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12 Items You Shouldn’t Skimp On

12 Items You Shouldn’t Skimp On

Last updated on: September 8, 2011 at 7:00 am by Tim

12 Items You Shouldn’t Skimp On 2011-09-08T07:00:22-05:00 Tim

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The last thing you want to do is to buy something that’s cheap and realize that it’s poorly made. Worse yet, finding out that you have to spend money to replace the item is frustrating because you will always think “if I had just purchased the quality item, this wouldn’t be happening.” Here are a few purchases that you shouldn’t skimp on.

1. Mattress

You’ve probably heard this before, but it’s worth repeating. You use this every day, so why settle for something that isn’t comfortable. I hated the idea of spending $1,000 on a mattress, but after a year of sleeping on a glorified box spring pretending to be a mattress, I caved and bought a quality mattress. I don’t regret spending money for a good one because I know it will last longer than a cheap bed and it’s really comfortable.

2. Smoke Detectors and Batteries

I would advise against buying your smoke detectors from the Dollar Store. The same goes for the batteries. If it’s equipment that’s designed to save my life, I don’t want to risk anything for a few dollars of savings.

*On that note…You might add the following things that I wouldn’t skimp on because my safety/health is more important than a few buck saved:

3. Fire extinguishers for the kitchen

4. Tires for your car

5. Car Seats for the kids

6. Running shoes

Your health and safety are worth more than a few dollars saved, so if you’re going to purchase any of the above items, do yourself a favor and don’t skimp because of price.

7. Accountant

If you’re starting a business or have a complicated tax situation, please don’t take your tax return to the people sitting inside Walmart during tax season. I’m sure they won’t have any problems completing a basic tax return, but you don’t want to mess up anything if you’re new to filing business taxes. While I like to use Turbo Tax each year, there will be a time where hiring an accountant is worth it for me and I won’t be skimping out hiring one that is experienced.

8. Home and Car Inspections

You’re not doing yourself a favor by using a ‘friend of a friend’ to inspect your home or a car that you’re looking to purchase. Hire a reputable inspector that will tell you the honest truth about your potential purchase. Cars and homes are often the largest expenses someone will make, so why skimp on something that might reveal potential problems?

9. Paint

Don’t you love painting a room for the 3rd time because the paint won’t cover completely? Of course not! Would you pay $5 -$10 more to have paint that covers completely, washes well, and doesn’t wear as fast? If you like these qualities, don’t skimp on paint. Get the good stuff and you’ll be happy you did.

10. Vacuum Cleaner

This is something I can attest to firsthand. We are using a $50 vacuum that was given to us for free. It works OK, but we have to go over the room a few times, and I’m sure that it doesn’t even clean that deep. We’re saving for a quality vacuum and expect to pay upwards of $200 for one that will last a while. Since we have a dog, dirt and fur make for a constant cleaning battle in our home, so it’ll be worth it to spend extra on a quality vacuum.

11. Outdoor Grill

This is a pretty big purchase that should be made with quality in mind. It needs to hold up in the weather, so stainless steel parts aren’t just for show. Look for a grill that has stainless steel grates to cook on as well as a quality burner. If it looks cheap, it probably is, and you might regret the purchase…especially if it breaks on you before you can use it again next summer!

12. Big Screen TV

No, I’m not saying that you should buy one. I’m saying that if you are going to buy one, don’t let price be the only thing you consider. The lower priced and cheaper brands may not have the same warranty as the top brands. You might also find that lower priced TVs could have a lower resolution and even fewer inputs for your devices. If you are going to be using the TV every day, it might be worth the extra $100 to get one that isn’t going to make you say “I wish I got the other one…”

Have you sacrificed quality for price and regret doing it? What did you buy?

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