Thriftiness

[Squire]

No one has ever accused me of being cheap but I am known for using stuff until it wears out. The other day my son handed me a picture taken of us about 20 years ago and asked if I noticed anything odd about the photo.

"You were a lot smaller and my hair was still brown"?

"No, you were wearing the same shoes you have on now".

[function]

Maybe you just had the sense to buy a good pair of shoes . . .

[Squire]

Yes, that was my late Father's dictum, always buy quality.

[Kyle76]

If you're still wearing the same suit, you're doing pretty well.

[Squire]

I'm retired, gave the suit to Goodwill.

[TheMonk]

That just means you bought a pair of really good shoes 20 years ago, and know how to maintain them. No matter how good the shoes are, if they're not properly maintained they'll never withstand 20 years of regular use.

[Kyle76]

I'm guessing Squire can put a pretty good shine on a pair of shoes.

[jww]

Repair it, make do, or do without is something I have heard many times. Why is it that we don't get this until later in life? Oh the lessons I wish I had learned in earlier days.

[Squire]

Goodwill had the audacity to ask if the suit had been cleaned. Oh the times in which we live.

[Kyle76]

Repair it, make do, or do without is something I have heard many times. Why is it that we don't get this until later in life? Oh the lessons I wish I had learned in earlier days.

Unfortunately, many of today's products are not made for repair. You can't even take them apart. I remember when the drugstore had a TV tube display. Try repairing any electronics today.

[ShadowsDad]

Squire, there's a difference between being cheap and being frugal. I'm frugal. So are you with shoes. Buy good gear, take care of it, and have it forever.

Except for modern electronic stuff. As already pointed out lots of the new stuff can't be worked on.

[brothers]

They all crash and die, it's just a matter of when. It's a good thing you already have the replacement on hand for that inevitable day.

On the subject of using stuff up, or having the sense to pass the excess on to folks who need it (especially shaving creams and soaps), the TV series called Hoarders is a graphic and blunt example of the sickness that results in obsessively getting and refusing to part company with material objects. I have great respect for those among us who are perfectly fine with using one up before getting another one to use up. That, to me, is a good example of thrifty living which I should be trying to follow.

[maskaggs]

They all crash and die, it's just a matter of when. It's a good thing you already have the replacement on hand for that inevitable day.

On the subject of using stuff up, or having the sense to pass the excess on to folks who need it (especially shaving creams and soaps), the TV series called Hoarders is a graphic and blunt example of the sickness that results in obsessively getting and refusing to part company with material objects. I have great respect for those among us who are perfectly fine with using one up before getting another one to use up. That, to me, is a good example of thrifty living which I should be trying to follow.

+1

[Mr. Pinchy]

Repair it, make do, or do without is something I have heard many times. Why is it that we don't get this until later in life? Oh the lessons I wish I had learned in earlier days.

Unfortunately, many of today's products are not made for repair. You can't even take them apart. I remember when the drugstore had a TV tube display. Try repairing any electronics today.

which electronic product would you want to repair and keep for 20 years these days?

[Kyle76]

Repair it, make do, or do without is something I have heard many times. Why is it that we don't get this until later in life? Oh the lessons I wish I had learned in earlier days.

Unfortunately, many of today's products are not made for repair. You can't even take them apart. I remember when the drugstore had a TV tube display. Try repairing any electronics today.

which electronic product would you want to repair and keep for 20 years these days?

My audio amplifiers and guitar amplifiers, for a start. They are made with circuit boards instead of point-to-point wiring, and my stereo is all solid state. Sure, you can buy a tube stereo amp, for about 10 times the cost sine they are very much a niche item these days. I've actually done some modifications on my main guitar amp, but soldering on circuit boards is delicate stuff compared with the old hand-wired amps.

[jww]

Electric vs elctronic .... unfortunately mostly everything now a days has a mini computer in it.

[slackskin]

Quality never goes out of style, and is often cheapest in the long run.

[ShadowsDad]

Quality never goes out of style, and is often cheapest in the long run.

Exactly! It reminds me of shaving with a blade in razors from yesteryear.

[SirCur]

Quality never goes out of style, and is often cheapest in the long run.

Yes, very well said. With many things, if you buy something of high quality, it will last (shoes, furniture, luggage ...) and, those high-quality items will always look and perform better during the entire time you own them. For me, it also involves the enjoyment I get from using a quality item vs something cheap and disposable.

... Steve

[jww]

I have a number of LLBean items that have aged very well. My two favourites are a millitary fatigue sweater I purchased in 1993 and a fleece jacket my wife gave me for Christmas in 1990. Both continue to give wonderful service .... although the sweater is at least one size larger than I wear now (even with taking the odd Treacle Toffee now and then ..... ).

For me it's not necessarily thriftiness, it's more like having yourself surrounded by old friends .....