The problem I always have is this conflict between the struggle to NOT upgrade my lifestyle and to stick to being minimalist, which means buying much less but in higher quality.
Upgrading your lifestyle: is when you COULD live/make do with the cheaper option, but you choose the more expensive one.
Example: You decide to eat out in restaurants twice a month, rather than once a month.
Trying to buy quality items: is where you make a decision to buy less, but to spend more money so that you don’t have to keep replacing them.
Example: You decide to buy a very expensive, higher quality laptop rather than the quarter or half priced competitior.
Read: Why do we buy quality over quantity (The Everyday Minimalist)
The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
UPGRADING MY LIFESTYLE
So while I’d been quite happy staying at Motel 6, Econolodge and other similarly-priced motels, I am realizing it is not worth being cheap over something like that.
Even staying one night in those hotels yields a few observations:
- You are more likely to be in the thick of the wrong element
- You will probably hear prostitutes on occasion
- There’s a lot more noise
- They’re in bad locations (by the highway and/or train tracks)
- They’re probably VERY drafty in winter
I am now at the point where I need to start staying at the Holiday Inn or Days Inn level when I travel, just one above Motel 6 or Econolodge.
I’m not going to start staying at the Hilton or the Marriott (still don’t feel like it’s worth it), let alone the W Hotel or the Four Seasons, but I have made a conscious decision to upgrade my lifestyle when I travel.
It’s going to cost me more, but the payoff I think, is worth it.
BUYING QUALITY
I used to buy jeans in the $20 – $50 range (mostly on sale), and the only pair I found that fit my flat butt well were originally $100 but marked down to $50 on sale. I wore them to death until I realized I needed to replace them.
I went all over town, to all the stores trying on jeans like a maniac in my price range until I threw in the towel and realized they didn’t exist. At least, not in this season.
So I waited another season.
And another.
Finally, I realized I’d never find them because most people seem to try to minimize or show off their butt, but not to enhance (their lack of) it. 😛
Enter: Citizens of Humanity Amber Mid-rise Bootcut.
I went into a store on a whim, tried on a pair suggested by an associate and realized I couldn’t leave without them. They were THE jeans I’d been looking for, but the price tag was 4 times my original budget ($200, if you must know).
I reasoned a few things:
- I only own and wear one pair of jeans — I don’t need or want variety
- I am picky about my jeans — dark rinse, straight-legged or bootcut, mid-rise
- I don’t like the fit of too-cheap jeans — too stretchy, too tight, weird decorations
- I also don’t like how too-cheap jeans don’t last.. and LOOK too-cheap.
- My old pair was almost due for the rag pile
- I spent 3 seasons looking for cheaper jeans
So I bit the bullet and bought them.
$200 later, and 2 years down the road, I am still wearing them carefully, making sure not to let them drag on the ground and get that dreaded ragged hem look and I couldn’t be happier (except now I’ve lost more weight and I need to wear a belt with them).
COST PER WEAR: $200 divided by 1 year* = $0.55
*I’ve had them for 2 years but I am assuming that half the time I WASN’T in jeans
That, is an example for me, of buying higher quality items that will last. It’s just a shame I didn’t wait another 2 more seasons because H&M came out with a Premium Denim line that I really like, and their jeans are right in my price range of $50.
Alas.
SO WHAT ARE MY DECISION FACTORS?
UPGRADING MY LIFESTYLE FACTORS:
- I can’t stand the cheapest option any more
- I feel like I’m financially able to upgrade without feeling the pinch
Things I’d upgrade my lifestyle for, depending on the price difference:
- Healthcare: I own a $25 toothbrush when I get a TON of free toothbrushes all the time — worth it!
- Staying in Inns, not Motels (see example above)
- Considering an apartment with an ensuite washer/dryer and dishwasher
- Driving a slightly better car — still secondhand, but perhaps not quite as rusty
Things I would not upgrade my lifestyle for:
- Eating out in restaurants more often — as a consultant, you’re sick of it
- Taking cabs if I have an option to use public transportation — $2.50 a ticket versus $25 cab fare
- Going to spas and having facials more often — they feel great but ultimately are not my thing
- Staying in high-end hotels when mid-range ones will do just fine
BUYING QUALITY ITEM FACTORS:
- I consider how many times and how long I will use it for
- I ask myself objectively if it will be the only item I’ll use
- I consider the final price including taxes versus the cost-per-use
- I ask if it’s worth it — a $2000 swimsuit is not as compelling as a $2000 winter jacket
Things I’d buy quality items for:
- Food: I buy organic when it makes a difference (bananas & avocados = no difference)
- Electronics: Laptops, hard drives and anything with a disk in it
- Shoes: Walking in cheap shoes and getting blisters/pinched toes is not worth it
- Pens: Have you ever had a cheap pen explode all over your hands? Yeahhhhh.
- Purses: A beautiful purse can last a lifetime and you won’t hanker after buying a million substitutes
- Cookware: Cheap cookware is not worth it, it will crack and need replacing
- Tools: Have you ever had a high quality screwdriver snap on you? Me neither.
Things I would not buy high quality items for:
- Medicine that has a brand name: Frankly, cheap aspirin works the same as pricey ones, I match the ingredient labels though!
- Jewellery over $100 — Forever 21 has pretty options and my ceiling seems to be $100
- Suits — only because I don’t wear suits to work, only to interviews; if I wore suits daily, I’d spend more
- Low use/Basic use items — Dish racks for instance, do not need to be high quality 🙂
- Dishes, Cups, Plates — $1 ones work just fine for me
So what would you upgrade your lifestyle for?
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
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I think it’s totally OK to upgrade your lifestyle as your income rises, but the key is to also upgrade your savings (and giving) levels along with it. As long as you’re doing that, then it is fine to decide to stay in nicer hotels or wear nicer clothes even if you CAN’T rationalize it from a financial perspective.
But realize that everything is a tradeoff. Most of us can’t afford to upgrade everything, so you have to make choices. I have been in my small condo for 6 years since I graduated from college on an entry level salary. I’ve considered moving to a bigger/nicer place recently, as I can certainly afford it, but I decided it’s not worth it. I’d have to cut savings or spending in other areas, and I don’t want it that badly. I’d rather spend an exorbitant amount on food, clothing and travel.
@8cb332721a89a7a3c508ad90d9eeca13:disqus – I also used to love the Long and Lean jeans from Gap, but they started making them with thinner denim so I gave up on them. I studied chemistry for a while at Uni and would never wear expensive clothes to the lab, but it is nice to have decent jeans to change into for other situations.
I think it is worth buying quality for beds and shoes. You spend about a third of your life in bed, and I get grumpy if sleep deprived. I buy decent shoes but not high end. Comfort is important. I spend a lot of time on my feet and don’t want to damage my feet or spine wearing poorly made shoes
I’ve been wrestling with where that line is drawn in my own life recently, not with clothes, but with other items for the home. A piece of wood with some brackets would do the job to add another shelf in my closet, but I am leaning towards one of those systems that can be customized again and again. I am going to have to look at it, and live with it for the next 20 years or so as well.
I don’t know if I am upgrading my life style or downgrading but I want to de-clutter it, get rid of cheap and useless and meaningless things that I acquired over the years. I want to keep only what makes me feel (and look) the best. If it is something more expensive, so be it! Great post!
I’m definitely willing to pay a bit more to stay at a Holiday Inn or Hilton property than a sketchy motel.
Lately I’ve been spending more on my clothing, as I update my wardrobe from high school/college stuff to “adult” clothes. I have a hard time with jeans, though. I love Gap’s Long and Lean cut, they fit me better than any other jeans I’ve ever tried on. I’d like to find something with less flare, but so far, nothing in the $50-75 range has fit as well. I’m afraid to try on the more expensive brands, though, because I wear jeans most days in lab, where I do come in contact with chemicals and biological samples…and accidents happen. I feel like it’s one thing to get a spot on $60 jeans (plus I got my last two Gap pairs at 40% off), and entirely another thing to damage $200 jeans. And do I really want to have a pair of jeans that I never wear to lab? It hasn’t been worth it, yet.
Everything else I tend to spend as little as possible on, within reason. I’m picky about my peanut butter and yogurt, and I do try to buy organic/local veggies and meat, but some stuff doesn’t seem to make a difference, and many generics are just as good as name brand.
Jeans, bras, shoes, food and skin care. I can skimp on pretty much everything else. Jeans for the reasons you listed, bras because I’m an unusual size (fit matters!), shoes because I’m prone to skin damage (I don’t blister so much as the skin just rubs off – ouch), food for the reasons you mentioned, and skin care because I never want to go back to having painful acne like that again!
I use to buy for quantity, but now, I buy for quality. I upgrade my shoes for more comfortable shoes for sure! As for purses, I’d only buy designer purses if I can re-sell it later for a similar value. 🙂 For example, I will buy a coach purse at 50% off at the store (the Bay) and I can sell it for maybe $25 – $50 less than I what I paid for so I really spent only $25 – $50 using a nice bag for 1- 2 years! Or I recently sold my lululemon gym bag for $50 but I originally bought it for $39 two years ago!
I also buy higher quality jeans because I notice a huge difference in the fit though I’ve been able to find my last pair thrift for $4!!! (recently). I also have well-made designer purses that will last me for years. I eat more expensive quality food and spend more on that for my health (eat local, seasonal, organic when worth it…). Since I’ve upgraded my food quality, I feel 100% better. I prefer being a minimalist and buy good things I will keep for a long time rather than a bunch of junk I will toss quickly. Most of my make up is inexpensive but I wanted the best foundation for my skin, so I spend on that item but save more on other make up items. It’s all about priorities. 🙂
ahh- but organic always makes a difference to the planet. Conventional produce poisons waterways and hurts wildlife- Organic bananas are good for the birds, my friend, and the world around you. Hence = worth it!
Great post! I also stay in the little better hotels mostly for safety reasons.
I have invested in good quality kitchen knives, cookware, appliances as they last forever, and we never eat out. I use these items everyday.
I am able to wear the 50 dollar jeans (they look and fit great/lots of compliments), so I would never be willing to spend more. I do spend more on shoes and I have one quality handbag, one evening clutch, and one nice camera bag. I found I don’t need more.
I will never compromise on a car. I do spend more for a nice luxury model after careful shopping/research. I keep my cars for 10+ years and take very good care of them. They always look new.
Another great post! I think it depends a lot on your lifestyle. I don’t drive much at all and if my car broke down I could do without it, so I don’t feel that I need to buy a nicer car. I mean, I have one that is fairly reliable, but it’s 10+ years old and I’m okay with that because it was taken care of very well by its former owner and I won’t put very many miles on it anyway. It’ll probably still last me another 5 years at least.
But I’m totally with you on the jeans. My denim-love is the JBrand skinnies in Ink. I wore holes in my last pair and bought Levi’s to replace them because I can’t afford a new pair of JBrands right now. The Levi’s are nice, but they aren’t love.
I also feel like there’s an in-between area where you find high-quality stuff for a great price. I don’t mind shelling out for high quality, but I’ll still look for sales and deals first. Like I finally bought a pair of L.L. Bean boots because they were exactly what I wanted, but I waited until they had a 15% off + free shipping + $10 cash back offer so it was a little less painful 😉 Similarly, in the past I’ve managed to snag great rates at the Hilton and other really nice hotels, so that they were cheaper than the Holiday Inns in the same area.
So I guess my policy is 1) Decide if I *need* to spend more to get quality or if something cheaper will do just fine, 2) Decide what I can reasonably afford, 3) Look for the best value even if I’m going for a higher-priced item.
Great post! I feel the same about many of the things you listed — especially jeans, shoes and electronics.
As a slightly older reader (mid40s) who had family young and had to live with the cheaper stuff, our standard of living improved somewhat in the last few years.
After over 20 years with Ikea and similar mattresses (2 in that time), we decided to upgrade to a “proper” mattress, since we are older and heavier than we were… what a waste of money that was. Since we got this top-of-the-range super pocket-spring mattress we have never slept properly and I keep falling into the middle because it’s just not hard enough. Ironically, our holiday home mattress is a cheap foam Ikea job and we sleep great on the simple hard slats, too… lesson learned. Some things are not worth upgrading!
(Also the bedframe we were sold is too low… sigh. Back to Ikea in the near future…)
For what it’s worth, when I was shopping for mattresses I asked around for where I could find fabulous mattresses and everyone said Ikea. Even the people who could afford more said to go to Ikea. Apparently Ikea mattresses are the shiz.
It is amazing how similar (identical) the ingredients lists are for generic and brand-name drugs.
Yes but they aren’t always combined the same way or used in the same amounts. Studies have shown differences in the effectiveness of generic drugs versus the “identical” brand name. For aspirin or whatever I don’t care, but when it comes to birth control or for drugs to treat serious diseases, look into it before you opt for generic.
For myself it has to be shoes. I walk at least 1 hour every day and I feel it makes a difference if my feet are comfortable.
I would upgrade my lifestyle for a car, like you. It would be secondhand, but it would be pretty new – 2007 and newer (when my poor car finally dies). Also, I would spend a little more on housing and we’ve recently upgraded our mattress – we went for a high end, good mattress when there were mid range mattresses available to us, because that, to me, is a health thing. My back is important to me and keeping my spine aligned when I sleep is worth that $1000+ more that the high end ones are from the mid range.
I was just thinking about something along similar lines. I currently have $1 dishes at home (blue floral print) that I have had for ten years. I happened to be at The Bay today and came across Maxwell and Williams line and they are real nice. Right now I don’t need them so plan to buy them right away but I think I eventually will. I only plan to buy dinner plates only thought as they are the only thing I need to upgrade. I have a mix and match of mugs, side plates, etc but I actually like them that way.
Great post! This is something I’ve been thinking about as I leave graduate school, transitioning to my first real job, and paying my student loans in 3 years. I buy my produce frozen to get some variety and reduce spoilage. I’m declining more eating out invitations. When I start my job, I’ve decided to upgrade slightly rent-wise ($600 to $800). Not the cheapest in the area but I definitely won’t be stretching the budget. I’m trying to find a place close to work where I can take the Metro or walk (I love public transportation too!). My latest struggle is trying to convince myself that I still don’t need great looking countertops, appliances, and lots of space. We’ll see!
Professional clothes is a totally different situation. I am known to buy suits even though I’m not wearing them on a regular basis right now but will be in the future. I keep telling myself they’re an investment 8) On the other hand, I don’t think I’ve bought any casual wear or going out clothes while I’ve been in graduate school.
Whenever I’m about to buy anything…whether it be a car or a cup of coffee, I am always thinking of how many hours it took me to earn that money or how many shoots I needed to book, etc. I try to buy on sale as much as possible..but am willing to spend money on healthcare & cosmetic items that I like and work for me. I am also fairly brand loyal in that dept, but sign up for coupons, etc.