We are all about saving money these days, but what items or products should you never skimp on. Here’s a simple guide to the items you should pay more for now, so you’ll save money later.
Shoes
There are so many cheap shoes out there, but do not be tempted.
Cheap shoes will almost certainly cost you more in the long run.
They will have to be replaced more often and will quite likely damage your feet and posture, costing you a bomb in health fees.
You can probably get away with cheap shoes if you only wear them occasionally, but for everyday wear, buy the most expensive in your price range.
Tyres
My dad said always look after your roof, your teeth and your tyres, and that’s stood me in good stead.
A good set of tyres makes it easier to drive and keeps you safe.
If that’s not enough, appeal to your inner cheapskate. Good tyres improve mileage, so you will save money in the long run.
Mattress
When you add up how much time you spend in bed, it’s a no-brainer to splash the cash on a good mattress.
Let’s face it, we’ve all spent time on a cheap bed at some time in our lives. While you may be forgetting some things, you can probably still remember how uncomfortable, if not painful, it was.
Sleep is so vital to good health that to not buy a good mattress seems like self-punishment.
CHOICE has a fantastic guide to help you get a good night’s sleep.
Food
Junk food is so cheap and easy, but eating it in the long term means you are setting yourself up for health issues.
We’re not saying don’t hunt around for bargains, but don’t fall into the trap of high fat, low nutrition meals either.
Think about how good you feel after eating your favourite fruit and then how you feel after eating a big plate of fish and chips. Remember the fruit.
A subset of this is cheap fish. I don’t know why anyone would mess around with ‘discount’ fish. That stuff is nasty.
Pet food
Same as above for your pets. I often see people shopping around for the cheapest food, cheapest vet, cheapest cattery/dog kennels for their pets and it’s unfuriating. If you can’t budget several thousand dollars a year for your pet, don’t get one. Pets are expensive. If you can’t or won’t recognise that, then you shouldn’t be a pet owner.
Cheap pet food is bad for your pet, it’s as simple as that.
Insulation
If you are building a house or even just remodelling, don’t forget the insulation. You could even pop some in the roof right now.
When Australia’s extreme weather hits you will be grateful for your oasis of calm as the weather rages outside.
Lightbulbs
Cheap lightbulbs are like cheap shoes. Hear me out. You’ll just have to end up replacing them more often. Zero savings there. Same for batteries. Go with the best you can afford.
Appliances
Once again, buy the best you can afford because otherwise you will just pay the difference in repairs in the long run. And don’t forget to check out those efficiency stars, that will also cut down on bills.
Do you always take price into consideration? What’s your ‘no-go’ buying decision? Why not share your tips in the comments section below?
Also read: Super fund shortcomings could be costing us millions
