Things you should never go cheap on?

storker

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Most Tech.. while you can sometimes get a bargain, in general it's better to pay that bit more for better support, warranty coverage and quality

Particularly with tech, I don't believe in buying items from outlets for whom tech isn't their "thing". I wouldn't buy a computer, laptop or TV from Tesco or Lidl for example as you're likely to be left high and dry if you have a problem with it. They're dreadfully under-spec'ed too. I wouldn't buy milk from Harvey Norman either...

Lia_lia

Bras!

storker

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Now I'm not advocating using an old crisp packet,

Hmmm...old crisp packet, eh? Do you have to wash it out first?

Parchment

For me its:
-Clothes
-Shoes
-Skincare
-Haircare
-Household appliances
-Tech

I try to buy as little as possible but when i do buy i make it count.

storker

Candie wrote: »

If a person does wear a watch, I think it's probably a more telling item than shoes are.

What does it say? Ditto for the shoes. Apart from giving a clue about the person's sense of style, not much else I suspect. I'd say that more important than the shoes themselves would be how well they're maintained and polished.

I would agree though that a decent pair of shoes is worth paying a few bob for.

Parchment

storker wrote: »

What does it say? Ditto for the shoes. Apart from giving a clue about the person's sense of style, not much else I suspect. I'd say that more important than the shoes themselves would be how well they're maintained and polished.

I would agree though that a decent pair of shoes is worth paying a few bob for.

Well im into watches so i think you can tell a lot about someone by their watch. Same for shoes. Most women are funny about mens shoes and always check them out to give a "guide" on what the guy might be like!

soups05

I gp cheap on everything, but thats cos am broke lol. What should you not go cheap on? bus drivers wages apparently

storker

Parchment wrote: »

Well im into watches so i think you can tell a lot about someone by their watch.

Yes, but what, exactly?

If you see someone with an expensive watch it might tell you that they're into watches. But they might not be. They might have received it as a present. They might not care about the watch itself but just bought it for the brand name, or to look flash.

They might be the kind of person who has high standards and demands the best. But you won't know if that means they demand the best for themselves, or if they demand the best of themselves too, so you don't know if they have genuinely high standards or are just fussy.

It might tell you that they are well off financially. But again, it might have been a present. Or they might be scrimping on other spending in order to afford it. Or it may have been bought on credit by someone who is living beyond their means. It may be stolen property.

They only thing you can tell about someone who is wearing an expensive watch is that they're wearing an expense watch.

Floppybits

Sun cream.  I bought some cheap crap because they are all the same, never again will I make that mistake.

_Kaiser_

storker wrote: »

Particularly with tech, I don't believe in buying items from outlets for whom tech isn't their "thing". I wouldn't buy a computer, laptop or TV from Tesco or Lidl for example as you're likely to be left high and dry if you have a problem with it. They're dreadfully under-spec'ed too. I wouldn't buy milk from Harvey Norman either...

Yep, for example my last several laptops have been DELL Latitudes, XPS's or Precisions. The spec is the same or better than the consumer models, the hardware quality is better and the warranty is great because they're business oriented - 3 year NBD onsite. No sending machines off for weeks or bringing them back if something goes wrong.

Usually costs a little more but far better return. I bought a second-hand Precision M3800 for a great price on eBay but had an issue with occasional display flicker and one of the USB ports. Rang them up and they were out the next day with a new motherboard and screen.. it's basically a new laptop and the warranty is good till the end of next year

Rumpy Pumpy

Haircuts.

You see lads coming out of those 8 euro barbershops looking like they've been assaulted by a drunken sheep shearer.

Winterlong

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Haircuts.

You see lads coming out of those 8 euro barbershops looking like they've been assaulted by a drunken sheep shearer.

There was a fella in my town when I was growing up. He did very cheap haircuts. 50p back in the 80s
But he only knew one style so everyone who went in got the same cut.

My dad would give me £2 to go get my haircut in our usual barber and this one time I decided to go to the cheap fella, get a cut for 50p and pocket the change.

Jesus, the rage on my parents when they saw the state of me...still sends a shiver down my spine.

storker

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Usually costs a little more but far better return. I bought a second-hand Precision M3800 for a great price on eBay but had an issue with occasional display flicker and one of the USB ports. Rang them up and they were out the next day with a new motherboard and screen.. it's basically a new laptop and the warranty is good till the end of next year

My previous PC was a Dell XPS. I semi-retired it last December after eight years. In the mean time I'd upgraded the graphics card twice, but the processor and everything else is still going strong (hope this doesn't jinx it because I don't plan to junk it just yet). The original monitor is fine too apart from the power button not working, so I just turn it on and off from the power strip.

For the replacement I decided to spec something out from scratch and ended up going with OverClockers UK. Eventually settled on something that's pretty powerful even if not 100% top of the range for €1700 (with a new monitor). And I can always upgrade the processor and video card later. I paid extra for an M.2 SSD for the operating system and the boot-up speed is phenomenal. If I turn the box on first, by the time the monitors come on I'm at the login screen already.

Worth every penny.

Heisenberg1

iPhone charging cables can never understand why people use €1 cable in a phone worth up to €1000.

jjbrien

Coke or Pepsi that value stuff is just awful
Club Orange

Neames

Skates

malinheader

Good car tyres. Some of the cheaper ones will last a lot longer because there not gripping the road

Frynge

Bacon.

That is all.

B0jangles

Kitchen paper - cheap stuff either falls apart or just spreads spills all over the shop.

Wine, especially cheap wine in Ireland.

nice_guy80

Winterlong wrote: »

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Haircuts.

You see lads coming out of those 8 euro barbershops looking like they've been assaulted by a drunken sheep shearer.

There was a fella in my town when I was growing up. He did very cheap haircuts. 50p back in the 80s
But he only knew one style so everyone who went in got the same cut.

My dad would give me £2 to go get my haircut in our usual barber and this one time I decided to go to the cheap fella, get a cut for 50p and pocket the change.

Jesus, the rage on my parents when they saw the state of me...still sends a shiver down my spine.

Why?
Did it not grow back?
Must have been one dodgy barber

nice_guy80

Sun Lotion

If you're going somewhere hot, buy the decent stuff (not Aldi, lidl or boots)
It spreads better, gives proper protection and lasts longer.
You'll end up spending more money on the anti burn stuff afterwards with cheaper products

nice_guy80

Double post

Corkgirl18

Cling film.

Nothing worse than using ****ty clingfilm that tears every time you try to use it.

Winterlong

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Why?
Did it not grow back?
Must have been one dodgy barber

He was doing haircuts for 50p. Cheap on the pocket, brutal on the eye.

Parchment

storker wrote: »

Yes, but what, exactly?

If you see someone with an expensive watch it might tell you that they're into watches. But they might not be. They might have received it as a present. They might not care about the watch itself but just bought it for the brand name, or to look flash.

They might be the kind of person who has high standards and demands the best. But you won't know if that means they demand the best for themselves, or if they demand the best of themselves too, so you don't know if they have genuinely high standards or are just fussy.

It might tell you that they are well off financially. But again, it might have been a present. Or they might be scrimping on other spending in order to afford it. Or it may have been bought on credit by someone who is living beyond their means. It may be stolen property.

They only thing you can tell about someone who is wearing an expensive watch is that they're wearing an expense watch.

I get you. Personally i think you can tell a lot by a watch, what someone might be into (sports etc) or into antiques/older things if they have a classic watch.

If they are wearing an old watch that doesnt match with the rest of their "look" maybe its a sentimental watch - i wear one given to me by my mother that was given to her by my father the day before i was born. That a nice thing to have and if someone had an eye for watches they would know it was one of the first Omega Seamaster automatic watches and would be considered a "classic".

Some people wear really flashy ones - that speaks of their personality. Also some people wear very simple classic watches - again that is indicative of their personality in my opinion. Watches are a very personal thing if you ask me.

Also i think these days it shows someone who is maybe a little different or does their own thing as less and less people wear watches now.

I guess its like if you are into bikes or cars or whatever you will know a good one when you see it or a rare one.

storker

Parchment wrote: »

I get you. Personally i think you can tell a lot by a watch, what someone might be into (sports etc) or into antiques/older things if they have a classic watch.

If they are wearing an old watch that doesnt match with the rest of their "look" maybe its a sentimental watch - i wear one given to me by my mother that was given to her by my father the day before i was born. That a nice thing to have and if someone had an eye for watches they would know it was one of the first Omega Seamaster automatic watches and would be considered a "classic".

Some people wear really flashy ones - that speaks of their personality. Also some people wear very simple classic watches - again that is indicative of their personality in my opinion. Watches are a very personal thing if you ask me.

Also i think these days it shows someone who is maybe a little different or does their own thing as less and less people wear watches now.

I guess its like if you are into bikes or cars or whatever you will know a good one when you see it or a rare one.

All good points. They're more about the type of watch than its price, though.

Parchment

storker wrote: »

All good points. They're more about the type of watch than its price, though.

Maybe it came across as that but i dont really see it that way. The watch i wear the most is a Swatch so im not a watch snob.

When i met my boyfriend he had a really techy watch on and i guessed he was into outdoors stuff....turned out he was.

Its just my take on it really. I like watches so they hold more significance to me - others probably dont give them a second thought!

ablelocks

whiskey

Heisenberg1

Heisenberg1 wrote: »

iPhone charging cables can never understand why people use €1 cable in a phone worth up to €1000.

Because the cable is simply a means of conducting electricity from a socket on the wall to the phone? I don't see why you need to spend a lot of money on the cable just because the phone was expensive?

Most of this thread is testament to what a fantastic job the modern marketing industry does. People insisting on heinz ketchup as if it is some artisan product and not slopped together by the ton in some industrial estate. They are owned by Kraft foods - they would cut any corner going in pursuit of a buck.

Things like condoms and sun lotion are regulated by the EU. You can't buy sun lotion that 'doesn't work', no matter what price it is the SPF is a rating that is regulated.

The things worth spending money on are what you put in your body and what you spend your time doing, all the rest is nonsense imho.