When do you think is it ok to spend BIG on something?

Mr.Mulla
Mr.Mulla Posts: 448 Forumite
edited 31 January 2010 at 2:07AM in Budgeting & bank accounts
I've been trying to save money on a lot of things after being drowned from debt a couple of years ago and was just wondering what are some things you think you really should spend a lot of money on and what are those you can go cheap and that it is totally okay?

In my experience, I wouldn't go cheap on food except in those places that are really expensive. I love eating, but it is not practical to eat at expensive places where you can find the same quality of food at other places. I wouldn't also mind spending when it comes to my health.

Other stuff like fashionable clothes, which one could always find an alternative. There are also unbranded clothes you can buy, you just have to be creative. Fashion comes with personality anyway.

You guys might wanna share some of your ideas or insights. ;)
Mr. Mulla
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Comments

  • Sequeena
    Sequeena Posts: 4,728 Forumite
    My OH wouldn't budge on getting a samsung 42 inch plasma and all the mod cons to go with it. Cost him well over a grand and I'm sure he was satisfying his gadget/ooooh shiney!!! urges.

    Mind you it's a good investment I suppose :) I would have been happy with something smaller though.
    Wife and mother :j
    Grocery budget
    April week 1 - £42.78 | week 2 - £53.05
    24lbs in 12 weeks 15/24
  • Mrs_Ryan
    Mrs_Ryan Posts: 11,834 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I would never again buy a cheap mobile phone. I have a Samsung Tocco Lite that cost £90 and before that I paid £160 for my G600 Pink.

    However, before that I had a cheap Sagem - it cost £38 and lasted 2 months :eek: its replacement, a Sony Ericsson, cost about £45 and lasted 4 months :eek: However OH has a Nokia I paid £20 for 2 years ago and its fine!!
    *The RK and FF fan club* #Family*Don’t Be Bitter- Glitter!* #LotsOfLove ‘Darling you’re my blood, you have my heartbeat’ Dad 20.02.20
  • Sequeena
    Sequeena Posts: 4,728 Forumite
    I have the sony ericsson w580i, had it over a year and it works fine :D either you're really not taking care of your things or you just have a bad time with phones :rotfl:
    Wife and mother :j
    Grocery budget
    April week 1 - £42.78 | week 2 - £53.05
    24lbs in 12 weeks 15/24
  • Mrs_Ryan
    Mrs_Ryan Posts: 11,834 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I think Im just very unlucky :rotfl:

    The first one apparantly had an electrical fault which isnt my fault :o I dont know what on earth was up with the Sony Ericsson - towards the end it wouldnt charge and kept cutting out.
    *The RK and FF fan club* #Family*Don’t Be Bitter- Glitter!* #LotsOfLove ‘Darling you’re my blood, you have my heartbeat’ Dad 20.02.20
  • Sharon87
    Sharon87 Posts: 4,011 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    One thing is kitchen utensils. I find especially anything with a mechanism breaks easily. Which is why I had to replace my 19p tin opener, with a 99p one, then that broke soon after so I got one for £9!! It better last lol. It's the same brand as my peeler that's lasted ages.

    I never buy cheap electrical brands. I wouldn't want to get a Bush TV again, it takes ages to press any buttons on the remote when you switch it on. I've had bad experience in the past with Bush appliances too. I try to go for Sony - especially phones. I never get anything but a Sony Ericsson now.
  • I would also go with kitchen utensils, I bought a £5 kettle, it last 3 weeks before going bang, I replaced it with another cheap kettle which lasted marginally longer at 6 weeks but then gave up and bought a £30 kettle with a 3 year warranty from John Lewis.

    Toaster- I bought a tesco 4 slice one that never used to toast, again replaced it with a £25 one which we have not had any problems with.

    Hoover- we went through loads of value hoovers before we were given a Henry as a wedding present (we did ask for it!) which has been reliable.
  • Buy loads of pairs of identical socks,you never have to throw out an odd sock.
    I have a deep burning indifference
  • izools
    izools Posts: 7,513 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 26 January 2010 at 3:02PM
    Hehe, this is fun.

    I myself have been very thrifty over the last six months - my whole kitchen full of utiensils and white goods bar the washer / dryer cost under £100 (come to think of it, under £50). £5 kettle, £5 toaster, and a £5 iron. The £5 iron is identical to a £30 branded one.

    Cheap tin opener? Not a chance. Bought one for £18 in Debenhams never looked back. I also own an expensive wristwatch. I can drop it, soak it, stand on it, you name it, it won't break (Dolche and Gabana).

    The one thing I'll never cheap out on myself is Audio Visual equiptment. I own a Denon sound system which whilst on the cheap end of good quality audio gear still makes anything from the likes of Dixons weep with shame. I don't like having to strain to hear the subtleties in music or movies.

    If I had many monies saved up, the one thing I would be able to justify spending on would be a nice holiday. I haven't been abroad in 10 years and really should bother one of these days...
    Cashback Earned ¦ Nectar Points £68 ¦ Natoinwide Select £62 ¦ Aqua Reward £100 ¦ Amex Platinum £48
  • kalaika
    kalaika Posts: 716 Forumite
    Sharon87 wrote: »
    ...Which is why I had to replace my 19p tin opener, with a 99p one, then that broke soon after so I got one for £9!!...

    I've gone the other way. I bought a tin opener for about £3 and it lasted about a month (and wasn't very good in that time anyway!) I replaced it with one costing about 30p and four years later it's still going strong! :D
    No trees were killed to send this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced. - Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson)
  • Mr.Mulla
    Mr.Mulla Posts: 448 Forumite
    Mrs_Ryan wrote: »
    I would never again buy a cheap mobile phone. I have a Samsung Tocco Lite that cost £90 and before that I paid £160 for my G600 Pink.

    However, before that I had a cheap Sagem - it cost £38 and lasted 2 months :eek: its replacement, a Sony Ericsson, cost about £45 and lasted 4 months :eek: However OH has a Nokia I paid £20 for 2 years ago and its fine!!
    If it only lasted for 2 months, it's more like you bought a disposable phone just like the phones from China.

    You can't even repair them once they are broken
    Mr. Mulla
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