Expensive things that end up saving you money

[alex]

The Magic Bullet. Really.

[Michelle Dawn]

Originally Posted by alex

The Magic Bullet. Really.

You know, I always wondered about that thing!

[Sakura]

Originally Posted by Michelle Dawn

You know, I always wondered about that thing!

Because if you go with the non-magic bullet, you might wake up all hairy and bitey.

I will second Lucille on the kitchen appliances, especially refrigerators! A good energy-saving refrigerator can save you so much more money in the long run.

[Miss Rosie]

My sewing machine. With it, I was able to turn three flat feather pillows into two fluffy feather pillows, and that's only the beginning...

[lucille]

Originally Posted by Miss Rosie

My sewing machine. With it, I was able to turn three flat feather pillows into two fluffy feather pillows, and that's only the beginning...

Absolutely. I have made all of the drapery things in our various houses. The cost of decent finished drapes is insane. If you source good quality materials from a fabric warehouse you can save a ton of money by doing them yourselves but end up with something that looks way better than anything you would find at a big box store.

I'm working on a pair of drapes for our oversized living room windows. I got the burgundy brocade (10 yards) for free off of Freecycle. I got the upholstery quality beige faux suede for $3 a yard a couple of years ago and the black duiponi silk off of a close out table for $2 a yard. The windows are also a very non standard size so I would have had to have them custom made if I didn't do it myself.

[quitejaded]

Those weird light bulbs that are swirly! Great investment. They last for EVER and cost maybe a dollar or two more.

[Italiamama23]

I live in a very cold climate and will always pay top dollar for Columbia coats for my two toddlers. I also tend to buy very expensive shoes for their little feet.
I buy the coats so they last AT LEAST two years and the shoes at least one year.
I will buy second hand clothes for them for everything else.

[lucille]

Originally Posted by Italiamama23

I live in a very cold climate and will always pay top dollar for Columbia coats for my two toddlers. I also tend to buy very expensive shoes for their little feet.
I buy the coats so they last AT LEAST two years and the shoes at least one year.
I will buy second hand clothes for them for everything else.

Have you had better luck with zippers on Columbia coats? My kids seem to destroy zippers on everything they own. If the zippers somehow last longer a Columbia coat would be cheaper in the long run. One of our kids destroyed the zipper on his "system" coat (the ones with the multiple coats that zip together) and I can't replace it because they ran the snaps over the zipper tape.

[clairiebearie]

Don't waste money on those cheap knockoffs. They may smell the same...but they don't last long.

[yesreally]

A reverse osmosis water system = don't need to purchase water, tastes better (really), no chemicals (chlorine anyone?), no minerals, no nasties (cryptosporidium anyone?), it doesn't kill my coffee, tea or ice makers... Cost $150 to purchase, about $20/year for filters. We drink a minimum of 2 gallons of water a day, not including ice usage, and I'm an ice freak, which leads me to:

Ice Maker = I need my ice. I am an ice snob. I am an ice queen. I will go insane if I don't have ice. If you are passionate about ice, an ice maker is the total bomb. Before the ice maker (or the last time it broke), I would use a 20# bag of ice every 3 days. Yep, that makes another gallon of ice (water) that I'm using...

A college education = $31k average salary for a HS graduate, $57k average for a college BS/BA. Even an Associate degree average starting wages in my state is $31k to $36k.... Networking and contacts and all the assorted other stuff, priceless. Just don't borrow much, try to pay most of way as you're doing it...

Meat slicer = purchase bulk meats and cheese, slice and freeze at home. Cost about $65, saves about $2/# on each # of bulk meats, cheeses, etc.

Food Scale = Eye Opener alert. If you really want to control your eating and learn value for cost per use (ie serving sizes) purchase one of these. It'll scare you. A serving size of cereal=32g. Measure it out. There isn't much in that bowl. <EG> This really helped me to understand the concept of eating "the ingredients" not things that HAVE ingredients.

Electric Mattress Heater Pad = Cost $40. Benefits- can lower the thermostat significantly for whole house during night with greater comfort. Eliminates the problem of one bed partner being too warm and the other being too cold, which usually happens with heavier comforters. There is simply nothing like crawling into a warm bed in the middle of winter. Not responsible for the inability to get back out in the morning.

Lasik Eye surgery = As a former bat, this was one of the biggest splurges I've ever done for myself. It is an amazing experience to be able to SEE without the specs and the contacts, and the assorted "stuff" that goes with all of it. This is something I wish I would have done 15 years earlier.

A professionally prepared Will, power of attorney, and medical directives. = This is more of a heartache saver, but depending on your worth, it is also in your financial best interest to make sure these documents are in place. Save the drama and heartache and do this TODAY. Even if it is only to give all of your Hummels to the church, DO IT TODAY. NO EXCUSES.

Safety Deposit box = To put copies of the above three documents into, along with birth certs, diplomas, copies of tax returns, SS cards, marriage/divorce papers, prenups, contracts, CDs or negatives of pictures, basically anything that can't be replaced in case of a fire or flood or other disaster. While most will recommend a safe at home, not me. Let me tell you, just because it says it'll keep the "fire" away from the documents, they DO NOT keep the HEAT away. The heat in a house fire will often exceed 3000*. Are your documents going to survive that? Experiment: put them in the oven at 500* for even a few minutes, and then let me know how that works for ya. CD's won't survive your dashboard in summer, they will not survive the heat of a house fire.

Fire Extinguisher = Do you have one? Everyone needs at least one. It may save your life, not to mention your stuff. Go buy one today. Put it in an easily accessible place, preferably the kitchen.

Health insurance = Everyone knows why...