Best Bargains You Own
If someone asked you to tell them what purchases have saved you the most money over the last ten years what would you say? I know that I wouldn’t say, “The Volvo!” Seriously, don’t buy an older Volvo. But I digress. I actually do know my two best bargains over the last ten years.
One is old; my blender. I LOVE my blender. Actually, my blender is a double good bargain, because I didn’t even buy it. My ex gave it to me. Sad that it’s the best thing he gave me, but really it’s been useful, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain. Over the years I’ve used this blender for…
- Making the obvious - smoothies, mixed drinks, milkshakes, etc.
- Making homemade baby food.
- Making homemade beauty supplies - lotions, face scrubs, etc.
- Creating soups out of leftovers.
- Crushing ice for parties - slow, but cheaper than buying ice.
- Making homemade paper out of recycled bills and other scraps.
- Making tons and tons of homemade ice pops.
The blender is about 7 years old and I use it all the time. It’s in perfect shape, and has saved me money in numerous ways, so I always recommend that people get one.
My other best purchase is far more recent. It’s my digital camera. It cost a lot (for cheap me) and it took me years, literally years, to make myself buy it, but I should have sooner. I used to have a basic load film in camera, and of course you have to buy film and batteries. After it broke I used disposables for a while, which sometimes take terrible pictures.
With the digital camera I do have to buy photo paper for it, or pay to have pictures made, but it’s a killer bargain over developing film that you’re unsure of. With the digital camera I only pay for photos I love, not half developed, too sunny, red eye nightmare pictures. It’s been great. I really love my camera; maybe not as much as the blender, but close.
Which two purchases would you say have saved you the most money over the last ten years?
[image via stock.xchng - not my blender because it’s red - I don’t do red)
Tags: best purchases, blender, digital camera, purchase decisions, Save MoneyRelated Stories
POSTED IN: General
9 opinions for Best Bargains You Own
Helen
Jul 13, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I would agree that the digital camera is one of the best things we have purchased in the last ten years. We were married and moved 3 provinces away in less then a week. We took a bunch of our wedding money and bought a digital camera. A Canon Elph which back in 2000 was about $700 dollars!!
The other best purchase would have to be a portable DVD player. My husband and I were actually just talking about this the other day. We have a four year old and we travel A LOT!!! We live in GA but we’re from the east coast of Canada. That means a minimum of 2 flights…one way!!! We also travel in the car A LOT!!! to places at least 4 hours away but most of the time 7.
The DVD player only comes out on long trips. It is not a regular day thing.
We bought the second cheapest one offered and bought the extra ‘insurance’. It’s still going strong!!! -knock on wood!
Amphritrite
Jul 13, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Let’s see, item #1 is completely indispensible: My rice cooker. I’ve cooked everything from stew to rice in it, oatmeal to eggs. I use it to reheat everything (I don’t own a microwave). I use it to steam veggies and make applesauce and jam. I use it for melting butter for various things. I used it to melt wax for candle-making (double boiler style!). I’ve used it to heat water for tea and heat milk without scalding. All in all? $20 purchase, and I’m in love with it still.
The other item’s a bit hard for me. I think perhaps Item #2 is my knitting bag. It’s one of those bags with a very big, deep center pocket that zips up, and then six or eight skein-sized pockets around the edge for yarn skeins. I’ve used it for everything from a travel bag (the smaller pockets are great for undies, socks, bathroom items, etc!) to a market bag (the smaller pockets protect my bananas!) to a computer bag that holds a TON of books to a meal-carrier for parties and picnics because it’s uber-stable. It has a nice, padded strap, too, that’s long enough to cross your torso. So even when it’s really heavy, it doesn’t feel THAT heavy. I think I bought it for $15 and I’ve had it for eons.
FatSusie
Jul 14, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Oo, oo…I’m with you on rice cooker, Amphritrite. It is, hands down, the best kitchen purchase I’ve ever made. I especially love cooking oatmeal in it. I’m not sure it’s been my biggest money-saver, though.
My biggest money savers would be A. my pay-as-you-go cell phone–I spend less than $100/year on cell phone service now, and the only change I made in my phone habits is opting to send a text message in place of a quick call since they cost .3 units instead of 1 unit/minute. I don’t think I will ever get a phone contract again. and B. my second-hand CuisineArt, purchased for $5 at a yard sale. It does everything but wash itself!
Peggy
Jul 14, 2008 at 1:31 pm
My Mr. Coffee coffee maker, which was a wedding gift. It’s 10 years old.
My Honda Civic. It’s 5 years old, and I love everything about it. No repairs. Doesn’t use much gas, and I’m sure it will last until the gas-free cars finally become refined. The car I had before this wasn’t so great — Nissan Sentra. I spent way too much money repairing the stupid electric windows.
PS- I almost bought a used Volvo once! Glad I didn’t.
Melinda Gustafson Gervasi
Jul 15, 2008 at 4:43 pm
A bread machine (West Bend), that was purchased for $5.99 at a Hospice Thrift Store. New it would have been well over $100. Now we can have fresh made bread for a fraction of the cost at the grocery store. Easily it is on my “Top 5 Thrift Finds”.
Miss Snips
Jul 18, 2008 at 7:07 am
My favourite money savers are…
#1 a garage sale waffle maker — I assume from sometime back in the 1970’s — it is stainless steel outside and has interchangeable “plates”, one set for making the classic square waffles and another plain for making pancakes. It makes 4 large waffles at a time or 8 goodsized pancakes when opened flat. I make batches of 16 and freeze the waffles. My sons ‘toast’ them and make their own breakfast — so not only does it save me money by making my own, but it saves me time in that I don’t need to be the breakfast maker for a family everyday…
number 2 is my sewing machine(s) I sew every bed covering that has ever been in my home since I was married — 35 years now - I sew pot holders and tote bags, I sew pj’s, and boxer shorts for hubby, I sew doll clothes and toys for the little kids I know. I occassionally sew myself a skirt or a top. I sew christmas gifts and quilts for charity. Yes, my sewing machine saves much more than it ever has cost me…
Jennifer
Jul 19, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Helen - I have a girlfriend, a single mama, and she travels a lot, all over the country with her 7 year old and she adores her portable DVD player.
Amphritrite - I’ve never used a rice cooker, I’ve always wondered if it’s useful. It sounds pretty cool, I just don’t want more appliances :(
FatSusie - that pay-as-you-go idea is interesting. We pay a lot more for our service, and don’t even come close to using all the minutes. I guess I never thought of pay as you go options.
Jennifer
Jul 19, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Peggy - don’t get me started on my coffee maker. I love mine, but have gone through three in the last ten years, so maybe mine suck. Or maybe I should lay off the brew. :) Yes, never buy an old Volvo.
Melinda - I like to hand knead dough, it sooths me. I don’t know that I’d want a bread machine. I can whip out bread pretty quick.
Miss Snips - Oh, sewing machine is a good one. My grandma’s machine absolutely paid for itself, many times over. I sew by hand because I don’t sew much, but everyone I know who sews often saves money with their machine.
Fix your home appliance instead of tossing it
Aug 9, 2008 at 12:45 am
[…] noted previously, I LOVE my blender. If it died, well, worse things could happen, but I’d be pretty darn upset. Also, to make […]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: