazy to me, I have spent a little bit more on jeans that fit like a glove. So hard to find. Cookware is another thing where it does not pay to go cheap. But I’ll buy $1 store measuring spoons. I take it on a case by case basis.