For me it's working footwear and the mattress. Especially the mattress, since the cheap stuff never lasts and you spend at least 8 hours a day sleeping anyway.
What's yours?
AskOzb: What's something that you used to be a cheaparse on, until you tried high quality and now you can't go back?
scrimshaw on 11/03/2016 - 03:16
Last edited 11/03/2016 - 03:17
Last edited 11/03/2016 - 03:17
Comments
Why would you risk dodgy medicine?
Drunk and desperate in Bangkok sounds about right.
its name is Karmagra.
What happened when you took the dodgy viagra?
Spirits. As I age, I fear I'm getting closer to that top shelf.
When i was younger I tried cheap blended scotch and hated it, so didnt drink any for 20 years. Had a word with a friend that likes Scotch and he told me that people who drink Scotch dont drink that cr"p either. Since then I have discovered the world of Single Malts and havent looked back! Expensive but one of life's guilty pleasures.
The crazy thing is that I don't understand why people pay $200 for a bottle of Blue Label while they can get $100 single malt bottle which is far superior
This blows my mind too. JW does some sick marketing…
Women
Same with me but men. Especially one who knows what he's doing….you cling on for dear life and never let them go.
Batteries and Flashlights
Eneloops, if you havent been down that track well i dont know whats qrong with you.
Refrigerated cookie dough and whipped cream
straight from the can into my mouth/tear off a bit of dough to snack on. Chocolate now seems unfufilling.You're Gonna Die!
www.google.com.au/search?q=cookie+dough+salmonella+e.coliWhatever you do, don't eat any pre-packaged salad greens with that cookie dough & cream.
Ok. What? Not much like likelihood of that?
Consider me relieved…:)
We're all going to die.
What's important is how much cookie dough we've conquered.I have never known a more reckless muncan.
Seriously? Whos your idol, homer simpson?
Eggs, use to buy the caged now get it fresh from a local farm. Wowsers.
Is it significantly better taste/texture?
Significantly better flavour. Granted I don't go out of my way to buy eggs but I appreciate it when others do.
Bonds cotton socks
Underwear
Work shoes
Matress
Hotels
And good quality headphones….
Beer. Used to drink TEDs a looong time ago. Nothing beats a wet hopped IPA or a sour aged Flanders red
I guess ozbargain has changed the way you define "cheap arse". We now have the tools and resources available for us to find high quality products at "cheap arse" prices.
Guitar strings. I've tried a few different brands lately but I haven't found anything that comes close to Elixir.
All other brand last me a week or two. Elixir poly lasts me a month or two. Actually if I'm lazy and don't bother by the sound it can easily do a year or two!
when you look at the price you spend on a great guitar then have shitty strings its kinda like the sports car and buying retreds for it senario.
i have always made a custom set and always go for quality, sure they cost my a fair bit but the life time pretty much is the same cost as buying the cheaper sets but ill go through maybe 2 sets at least.
Yeah I bought about a dozen Elixr strings on special last year. I find it takes them a day or two to settle but after that they last for ages. Everything else I've tried lasts two days.
That said I'm still using a pretty cheap electric..I think when I upgrade its going to be costly!
nice reddit x-post mate..
Don't know why you were downvoted as this is true - this post was stolen directly from Reddit from a couple of days ago. Should post the top lists from Reddit and get upvoted here! Like when you go to News.com.au and half the articles are straight from Reddit…
Coffee. Would always have daily coffee at 7/11 when I first started drinking. Started paying for more premium coffees which in the city isn't too hard to find. The coffee taste a lot better and the service you are paying for also brightens up your day.
Phone provider- now I'm with Telstra I just don't get the bad coverage I used to get using Optus, Vodafone and 3 (which I think was virgin)
Now I need to upgrade my ISP, not to Telstra though
Absolutely. The Telstra difference is amazing.
aldi user here. We use Telstras network too, for 20 bucks a month prepaid lol
I'm paying $30/month Telstra prepaid 4G. Very worth it for my usage as most of my data is at home…more mobile data would be nice, but that's what this thread is about- you get what you pay for.
Is aldi also 4G? If so, I'm in.
Nope, no 4G, just 3G haha
But I double checked, I'm not even paying 20, Im on prepaid S Value Pack, which is $15 a month no contract. Works for me, no complaints.
Coverage: great. Products: great when they work. Customer service: awful! I'm with Telstra and it feels more like an addiction than a customer relationship. Need decent service.
Bellroy ☺
Wallets? Which one(s) would you recommend?
Using the Note Sleeve at the moment. Love the sim card/hidden slot for smaller things like key etc. Though keen to hear @auna's review(s) on other wallets.
Hate them - they can pry my glorious leather wallets…. or at least they think they can! Worst and most annoying ads on the internet.
Care to share your personal opinion on the pros/cons of them? What wallet are you using now and could you share some thoughts on it? Keen to hear your review(s)!
I bought a Belroy but it was a mistake. They advertise as small and good design but I found it the opposite. I was much happier with a small and simple $10 thing I got at Big W and was using for years until some dude with a gun mugged me in USA.
@moo: It's a bit off topic, but anyway I was walking to a service station 300m from the hotel in a small Louisiana town at 9 pm. He was on a bike and threatened to shoot me unless I emptied my pockets. Fortunately I had travel insurance but I had to cough up the $100 excess and was only covered for $200 in cash and I lost more than that.
Back on topic though, at least it was a second hand phone. I don't think I will buy second hand phones any more, so perhaps it was a blessing in disguise as I got a new phone with the insurance payout.
Agree, Bellroy does design well, however the leather feels pretty thin for what you pay. I'm still looking for an alternative.
Bacon. After trying Dorsogna streaky bacon from Woolworths I haven't been able to go back despite the big price premium. It's so good that they don't even keep it in the deli/processed meats section at my local store, it's in the proper meats section instead.
Ooooh I've had it in my mind to try some decent bacon for home cooking after having some phenomenal bacon at some cafes.
Thanks for the recommendation.
All appliances - buy German made - lasts a lifetime
Just don't believe the listed specs for emissions :D
Korean/LG was actually the snake in the grass when it comes to appliances.
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/lg-fridges-lifes-not-so-…
USB flash drives, bought a few cheapies but they either broke, lost the cap, etc as well as being slow as hell! Now I buy fewer higher quality drives only from the main few manufacturers and only the ones that list in the top 5 or so in the speed tests - life's too short to wait for slow data transfers.
hell yeh on the flash drives, had to 32gb flash drives bork out on me recently, im lucky that all the stuff on their was backed up to google drive but yeh i had them with me for them just incase moments when i dont have net access
Bibshorts!
1000000000000 likes!! When your perineum is literally 'on the line' some premium padding is worth it's weight in gold! Loving my Rapha classics right now, just got back from a ride with them this morning. If you are riding 100km+ and would like to retain the ability to walk tomorrow, good bibs are as essential as cranks!
Would also add good wheels and good tyres. I'm now on Schwalbe One Tubeless and didn't expect the difference I felt swapping over from GP4K's
I ride Schwalbe one clinchers, prefer them over GP4k clincher.
Vittoria Corsa here, can't beat the level of comfort from their 320tpi casing (110tpi for conti and 120tpi for schwalbe). Just need be a bit more careful in the wet.
@systema:
How good is puncture protectionn on them mate? I have read a lot of reviews stating they have amazing road feel!But, please note that TPI can't be readily compared, since the material is different from tyre to tyre.
Vittoria uses cotton threads which as more pack able per inch.Understand that TPI can't be directly compared but I haven't found other tyres that beat the road feel of cotton casing. In terms of puncture resistance, comparable to Schwalbe One through the tread but the sidewalls have no puncture protection at all but that's the same for any hand made open tubular. Robust sidewall vs road feel, your choice.
Pens - once you go uni jetstream alpha gel - everything else feels horrible.
Earphones - it's impossible to downgrade
Get a fountain pen. Doesn't have to break the bank but pilot metropolitans and Lamy safaris are pretty good and not crazy expensive
Unless you are left handed in which case fountain pens suck
I was forced to write right handed in school. Left handed with everything else. I'm thankful for it these days
Hi lyl, may I know where I can get the uni jetstream alpha gel pen? Is it the Uniball brand? I've got written exams coming up and hoping this pen will help me with my writing. Thanks.
I got mine off peterpen ebay.
I really like the pen because of the squishy grip, as I can write really fast and many pages without getting tired.
This uses the same smooth ink that jetstreams use, so you can get 12 refills for around $20 from chinese ebay sellers.
Great! Thanks a bunch lyl. Will give it a go. Appreciate the ebay link. Have a nice day!
My girlfriend. Trust me, i want to go back but i can't.
i always go top shelf on:
tools, organisers, toolboxes.
mattress.
pens (always go parker for me)everything else its pretty much just go with it, if its cheap and seems good quality then go for it but if not well ill spend a bit more.
always going over OzB for them quality bargains.
Quilton was expensive when I first started using it. I think it's much more reasonable now but still not the cheapest.
Anything house related. Going for cheap doors, door handles, AC, fittings, fixing etc. looks bad, breaks and ends up costing you more, making your house less saleable without a refit and makes your quality of life lower - a high quality house is a good long term investment.
Mechanical keyboard. Must have.
Ubiquiti equipment for difficult to wifi up places. Way more reliable than any other networking system I've come across.
That's all I can think of for now.
Anything that has 100% cotton. Underwear, shirts, bed sheets, etc. It is getting harder to find 100% all cotton and the thread count seems to be getter lower and lower, while the price gets higher.
That's what I used to think until I got myself some aweeome Merino wool gear like Ice Breaker. Nothing like Merino wool undies!!
Watches, once you get hooked it is hard to go back. I know some people dont wear a watch, just use their phone etc and others use $5 watches, I used to myself but once you get bitten by the bug it is hard not to covet the latest Omega etc.
I still don't get the allure of an expensive watch, when all it does mostly, is tell the time and look great with your business suit.
Perhaps because I'm not at the life stage where i can spend my disposable income on an Omega? Damn my plebian lifestyle.
(though I said that, I do own a $120 Pebble and a $209 Pebble Time Steel)
I think people are fascinated by the mechanics and appreciate the design, history and engineering that goes into them. Kind of like how expensive art appeals to some people but not others. Watchmaking is an art. The world of watches isn't just Rolex, Tag and Omega.
You're right though it is just a watch and it just tells time, a car just drives and a bike just rides, but people aren't so Spartan and will always have their fascinations whatever it is.
A Venn diagram would be fitting to illustrate between people that love watches from people that like expensive watches because it shows conspicuous consumption.
You were right up until you said a car moves. More expensive cars move faster, have much better safety features, and are much more comfortable. A more expensive watch doesn't tell the time faster, it just looks nicer and is more reliable.
Wow the point has gone straight over your head…
If we're going to hyper-analyse posts now, A more expensive watch is most likely not more reliable than a $10 Casio.
No. Not all expensive watches have that feature. Just like not all 'expensive cars' have 'better safety features' or are 'more comfortable'. A 1972 Nissan Skyline GTR can sell upwards of $240 000. A 1988 VL SS Group A Walkinshaw Holden Commodore you'd be looking to pay around $80 000. Good luck finding heated seats, 5 star ANCAP safety ratings, electric windows and sat-nav systems on those. If they did, they'd be considered ruined.
Like watch enthusiasts don't confuse all car enthusiasts with people that drive the latest model mercedes/bmw. Or 'more expensive cars' equate to better features. It just goes to show how narrow your view is.
@tomkun01: There are some new Seiko watches that take the signal from an Atomic Clock and ensure very accurate time, there are other watches that use a GPS signal to detect where int he world you are and adjust to the relevant time zone.
jenkemjunkie is right though, the most expensive watches typically have swiss automatic movements inside and these are mechanical devices that lose time. After a period of time you need to adjust them back onto real time and like all machines they need to be serviced, normally by an expensive specialist watchmaker. They are less accurate generally than a $10 Casio.
From a totally functional perspective a Patek Phillipe is probably no better than a Casio at telling time. If you appreciate watches and love the idea of the workmanship, craft and beauty of a micro machine ticking over on the end of your arm then clearly there is no comparison between the 2.
10 years ago I was firmly in the 'watches are a waste of money' camp but as I've gotten older and acquired a few watches I have changed my tune. Whereas before I used to see my watch as a functional necessity to make sure I wasnt late for appointments, I now see it as a beautiful machine that I am excited to wear and proud to own. The only other jewellery I wear is my wedding ring so a watch for me is also my only guilty pleasure in terms of adornments.
@jenkemjunkie: My point was simply that sometimes it's worth spending more. Watches and cars are simply incomparable in that regard, assuming that they're both new. Watches and jewelry, however…
Yeah sure its worth spending more in some instances, I purchase more expensive tools because they are better quality. However it's not a dichotomy. My point was that people place different value systems on different objects. I wasn't doing a literal comparison between watches and cars. Never made a comparison.
I grew up around classic cars. Have restored them. Father owns a charger worth more than the latest model 6 series BMW and I'll still tell you that a car is ultimately for driving. I'd never own a new model 'luxury car' and would prefer to spend 30 grand importing a 1986 levin GT over buying a $30k equivalent new model car. That's because it's what I like.
Now I'm just waiting for someone to chastise me because I said bikes are just for riding…lol, and I've somehow conflated watches with bikes
Automatic watches are amazing. Though I bought the SARB065 for 500$ and that's pretty much my limit of what I feel comfortable spending. To put down 3-5k on a watch I'd have to be so wealthy that 3-5k felt like 500 does now. I do admire those watches from afar though.
Decent watch! When I was working my retail job I noticed a guy I was helping wearing a Vacheron Constantin and he even owned an skx007 seiko and a few sarbs. Even liked my hamilton.
Hell I prefer my hamilton mechanical over the omega speedmaster my father gave me and that cost me around $400.
mines a mechanical, I have to wind the thing haha. but I like it because it is very slim as it doesn't need the extra mechanism the autos need. Love the hamiltons though
I used to have a Hamilton Jazzmaster but I flipped it to get the $$ for a watch I wanted more. I miss the Hamilton now, great watch!
@jenkemjunkie: Aww :-(. Sometimes I have to wind my auto on a Monday if I go a weekend without wearing it.
I personally found the mechanical aspects of those watches facinating. That said I found them to be requiring too much attention from me for me to really enjoy them as much as some people do. When I wear mine, part of me is afraid of damaging something that's more expensive than my laptop, part of me is conscious that mechanical watches usually are inaccurate compared to digital watches or smartphones (so I need to do time hack every once in a while), part of me is constantly worried about waking up and finding it didn't have enough juice in it (I was thinking about getting those watch storage boxes with a motor inside, then I realised how much of a hassle that is as well).
Mine isn't anything fancy though, just one that my uncle handed down to me because he wanted a new watch; the watch he gave me apparently depreciates in value fairly quickly, so he didn't want to sell it.
what sort of watch was it?
It's an automatic watch, I forgot the model name unfortunately.
all good. My mechanical has taken a beating and is very reliable and my most comfortable. I don't think you should worry too much. That being said nothing will be more accurate than a quartz
@jenkemjunkie: I think the problem is, I find the the watch too bothersome. While I appreciate its complexity and how it functions, I don't like having something that expensive on me and things like how it's not as accurate as digital watches or smartphone and how I am always uncertain of how much juice it has on it makes me bit iffy about wearing it.
I tried to wear it everywhere several times, but when it dies on me, I usually ended up giving up using it all together.
sounds like it needs a service you should do a bit of research on the watch too it may have some interesting history behind it
@jenkemjunkie: It probably does need a bit of servicing, I might put it on the list of things I need to do when I get back home (I do know that the place my uncle bought it from do provide that kind of service). That said, I find the whole process bothersome, it's facinating, but as I mentioned before:
"While I think the watch is beautiful on how it works, I personally find it too impractical and too expensive for its own good for me to wear them every day."
@Oversimplified:
It's all good and a perfectly normal opinion. I wouldn't wear a watch if it caused me that sort of grief too.
By Mechanical do you mean automatic or hand wound? What brand of watch is it? I am assuming it is hand wound as an automatic rewinds itself using the motion of your arm moving. Just develop the habit of fidgeting with the watch crown and putting a little rewind on your watch whenever you are sitting around. If you do this as a little fidget in your day you wont notice it and your watch will always be rewound.
Automatic, but because I tend to not go around a lot or move my hands around a lot, it sometimes die during night or during the day whenever I forget to wear it and leave home. I've given up on it after few attempts, I was never comfortable wearing that anyways (because of the price tag). I keep it around just in case I have a formal occasion that I want to wear the watch to.
Besides, I think I need to take it to a professional mechanic for something (I can't remember what it exactly was, but I was told that it needs to be looked at by a professional once in awhile for some random reason I cannot remember).
It is a Frederique Constant one, I am not sure about what the model exactly was (since it was given to me), I did look it up at one point, but it was long time ago.
Viagra.
Never ever buy from some dodgy vendor at the side of sukhumvit road in Bangkok.
Just go to a real pharmacy and get the genuine thing