• athairmor@lemmy.world
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    3 months 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
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      3 months ago

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

      • mommykink@lemmy.worldOP
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        3 months 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
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          3 months 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.world
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            3 months 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.

  • OhmsLawn@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    The classic is anything that separates you from the ground.

    I’d add anything related to plumbing, electricity and roofing.

    • Scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech
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      3 months ago

      Basically any core elements of a home. Finishes can be redone, but things like a good water heater or reliable HVAC system are niceties you’ll always thank yourself for

      • TunaLobster@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Shopping houses right now. I’m really focusing on the HVAC, roof, and plumbing. Oh and water. I saw one house where it didn’t have gutters on a short eave and the door below was mostly rotted out in the bottom 2 feet from water slashing on to it. It boggles the mind that no one had thought to put a gutter there. Literally a 8 foot section of gutter would save that door and frame.

        • Scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech
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          2 months ago

          Good work. Those are the things that will cost you tens of thousands. New floors? Bah, nothing compared to having to replumb or rewire. Water damage too is terrifying, we had our water heater burst and it took weeks to clean up and repair

    • ChillPenguin@lemmy.world
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      3 months 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
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        3 months 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

  • mommykink@lemmy.worldOP
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    3 months ago

    Gonna start with a few of the usual suspects:

    • Anything that keeps your feet off the ground (buy good shoes)

    • Anything that touches your privates (don’t buy cheap condoms yall)

  • ThePyroPython@lemmy.world
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    3 months 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.

  • hitwright@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Construction material when building a house. If you want to live there for many years go for overkill.

    • JayTreeman@fedia.io
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      3 months ago

      Remember code is minimum. Mold and mildew resistant drywall can go on a bathroom ceiling. It just doesn’t very often because code is for the shower wall

    • mommykink@lemmy.worldOP
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      3 months ago

      Yes! I see owners all the time asking “what’s the cheapest x” or saying “im going to source that myself” only to complain during/after installation that something doesn’t look good.

      The price difference between a $3,000 and a $10,000 set of cabinets is negligible when wrapped into a 30 year mortgage, but consider just how important they are visually and how often you’ll be using them (every day)

  • Kaiyoto@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Personally, I try not to cheap out on anything I want to last. You don’t have to buy the most expensive, but don’t buy the cheapest either. Something in the middle usually does good.

    I’ve done well buying second hand too. I recently found a bread machine for 3$ at goodwill. Works perfectly. But I also figured if I decided not to use it anymore or it was crap, then I lost 3$

    • TheBraveSirRobbin@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I’ve heard this line of thinking is how they get you. Example I heard was something like there’s a $10, $20, and $40 toaster at Walmart. The $10 and $20 one are functionally the same, but you don’t know that and don’t want to go with the cheapest one so you pick that.

      Don’t know how true it is, but thought it’s interesting and started thinking about it when I’m buying stuff

  • RebekahWSD@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Other people have said better things, but I’ve found flour to be important in baking. Generic store brands can work mostly, but for more precise and nicer baking I’ve got to go with King Arthur flour

    Hey King Arthur flour, sponsor me please, I need it to keep buying all this flour!

    • mommykink@lemmy.worldOP
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      3 months ago

      King Arthur flour

      How does this specific thing keep popping up in every corner of the internet I ever go to?? Is it that good?

      • The_v@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Not really exeptional except it is commercial grade. It’s not the random stuff you get from the local brand. The local brand is whatever. Sometimes it’s really good, other times it’s pretty poor.

        The most common difference is in a test called “falling number”. Falling number is a fast easy way to figure out if an enzyme that degrades starch has been activated (alpha-amylase). Intact starch in flour creates a matrix in solution and thickens it. When alpha-amylase is activated it degrades the starch and makes it thinner.

        For baking you want a thicker dough that holds together. It’s how you get light and fluffy breads. The thicker dough traps CO2 produced by yeast or an acid/base reaction better.

      • Flummoxed@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        It really is better than most. This a company I actually think sort of cares. Their recipes for bread products are also spot on, at least the ones I’ve tried.

      • RebekahWSD@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Any high quality brand will probably do you well. King Arthur is what I can get easily and have used it for decades. Also it’s employee owned, last I knew, which makes me feel a smidge better.

        Also their online recipes are pretty nice, and they answer questions!

  • berryjam@lemmy.world
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    3 months 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.