Thrifty Thursday: Buying Quality and not Quantity

I spent a lot of time thinking about what saves me money and what other people can do to save money and be more thrifty.  For some reason I was out of ideas this week.  I know that isn't what you want to hear but I have been doing this for so long now that it is almost second nature.  I am not sure if I am actually doing something that is saving money because it is somehing that I have been doing for so long.

I decided to look back and see what topics I covered previously and what was most popular.  The two posts that got the most reads were ways to reuse plastic bags and how to make homemade baby wipes.  I can't really figure why those are the most popular and what they have in common but if you want to check them out, please click on the above links.  Most of the topics are about cooking and crafts.

I came up with about three or four ideas, one which I promptly forgot before writting it down.  Since I was just days before I needed to post this, I went with the idea that first entered my mind.  I am hoping to remember the other one soon to post for a coming week.  That being said, back to the topic at hand.

My husband and I were having a discussion yesterday which was still fresh in my mind.  Make sure you buy quality items so that they last a long time.  The better quality item ends up costing less money in the long run.

We are trying to decide on a quality microwave so that the money spent over the years that it lasts is less.  It might cost $450 upfront but if it last 10 years then we would have only spent $45 per year.  Our current microwave was about $300 and it lasted 6 years which works out to the same $50 per year (we actually got a rebate on our microwave when we bought it that sent us back $100-$150 so it was even a better deal).  I know it seems like more money to pay for the high priced item upfront but it saves money in the long run.

It is sometimes hard to figure out what the quality choice is which is what usually takes me so long to decide but there are many things that can help.  On big items like electronics, we like to use Consumer Reports.  We have a subscription to the magazine but you can always check them out in the library too.  We also use the online report because it gives the most recent report.  We used it to pick out all of our baby gear, cars, cameras, appliances and much more.  We also like to ask friends what they have and like (or don't like) because it is always good to make the choice based on both sides- good and bad.  Always ask people that you know for their advice when you are trying to make a decision.  You don't have to listen to what everyone says but advice adds pieces to the big picture.  Check reviews online on the item you are looking for like Amazon and others.  There are people all over the country that talk about

Finally, go with your gut instict!!  Use your research, your reviews, and opinions to make the best decision but eventually it goes on your gut.  Make the decision that you think is best for you.  Just don't always think that the cheapest opinion is the cheapest over the long haul.