What I Spend Money On

Via Step Into My Thimble's Post. Things that I think are worth it to spend money on and things I don't. I should point out that I don't necessarily mean really expensive things are worth it to spend money on, but that the quality is worth it.

Worth It:
-A good vacuum. After killing several cheaper ones, I finally bought a more expensive vacuum. It rolls on the floor behind me instead of me needing to push it, and it can handle the massive quantity of cat fur and spinning fiber that ends up on my floor.

-Clothes- The day I can find pants that are long enough at a thrift store I will be happy. In the meantime, I think I have yet to ever find a pair of pants for under 50. Maybe under 70 if we are not counting the jeans that then shrink too short. It is not so much about cost as quality as well- I would rather spend more on clothes that will last longer. This goes doubly for lingerie.

-Food- I refuse to apologize for the fact that most of my food not from a farmer's market comes from PCC or Whole Foods. Fresh herbs, fresh foods, good breads, and food I am excited to eat.

-Good tools for whatever you are working on or for your hobbies. Having decent knitting needles that are pointy enough, not going to break, and that have nice flexible cables makes it much more enjoyable. Good yarn that will last and look good. I can't stand most cheap yarn. If you can't afford the more expensive yarns, recycle a sweater from a thrift store that is made from good yarn.

-Good soaps and cosmetics. Most of them last a long time anyways.

-Classes and experiences. I have no problem spending money on things that make me learn or that really interest me.

-Work environment. I work from home, so things that make my life easier or more interesting are necessary. Going and working in a coffee shop might be the only interaction I have with people in a day!

-Sunscreen. I wear it every day. It needs to be something that works, doesn't make me break out, and doesn't feel too oily or slimy.

Not Worth It:
-Brand name mediation if the generic is just as good.

-Expensive pens- people always take mine.

-Really expensive haircuts. Ok, the really cheap ones don't turn out well for me either, but I find barber shops do the best job for me. The really expensive places never want to cut my hair short enough.

-Air Conditioning- It is not hot enough in Seattle to bother needing it most of the time.

-Landline- I have none. I would if I got more phone calls for my business, but I hate talking on the phone anyways!

-Plants. I kill mine. Every time.

-Cleaning products. I use the earth friendly ones, but not necessarily the most expensive earth friendly ones, and only for stuff I don't make. Unscented powdered laundry detergent (it might even be from a local company), for example.

-New Cars. Fickle though- it is worth it to drive a car that works for you. I love my Mercedes...but it is 20 years old. I also want to live in a one car household. I use my car MAYBE once a week, and even then it is mostly to keep the battery charged.

-Really expensive bikes. Ok, this is not true for everyone, but it is for me. Finding a bike that fit me and was not over 1.5k was tough- I don't need an ulta lightweight commuter, but I did need a bike with a bigger (taller) frame that was shorter than most tall guy's frames. And it needed to be a hybrid or something similar, not a road bike or mountain bike. I ended up having one custom built at a used bike shop from an old Novara. It took them forever, but cost less than $400- great for a bike that I am riding several miles at a time in but not commuting or riding long distances, and I am not as worried about it getting stolen.

-Paper towels. Ok, I do stock them in my house- there are some disasters like the cat throwing up that require a paper towel- but for most things a kitchen towel works fine.

-New sewing machines. There are so many used ones available that people have only used once or twice! I like the old sewing machines that seem much more sturdy than many newer ones. I only need a machine that does straight, zigzag, and can go in reverse.

-Books and magazines. I do have a kindle and I do buy some books and magazines, but most I get from the library. I tend to read things once then never look at them again- and books are heavy and require more space to store!