Quality vs Cost: What Items Are Worth the Splurge

Quality vs Cost: What Items Are Worth the Splurge

Author: ListenMoneyMatters.com | Andrew Fiebert and Matt Giovanisci July 18, 2014 Duration: 34:30
As demonstrated in Vimes’ theory of boots, sometimes it saves money long term to spend more up front.  What items are worth the splurge and which are not? Quality versus cost is not about being fancy and always buying the most expensive version of everything or being cheap and always buying the least expensive version of things.  It’s about making sure what you buy lasts as long as possible so you don’t have to spend more money constantly replacing the same item. Technology is a great example.  Apple products are less vulnerable to viruses than pcs.  A virus will cost you money either having to pay for repairs or replace the computer entirely. A good rule of thumb on where to spend the extra money is “anything that comes between you and the ground.”  So shoes, mattresses, and tires.  You spend a third of your life in bed so mattresses are not the place to save some money. Anything that needs to last a long time is worth the extra money.  Things like cushioned furniture and appliances.  What you put into your body.  You don’t have to buy only the most pure, organic vegetables harvested at the light of the full moon by Buddhist monks, but thinking you’re getting a deal by eating from the dollar menu everyday is a costly mistake in the future. Where can you choose the less expensive option?  Matt says clothes.  I would say you can spend less on casual, around the house clothes but a little more in dress and office clothes.  Wood furniture will last a long time without spending a fortune.  The only caveat would be weight bearing furniture like book cases which can bow if they’re the ultra cheap press board ones. Let’s hear from you in the comments.  What do you spend more on and where do you save? Show Notes Terrapin Mosaic Red Rye India Pale Ale: “A liquid art form.” Sierra Nevada Blindfold Black IPA:  Bright hops and roasty darkness. Betterment:  Our favorite investing tool.  Use this link and get six months free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever feel like personal finance advice comes from another planet, spoken in a language you don't understand? Listen Money Matters is the antidote. Hosts Andrew Fiebert and Matt Giovanisci ditch the jargon and the judgment, offering real talk about money that's actually useful. Their conversations are grounded, often funny, and built on the idea that managing your finances shouldn't feel like a lecture from the wealthy elite. You'll hear practical strategies for budgeting, investing, getting out of debt, and building a life where money works for you, not the other way around. This podcast cuts through the noise with actionable steps, whether you're looking to optimize an already solid portfolio or are just figuring out where your paycheck goes each month. The tone is refreshingly direct and relatable, making even complex topics feel approachable. It's the kind of discussion you'd have with a savvy friend who's done the research and isn't afraid to be blunt about what works. Tune in for a no-BS take on financial freedom that empowers you to make smarter decisions with confidence.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Listen Money Matters - Free your inner financial badass. All the stuff you should know about personal finance.
Podcast Episodes
Increasing A Property's Value  With Home Improvements [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:35
For most people, their home is their most significant investment. As such, you not only want to protect your investment but increasing a property's value is important too. The right home improvements can do it. Doubling…
You Can Get Free Financial Help [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:09
The whole reason LMM started was to give as many people as we could reach free financial help. And in the past seven years, we’ve done that. We know because we get emails daily from people telling us that the show has he…
You Can't Time The Market - But Can You? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:54
If you are interested in personal finance, you’ve probably heard the term timing the market. There is some debate about whether market timing is a good investment strategy or something impossible, or nearly impossible to…
How to Become A Profitable Person [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:25
If you run your own business, you go to great lengths to make sure that your business is a profitable one. Both Andrew and Matt run their own businesses. They regularly go over their accounting to see if the businesses a…
All Things Gold [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:37
Some people who are hesitant to invest in the stock market are willing to invest in gold. Why? Gold is tangible, you can see it, hold it, and keep it right in your own house (or bunker). You can buy it from some guy in a…
How Wills and Trusts Work, and Where to Start [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:18
We know that none of you likes to think about death, but it’s inevitable, and you have no idea when. For the majority of us, the most important thing in our life is the well being of our family. We work hard for them; we…
5 Questions: Bond ETF’s, Books and Liquidating Stocks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:11
We love getting listener questions and we’ve had a lot recently so it’s time for 5 awesome questions from you. We’ll cover bond ETFs, the books we love, transitioning investments, long term investing, and retirement plan…
Investing In The Age Of Anxiety With The Broke Millennial [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:29
Fear and anxiety are two different things. Some of us fear investing because we don’t know how to invest and that’s understandable. Investing can be intimidating. It has a language all its own which seems foreign to begi…
Marie Kondo Your Finances So They Spark Joy Too [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:27
Marie Kondo and her brand of decluttering and organizing are everywhere right now so we thought we’d hop on the bandwagon. And it’s not really much of a stretch. Our finances can become as cluttered and chaotic as our ho…
The Infinite Banking Concept [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:49
If you’ve ever heard of using your whole life insurance policy (whole life as opposed to term life insurance) like a savings account to borrow against for personal use, then you’ve heard of the Infinite Banking Concept (…