There’s the adage, “spend your money where you spend your time.”
If you’re going to spend a lot of time in front of a TV, get a nice one. Cook a lot? Get the good knives and pans. Don’t read much? Don’t buy an e-reader or book subscription service. Not big into DIY? Get cheap drill/driver for the rare times you need it.
There’s plenty of exceptions but it’s a nice general rule.
Even if you are into DIY: Buy cheaper once, if something breaks buy something more expensive.
Or better yet, buy second-hand.
I see this a lot and take some issue with it the wording of it. I think a lot of people say this thinkkng of something like Ryobi or Harbor Freight as the "cheap" guys, when in reality the price scaling of tools puts those makes pretty squarely in the mid to high-end bracket.
In reality, there are some cheap tools that are downright unsafe for use that some people might see after reading that comment and decide to get.
ETA: If it's sharp, spins, or runs on electricity, get it from a physical store or highly reputable online vendor and make sure it has a warranty
I dunno, I've had good luck with Aldi and Lidl "Center Isle" power tool purchases. Thats Workzone and Parkside tools, a far cry from mid to high-end. If I use something enough that it merits a replacement, I buy the Makita version
Those are still from a reputable store. I think the really cheap ones are the Chinese ones that don't even have a brand name. Slightly above that are the Chinese made ones with a nonsense word for the brand name.
right yeah
Project Farm on YouTube often rates Ryobi, Husky, and Harbor Freight brands as being pretty good.
Anything that goes between you and the ground. Shoes, bed, tires.
And chair
I spend 8 hours a day working from home on my computer. A good chair isn't a luxury, it's an investment.
Yup, what you rocking?
I have settled on a leap V2 love the thing
I got a mid-tier inexpensive mesh chair and the mesh is worn out. 100% getting an Aeron next.
I worked somewhere with legitimate Aerons once. Was the only office chair I've shared workspaced on that didn't have either an odorous reek or armrests picked to bare foam.
Do it! I got one of Madisonseating.com on a sale they had going and have zero regrets, other than I wish I did this much sooner.
Sitting for that long is bad for you, regardless of the chair. Get a standing desk.
I take a 5 minute break every hour to stand up, take a glass of water, etc.
A chair is just a bed for your butt.
Invest in a standing desk. Sitting all day, even in a good chair is no good for you. Mix it up.
My god how many times is this question and this response going to be posted on the Internet. This single question/response must make up at least a third of all LLM datasets.
Shoes?
Laughs in Australian while wearing $2 thongs hiking in the bush.
Parachute
parachute doesn't go between you and the ground, you go between the parachute and the ground. unless you cheaped out on the parachute
You're right, I'm gonna spring for the N64 controller this go around
Your kid's first musical instrument. It's counterproductive and false economy to buy them a piece of shit guitar or tuba or whatever it may be, in the belief that "if they like it and want to continue with it, I'll buy them a better one in the future". You might well turn the kid off the instrument for life if their instrument is harder to play/maintain and worse to listen to than it ought to be.
If you want your kid to be enriched by music and to be creative, buy them a decent mid-range instrument. Make it so that the kid can't wait to pick it up, don't make those crucial early days of learning the instrument feel like eating watery gruel for months with an expectation of pizza at some point down the line. A shitty instrument will be an additional barrier the kid will need to deal with every time they use it. Get out of their way, buy them something serviceable. If they lose interest regardless, well at least you know they had a fair shot at it and it wasn't the crappiness of the instrument that caused them to abandon it. And you can always sell or donate the instrument if they really don't give a shit about it.
The best instrument you can reasonably afford is significantly more likely to hook your kid than a £50 piece of junk would. It doesn't need to be fancy, it just needs to be well-made, pleasant to play, and easy to tune/maintain/clean/whatever the case may be.
I'll counter with the following: if you aren't sure whether your kid will like it, it's probably a better idea to start with renting. You'll typically get a fully-serviced instrument with coverage for accidental damage.
Yes, it's a fully sunk cost, but it's predictable and you don't have to deal with the hassle of selling off an instrument if they don't get really into it. Once you're confident that they're going to stick with it and know they can handle and maintain it carefully, then you should look into buying.
Oh man this is so true. My parents enrolled me for piano classes when I was a kid but got me a shitty mini plastic keyboard to practice and I hated it, ended up quitting not long after. Picked up piano again as an adult during covid and bought myself a full sized keyboard with weighted keys and damn the difference was night and day.
Anything involving safety.
As an example: Phone or laptop batteries.
Honestly, batteries of any kind. Only buy from the manufacturers of the product the batteries work with. If it's underpriced on Amazon, it's probably a fucked up battery that has a higher risk of starting an electrical fire. Portable tool batteries, ebike batteries, handheld system batteries.
I'm not fucking around with unsafe batteries.
Never buy branded batteries on Amazon either.
I always stick with Annsmann, they make incredible rechargeable AAs and AAAs
Ordered a set off Amashit and they were fake, and I've had the same problem with Anker
Fuck Amazon until they sort their MASSIVE counterfeiting problems out
Yourself. Time and resources you invest in yourself usually grant the highest returns in the long run.
Examples:
When job hunting, prefer opportunities that give you more valuable experience when possible.
While planning your schedule, give highest priority to activities that contribute to your physical and mental health.
At the grocery store, choose fresh ingredients over the cheaper and easier premade options.
When budgeting finances, pay yourself first by setting aside what you can for your future. If not yet possible, see 5.
Invest in your continued education, which can include traditional credentialing such as degrees or certifications, but also online and night classes, or even self-guided study.
Choose relationships and experiences over things. While things can temporarily improve lifestyle, relationships and experiences permanently expand the life you have lived.
A good power supply. It can save your whole system.
A good mattress: you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping, it needs to be comfortable.
Footwear: the rest of the time your footwear is what separates you from the ground. Invest in practical, good quality, and repairable/hard-wearing footwear.
Damn, I wish I had that much sleep lol
Mattress, shoes, chair, tires. The things that are between you and the ground
Condoms
Bed mattress. Sleep is important.
The rule is, if it goes between you and the ground buy quality shit.
I see a lot of specific examples, but here is a good engineering guideline: do not skimp on physical interfaces. **Anywhere energy is changing form or if it touches your body, don't skimp on those. **
For example
tires
bicycle saddle
heaters/furnaces
electrical inverters
keyboard
mouse
engines
shoes
eyewear
clothes (buy used if necessary, but always buy quality clothing)
Quality usually means more money, but sometimes one is able to find a high quality and low-cost version. In my experience though, trying to find the cheap version that works well means trying so many permutations; it would have been more economical to just get the more costly version in the first place.
More expensive doesn't always equal better, especially for things like keyboards, clothes or eyewear, where branding is huge and inflates prices more than quality.
Dental care.
Running shoes because when you wear ill-fitting shoes, you will hurt yourself eventually.
Shoes in general. Youll have so much more stamina at festivals and other places if you have sturdy shoes that fit well.
I switcthed to barefoot shoes for hiking and everyday. They are the opposite of sturdy, but well worth the investment. As a guy in his late forties, I have fewer little nagging pains.
I second this. I have huge feet (US men's 15 extra wide) and after a lifetime of cramming my feet into shoes that fit "good enough" I'm developing bunions along with other aches and issues. After a particularly painful weekend on my feet I decided to see if the Internet had any suggestions and I fell down the barefoot shoe rabbit hole. I initially balked at the price and styling of most brands I saw but the cheaper options simply didn't come in my size. I decided to go for it and got a pair of Xero shoes since they make a men's 15 that isn't too hideous and I haven't looked back. Best decision I have made in the last 2 years.
Never heard of Xero, thanks! I personally swear by my size 15 Red Wing steel toed boots. Foot pain is pretty bad, it screws up your entire posture. Having custom inserts made was really worth it for me.
Right on, my big-footed brother! Xero brand is a good option if you are ever interested in something a little more athletic or casual than your go-to boots. Barefoot shoes take getting used to in general, so keep that in mind. In particular, leading with the heel when walking quickly and especially running can be uncomfortable so you may need to adjust your stride a bit. Also you feel everything under your feet, which would be a huge contrast compared to your boots. In the end it's worth it for better foot strength and less pain.
I wanna say get good gear for your hobbies, but most of us probably don't need convincing to spend on what we love. I resisted buying a good set of gear for my main hobby for nearly two years, and I wish I'd done it sooner.
There was a post earlier asking for slurs for beginners in a hobby that buy the top of the line stuff for the hobby. Don't cheap out on starter gear, but don't go for top of the line right out of the gate either
That's a valid point too. I feel less bad now lol
Ice cream.
Toilet paper.
Get the good stuff or don’t get it at all.
Or upgrade to a bidet if you can afford one for as little as $30.
Other people have said better things, but I've found flour to be important in baking. Generic store brands can work mostly, but for more precise and nicer baking I've got to go with King Arthur flour
Hey King Arthur flour, sponsor me please, I need it to keep buying all this flour!
King Arthur flour
How does this specific thing keep popping up in every corner of the internet I ever go to?? Is it that good?
It really is better than most. This a company I actually think sort of cares. Their recipes for bread products are also spot on, at least the ones I've tried.
Their recipe for Cornish pasties has done me well, although my filling is always "things I have on hand"!
Not really exeptional except it is commercial grade. It's not the random stuff you get from the local brand. The local brand is whatever. Sometimes it's really good, other times it's pretty poor.
The most common difference is in a test called "falling number". Falling number is a fast easy way to figure out if an enzyme that degrades starch has been activated (alpha-amylase). Intact starch in flour creates a matrix in solution and thickens it. When alpha-amylase is activated it degrades the starch and makes it thinner.
For baking you want a thicker dough that holds together. It's how you get light and fluffy breads. The thicker dough traps CO2 produced by yeast or an acid/base reaction better.
The falling number method is uncomplicated, but requires an apparatus which follows the international standards.
Any high quality brand will probably do you well. King Arthur is what I can get easily and have used it for decades. Also it's employee owned, last I knew, which makes me feel a smidge better.
Also their online recipes are pretty nice, and they answer questions!
Great flour, consistent every time, no filler or weird blends like others might have, great recipes, employee owned, etc.
They also have gluten-free flours (both measure for measure and straight up) and good recipes for them. I'm not gluten free but I have a friend that is and the chocolate cake I made them with their flour and recipe was one of the best gluten free cakes there ever had (it's better than some gluten cakes I've had tbh)
Their bakers hotline is extremely awesome
LASIK
Definitely bed. Not affiliated in any way but AmeriSleep makes the best bed and pillows I have ever slept on. Hands down no comparison. It's the perfect combo of firmness and conformity.
People spend far more on their cars where they spend far less time
Destigmatize the race car bedframe!
Magniflex mattresses are very good Atwell. Recently got one - my first time ever choosing a mattress for myself. Worth every penny.
Shoes. If your feet aint happy, aint nobody happy.
aint nobody happy
Well, Nike & Adidas CEOs prob are
PSU
I think I need to change mine. Using a $27 Ant esports for the last 2 years.
The classic is anything that separates you from the ground.
I'd add anything related to plumbing, electricity and roofing.
Basically any core elements of a home. Finishes can be redone, but things like a good water heater or reliable HVAC system are niceties you'll always thank yourself for
Shopping houses right now. I'm really focusing on the HVAC, roof, and plumbing. Oh and water. I saw one house where it didn't have gutters on a short eave and the door below was mostly rotted out in the bottom 2 feet from water slashing on to it. It boggles the mind that no one had thought to put a gutter there. Literally a 8 foot section of gutter would save that door and frame.
Good work. Those are the things that will cost you tens of thousands. New floors? Bah, nothing compared to having to replumb or rewire. Water damage too is terrifying, we had our water heater burst and it took weeks to clean up and repair
I good leather belt.
Ebikes: Don't cheap out and get an Engwe or Gotrax or whatever other randomly generated name they came up with.
Buy from your local bike shops, not Amazon.
This is a niche one but quality sharpening stones. A complete blindspot for sharpeners in the western hemisphere.
People assume that the edge is great if it's sharp. There are even people that will sharpen on a brick, strop on green goop, shave hair, and claim you don't need fancy sharpening stones.
Truth is, the sharpening stone dictates edge retention as much as the blade's quality can. Can you get hair shaving sharp on a brick? Yes. Will it stay sharp? No.
This is why the Japanese go crazy for special and expensive stones. The quality of stones are so important that in medieval times, the best stone quarries were classified military secrets.
I recently attended a seminar and the speaker spoke how the 30,000 grit stones DOUBLED his edge retention over his 16,000 grit stone.
What you use to sharpen MATTERS, and that's why they get so damn expensive.
I have never heard of stones this High. Japanese rates to 8000 grit at highest. Explain?
6-8k stones are the most common as they are the best value. You get a decent edge, and the stones are usually around 40$ for a decent one. Right now its unknown the highest grit possible, primarily because with higher and higher grit, manufacturing becomes exponentially more expensive.
Grit is sorted through filters, the finer the filters the faster they clog, and the finer the grit, the more likely they are to float away, or do not have the inertia required to pass it.
There are 2 ways a blade dulls.
Abrasion: abrasive particles in the material rounds the edge of the blade by scraping off microscopic bits of steel.
Microscopic chipping: In this case the steel fracture and pieces break off the edge, revealing a duller edge.
Scratches act as weak points for the latter. Scratches form a sawtooth like shape. People say these "micro-serations" aid in cutting and are even desirable, but I would disagree. The peaks of the teeth break off more easily and the deep grooves provide further weak points. They will dull rather quickly.
Very hard steels (also depends on the type, and the knife, and best treatment, and edge geometry ) will dull significantly from microchipping. If the edge is as robust as possible, it will remain much sharper. The finer the surface, the more robust the edge is.
It gets wayyy more complicated considering edge geometry (just a 1 degree difference can stabilize a chippy edge), natural stones and how they are completely different, glossy vs cloudy finishes (cloudy is better), slurry, omnidirectional scratches patterns, etc.
Ceramic glass stones are amazing. They're relatively quiet, super fast, and they don't dish easily.
condoms
Poop knife
Well, yeah, don’t get the plastic one and keep reusing it when a metal one is sturdier.
Toilet paper.
Oh god I see your name everywhere and I nearly hack up my breakfast every time I read it. Stop. Please
If you just skip breakfast it won’t be a problem anymore.
This is the first comment in the thread that I 100% agree with. (I can't believe how many of the other ones I don't.)
If you write or sign things a lot, get a couple decent pens. Not expensive ones you'd be upset if you lost them, but not sad, free office pens.
I've gotten numerous compliments on my Pilot Precise V5. It's bold, but easy to read, and if anyone borrows it, they'll notice it's smooth and feels nice to use.
The Precise is a rollerball. If you need a ballpoint, Uni Jetstream is great. Pentel Energel or Bic Inkjoys for gel. Grab a pair of each and you can write on near anything.
Zebra Sarasa Grand is a nice metal body with binder clip type clip if you want an upgrade. The above pens all use the same size refill, so if you like one body but a different ink, you can swap them.
The Grand is around $10, the rest you can find for around $5 for a pair.
If you're using a pen all day, it's an upgrade you'll notice whenever you grab a freebie pen and it's scratchy, the ink skips, and it smudges. It's a nice upgrade that will feel more luxurious than the price would imply.
I love the Parker Jotter. It's a classic and looks so sleek.
Jotter is a classic!
Check out the OHTO Rays for something similar. It's a plastic body so it cuts down on both weight and price.
Pentex EnerGels are AWESOME for inexpensive pens.
Those were my gateway drug pen!
I like the soft touch body of the Inkjoys more, and I feel Energels don't last as long, but they're still one of the top budget pens and I like they come in a number of body styles and colors.
Imma try like EVERYTHING you’ve recommended! My partner got me on the energels.
My writing is TERRIBLE and I’m scared I will get pens that will make it worse
It may sound silly, but don't be afraid to practice your writing.
I tried fountain pens for a bit (too fussy for me) and to get practice at it and get my cursive skills back up, I would copy the Duolingo I was doing at the time. That way I got to practice writing and language at the same time. You can always just copy articles or books or whatever.
You could practice copying font styles too if you want something special. If your writing stinks, steal someone else's! 😁
You’re sweet! I would love to try the pens that part while you press harder, but regular pens make my shaky-ass hand look terrible. Maybe I could get better with practice!
If your issues are pressure related, I found this guide of exercises to relax your writing grip and to avoid pressing too hard.
It's written for teaching children, but that just makes it super easy to understand. It looks to have some very good ideas.
The jet streams feel smoother than any others I’ve tried.
The Jetstream is the way to go for an all purpose pen.
A lot of the others I mentioned edge it out in smoothness or line quality, but they're water based ink pens, so anything that might get wet, or anything like a label or tape that isn't absorbent like paper will need a ballpoint like the Jetstream.
Thankfully the Jetstream is as good as a ballpoint gets while still being inexpensive. Comes in a ton of styles, and refills are available if you want to toss one in your favorite pen body.
The Pilot Precice (V7 because I'm not a heathen) literally got me my first date with my current fiancée. I barely handwrite anymore since I graduated a few years ago but still make a note to grab a pack of those pens whenever I notice my home supply is getting a little thin. They're really lovely things
That's awesome! I have fancier pens, but the Precise is always the attention grabber when people write with it.
My gf is a 0.7 user and hates all my 0.5, but I write smaller than she does and the ink lasts longer as a bonus. She writes bigger to enjoy the bold lines.
Construction material when building a house. If you want to live there for many years go for overkill.
Remember code is minimum. Mold and mildew resistant drywall can go on a bathroom ceiling. It just doesn't very often because code is for the shower wall
Yes! I see owners all the time asking "what's the cheapest x" or saying "im going to source that myself" only to complain during/after installation that something doesn't look good.
The price difference between a $3,000 and a $10,000 set of cabinets is negligible when wrapped into a 30 year mortgage, but consider just how important they are visually and how often you'll be using them (every day)
Been thinking about this for a while and I gotta say food. If it looks spoiled, I just throw it out. I’m not going to risk getting sick over cheap food that’s probably gone bad anymore.
Gonna start with a few of the usual suspects:
Anything that keeps your feet off the ground (buy good shoes)
Anything that touches your privates (don't buy cheap condoms yall)
Condoms are for pussies.
Condoms are for dicks*
diaphragms are for pussies
Good quality, comfortable shoes.
Personally, I try not to cheap out on anything I want to last. You don't have to buy the most expensive, but don't buy the cheapest either. Something in the middle usually does good.
I've done well buying second hand too. I recently found a bread machine for 3$ at goodwill. Works perfectly. But I also figured if I decided not to use it anymore or it was crap, then I lost 3$
I've heard this line of thinking is how they get you. Example I heard was something like there's a $10, $20, and $40 toaster at Walmart. The $10 and $20 one are functionally the same, but you don't know that and don't want to go with the cheapest one so you pick that.
Don't know how true it is, but thought it's interesting and started thinking about it when I'm buying stuff
Yeah I've heard that too. I've seen it a few times as well.
Plumbing. People seriously underestimate the damage a bad leak can do to a structure.
Car brakes
I've never known any kind of electronic device to not follow the rule of "you get what you pay for." If you want it to work practically forever, go with the expensive one.
and for anything computer-related, buy enterprise grade, not consumer stuff.
I worked as an it business analyst for a larger multinational for a hot minute. Lenovo laptops were beastly and rarely broke. When 10 000 employees are all using t series laptops for years, with few breaking down, it made me appreciate your comment quite a bit.
I'm not trying to plug lenovo. There's very little difference between lenovo and dell at the enterprise level. Those are the ones I have experience with and so I'll comment on those. Just buy actual business laptops. Especially if you're not gaming
And if you are gaming I highly recommend avoiding anything labeled as being for gaming or gamers. A lot of that stuff is just cheap shit they want to sell for more and the fanciest thing about them is that they put RGB lights in it. Gaming chairs are a great example; you can often find the same exact chairs for hundreds of dollars cheaper by getting them as an office chair. They just might not come in super bright colors or have an e-sport team's logo on them.
Gaming chairs are a great example; you can often find the same exact chairs for hundreds of dollars cheaper by getting them as an office chair
One could say the overpriced gaming chair with some fancy colours contradicts the "get what you pay for rule".
A well made coat and a pair of boots.
Healthcare.
My healthcare is paid out of my taxes. It's really hard to cheap out on it.
Oooohhhhhh look at the fancy non American with their basic human right to be human right to be healthy without going into bankruptcy
It means someone else is cheaping out on you. I'm not aware of anywhere that I is your choice, in the US it is my boss
insert doug ford smiling in front of beer meme
water filters, go whole house if able but get decent filters for kitchen and bathroom faucets, including the shower. You don't want to breath city water steam, or soak in it. imo it'll help improve your quality of life and be kinder to your skin.
Many last for a good while so it's not really that costly.
Penis extension surgery
Knife. You maybe don’t need the ultra deluxe Japanese kitchen knives from the future. But a set of good, sharp knives will be a godsend if you plan to cook a lot.
Hiking gear. Especially the boots have to be of good quality. But breathable clothing (including socks) will also make a big difference when you go on a long trip.
Might be a no-brainer for some, but: meat. If you plan to make some steak, choosing a properly marbled piece of meat is as important as how you cook it. Will be exorbitantly more expensive than the discount meat, tho. But trust me, it will be worth it.
As a knife guy, choose the right knife. A lot of knives now are looking to sell on glitz and glamour whilst being fairly mediocre and criminally overpriced (see Dalstrong).
A lot of knives are overbuilt too. To give the impression of sturdyness, they are made far too thick, or have excessively large bolsters that just bog it down. You don't use a machete for daily prep, you want something thin that won't get wedged in the cut. Fun fact, in Japan a light knife is a sign of quality, it means it's very thin, which is difficult to forge and requires a master.
The best knives for ordinary people I think are Victorianox fibrox and Tojiro DP series knives. The Victorianox has decent steel but is importantly very thin and sharp, with a comfortable handle. The Tojiro is more expensive but has better steel that will remain sharp much longer. Of course it is also thin and sharp.
On the topic of knives, it's more important to have a way to keep them sharp. No knife will stay sharp for long with consistent use.
Absolutely true. Keep them sharp AND clean.
Catamarans, caviar and coochie
I got two:
(insulated) water bottle. Buy a decent one, it'll outlive you.
Backpack
GPUs
Don't necessarily go for top tier but something in the top 40% of Passmark's high end GPU benchmarks will last you years
My current GPU is 7 years old and still plays Elden Ring at 60fps, I'll probably get at least 3 or 4 more years before I need to upgrade.
Personally, used/old hardware is so dirt cheap I think I'll only buy a gen behind or two. Not unless there's some breakthrough akin to X3D cache by AMD.
My phone was like 1400$ 3 years ago and now I can buy it used, in good condition, tested, for like 300$
There’s the adage, “spend your money where you spend your time.”
If you’re going to spend a lot of time in front of a TV, get a nice one. Cook a lot? Get the good knives and pans. Don’t read much? Don’t buy an e-reader or book subscription service. Not big into DIY? Get cheap drill/driver for the rare times you need it.
There’s plenty of exceptions but it’s a nice general rule.
Even if you are into DIY: Buy cheaper once, if something breaks buy something more expensive.
Or better yet, buy second-hand.
I see this a lot and take some issue with it the wording of it. I think a lot of people say this thinkkng of something like Ryobi or Harbor Freight as the "cheap" guys, when in reality the price scaling of tools puts those makes pretty squarely in the mid to high-end bracket.
In reality, there are some cheap tools that are downright unsafe for use that some people might see after reading that comment and decide to get.
ETA: If it's sharp, spins, or runs on electricity, get it from a physical store or highly reputable online vendor and make sure it has a warranty
I dunno, I've had good luck with Aldi and Lidl "Center Isle" power tool purchases. Thats Workzone and Parkside tools, a far cry from mid to high-end. If I use something enough that it merits a replacement, I buy the Makita version
Those are still from a reputable store. I think the really cheap ones are the Chinese ones that don't even have a brand name. Slightly above that are the Chinese made ones with a nonsense word for the brand name.
right yeah
Project Farm on YouTube often rates Ryobi, Husky, and Harbor Freight brands as being pretty good.
Anything that goes between you and the ground. Shoes, bed, tires.
And chair
I spend 8 hours a day working from home on my computer. A good chair isn't a luxury, it's an investment.
Yup, what you rocking? I have settled on a leap V2 love the thing
I got a mid-tier inexpensive mesh chair and the mesh is worn out. 100% getting an Aeron next.
I worked somewhere with legitimate Aerons once. Was the only office chair I've shared workspaced on that didn't have either an odorous reek or armrests picked to bare foam.
Do it! I got one of Madisonseating.com on a sale they had going and have zero regrets, other than I wish I did this much sooner.
I regret not doing it sooner. <3
I have the Nightingale CXO 6200D Since about 2015.
Sitting for that long is bad for you, regardless of the chair. Get a standing desk.
I take a 5 minute break every hour to stand up, take a glass of water, etc.
A chair is just a bed for your butt.
Invest in a standing desk. Sitting all day, even in a good chair is no good for you. Mix it up.
My god how many times is this question and this response going to be posted on the Internet. This single question/response must make up at least a third of all LLM datasets.
Shoes?
Laughs in Australian while wearing $2 thongs hiking in the bush.
Parachute
parachute doesn't go between you and the ground, you go between the parachute and the ground. unless you cheaped out on the parachute
Comrade’s parachute
is reusable, because it never works
Bought some nice shoes about a week ago after wearing the same pair of Crocs every day for over a year. It's incredible
Side note, the bottoms of my Crocs where my big toe was is noticably thinner than the rest of the shoe lol
I just posted the same thing. Good on you, I'm deleting mine
Submarine construction
You're right, I'm gonna spring for the N64 controller this go around
Your kid's first musical instrument. It's counterproductive and false economy to buy them a piece of shit guitar or tuba or whatever it may be, in the belief that "if they like it and want to continue with it, I'll buy them a better one in the future". You might well turn the kid off the instrument for life if their instrument is harder to play/maintain and worse to listen to than it ought to be.
If you want your kid to be enriched by music and to be creative, buy them a decent mid-range instrument. Make it so that the kid can't wait to pick it up, don't make those crucial early days of learning the instrument feel like eating watery gruel for months with an expectation of pizza at some point down the line. A shitty instrument will be an additional barrier the kid will need to deal with every time they use it. Get out of their way, buy them something serviceable. If they lose interest regardless, well at least you know they had a fair shot at it and it wasn't the crappiness of the instrument that caused them to abandon it. And you can always sell or donate the instrument if they really don't give a shit about it.
The best instrument you can reasonably afford is significantly more likely to hook your kid than a £50 piece of junk would. It doesn't need to be fancy, it just needs to be well-made, pleasant to play, and easy to tune/maintain/clean/whatever the case may be.
I'll counter with the following: if you aren't sure whether your kid will like it, it's probably a better idea to start with renting. You'll typically get a fully-serviced instrument with coverage for accidental damage.
Yes, it's a fully sunk cost, but it's predictable and you don't have to deal with the hassle of selling off an instrument if they don't get really into it. Once you're confident that they're going to stick with it and know they can handle and maintain it carefully, then you should look into buying.
Oh man this is so true. My parents enrolled me for piano classes when I was a kid but got me a shitty mini plastic keyboard to practice and I hated it, ended up quitting not long after. Picked up piano again as an adult during covid and bought myself a full sized keyboard with weighted keys and damn the difference was night and day.
Anything involving safety.
As an example: Phone or laptop batteries.
Honestly, batteries of any kind. Only buy from the manufacturers of the product the batteries work with. If it's underpriced on Amazon, it's probably a fucked up battery that has a higher risk of starting an electrical fire. Portable tool batteries, ebike batteries, handheld system batteries.
I'm not fucking around with unsafe batteries.
Never buy branded batteries on Amazon either.
I always stick with Annsmann, they make incredible rechargeable AAs and AAAs
Ordered a set off Amashit and they were fake, and I've had the same problem with Anker
Fuck Amazon until they sort their MASSIVE counterfeiting problems out
Yourself. Time and resources you invest in yourself usually grant the highest returns in the long run.
Examples:
A good power supply. It can save your whole system.
A good mattress: you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping, it needs to be comfortable.
Footwear: the rest of the time your footwear is what separates you from the ground. Invest in practical, good quality, and repairable/hard-wearing footwear.
Damn, I wish I had that much sleep lol
Mattress, shoes, chair, tires. The things that are between you and the ground
Condoms
Bed mattress. Sleep is important.
The rule is, if it goes between you and the ground buy quality shit.
I see a lot of specific examples, but here is a good engineering guideline: do not skimp on physical interfaces. **Anywhere energy is changing form or if it touches your body, don't skimp on those. **
For example
Quality usually means more money, but sometimes one is able to find a high quality and low-cost version. In my experience though, trying to find the cheap version that works well means trying so many permutations; it would have been more economical to just get the more costly version in the first place.
More expensive doesn't always equal better, especially for things like keyboards, clothes or eyewear, where branding is huge and inflates prices more than quality.
Dental care.
Running shoes because when you wear ill-fitting shoes, you will hurt yourself eventually.
Shoes in general. Youll have so much more stamina at festivals and other places if you have sturdy shoes that fit well.
I switcthed to barefoot shoes for hiking and everyday. They are the opposite of sturdy, but well worth the investment. As a guy in his late forties, I have fewer little nagging pains.
I second this. I have huge feet (US men's 15 extra wide) and after a lifetime of cramming my feet into shoes that fit "good enough" I'm developing bunions along with other aches and issues. After a particularly painful weekend on my feet I decided to see if the Internet had any suggestions and I fell down the barefoot shoe rabbit hole. I initially balked at the price and styling of most brands I saw but the cheaper options simply didn't come in my size. I decided to go for it and got a pair of Xero shoes since they make a men's 15 that isn't too hideous and I haven't looked back. Best decision I have made in the last 2 years.
Never heard of Xero, thanks! I personally swear by my size 15 Red Wing steel toed boots. Foot pain is pretty bad, it screws up your entire posture. Having custom inserts made was really worth it for me.
Right on, my big-footed brother! Xero brand is a good option if you are ever interested in something a little more athletic or casual than your go-to boots. Barefoot shoes take getting used to in general, so keep that in mind. In particular, leading with the heel when walking quickly and especially running can be uncomfortable so you may need to adjust your stride a bit. Also you feel everything under your feet, which would be a huge contrast compared to your boots. In the end it's worth it for better foot strength and less pain.
I wanna say get good gear for your hobbies, but most of us probably don't need convincing to spend on what we love. I resisted buying a good set of gear for my main hobby for nearly two years, and I wish I'd done it sooner.
There was a post earlier asking for slurs for beginners in a hobby that buy the top of the line stuff for the hobby. Don't cheap out on starter gear, but don't go for top of the line right out of the gate either
That's a valid point too. I feel less bad now lol
Ice cream.
Toilet paper.
Get the good stuff or don’t get it at all.
Or upgrade to a bidet if you can afford one for as little as $30.
Other people have said better things, but I've found flour to be important in baking. Generic store brands can work mostly, but for more precise and nicer baking I've got to go with King Arthur flour
Hey King Arthur flour, sponsor me please, I need it to keep buying all this flour!
How does this specific thing keep popping up in every corner of the internet I ever go to?? Is it that good?
It really is better than most. This a company I actually think sort of cares. Their recipes for bread products are also spot on, at least the ones I've tried.
Their recipe for Cornish pasties has done me well, although my filling is always "things I have on hand"!
Not really exeptional except it is commercial grade. It's not the random stuff you get from the local brand. The local brand is whatever. Sometimes it's really good, other times it's pretty poor.
The most common difference is in a test called "falling number". Falling number is a fast easy way to figure out if an enzyme that degrades starch has been activated (alpha-amylase). Intact starch in flour creates a matrix in solution and thickens it. When alpha-amylase is activated it degrades the starch and makes it thinner.
For baking you want a thicker dough that holds together. It's how you get light and fluffy breads. The thicker dough traps CO2 produced by yeast or an acid/base reaction better.
For anyone else wondering
Any high quality brand will probably do you well. King Arthur is what I can get easily and have used it for decades. Also it's employee owned, last I knew, which makes me feel a smidge better.
Also their online recipes are pretty nice, and they answer questions!
Great flour, consistent every time, no filler or weird blends like others might have, great recipes, employee owned, etc.
They also have gluten-free flours (both measure for measure and straight up) and good recipes for them. I'm not gluten free but I have a friend that is and the chocolate cake I made them with their flour and recipe was one of the best gluten free cakes there ever had (it's better than some gluten cakes I've had tbh)
Their bakers hotline is extremely awesome
LASIK
Definitely bed. Not affiliated in any way but AmeriSleep makes the best bed and pillows I have ever slept on. Hands down no comparison. It's the perfect combo of firmness and conformity.
People spend far more on their cars where they spend far less time
Destigmatize the race car bedframe!
Magniflex mattresses are very good Atwell. Recently got one - my first time ever choosing a mattress for myself. Worth every penny.
Shoes. If your feet aint happy, aint nobody happy.
Well, Nike & Adidas CEOs prob are
PSU
I think I need to change mine. Using a $27 Ant esports for the last 2 years.
The classic is anything that separates you from the ground.
I'd add anything related to plumbing, electricity and roofing.
Basically any core elements of a home. Finishes can be redone, but things like a good water heater or reliable HVAC system are niceties you'll always thank yourself for
Shopping houses right now. I'm really focusing on the HVAC, roof, and plumbing. Oh and water. I saw one house where it didn't have gutters on a short eave and the door below was mostly rotted out in the bottom 2 feet from water slashing on to it. It boggles the mind that no one had thought to put a gutter there. Literally a 8 foot section of gutter would save that door and frame.
Good work. Those are the things that will cost you tens of thousands. New floors? Bah, nothing compared to having to replumb or rewire. Water damage too is terrifying, we had our water heater burst and it took weeks to clean up and repair
I good leather belt.
Ebikes: Don't cheap out and get an Engwe or Gotrax or whatever other randomly generated name they came up with.
Buy from your local bike shops, not Amazon.
This is a niche one but quality sharpening stones. A complete blindspot for sharpeners in the western hemisphere.
People assume that the edge is great if it's sharp. There are even people that will sharpen on a brick, strop on green goop, shave hair, and claim you don't need fancy sharpening stones.
Truth is, the sharpening stone dictates edge retention as much as the blade's quality can. Can you get hair shaving sharp on a brick? Yes. Will it stay sharp? No.
This is why the Japanese go crazy for special and expensive stones. The quality of stones are so important that in medieval times, the best stone quarries were classified military secrets.
I recently attended a seminar and the speaker spoke how the 30,000 grit stones DOUBLED his edge retention over his 16,000 grit stone.
What you use to sharpen MATTERS, and that's why they get so damn expensive.
I have never heard of stones this High. Japanese rates to 8000 grit at highest. Explain?
6-8k stones are the most common as they are the best value. You get a decent edge, and the stones are usually around 40$ for a decent one. Right now its unknown the highest grit possible, primarily because with higher and higher grit, manufacturing becomes exponentially more expensive.
Grit is sorted through filters, the finer the filters the faster they clog, and the finer the grit, the more likely they are to float away, or do not have the inertia required to pass it.
There are 2 ways a blade dulls.
Abrasion: abrasive particles in the material rounds the edge of the blade by scraping off microscopic bits of steel.
Microscopic chipping: In this case the steel fracture and pieces break off the edge, revealing a duller edge.
Scratches act as weak points for the latter. Scratches form a sawtooth like shape. People say these "micro-serations" aid in cutting and are even desirable, but I would disagree. The peaks of the teeth break off more easily and the deep grooves provide further weak points. They will dull rather quickly.
Very hard steels (also depends on the type, and the knife, and best treatment, and edge geometry ) will dull significantly from microchipping. If the edge is as robust as possible, it will remain much sharper. The finer the surface, the more robust the edge is.
It gets wayyy more complicated considering edge geometry (just a 1 degree difference can stabilize a chippy edge), natural stones and how they are completely different, glossy vs cloudy finishes (cloudy is better), slurry, omnidirectional scratches patterns, etc.
Ceramic glass stones are amazing. They're relatively quiet, super fast, and they don't dish easily.
condoms
Poop knife
Well, yeah, don’t get the plastic one and keep reusing it when a metal one is sturdier.
Toilet paper.
Oh god I see your name everywhere and I nearly hack up my breakfast every time I read it. Stop. Please
If you just skip breakfast it won’t be a problem anymore.
This is the first comment in the thread that I 100% agree with. (I can't believe how many of the other ones I don't.)
If you write or sign things a lot, get a couple decent pens. Not expensive ones you'd be upset if you lost them, but not sad, free office pens.
I've gotten numerous compliments on my Pilot Precise V5. It's bold, but easy to read, and if anyone borrows it, they'll notice it's smooth and feels nice to use.
The Precise is a rollerball. If you need a ballpoint, Uni Jetstream is great. Pentel Energel or Bic Inkjoys for gel. Grab a pair of each and you can write on near anything.
Zebra Sarasa Grand is a nice metal body with binder clip type clip if you want an upgrade. The above pens all use the same size refill, so if you like one body but a different ink, you can swap them.
The Grand is around $10, the rest you can find for around $5 for a pair.
If you're using a pen all day, it's an upgrade you'll notice whenever you grab a freebie pen and it's scratchy, the ink skips, and it smudges. It's a nice upgrade that will feel more luxurious than the price would imply.
I love the Parker Jotter. It's a classic and looks so sleek.
Jotter is a classic!
Check out the OHTO Rays for something similar. It's a plastic body so it cuts down on both weight and price.
Pentex EnerGels are AWESOME for inexpensive pens.
Those were my gateway
drugpen!I like the soft touch body of the Inkjoys more, and I feel Energels don't last as long, but they're still one of the top budget pens and I like they come in a number of body styles and colors.
Imma try like EVERYTHING you’ve recommended! My partner got me on the energels.
Careful, it's addictive!
oh no
My writing is TERRIBLE and I’m scared I will get pens that will make it worse
It may sound silly, but don't be afraid to practice your writing.
I tried fountain pens for a bit (too fussy for me) and to get practice at it and get my cursive skills back up, I would copy the Duolingo I was doing at the time. That way I got to practice writing and language at the same time. You can always just copy articles or books or whatever.
You could practice copying font styles too if you want something special. If your writing stinks, steal someone else's! 😁
You’re sweet! I would love to try the pens that part while you press harder, but regular pens make my shaky-ass hand look terrible. Maybe I could get better with practice!
If your issues are pressure related, I found this guide of exercises to relax your writing grip and to avoid pressing too hard.
It's written for teaching children, but that just makes it super easy to understand. It looks to have some very good ideas.
The jet streams feel smoother than any others I’ve tried.
The Jetstream is the way to go for an all purpose pen.
A lot of the others I mentioned edge it out in smoothness or line quality, but they're water based ink pens, so anything that might get wet, or anything like a label or tape that isn't absorbent like paper will need a ballpoint like the Jetstream.
Thankfully the Jetstream is as good as a ballpoint gets while still being inexpensive. Comes in a ton of styles, and refills are available if you want to toss one in your favorite pen body.
The Pilot Precice (V7 because I'm not a heathen) literally got me my first date with my current fiancée. I barely handwrite anymore since I graduated a few years ago but still make a note to grab a pack of those pens whenever I notice my home supply is getting a little thin. They're really lovely things
That's awesome! I have fancier pens, but the Precise is always the attention grabber when people write with it.
My gf is a 0.7 user and hates all my 0.5, but I write smaller than she does and the ink lasts longer as a bonus. She writes bigger to enjoy the bold lines.
Construction material when building a house. If you want to live there for many years go for overkill.
Remember code is minimum. Mold and mildew resistant drywall can go on a bathroom ceiling. It just doesn't very often because code is for the shower wall
Yes! I see owners all the time asking "what's the cheapest x" or saying "im going to source that myself" only to complain during/after installation that something doesn't look good.
The price difference between a $3,000 and a $10,000 set of cabinets is negligible when wrapped into a 30 year mortgage, but consider just how important they are visually and how often you'll be using them (every day)
Been thinking about this for a while and I gotta say food. If it looks spoiled, I just throw it out. I’m not going to risk getting sick over cheap food that’s probably gone bad anymore.
Gonna start with a few of the usual suspects:
Anything that keeps your feet off the ground (buy good shoes)
Anything that touches your privates (don't buy cheap condoms yall)
Condoms are for pussies.
Condoms are for dicks*
diaphragms are for pussies
Good quality, comfortable shoes.
Personally, I try not to cheap out on anything I want to last. You don't have to buy the most expensive, but don't buy the cheapest either. Something in the middle usually does good.
I've done well buying second hand too. I recently found a bread machine for 3$ at goodwill. Works perfectly. But I also figured if I decided not to use it anymore or it was crap, then I lost 3$
I've heard this line of thinking is how they get you. Example I heard was something like there's a $10, $20, and $40 toaster at Walmart. The $10 and $20 one are functionally the same, but you don't know that and don't want to go with the cheapest one so you pick that.
Don't know how true it is, but thought it's interesting and started thinking about it when I'm buying stuff
Yeah I've heard that too. I've seen it a few times as well.
Plumbing. People seriously underestimate the damage a bad leak can do to a structure.
Car brakes
I've never known any kind of electronic device to not follow the rule of "you get what you pay for." If you want it to work practically forever, go with the expensive one.
and for anything computer-related, buy enterprise grade, not consumer stuff.
I worked as an it business analyst for a larger multinational for a hot minute. Lenovo laptops were beastly and rarely broke. When 10 000 employees are all using t series laptops for years, with few breaking down, it made me appreciate your comment quite a bit.
I'm not trying to plug lenovo. There's very little difference between lenovo and dell at the enterprise level. Those are the ones I have experience with and so I'll comment on those. Just buy actual business laptops. Especially if you're not gaming
And if you are gaming I highly recommend avoiding anything labeled as being for gaming or gamers. A lot of that stuff is just cheap shit they want to sell for more and the fanciest thing about them is that they put RGB lights in it. Gaming chairs are a great example; you can often find the same exact chairs for hundreds of dollars cheaper by getting them as an office chair. They just might not come in super bright colors or have an e-sport team's logo on them.
One could say the overpriced gaming chair with some fancy colours contradicts the "get what you pay for rule".
A well made coat and a pair of boots.
Healthcare.
My healthcare is paid out of my taxes. It's really hard to cheap out on it.
Oooohhhhhh look at the fancy non American with their basic human right to be human right to be healthy without going into bankruptcy
It means someone else is cheaping out on you. I'm not aware of anywhere that I is your choice, in the US it is my boss
insert doug ford smiling in front of beer meme
water filters, go whole house if able but get decent filters for kitchen and bathroom faucets, including the shower. You don't want to breath city water steam, or soak in it. imo it'll help improve your quality of life and be kinder to your skin. Many last for a good while so it's not really that costly.
Penis extension surgery
Knife. You maybe don’t need the ultra deluxe Japanese kitchen knives from the future. But a set of good, sharp knives will be a godsend if you plan to cook a lot.
Hiking gear. Especially the boots have to be of good quality. But breathable clothing (including socks) will also make a big difference when you go on a long trip.
Might be a no-brainer for some, but: meat. If you plan to make some steak, choosing a properly marbled piece of meat is as important as how you cook it. Will be exorbitantly more expensive than the discount meat, tho. But trust me, it will be worth it.
As a knife guy, choose the right knife. A lot of knives now are looking to sell on glitz and glamour whilst being fairly mediocre and criminally overpriced (see Dalstrong).
A lot of knives are overbuilt too. To give the impression of sturdyness, they are made far too thick, or have excessively large bolsters that just bog it down. You don't use a machete for daily prep, you want something thin that won't get wedged in the cut. Fun fact, in Japan a light knife is a sign of quality, it means it's very thin, which is difficult to forge and requires a master.
The best knives for ordinary people I think are Victorianox fibrox and Tojiro DP series knives. The Victorianox has decent steel but is importantly very thin and sharp, with a comfortable handle. The Tojiro is more expensive but has better steel that will remain sharp much longer. Of course it is also thin and sharp.
On the topic of knives, it's more important to have a way to keep them sharp. No knife will stay sharp for long with consistent use.
Absolutely true. Keep them sharp AND clean.
Catamarans, caviar and coochie
I got two:
GPUs
Don't necessarily go for top tier but something in the top 40% of Passmark's high end GPU benchmarks will last you years
My current GPU is 7 years old and still plays Elden Ring at 60fps, I'll probably get at least 3 or 4 more years before I need to upgrade.
Personally, used/old hardware is so dirt cheap I think I'll only buy a gen behind or two. Not unless there's some breakthrough akin to X3D cache by AMD.
My phone was like 1400$ 3 years ago and now I can buy it used, in good condition, tested, for like 300$