You Get What You Pay For

I would call myself frugal at times...a lot of times, to be honest.  There are plenty of things I don't want to spend money on that others may splurge on.  I have found things I can live without so as not to have to spend money on them, and some things that I can live with lesser quality, so as not to spend as much money on them. 

However, being frugal has also backfired on me many times.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've bought the cheapest product/service/etc. only to end up being disappointed and then going back and spending the more expensive amount I should have in the first place.  I love a good deal, but sometimes the saying "You get what you pay for" is just too true. 

Here are some things I have found definitely worth spending more money on:

Pillows. 
Do you know how many pillows I've gotten from Target and Wal-Mart??  A LOT!  But guess what....I always go back the next year to replace the pillows because they have gone flat.  When we got married 6 years ago, we got daring and registered for expensive department store pillows.  Guess what?!?!  We are still using them today!!  I will definitely be spending the extra coin on my next pillows.

Towels.
Same story. My expensive ones stay softer and fluffier so much longer!!  And who doesn't love a soft fluffy towel to dry off with?!?!

Shoes.
This one wasn't as critical for me until after my accident, that left me lopsided.  I'm slightly shorter on one side than the other from my hip to my feet, so I limp occasionally.  I have found that having comfortable shoes helps keep my hip from bothering me.  Not being a "shoe person", I don't really own that many and don't feel as guilty for spending a pretty penny on them.  Plus, I have found that better quality (thus more expensive) shoes hold up longer.

Hair.
I tried out the cheapest route possible once -- a beauty school.  I only went because a friend's sister was going there and I trusted her.  She did a great job.  However, after she graduated I went to someone else there and got the worst hair cut ever!!!  Like, I went straight to another salon (one of the most expensive ones I could find) to get it fixed.  Lesson learned.  I've heard too many other horror stories about the cheap hair places to take another chance on one.  I don't go often, so I'm all for paying more for a great stylist!

On the same topic, I have also found that more expensive hair products really do work better for my hair.  I had read once that all shampoos and conditioners have about the same ingredients.  However, I haven't found them all to work the same on my hair.  Unfortunately, the more expensive ones are pulling more weight in this category.  (If you're wondering, I am still using and loving the bar shampoo and conditioner!)

Food.
Restaurant (the sit down and be waited on kind) food is better than fast food.  Most brand name foods are better than generic...depending what it is.  And REAL food (produce, meat, etc) is so much better for us than the boxed and canned, processed, "not so real" food that costs much less.  I am by no means the worlds healthiest eater, but I do try to be conscious as much as possible about what I'm eating.  Yes, it can be a little more expensive (not always), but, to me it's definitely worth it to feel better.  Fortunately, we have about 40-60 lbs of free venison each year! 

Jewelry.
Duh.  Diamonds > plastic.  Am I right, or am I right?? ;)

Furniture and Décor.
Okay.  I have to say that I am always drawn to the cheaper furniture and décor items.  My husband though, is always coaching me to stop buying cheap stuff that will break or get scratched easily.  I will say that he is right....better quality (which always equals more expensive) does appear to be holding up better AND keeping my interest longer than cheaper things I buy and get rid of a short year later.  I AM glad though that I bought a cheap rug for our rental house....been here 2 months and kiddos already spilled grape juice on it! 

Knives.
Credit goes to my husband for this one too.  We (he) registered for a set of good knives when we got married and soon after I started using them, I had no use for the cheap set we had.  I figured a knife was a knife....wrong!

Okay, that's all I got for now.  I'm sure I will think of a million other items after I post this.  I know my husband has many things he likes in the more expensive version too.  Don't we all??

What are some things you prefer to spend more money on??