If I’ve learned one thing about frugality, I’d rather have the good stuff than the cheap stuff.  Sure, I may spend more in the beginning, but it pays off when I don’t end up replacing it a few months later. There’s nothing worse than buying new cordless phones every six months because you always buy the ones on sale.

That’s a great example.  I bought my Panasonic KX-TG5428 cordless phone 5 years ago at the local salvage store Mardens for $25 (this is a $90 phone mind you).  In the first two months, my wife left it outside in the rain for a week once, and AGAIN for three days. (I know, Right?)  The thing still runs like a top, holds a charge just fine and everything. In that time frame, I’ve seen some relatives go through probably 5 sets of Uniden phones.  I know this because most of the broken ones are in my kids toy box.  The point here, lets say I bought my phone at full price ($90) and they spend $60 on each pair of phones.  You got it!  My $90 phone trumps those Unidens to the tune of $210 less dollars!

Now I know what your saying, not everything at Wal*Mart is junk, and your right.  Wal*Mart does sell some decent stuff, but you can ALWAYS find it cheaper if you shop around.  I love going to stores like Mardens and Marshall’s (past season goods) often because while I may not always find that great deal, I do eventually, and I save BIG.

Did I mention that I am a yard sale addict?  I look forward to that Memorial Day weekend blitz every year.(I just wish I could say the same for the wife and kids!)  I find the best deals are always at church sales, which is nice because I know my moneys not going to buy Jimmy a bottle of Allen’s Coffee Brandy.  When you go to a church sale, there are usually no prices marked.  You usually end up making an offer, and they usually end up taking it.  So think about it, you find yourself a church sale in a well off community, your probably going to find some well off stuff.  That’s exactly where I got my unopened Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 for $3.

Finally, my best trick comes from being a DIYer (that’s do it yourself er for the uninitiated.)  I keep a watchful eye out for broken stuff that’s being discarded (like my 42″ Panasonic lcd) and scoop it up for some internet taught repair.  You’d be amazed how often you can fix something like that for free, or at least relatively cheap.

So there it is, my way of having nice stuff, without breaking the bank!  Hope you can find some of these idea’s useful, and please tell your friends! Don’t forget to sign up for the RSS feed and go ahead and Stumble my blog if you’d be so kind!

Hope This Finds You Well!

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