I splurge for Ketchup. Heinz is the only that exists. Period. Any of that other dime-store no name variety grocery store ketchup is about as palatable as the asshole of an old, sick cat.
on a more serious note: I buy decently priced jeans. In all honesty i'm a fan of american eagle jeans. Not the AE jeans that are all scratched up or painted on, rather I prefer the jeans that are either on the sales rack or tucked into the back of the store. I prefer the AE jeans because they seem durable enough and seem to fit my body type pretty well. Most of my shoes are within the $40 dollar range. I'm coming to the time of my life where I realize that most of the shit that I spend my money on I don't really need. Rather, I enjoy spending money on the things that I REALLY need and enjoy such as good cuts of quality meat rather than 8 lbs of hamburger. I've also found that I can take a little bit of time and save a lot of money by doing things like reloading my own shotgun shells rather than just buying new at the range. So yeah I splurge, but on less shit than other guys I know.
and of course your Affliction tshirt. don't forget to address me by saying, "what up boss". then i will be your dawg.
The only thing that you absolutely, without fail, cannot buy off brand is Toilet Paper. I accidentally bought a 30 pack of prison quality ass wipe a month or so ago, and its been hell around here. Even the kid is pissed at me. Ever the fucking prick, I refuse to go get a different brand until all thirty rolls are used up. Fuck em. It'll make the new rolls seem even better when we get them. Like wiping with satin.
For pretty much everything that can be purchased, I will always buy either used or the cheapest new unless: 1. the quality is that much different. 2. the difference actually matters to me. 3. the difference in quality will save me money in the long run. I can only wear my sunglasses when I have my contacts in, and I rarely wear my contacts. Partly because I'm always in a hurry in the morning and that would be an extra step. Partly because I have disposables, so every time I use them is one pair closer to having to order another batch. I'm usually guaranteed to wear my contacts on special occasions and when I'm going to the pool/beach. Since the only time I have the urge to wear sunglasses is in the summer, it works out well.
I tend to buy brand names for food, because it does matter from a quality standpoint. My wife didn't think so, until I bought her Mac and Cheese (the Kraft stuff) and made it at the same time as the generic brand. She got the point. I'm sure some foods you can get away with the generic, but I haven't come across any that I know of off the top of my head. The other thing I am picky about are my guitars. Any guitar I buy will either be American or Japanese made instruments. I've had great experiences with both. I had a Mexican strat for a while, it was ok, but didn't nearly play as well as my American strat or my Japanese Tele.
You're wasting your money, pal (I'm a farmer). I'm kind of in the same boat as everyone else here when it comes to jeans. I usually don't spend more than $40, but has anyone noticed how hard it is to find a pair of jeans that aren't ripped to shit? I don't care if they're faded or whatever, as long as they look decent, but there's no way I'm gonna spend $40+ on jeans that are full of holes. My girlfriend bought me a pair of those a few weeks ago, and after kicking her down the stairs, I took them back claiming they were damaged. The things I like to splurge on include guns, ammo, work boots, vehicle parts/accessories, tools and guitars. I also splurged on your mother's face last night. AYOOOO!!!
Probably the only three things I really splurge on: 1) Coast Del Mars I had always been on the side of the argument with those who say that sunglasses are stupid and there is no reason to buy anything other than a $10 pair of Panama Jack's. That was until I owned my first pair of Costas. I'll never not own a pair again. 2) Patagonia In the winter, I probably wear my Patagonia fleece 90% of the time that I'm not at work. This is the most comfortable pullover I have ever owned. I'm buying a new one this week with my fantasy football winning just so I can have two to choose from. 3) Tervis Tumblers I think I've brought these up here before, but they are worth the mention again. I don't care if I'm spending $80 for a pack a four plastic cups, these things are well worth every penny.
You can cheap out on many things, but I've learned that the following two items are places where you buy the absolute best that you can afford (even if it means overextending yourself): - A bra. Perhaps this doesn't matter if you're an A-cup, but if you're not then you really need something that's well constructed. And if, like me, you're an odd size you almost always have to go to specialty stores. For some reason retailers thing all women with large cup sizes must also have ginormous body-circumferences (sure, sure...sometimes they do), so it's difficult to find a large cup/small torso size. - High heel shoes. Actually, shoes in general. It's particularly pronounced in high heels, though. If you're going to be walking in them for 8-10 hours per day, the had better be the most well constructed things on the planet. All other clothes are a matter of taste and bargains. A really cool shirt can be found cheap; it can also be found expensive. Save your money and spend it on the above mentioned items.
I agree with Luke, name brand, silky soft TP is a must. I generally splurge on tattoos, as well. Sometimes studios/parlors are expensive due more to their long standing reputation than the actual quality of their work. However, you're more likely to have a better looking, longer lasting tattoo if you pay a bit more and go to a reputable artist than if you get your drinking buddy's cousin to do it in his kitchen. The last splurge is beer. No, Sir Frat Boy, I will not drink your Natty Light. Give me a Guinness or something better, or leave me alone. I go cheap on everything else: groceries, clothes, makeup, even my cars. Which probably explains why my cars like to die on me in the most spectacular ways. [To clarify: my first car's brakes failed and I flew into the second story wall of a house by way of a decorative boulder in the front lawn, second car blew a tire while I was going down the interstate, then had a complete electrical failure and started a[n albeit small] fire on the on ramp to the interstate on a separate occasion, and the third car blew out nearly every radiator hose at once and blinded me in the middle of holiday traffic. No actual explosions. Yet.]
Cheap: clothes. The topic has been beat to death, so I'm not going to repeat it. Expensive/get-what-you-pay-for: Some food it is ok to go generic, but when it comes to dairy, or more specifically, meat, I'm going to pay for something good and it is going to be worth it. Quality booze is something I'm not going to skimp on. I like the taste of it (not just the feeling of it), so I am happy to pay for that taste. Bombay, Stoli, Glenlivet, Crown (does NOT go in coke). It's not the most expensive, but tastes great to me; once you get to a certain point the price increases are just too much to justify the ever-slight increase in flavor. Tires for your car seems obvious, but damn if I haven't known (and lectured) a few people that don't buy good ones, get them rotated, check the tread etc. because they are either too lazy or it costs money they think they don't have. Driving is dangerous enough, don't torpedo your chances. Shoes can probably go in both categories. If I'm getting a new pair of running shoes, or often more importantly, a solid pair of insoles, I'm checking the feel and fit before I check the cost. But some of the most comfortable casual/house shoes I own are embarrassingly cheap. **edit** Holy shit, TOILET PAPER! I'm wiping my ass with Charmin Ultra-Soft, only, but I'd buy baby wipes if my fiance wouldn't ride me so much about it. There is no argument to be made against this.
As much as i don't want to reply, I have bought too many Oakley's in the past couple years and i'm hoping this year's juliet's will end the cycle. We'll see...
I had the same fucking thing happen when I was going into my teen years. I thought Oakley sunglasses were the epitome of cool. I ended up buying a pair of the bug eye looking ones that where cobalt blue with bright red/orange lenses. My dog, who hadn't chewed a god damn thing for years, went to town on them a month or so later. I got them replaced and then promptly lost them. I then went through a phase of trying to score fake ones but the cool factor wore off when every flea market and hillbilly had 18 boxes of really shitty ones for sale. Since I don't wear sunglasses regularly (same with hats), I'll pick up the 5 dollar ones they sell at mall kiosk every now and then, and just wear them until I lose them. I used to splurge on clothes. I worked at a clearance center for a while that had Banana Republic stuff and I have a whole closet filled with striped buttoned up shirts I never wear. I did manage to score three nice full suits and some nice winter jackets.
Splurge: Booze at home. Just seems pointless to keep the cheap stuff around the house when they're usually nursed on the couch and I want to enjoy the taste of the stuff. Crown and Stoli is the lowest grade liquor that I keep in my house and only microbrew beers. Skimp: Booze at the bars. A drink at a bar is something to get me buzzed and fill in gaps in conversation. Top shelf booze is hard to appreciate in that situation. I'll make exceptions for shots but Bud, Coors and the well stuff is fine for anything that sits in my hand.
The wife is only happy with good bras. Mostly Victoria Secret, which is fine since the send great literature every so often. I have vision just above Hellen Keller, so I have glasses on all the time. But on the boat in the summer, the sun is a blinding, tear making whore. So my Mom gets me the greatest gift of all. HD Vision Glasses I win?
My car magically produces sunglasses when I need them the most. The first was a super cute pair that was this color. They turned up in the glove compartment of my car one sunny snowy day that was so bright it made your face hurt, but met their demise in the battle of shades v. passenger ass. The second pair was black and had little red dots all down the side. They didn't fit terribly well, but were functional and appeared under the passenger seat of my car when I had a particularly heinous hangover. Presumably, they are now at the bottom of a river in Turkey. The current pair showed up in my trunk before a trip to the beach. They are Dolce & Gabbana but are this color, and I look like a fool in them. I almost want to ditch them somewhere to see what the car comes up with next, but there has be a decidedly downhill trend, and I shudder to think how ugly the next pair might be.
Mike Leech saw the title of this thread and thought something else apparently. Tequila. Many hate it because they've never had the decent quality shit before. They think Patron is the best and go to town. It is not. Tequila is one of those things where you truly get what you pay for. Golf clubs. Same thing. Unless you're buying used, be prepared to spend some coin and always get custom fit. It isn't totally necessary, but if you're going to play competitively at all, keep in mind that everyone else will be a step ahead of you if you don't.