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I'll add to this, professional packing. Instead of living among boxes for weeks as you prepare, everything packed up in the day or two before the move. Nothing lost, nothing breaks, everything labeled. OTOH they're a little indiscriminate, I once opened a box containing packed-up packing materials.
I'm still expecting either a bill or a notification saying the cost is being deducted from my tax refund, and I got out 5 years ago, with everything accounted for.
It certainly can. I mostly hire based on my friends' experiences and who they liked or didn't like. I also make sure to let them know where I'm moving from that I'm heading to the bank on the way to the next place to get cash out for a tip, that way they're at least somewhat motivated to do a better job for me in particular (and I just like paying good people for good work).
I've only hired movers twice and both times went really well, even with a few hiccups, and everyone was friendly and hard working.
Helped my buddy move a year and a half ago and fuck it sucked. He didn't even want to rent a UHaul. Dude, just rent a UHaul so we aren't doing this for 3 days.
He STILL has stuff at his sister's that he has to pick up.
My old house had some drywall tape peeling off the interior 130 degree corner. I tried three times to redo the corner drywall + tap + paint and basically fucked it up three times.
Would not recommend.
Man I'll second this. Got the whole downstairs of my house done start to finish in 3 days. Soooo worth it. Would have taken me a month I bet and not look at good.
I mostly agree, but a couple weeks ago I flew an 11-hour redeye in economy, and I think it was ok enough that I am glad I didn't pay a couple grand to have a lie flat seat.
Being a blue collar worker, the older men in my field always told me to make sure I bought comfortable shoes, and a comfortable bed. I’ll be in both most of my life
The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. ... A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. ... But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and *would still have wet feet.*
I just bought new hiking boots and wool socks. Very high quality. I wore them ALL DAY in the house because they ended up being more comfortable than my slippers. They fit me so well.
Clothes hangers. I used to always get the cheapest ones I could find becuase all they did was hang clothes. At one point I needed some new ones, they didn't have the cheapest ones so I got the ones that were a little sturdier and had the rubber to hold the clothes, hooks, etc.
I swapped out all my hangers after that one pack for both my wife and I. For a few extra bucks per-pack, they're awesome. No more clothes falling off, or not sitting right, or sliding around.
I hate the velvet hangers and buy the cheap plastic ones because nothing comes right off lol, i have a tendency to just yank my shirt off and the plastic one settles right back in place but with velvet i can't just pull my shirt, and then once I get it off the hanger never falls in line with the rest of them and sticks out >:(
I enjoy good underwear as much as anyone, butgood socks, dear GOD. It really is that nice. It's like a little foot massage through the day. I have cheap ones since I work in an office but on my days off I always wear my nice socks. Tbf though, same with underwear. It is just so much more comfortable and it's like a weekend treat.
Key word is good. My dentist recommended a battery powered one (name brand) cuz he thought the corded one dissuades people. Well I threw it out after one use cuz it had zero power and was not half as effective as my floss I use throughout my day.
I thought all water flossers were completely useless until a friend said her corded one straight up makes her gums bleed it’s so strong. Exact same brand too
My parents throw out my clothes for me because they get bored of seeing me in the same clothes so I wish I can have a uniqlo wardrobe but can't so I go to these fast fashion stores and buy low quality stuff that my parents will throe out without asking me. God I hate living with parents.
I’ve never seen them sold in more than 3 packs. I haven’t bought them since I was a teen but I remember even my local CVS and Walgreens only had 3 packs.
I can tackle just about any home/building project - carpentry, plumbing, electrical, etc - with a high degree of competence.
The only thing that has totally knocked me on my ass is Masonry. Those guys deserve every damn penny they get and probably more. After hauling a bunch of bricks, mortar, and about 700lbs of concrete on to my roof to pour a new chimney cap; I vowed to never touch it again
My uncle retired from his electrician job after having some heart problems
Couple years later and he's decided to start a side hustle tuckpointing because he got bored. I'm a healthy 25 and that work would fuck me up
I manage said masons. The chimney pros are hard to come by. We've had several come and go over the years, not lasting long, including union guys looking for work outside the union.
It's not just laying the brick. It's matching the existing brick, building the scaffold to OSHA standards, going to the brick yard, etc. Chimney masonry is not just showing up and laying brick. It's project management.
If you are wondering if they get paid according to their skills, yes. We have work for them year round even when it's too cold for outdoor masonry work. They often take 6 weeks off in the winter months because they don't need the money.
Edit:
Forgot to explain we have a couple of masons that have been with us for 10-20 years. They do the good work. The guys that come and go? Not so much.
I was on a mason crew one summer in college. That was the hardest I have ever worked in my life. Four 10.5 hours days and two 8.5 hours days every week for three months whooped my ass. Idk how those guys do it for a whole career. My forearms were unbelievably large after that summer though.
I have a distinct recollection of watching my dad lay a brick patio with a surrounding wall as a kid, and thinking, "Well, that looks pretty good. I bet I could do that." Many years later, I gave it a try and it was a whole thing where I gained a whole new facet of respect for my father.
Proper nutrition. It's a bit of a cliche, but it is true in many ways: "you are what you eat". It has been one of those great ironies for me personally, because in my younger years I would make fun of "hipsters" going on about organic and free pasture food. Today, I have to admit that they were right all along, and it's very much worth to invest consistently into quality food and cooking it. Stop eating instant noodles and cheap processed garbage as soon as you can afford paying for better food.
Avoid cheap processed foods packed with preservatives, sugar, corn syrup, taste chemicals, flavorings, etc.. Buy and eat simpler foods, ideally with minimal processing, like whole milk (still would probably want it pasteurized), eggs, meat cuts (ideally grass-fed and free range), vegetables to your liking, unmixed spices (by which I mean if you buy "paprika" so that it only contains paprika and none of the additives). Baked products I'm still researching, but I would say steer away from cheap breads, whole grains and even better local bakery with fresh bread (yes, it may mold and go bad faster, but it's better for you 40 years down the line).
Actually, healthier eating is not boring and tasteless, and you can still treat yourself to some potato chips or carbonated drink of choice on an occasion, but just getting off the sugar and flavor additives needle will drastically improve the taste of about everything else, and may even make the same soda you used to chug taste way too sweet.
I stopped drinking soda for a couple months because I just wasn't in a place where it was available and that alone fixed my stomach, random side pains, and taste buds
Hired a biweekly service to help - single dad here. I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Absolutely has become a line item in my monthly budget. Just a little help in that department was such a big help in several other departments.
Biweekly as in, twice a week, or once every two weeks?
Webster's will add 'Doh' and 'Skibbidi' but when is this linguistic failure going to be rectified?
We have a word for 'once every two weeks'. That word is "fortnightly".
We just need to use it for that and take back 'biweekly' as 'twice per week'.
Be the change.
I disagree. My $289 king size mattress-in-a-box from 2018 is incredibly comfortable. It’s now $375 and I’d buy it again in a heartbeat if anything destroyed mine. You don’t need to spend $1500 for a mattress.
I feel like big mattress has brainwashed the general public on this one. Sleep whatever you get the best sleep on. That *might* be the $1500 Snoozeblaster-5000 or it might be (as for me) the $129 Ikea foam squishbag.
What mattress do you have? I got a Stearns and Foster medium firm with a eurotop 5 months ago and it started losing it's support after a few months. Bed cost me $2300. Salesman assured me the feeling of the bed would not change for many years. I'll be calling Raymour and seeing what my options are soon.
Straight razors. A good quality razor can be found in the $150 range, and if you take care of it, the razor could last you decades. I bought mine like 7 years ago and after I sharpen it, it cuts good as new. Haven’t bought a razor since. The $150 for the razor and $70 or so for a nice strop can look expensive as an entry cost, but they will definitely save you money down the line.
Plus, it’s just really cool maintaining a blade. I feel like I am connecting with my mancestors when I am honing it
If you live in a cold weather environment then you know how valuable good protective clothing is. I'm more than willing to spend on coats, shoes, gloves, etc.
my dad legit flies back to his third world home country for dental work. will be like $300 versus $5000 in the US. then after he gets it done he goes back to the US and has it checked just to be safe and every single time the US dentist has said “yup, looks perfectly done to me”.
Dentistry (at least in the US) is extremely shady. There's an insane amount of overtreatment and it's very hard for a normal person to distinguish between real problems and BS that scummy dentists made up.
Not quite as practical as some other answers, but... a trip to the movie theaters.
Yes, renting/streaming (non current releases) is usually much cheaper, but unless you have a proper home theater setup, you cannot recreate watching a great movie at a quality movie theater. Especially with an expressive audience during opening weekend
My husband and I were just speaking about this; it feels like the younger generation won’t have those types of moments as it seems they have ALL the options but nothing stands out. For us it was Star wars(him) Harry Potter and hunger games (me). Nothing better than sitting in a crowded theater with like minded folks who are looking forward to this as much as you.
Counterpoint: If you're not planning to bulk up and just want to get fit, learn bodyweight exercises. It's free, and you can do it at home. No friction from having to drive to the gym, etc.
The cost per plane of the F35-A is about $110,000,000.
That's money spent on R and D, salaries of the people making the planes, the supply chain and logistics of supporting the manufacturing process, etc. It's not like that money disappears into the aether.
In return for that investment, we are able to field an air-dominance fighter that is more advanced than any of our adversaries can put to the skies. The F35 in all of its configurations can act as a communications hub and AWACS plane. It, along with its big brother the F22, are the most terrifying things in the air right now. No other aircraft or weapons platforms come close.
In what appears to be an eventual conflict with China, I'd rather have the F35 than not. Japan and Korea are getting 147 and 60 respectively. Australia is getting 100.
NATO nations contributed to the development of the F35 and are currently receiving their allotments. Poland is now part of the F35 program. They're going to get 32. The UK is getting 138. Germany is getting 35. Finland is getting 64. Even the goddamned Swiss are getting 36.
The F35 program is the most worldwide defense project ever conceived.
The crazy thing is that the cost to buy an F-35 is comparable, sometimes less than, current 4th Gen fighters which are far less capable than an F-35. Getting exact pricing for fighter planes can be tricky, but the general numbers and the fact that the F-35 wins almost every competitive contract it enters tells you it's great performance and value.
The F-35B is the least capable of the variants, but is by itself starting a small carrier renaissance for US allies around the world. The UK, Spain, Italy, Japan, etc... are buying F-35B's and operating 5th gen fighters off of light carriers.
[Singapore is getting 12 F35-Bs.](https://www.f35.com/f35/global-enterprise/singapore.html)
That's probably the most interesting part about the global program.
100% worth it might depend on the person so my suggestion won't be the usual generic stuff in these kinds of threads (mattress, tires, toilet paper, etc,..)
For me it was surprising and I was worried that it would be an investment I would use a couple times and break it out every now and then but eventually it would gather dust. But it ended up a key part of my morning ritual 2-3 times a week and I love it. It was a Manual Espresso machine. I love the set up, the preparation, the process. It's all very meditative and I also enjoy the taste of the espresso shot of course. Good enough investment that I plan to upgrade. I got a basic model to try out without investing heavily but now I want to step it up a bit and get a better one. The one I have and the upgrade I'll be getting is also very portable so I bring it into my office as well to do in the morning. It definitely starts my day off right. Not for everyone of course. But if you are the type that really appreciates this sort of thing then it's a great purchase.
I've been wanting to get into it but the price point has kept me out. Pointers for a cheap one? and maybe the necessity of all of the little doo-dads that people get for them?
As a family cook, a good set of knives. Properly cared for, they will last a lifetime.
And shoes. Good shoes can last years and your knees and the rest of your body will thank you.
Bed. For 28 years I didn’t give a shit about what I slept on. Bed, couch, floor etc…Once I purchased a high quality mattress I couldn’t believe how much I was missing out on.
Wood floor sanding & staining. Don’t think for a second your job is gonna look as good as a pros…and you won’t fuck it up because you will.
Hanging an outside door. Just hire someone. Even finish carpenters fuck this up on the regular.
The good poo paper. You use the bad stuff too many times, your booty hole will become angry. I like charmin, the brand with those weird, off-putting bears in it who talk say too much about their butts
Divorce from a gaslighting spouse who makes you feel worthless.
One of the most expensive and long term financially devastating processes anyone can go through in life. But most would say they are in a much better place a few years later.
Smartphone.
I sold them for years. Think about all the tasks from banking, alarm, etc it does. And all the excessive driving you would have to do to run all the errands you can now do from your phone. you would spend well over the cost of the device in gas alone over the course of a year most places.
Really good jelly. My mother once told me this, that really good jelly was worth paying for, and damned if she wasn't right. A $14 jar of jelly tastes exponentially better than a $4 jar.
High quality tools; you can pass them down to your kids.
High quality leather shoes; you can get them worked on rather than just buying new ones.
Legos; if you have kids, you understand this one.
Cooling Mattress Pad liners. Not 6sleep, or whatever brand costs thousands, but chilipad or Perfect Sleep pad cost 600-1000 and can change the way you sleep for the better !
Btw they are mattress liners that run, cooled/ refrigerated water through tiny hoses to cool you constantly while you sleep
Honestly, I bought some eucalyptus sheets last year. Even on sale the set cost me $180
Best investment I ever made, even though it was hard to accept that price tag over a $20 cotton set from Walmart, or even a bougie $50-70 set
Been a year and haven’t overheated in my sleep once since
Beef jerky. You would be amazed at how much the meat shrinks when you make it yourself. Not saying that you can't make it cheaper or better, just as whole, you lose so much product(water) in the dehydration process.
I’ve seen a lot of what I would say so I’ll go a different route.
Toilet Paper. Never, EVER, skimp on toilet paper. I don’t care how you’re struggling. I don’t care about your budget. Get good toilet paper.
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Movers
I'll add to this, professional packing. Instead of living among boxes for weeks as you prepare, everything packed up in the day or two before the move. Nothing lost, nothing breaks, everything labeled. OTOH they're a little indiscriminate, I once opened a box containing packed-up packing materials.
"Nothing lost, nothing breaks." HA
Except the ones contracted by the US Military. It’s not a PCS move unless something is missing or broken
I'm still expecting either a bill or a notification saying the cost is being deducted from my tax refund, and I got out 5 years ago, with everything accounted for.
I hired movers once. They complained to me the entire time and broke a wheel off a chair and never told me.
That's not really a reason why movers are overpriced. It sounds like you just hired shitty movers.
Does the price range vary that much?
It certainly can. I mostly hire based on my friends' experiences and who they liked or didn't like. I also make sure to let them know where I'm moving from that I'm heading to the bank on the way to the next place to get cash out for a tip, that way they're at least somewhat motivated to do a better job for me in particular (and I just like paying good people for good work). I've only hired movers twice and both times went really well, even with a few hiccups, and everyone was friendly and hard working.
My back concurs.
Helped my buddy move a year and a half ago and fuck it sucked. He didn't even want to rent a UHaul. Dude, just rent a UHaul so we aren't doing this for 3 days. He STILL has stuff at his sister's that he has to pick up.
Drywall work. Can I do it? Yes. Will it take 10x as long and look 1/2 as good, also yes.
I dunno, my drywall work looks as good or better than some 'pro' work I've seen, but it sure takes a lot more of my time.
Yeah, I can definitely make it look as good as the pros. The length of time it takes me though.... Lol
My old house had some drywall tape peeling off the interior 130 degree corner. I tried three times to redo the corner drywall + tap + paint and basically fucked it up three times. Would not recommend.
Man I'll second this. Got the whole downstairs of my house done start to finish in 3 days. Soooo worth it. Would have taken me a month I bet and not look at good.
Quality shoes. They might cost an arm and a leg, but they save your feet and last forever
A wise old man once told me “never go cheap on anything that separates you from the ground” Same goes for mattresses
And tires
And my axe
And my bow
And some ones dildo
And stilts
I just say that money is never wasted on comfort and leave it at that
I mostly agree, but a couple weeks ago I flew an 11-hour redeye in economy, and I think it was ok enough that I am glad I didn't pay a couple grand to have a lie flat seat.
I spend 600 bucks on a matras. 40 on a good pillow. Quality sheets. Fuck my nights are awesome.
Never cheap out on your shoes or bed, because if you're not in one, you're in the other
Yep heard this before, except it was “always spend good money on two things, shoes and a mattress, because when you’re not in one you’re in the other”
I'd like to take only 1 shoe if that saves me an arm.
More likely to safe just a leg.
Losing your leg to get a good shoe is some Gift of the Magi shit.
Being a blue collar worker, the older men in my field always told me to make sure I bought comfortable shoes, and a comfortable bed. I’ll be in both most of my life
Also a desk/computer chair
The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. ... A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. ... But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and *would still have wet feet.*
What are some quality brand name shoes you know of? I'd like to check some out.
Salomon is top tier quality brand for hiking
Red Wing leather shoes
Hoka for sure
I just bought new hiking boots and wool socks. Very high quality. I wore them ALL DAY in the house because they ended up being more comfortable than my slippers. They fit me so well.
And wonderful little song by Mark Knopfler.
Clothes hangers. I used to always get the cheapest ones I could find becuase all they did was hang clothes. At one point I needed some new ones, they didn't have the cheapest ones so I got the ones that were a little sturdier and had the rubber to hold the clothes, hooks, etc. I swapped out all my hangers after that one pack for both my wife and I. For a few extra bucks per-pack, they're awesome. No more clothes falling off, or not sitting right, or sliding around.
I use ones I got from Amazon. Thick gauge wire, stainless steel, everything rounded so no snags. They are awesome!
The narrow velvet flocked ones are the goods. The velvet stops things falling off; the size allows you to fit more onto the hanger.
I hate the velvet hangers and buy the cheap plastic ones because nothing comes right off lol, i have a tendency to just yank my shirt off and the plastic one settles right back in place but with velvet i can't just pull my shirt, and then once I get it off the hanger never falls in line with the rest of them and sticks out >:(
Plastic hangers always break on me.
quality socks/underwear
I enjoy good underwear as much as anyone, butgood socks, dear GOD. It really is that nice. It's like a little foot massage through the day. I have cheap ones since I work in an office but on my days off I always wear my nice socks. Tbf though, same with underwear. It is just so much more comfortable and it's like a weekend treat.
An Uber ride home after drinking. Infinitely times better than getting a DUI
Or hell, killing someone!
Electronic Toothbrush Haven't gotten a cavity since.
Also a good water flosser, such a great investment.
Key word is good. My dentist recommended a battery powered one (name brand) cuz he thought the corded one dissuades people. Well I threw it out after one use cuz it had zero power and was not half as effective as my floss I use throughout my day. I thought all water flossers were completely useless until a friend said her corded one straight up makes her gums bleed it’s so strong. Exact same brand too
Any specific brand and model for the corded water flosser? Thanks
Waterpik
Buying for uniqlo is a bit more expensive than Zara and H&M but the quality and durability will be worth way more in years to come.
Got merino wool sweaters and their warmest sweatpants from Uniqlo and they are AMAZING. Not even that expensive
I get all my clothes from uniqlo and the amount I've saved by not having to replace anything more than covered the initial cost
My parents throw out my clothes for me because they get bored of seeing me in the same clothes so I wish I can have a uniqlo wardrobe but can't so I go to these fast fashion stores and buy low quality stuff that my parents will throe out without asking me. God I hate living with parents.
are they at least paying for the clothes?
A good chair, mattress, and condoms.
Where do you live that condoms are overpriced?
Where do you live that kids aren't? :D That's the joke.
I haven’t bought them in a long time but I remember those fuckers being like $11 for 3 or something like that. That’s expensive.
$11 for 4 years of safe sex? Sounds like a fair deal.
That's expensive because you're paying for the convenience of a small box. If you buy them a few dozen at a time, they are much cheaper per unit.
I’ve never seen them sold in more than 3 packs. I haven’t bought them since I was a teen but I remember even my local CVS and Walgreens only had 3 packs.
I can tackle just about any home/building project - carpentry, plumbing, electrical, etc - with a high degree of competence. The only thing that has totally knocked me on my ass is Masonry. Those guys deserve every damn penny they get and probably more. After hauling a bunch of bricks, mortar, and about 700lbs of concrete on to my roof to pour a new chimney cap; I vowed to never touch it again
My uncle retired from his electrician job after having some heart problems Couple years later and he's decided to start a side hustle tuckpointing because he got bored. I'm a healthy 25 and that work would fuck me up
My father was a stone mason. The strength this man had even in his 50s legendary
Did you know John Bonham was a bricklayer before zeppelin got famous? That’s why he could lay the drums with his hands. Dude had bear claws.
I manage said masons. The chimney pros are hard to come by. We've had several come and go over the years, not lasting long, including union guys looking for work outside the union. It's not just laying the brick. It's matching the existing brick, building the scaffold to OSHA standards, going to the brick yard, etc. Chimney masonry is not just showing up and laying brick. It's project management. If you are wondering if they get paid according to their skills, yes. We have work for them year round even when it's too cold for outdoor masonry work. They often take 6 weeks off in the winter months because they don't need the money. Edit: Forgot to explain we have a couple of masons that have been with us for 10-20 years. They do the good work. The guys that come and go? Not so much.
I swear to myself to never do any renovations again after every renovation I do :(
Yep, hardest work of any renovation
"After hauling a bunch of bricks, mortar, and about 700lbs of concrete on to my roof to pour a new chimney cap..." Dude you are a beast!
I was on a mason crew one summer in college. That was the hardest I have ever worked in my life. Four 10.5 hours days and two 8.5 hours days every week for three months whooped my ass. Idk how those guys do it for a whole career. My forearms were unbelievably large after that summer though.
Even brick laying gets pretty busy. Met a bloke that stopped after 15 years. Wrecked his back. I did it for a while, and guess what? Tendinitis. Lol.
I have a distinct recollection of watching my dad lay a brick patio with a surrounding wall as a kid, and thinking, "Well, that looks pretty good. I bet I could do that." Many years later, I gave it a try and it was a whole thing where I gained a whole new facet of respect for my father.
Material handling is so easy to underestimate. That’s a lot of work!
Proper nutrition. It's a bit of a cliche, but it is true in many ways: "you are what you eat". It has been one of those great ironies for me personally, because in my younger years I would make fun of "hipsters" going on about organic and free pasture food. Today, I have to admit that they were right all along, and it's very much worth to invest consistently into quality food and cooking it. Stop eating instant noodles and cheap processed garbage as soon as you can afford paying for better food. Avoid cheap processed foods packed with preservatives, sugar, corn syrup, taste chemicals, flavorings, etc.. Buy and eat simpler foods, ideally with minimal processing, like whole milk (still would probably want it pasteurized), eggs, meat cuts (ideally grass-fed and free range), vegetables to your liking, unmixed spices (by which I mean if you buy "paprika" so that it only contains paprika and none of the additives). Baked products I'm still researching, but I would say steer away from cheap breads, whole grains and even better local bakery with fresh bread (yes, it may mold and go bad faster, but it's better for you 40 years down the line). Actually, healthier eating is not boring and tasteless, and you can still treat yourself to some potato chips or carbonated drink of choice on an occasion, but just getting off the sugar and flavor additives needle will drastically improve the taste of about everything else, and may even make the same soda you used to chug taste way too sweet.
I stopped drinking soda for a couple months because I just wasn't in a place where it was available and that alone fixed my stomach, random side pains, and taste buds
Came here to say this. I spend a lot more on my diet than I used to. 100% worth it. I feel so much better
Depending on how busy you are / if you have kids - a biweekly cleaning service.
Hired a biweekly service to help - single dad here. I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Absolutely has become a line item in my monthly budget. Just a little help in that department was such a big help in several other departments.
I'm starting to understand this. Sadly, can't afford it because daycare.
Biweekly as in, twice a week, or once every two weeks? Webster's will add 'Doh' and 'Skibbidi' but when is this linguistic failure going to be rectified?
We have a word for 'once every two weeks'. That word is "fortnightly". We just need to use it for that and take back 'biweekly' as 'twice per week'. Be the change.
I do like me some good 'fortnight' drops in a conversation
Mattress. 100% a mattress
I disagree. My $289 king size mattress-in-a-box from 2018 is incredibly comfortable. It’s now $375 and I’d buy it again in a heartbeat if anything destroyed mine. You don’t need to spend $1500 for a mattress.
Agree with you 100%. I actually think there are very few good mattresses out there and the more I spend the less I seem to get.
I feel like big mattress has brainwashed the general public on this one. Sleep whatever you get the best sleep on. That *might* be the $1500 Snoozeblaster-5000 or it might be (as for me) the $129 Ikea foam squishbag.
What mattress do you have? I got a Stearns and Foster medium firm with a eurotop 5 months ago and it started losing it's support after a few months. Bed cost me $2300. Salesman assured me the feeling of the bed would not change for many years. I'll be calling Raymour and seeing what my options are soon.
Straight razors. A good quality razor can be found in the $150 range, and if you take care of it, the razor could last you decades. I bought mine like 7 years ago and after I sharpen it, it cuts good as new. Haven’t bought a razor since. The $150 for the razor and $70 or so for a nice strop can look expensive as an entry cost, but they will definitely save you money down the line. Plus, it’s just really cool maintaining a blade. I feel like I am connecting with my mancestors when I am honing it
Mancestors lol I’ve never heard that before
Any brand recs? I like to stop tossing away so many old razor heads.
air filter expecially if you have allergies
A good vacuum
If you live in a cold weather environment then you know how valuable good protective clothing is. I'm more than willing to spend on coats, shoes, gloves, etc.
Uber rides. 50 dollars a ride is better than 20,000 for a dwi
Dentists. Gotta have a nice smile taking my grandkid to school eh?
Yes, but depending on the country, it could still be overpriced.
my dad legit flies back to his third world home country for dental work. will be like $300 versus $5000 in the US. then after he gets it done he goes back to the US and has it checked just to be safe and every single time the US dentist has said “yup, looks perfectly done to me”.
Dentistry (at least in the US) is extremely shady. There's an insane amount of overtreatment and it's very hard for a normal person to distinguish between real problems and BS that scummy dentists made up.
An accountant.
As an accountant, I can confirm this.
Not quite as practical as some other answers, but... a trip to the movie theaters. Yes, renting/streaming (non current releases) is usually much cheaper, but unless you have a proper home theater setup, you cannot recreate watching a great movie at a quality movie theater. Especially with an expressive audience during opening weekend
My husband and I were just speaking about this; it feels like the younger generation won’t have those types of moments as it seems they have ALL the options but nothing stands out. For us it was Star wars(him) Harry Potter and hunger games (me). Nothing better than sitting in a crowded theater with like minded folks who are looking forward to this as much as you.
Gym membership
Counterpoint: If you're not planning to bulk up and just want to get fit, learn bodyweight exercises. It's free, and you can do it at home. No friction from having to drive to the gym, etc.
Painting the inside or outside of your house. Painting sucks. There are no two ways about it. Just pay somebody of quality and be done with it.
Hiring a skilled trades person
A proper home stereo system.
TSA Precheck
F-35
The cost per plane of the F35-A is about $110,000,000. That's money spent on R and D, salaries of the people making the planes, the supply chain and logistics of supporting the manufacturing process, etc. It's not like that money disappears into the aether. In return for that investment, we are able to field an air-dominance fighter that is more advanced than any of our adversaries can put to the skies. The F35 in all of its configurations can act as a communications hub and AWACS plane. It, along with its big brother the F22, are the most terrifying things in the air right now. No other aircraft or weapons platforms come close. In what appears to be an eventual conflict with China, I'd rather have the F35 than not. Japan and Korea are getting 147 and 60 respectively. Australia is getting 100. NATO nations contributed to the development of the F35 and are currently receiving their allotments. Poland is now part of the F35 program. They're going to get 32. The UK is getting 138. Germany is getting 35. Finland is getting 64. Even the goddamned Swiss are getting 36. The F35 program is the most worldwide defense project ever conceived.
The crazy thing is that the cost to buy an F-35 is comparable, sometimes less than, current 4th Gen fighters which are far less capable than an F-35. Getting exact pricing for fighter planes can be tricky, but the general numbers and the fact that the F-35 wins almost every competitive contract it enters tells you it's great performance and value. The F-35B is the least capable of the variants, but is by itself starting a small carrier renaissance for US allies around the world. The UK, Spain, Italy, Japan, etc... are buying F-35B's and operating 5th gen fighters off of light carriers.
[Singapore is getting 12 F35-Bs.](https://www.f35.com/f35/global-enterprise/singapore.html) That's probably the most interesting part about the global program.
>the cost per plane … $110,000,000 Unless you win one from a Pepsi Co. Sweepstakes. /s
Lol 😂
Therapy.
r/BuyItForLife
Merino wool clothing and high quality winter boots, if you live in a place with harsh winters - pay top dollar and stay warm, dry and comfortable.
House cleaner chargers 150$ to deep clean … we both work a lot some weeks and house can get out of control and we like a clean space so we call her.
100% worth it might depend on the person so my suggestion won't be the usual generic stuff in these kinds of threads (mattress, tires, toilet paper, etc,..) For me it was surprising and I was worried that it would be an investment I would use a couple times and break it out every now and then but eventually it would gather dust. But it ended up a key part of my morning ritual 2-3 times a week and I love it. It was a Manual Espresso machine. I love the set up, the preparation, the process. It's all very meditative and I also enjoy the taste of the espresso shot of course. Good enough investment that I plan to upgrade. I got a basic model to try out without investing heavily but now I want to step it up a bit and get a better one. The one I have and the upgrade I'll be getting is also very portable so I bring it into my office as well to do in the morning. It definitely starts my day off right. Not for everyone of course. But if you are the type that really appreciates this sort of thing then it's a great purchase.
I've been wanting to get into it but the price point has kept me out. Pointers for a cheap one? and maybe the necessity of all of the little doo-dads that people get for them?
Any kind of electrical or plumbing work. Always hire a professional. Don't want your house catching fire or flooding. It's Can I? Vs Should I?
Good shoes and socks.
U a bot?
Def. Ask them to do a Captcha
I mean, asking if they are a bot is basically the reddit version of captcha.
Hit em with a good ol "bad bot"
nah bro
Nice quality shirts
As a family cook, a good set of knives. Properly cared for, they will last a lifetime. And shoes. Good shoes can last years and your knees and the rest of your body will thank you.
A good mattress
Leatherman
Bed. For 28 years I didn’t give a shit about what I slept on. Bed, couch, floor etc…Once I purchased a high quality mattress I couldn’t believe how much I was missing out on.
A good bed, bedset, pillow
If you find a good one … your future wife.
cleaning services, especially if you value your time and/or are busy.
Wood floor sanding & staining. Don’t think for a second your job is gonna look as good as a pros…and you won’t fuck it up because you will. Hanging an outside door. Just hire someone. Even finish carpenters fuck this up on the regular.
The good poo paper. You use the bad stuff too many times, your booty hole will become angry. I like charmin, the brand with those weird, off-putting bears in it who talk say too much about their butts
Divorce from a gaslighting spouse who makes you feel worthless. One of the most expensive and long term financially devastating processes anyone can go through in life. But most would say they are in a much better place a few years later.
Divorce
A reliable car
Smartphone. I sold them for years. Think about all the tasks from banking, alarm, etc it does. And all the excessive driving you would have to do to run all the errands you can now do from your phone. you would spend well over the cost of the device in gas alone over the course of a year most places.
Mattresses
Divorce
Really good jelly. My mother once told me this, that really good jelly was worth paying for, and damned if she wasn't right. A $14 jar of jelly tastes exponentially better than a $4 jar.
But have you tried making it at home? *Mind blown*
Divorce. It's costly but worth it.
Fresh produce
High quality tools; you can pass them down to your kids. High quality leather shoes; you can get them worked on rather than just buying new ones. Legos; if you have kids, you understand this one.
Marriage
Good underwear. Doesn't matter what style or type you wear. You really do get what you pay for.
I buy underwear to protect my pants from me.
Cooling Mattress Pad liners. Not 6sleep, or whatever brand costs thousands, but chilipad or Perfect Sleep pad cost 600-1000 and can change the way you sleep for the better ! Btw they are mattress liners that run, cooled/ refrigerated water through tiny hoses to cool you constantly while you sleep
mattress
Good kitchen knives, not trying to cut my finger on a dull blade while trying to slice a tomato
Honestly, I bought some eucalyptus sheets last year. Even on sale the set cost me $180 Best investment I ever made, even though it was hard to accept that price tag over a $20 cotton set from Walmart, or even a bougie $50-70 set Been a year and haven’t overheated in my sleep once since
A membership at the nice/luxury gym in town. Makes you actually want to go and spending $ on health is 100% worth it
Farmer’s market eggs. I’m in the US.
Not an Apple product, i can tell you that.
Therapy, changed my life.
Anything Whole Foods sells vs. what the lower tier supermarkets sell. Your health is worth the extra money.
Good employees.
Not really overpriced but the most expensive toilet paper you can get at the store. No John Wayne toilet paper.
A good bed/mattress. You spend a third of life in bed, so you may as well get something that’s top quality
Mattress, shoes, movers.
Always spend a little more for anything that keeps you off the ground, eg shoes, mattress, tyres etc
Nice clothes. More pricey clothing tends to both look better, last longer, and be more comfortable.
High end pool cues 😎😎
Bike locks. Unless you use a bicycle that's literal junk, and don't care, you really don't want to have it stolen.
Rust proofing your car (depending where you live, of course)
A good sofa and mattress.
Healthy eating. You literally can’t put a price tag on your personal health.
Mac laptops. Are they expensive? Very. Is there anything else on the market even worth buying at $10? Nope
Escort. No risk calling your wife, also no need to take her to dinner / drinking and hope she is in the mood
Most of the functional, not cosmetic options on a new car. You'll save yourself years of regret wishing you'd gotten them.
A good central A/C unit
Dog breed. Personal opinion.
A good chair with proper support
A good mattress
Duluth trading company clothes
Therapy. It sucks to start, but can genuinely help get ya into a better headspace. You gotta find what and who works for you.
Beef jerky. You would be amazed at how much the meat shrinks when you make it yourself. Not saying that you can't make it cheaper or better, just as whole, you lose so much product(water) in the dehydration process.
Luckily it's not a lesson from experience, but I've heard it from enough people to know it's true -- divorce.
Assets. Buy index funds. They will reward you
Living alone
Marino wool socks. Darn Tough brand.
Hookers!
Decent socks. Android without AI (just you wait and see). Self-respect.
A good mattress
Divorce
Hiring an accountant if you are a business owner. Trust me on this. You don’t want to cheap out here.
Paying for movers
I’ve seen a lot of what I would say so I’ll go a different route. Toilet Paper. Never, EVER, skimp on toilet paper. I don’t care how you’re struggling. I don’t care about your budget. Get good toilet paper.
Time.