• athairmor@lemmy.world
    51·
    18 days ago

    There’s the adage, “spend your money where you spend your time.”

    If you’re going to spend a lot of time in front of a TV, get a nice one. Cook a lot? Get the good knives and pans. Don’t read much? Don’t buy an e-reader or book subscription service. Not big into DIY? Get cheap drill/driver for the rare times you need it.

    There’s plenty of exceptions but it’s a nice general rule.

    • Tiptopit@feddit.org
      22·
      18 days ago

      Even if you are into DIY: Buy cheaper once, if something breaks buy something more expensive.

      • mommykink@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
        131·
        18 days ago

        I see this a lot and take some issue with it the wording of it. I think a lot of people say this thinkkng of something like Ryobi or Harbor Freight as the “cheap” guys, when in reality the price scaling of tools puts those makes pretty squarely in the mid to high-end bracket.

        In reality, there are some cheap tools that are downright unsafe for use that some people might see after reading that comment and decide to get.

        ETA: If it’s sharp, spins, or runs on electricity, get it from a physical store or highly reputable online vendor and make sure it has a warranty

        • Ben Hur Horse Race@lemm.ee
          6·
          18 days ago

          I dunno, I’ve had good luck with Aldi and Lidl “Center Isle” power tool purchases. Thats Workzone and Parkside tools, a far cry from mid to high-end. If I use something enough that it merits a replacement, I buy the Makita version

          • PlasticExistence@lemmy.worldEnglish
            61·
            18 days ago

            Those are still from a reputable store. I think the really cheap ones are the Chinese ones that don’t even have a brand name. Slightly above that are the Chinese made ones with a nonsense word for the brand name.

  • 58008@lemmy.worldEnglish
    24·
    17 days ago

    Your kid’s first musical instrument. It’s counterproductive and false economy to buy them a piece of shit guitar or tuba or whatever it may be, in the belief that “if they like it and want to continue with it, I’ll buy them a better one in the future”. You might well turn the kid off the instrument for life if their instrument is harder to play/maintain and worse to listen to than it ought to be.

    If you want your kid to be enriched by music and to be creative, buy them a decent mid-range instrument. Make it so that the kid can’t wait to pick it up, don’t make those crucial early days of learning the instrument feel like eating watery gruel for months with an expectation of pizza at some point down the line. A shitty instrument will be an additional barrier the kid will need to deal with every time they use it. Get out of their way, buy them something serviceable. If they lose interest regardless, well at least you know they had a fair shot at it and it wasn’t the crappiness of the instrument that caused them to abandon it. And you can always sell or donate the instrument if they really don’t give a shit about it.

    The best instrument you can reasonably afford is significantly more likely to hook your kid than a £50 piece of junk would. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be well-made, pleasant to play, and easy to tune/maintain/clean/whatever the case may be.

    • Bgugi@lemmy.world
      12·
      17 days ago

      I’ll counter with the following: if you aren’t sure whether your kid will like it, it’s probably a better idea to start with renting. You’ll typically get a fully-serviced instrument with coverage for accidental damage.

      Yes, it’s a fully sunk cost, but it’s predictable and you don’t have to deal with the hassle of selling off an instrument if they don’t get really into it. Once you’re confident that they’re going to stick with it and know they can handle and maintain it carefully, then you should look into buying.

    • Megacomboburrito@lemmy.world
      1·
      16 days ago

      Oh man this is so true. My parents enrolled me for piano classes when I was a kid but got me a shitty mini plastic keyboard to practice and I hated it, ended up quitting not long after. Picked up piano again as an adult during covid and bought myself a full sized keyboard with weighted keys and damn the difference was night and day.

    • ChillPenguin@lemmy.world
      12·
      18 days ago

      Honestly, batteries of any kind. Only buy from the manufacturers of the product the batteries work with. If it’s underpriced on Amazon, it’s probably a fucked up battery that has a higher risk of starting an electrical fire. Portable tool batteries, ebike batteries, handheld system batteries.

      I’m not fucking around with unsafe batteries.

      • Mr_Blott@feddit.uk
        2·
        17 days ago

        Never buy branded batteries on Amazon either.

        I always stick with Annsmann, they make incredible rechargeable AAs and AAAs

        Ordered a set off Amashit and they were fake, and I’ve had the same problem with Anker

        Fuck Amazon until they sort their MASSIVE counterfeiting problems out

  • Septimaeus@infosec.pub
    21·
    17 days ago

    Yourself. Time and resources you invest in yourself usually grant the highest returns in the long run.

    Examples:

    1. When job hunting, prefer opportunities that give you more valuable experience when possible.
    2. While planning your schedule, give highest priority to activities that contribute to your physical and mental health.
    3. At the grocery store, choose fresh ingredients over the cheaper and easier premade options.
    4. When budgeting finances, pay yourself first by setting aside what you can for your future. If not yet possible, see 5.
    5. Invest in your continued education, which can include traditional credentialing such as degrees or certifications, but also online and night classes, or even self-guided study.
    6. Choose relationships and experiences over things. While things can temporarily improve lifestyle, relationships and experiences permanently expand the life you have lived.
  • JayleneSlide@lemmy.world
    18·
    17 days ago

    I see a lot of specific examples, but here is a good engineering guideline: do not skimp on physical interfaces. **Anywhere energy is changing form or if it touches your body, don’t skimp on those. **

    For example

    • tires
    • bicycle saddle
    • heaters/furnaces
    • electrical inverters
    • keyboard
    • mouse
    • engines
    • shoes
    • eyewear
    • clothes (buy used if necessary, but always buy quality clothing)

    Quality usually means more money, but sometimes one is able to find a high quality and low-cost version. In my experience though, trying to find the cheap version that works well means trying so many permutations; it would have been more economical to just get the more costly version in the first place.

    • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
      6·
      17 days ago

      More expensive doesn’t always equal better, especially for things like keyboards, clothes or eyewear, where branding is huge and inflates prices more than quality.

  • ThePyroPython@lemmy.world
    17·
    18 days ago

    A good mattress: you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping, it needs to be comfortable.

    Footwear: the rest of the time your footwear is what separates you from the ground. Invest in practical, good quality, and repairable/hard-wearing footwear.

  • kubok@fedia.io
    11·
    18 days ago

    Running shoes because when you wear ill-fitting shoes, you will hurt yourself eventually.

    • Brutticus@lemm.ee
      4·
      17 days ago

      Shoes in general. Youll have so much more stamina at festivals and other places if you have sturdy shoes that fit well.

      • kubok@fedia.io
        7·
        17 days ago

        I switcthed to barefoot shoes for hiking and everyday. They are the opposite of sturdy, but well worth the investment. As a guy in his late forties, I have fewer little nagging pains.

        • Deadful@lemmy.world
          3·
          17 days ago

          I second this. I have huge feet (US men’s 15 extra wide) and after a lifetime of cramming my feet into shoes that fit “good enough” I’m developing bunions along with other aches and issues. After a particularly painful weekend on my feet I decided to see if the Internet had any suggestions and I fell down the barefoot shoe rabbit hole. I initially balked at the price and styling of most brands I saw but the cheaper options simply didn’t come in my size. I decided to go for it and got a pair of Xero shoes since they make a men’s 15 that isn’t too hideous and I haven’t looked back. Best decision I have made in the last 2 years.

          • frozenpopsicle@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
            1·
            17 days ago

            Never heard of Xero, thanks! I personally swear by my size 15 Red Wing steel toed boots. Foot pain is pretty bad, it screws up your entire posture. Having custom inserts made was really worth it for me.

            • Deadful@lemmy.world
              1·
              16 days ago

              Right on, my big-footed brother! Xero brand is a good option if you are ever interested in something a little more athletic or casual than your go-to boots. Barefoot shoes take getting used to in general, so keep that in mind. In particular, leading with the heel when walking quickly and especially running can be uncomfortable so you may need to adjust your stride a bit. Also you feel everything under your feet, which would be a huge contrast compared to your boots. In the end it’s worth it for better foot strength and less pain.

  • berryjam@lemmy.world
    11·
    18 days ago

    I wanna say get good gear for your hobbies, but most of us probably don’t need convincing to spend on what we love. I resisted buying a good set of gear for my main hobby for nearly two years, and I wish I’d done it sooner.

    • finestnothing@lemmy.world
      2·
      17 days ago

      There was a post earlier asking for slurs for beginners in a hobby that buy the top of the line stuff for the hobby. Don’t cheap out on starter gear, but don’t go for top of the line right out of the gate either