Do you ever buy something for it's value rather ..

[Cil]

The price? For me, it's Charmin Mega Rolls. One roll usually lasts me a week. Yeah, it can be expsensive, but I'll spend the nearly $20 [oops, i hit the wrong # key. lol] bucks for a 9-roll and be set for 3 months. Remember, it's just me in the house and I can only afford to grocery shop once a month.

[madmac]

Good bread. We buy good high grain bread rather than the store brand. Lots of things we buy are to support America as well. Tools made in the US are much better made than those out of China.. Buying American made products is hard but they are out their and quality is almost always better. Local grown crops from the farmers market to support our town. Bought vegetable plants from a local grower this year. Not all bargins are bargins.

[chloe3388]

Shoes and boots, cheap don't last and we really give them a workout.. Besides bad shoes can cause lots of problems..

[JakeLeg]

considering that 'value' and 'price' are subjective and objective, respectively, they're difficult to compare... value contains criteria such as price, but price alone does not take into account the value. if an item's price is $1, then it's price is $1. if there are 2 similar items, one is $1 and the other is $2, and the $2 item will last 4 times as long, then the $2 item seemingly has more 'value' IF longevity is in your criteria. if you buy something to use only a few times, then the $1 item has more 'value'.

we shop by value: in other words considering things like price, quality, usage, etc.

on the toilet paper, both wife and i prefer the coarser type, such as scott 1000-sheet. the store brand equivalent is about 1/2 the price of the scott, and about 1/4 the price of the quilted type. in our case, since we're fine with the coarser type, we buy the store brand. some people can't find it in them to use anything less than the quilted type, so for them, the price per unit being higher factors into their deciding what 'value' is for this product.

likewise, for tools. if i buy a tool that i might use but once a year, I'm totally happy buying the import. sure the whole buying american thing is nice, but i'm not going to spend 3 times the price for something i rarely use.

so, yeah, 'value' takes precedence over 'price'

[Shamrock1121]

- We've purchased 3 Sun Cloud Infrared Space heaters (gave one to our son), because they are safer and more effective than all the other space heaters we've had (and sold at garage sales because they were inadequate or smelly). The Sun Clouds are NOT cheap, but their value is the savings on the gas bill in the winter and their safety - zero clearance (you can safely sit it next to cloth furniture or next to a wall, etc.) and an A-1 Insurance Rating. No fumes or deadly monoxides. The first one we purchased more than paid for itself in saved utilities the first year we used it. The price of natural gas is more expensive these days than electricity, so we're hoping two Sun Cloud Heaters (which usually cost about $1 a day to run) will take over the job of the gas furnace. One Sun Cloud wasn't enough during extreme cold. We'll just leave the furnace fan on "constant" to circulate the warmth to the entire house.

- A good quality grain mill. Madmac mentioned good bread, and with a good quality grain mill and quality grain, I make all my own breads for a fraction of what they can be purchased. It takes about 10-15 cents worth of wheat (and that's the expensive stuff) to make a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread. Only a quality mill will mill flour fine enough to make good bread as well as more delicate foods, like cake, where the flour must be very fine. The value? The ONLY way to get all the nutritional goodness out of wheat is to use freshly-milled flour. The value is the high nutrition.

- I'll rescend on the value of high-priced TP, however. I've found a brand at K-Mart that is less expensive than Scott or Pom. I find value in price - the cheap stuff does the same "job" that expensive brands do, in my opinion. I've also started weighing the rolls of TP as a gauge for how much there is per roll. I find it a better indicator than plys/length/sheets, and the so-called mega rolls, etc... The K-Mart brand is much cheaper per roll and weighs more per roll than any other kind of TP I've tried and tested, and it lasts longer than other brands. It's plenty soft.

The only one that occasionally comes out a little cheaper is Scott when I can get it on sale with a double coupon. The new soft Scott is as good as any namebrand TP. If you have a spetic tank, Scott has a version that breaks up quickly. Meanwhile, Charmin is famous for clogging toilets and filling septic tanks.

- Buy American. People are duped on that one. Even though the product may be made in the US, chances are a large portion of the raw goods to make them came from China. You may be surprised to know nearly all fabrics are milled in China, as just one example.

-Karen

[Cil]

I would love to go KMart and Wal-Mart, but the closest stores to me are in areas this white girl should not be in, even daylight hours. And I don't drive.

[leera]

I tend to buy generic for most things.The store I work at has it's own version of Scott,it comes in a 12 pack,and that's what I buy......one roll per week for the two of us.I stock up when there is a buy one get one promo,and usually only buy it twice a year..........

By keeping bar mop towels placed near sinks,I've nearly eliminated the need for paper towels.....with one exception,the dog.....

When it's really hot outside,I HAVE to wipe his face down before I can bring him in the house......ever seen the movie Turner and Hooch? Yeah,it's that bad......

When shopping for food,I buy for serving price or unit price......looking for the best deal on everything I buy.I never go into a store without my calculator in hand.

[Katrina-Sisu]

I buy frozen veges and have recenty been 'converted' to some new brands.

I buy broccoli now from Lidl (it's a German store here). The bag weighs more and is full of broccoli heads instead of stems. It costs 40 cents more than the old brand I used to buy but it lasts longer so it's worth the money.

I pay the extra for Rainbow frozen corn. I used to buy Euroshopper brand but it's like crib corn. The Rainbow brand costs more but it's definitly more tasty and sweet.

I guess with food I pay more for quality.

I like cheaper TP here, it's made from recycled newspaper and it lasts like crazy.

Kat

[meriel]

I do not bargain for things that affect my physical and mental health. I value them as much as a doc visit, test or prescription.

Things that reduce my pain level and make me more mobile and independent are vital and save me a LOT of money in the long run.

Most people find my purchasing habits odd, to say the least :-0

I own VERY few pieces of clothing, but they are mostly expensive items, that are made to weather the toughest weather conditions. I NEVER play around with my boots, and pay whatever I have to for fit, stability and shock absorption. I do not own a car and walk and use public transportation. Backpacks with internal frames usually cost over $200.00, and I don't blink at that.

I only buy the best of pack supplies. My Thermos backpack bottle keep my tea STEAMING hot for over 8 hours, so I never waste money on hot drinks while away from home. One of my newest purchases is a $12.00 titanium spork.

I own the best in a few carefully chosen art supplies. Art therapy is a must for my mental health. I have a moleskine reporter style journal, primacolor colored pencils and some other really neat and portable items.

I have osteoporosis and low electrolyte levels. I supplement what I need to supplement.

I have a Treo smartphone and one of the new tiny ASUS Eee laptops. Both of them are hacked and pushed to their max to do things they were not built to do. Access to information is one of the most essential resources.

I own no curtains or pictures and sleep on a blow up mattress. I cannot afford to both "play house", and take care of my health.

[Maranna]

I buy what they call animal feed at the bread store. It's the bread they can't sell any more, but it's still good. They sell a big plastic bag with 20 large loaves of bread for $2.50. I buy this and I have a big tool box that use to be in the back of my Dad's pick up, I put the bread in there and it stays cold enough in the winter to last several months. In the summer, I buy a smaller bag which is $1.25 and is usually 1 pound loaves. Most of the smaller loaves are the multi grain breads. I don't like it, but it's cheap and lasts.

[Boris859]

Tools,I hate cheap tools,the chinese chromium chipping off in my hands,bending ,breaking,stripping it self or the bolts I am trying to turn,yea,I know a 100+ $ for a 1/2 inch drive ratchet sounds bad,until sunday afternoon when you are holding that broken cheapie in your clam diggers.I also feel the same way about winter clothing,work boots and car parts,not to mention building materials,sometimes cheap just don't cut it, :D

[anna]

I like buying 1930 - 1950's kitchen items at auction because the quality is much better than China Mart crap available in stores today.

I always buy the absolute best quality knives I can afford and take very good care of them. I have some that are 35 years old that I still use daily. Quite a few of my knives are from auction boxes as are my Revere Ware pans. The quality and weight of my old Revere Ware is very very different that what is sold under that brand today.

[flatwater]

Well made cars,good wool socks, and quality hunting gear

[Saoirse]

I try to shop locally & pay a bit more if needed rather than go to Wal Mart. Our town is small & we have to value the businesses we have.
At the grocery store, I usually pay more for good looking produce, beef hot dogs, our favorite smoked polish sausage & the tea & coffee we like. We almost never buy junk foods and rarely eat out, so we figure it's a trade off.
100% cotton shirts are worth the extra bucks. I hate polyester. I would rather buy 1 cotton shirt instead of 3 polyester ones. Cheap jeans & socks are fine by me. Good shoes, yep, a must. Garage sales help fill the clothing void.
Premium pet food is another splurge. The payoff is less cleanup & the animals have shiny coats. I paid $10 for the dog & the cats were free.
Always try to balance things. Quality is usually better than quantity.

[harvester]

good livestock, good garden plants and good fruit trees.
I make my own bread, cheese, butter. can my own fruits and vegetables. butcher my own livestock. I have a little family, just the three of us, so instead of paying $9.00 a lb. for beef. I put a goat in the freezer for around 35c a lb. or a hog for about 40c a lb. chickens i can raise for about 90c a chicken rather than the 7-11 dollar ones in the stores. My goats produce all the drinking milk and baking,cooking, cheesemaking milk I could ever want plus raise freezer kids and a good hog on it. my garden produces enough vegis for my family to live off of for almost an entire year. and i have enough fruits and berries to share with neighbors. I trade fruits, vegies, eggs etc for one neighbors beef and lamb. and another neighbor grows corn that i can trade a loaf of home made bread for 3 ears.

[Michael32170]

Shouldn't all purchases be based on value......... not irrationalized value? The real question might be, how much of our purchases are irrational purchases?

I find that making a plan has the best results.

[Boris859]

micheal,thats why I used tools as my primary example,sure a cheap tool is ok if you plan to use it once or very little,but if it is something you plan on using alot,be it,tools clothes,boots,cars,etc etc,long lasting and durable have more value to me personally,I like most here probably hate to waste their money,I also do not have a cell phone,credit card,or other "luxury " items,i am pretty much a luddite I guess. :D

[walls0stone]

yea dnd deciding for one's own self what that value is. *on the other hand I laso have some nice Jewls. *why? *I like some shin in my life. *My wedding band in very nice, I got a good deal..not flashy but quality.. same with the wife's ring. *

My watch is a bulova, I put it on when ever I'm going out. *i country, but I'm not a hobo..and my Masonic ring came from Gramany..it's a collectable. *I'd also say that food is one place you can't skimp. *So I do buy food stuff for it's value. Now a cell phone to me is a money saver. I can get all matter of info from it. I can listen to my internet radio on it for free, read books for free, watch TV for free... call all my friends and not use minutes, send my father pictures of his grandson's first steps and then look up real time info for any of the businesses I'm in. Heck, now you can scan a product in the store, and get the cheepest price on said idem based on your info. So no more spending time finding the best price, just point and click.

oh another thing I don't BUY but I do invest a lot in...my friends. *

[harvester]

wow, what kinda cell phone is that? I want one! :D

[pcrowder]

Yeah, I bought an All-American 41 qt pressure canner. DON'T ask how much it was - OUCH! But, I figure it will last me the rest of my life, and well into my adult children's lives, and will save propane in the long run by canning 17 qt jars at a time instead of 7 with the next smaller size canner.

[Buck]

For all goods and services there are only two criteria that matter.......
Value & Function.

Everything else is irrelevant. 8)

[swedishfish]

The price? For me, it's Charmin Mega Rolls. One roll usually lasts me a week. Yeah, it can be expsensive, but I'll spend the nearly $20 [oops, i hit the wrong # key. lol] bucks for a 9-roll and be set for 3 months. Remember, it's just me in the house and I can only afford to grocery shop once a month.


heh.. made me remember that while growing up we had such a touchy septic that the only paper allowed in the house was the institutional one ply pennypincher style. I guess once I got on my own, I never considered the 'fancy' stuff. It seemed silly to spend money on something with... well.. such a simple and honest task.

Something that I do put out the cash for is food. I never saw the value in buying cheap food with low nutritional value. If good bread costs 2.50 per loaf..then that a good value. In these tougher times I have been considering doing more at home myself. Im getting into canning, gardening, and now I suppose breadbaking is next that makes sense.

if you skimp on food, you can make yourself sick and in the long run its cheaper to be healthy than chronic.

[swedishfish]

For all goods and services there are only two criteria that matter.......
Value & Function.

Everything else is irrelevant. 8)
I have to disagree.. there are somethings that add to your character beyond value and function. I think you have to spend something on new adventures, tastes, hobbies, etc. Example... playing with radio DXing doesnt have an inherent value and function you cannot get from other sources.. but it can really be interesting and I think that counts for something. Especially anything that also you can involve your family in.

[harvester]

Well, isnt that considered value?