I guess from time to time, all of us go shopping with little else in mind but finding the lowest price. It's great to save money, but there are times when buying 'cheap' can turn into expensive.

Here are 9 examples of what I'm talking about:

1.  Cookware.  Cheap pots and pans don't last, and they don't cook well. In other words, you've bought something that doesn't do what it's meant to do.

2.  Car maintenance.  I had a friend that swore that regular oil changes were just a way of car dealers and mechanics to make extra money. I tried to explain to her that NOT changing your oil was a great way for mechanics to make extra money. She never quite got it. Regular maintenance on your vehicle can quite literally save you thousands.

3.  Furniture.  Solid wood furniture lasts just about forever. IKEA pasteboard furniture is not the answer unless you like to completely redecorate every year.

4.  Knives.  The cheap ones lose their edge right away.  If you add to that the fact that a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, it makes sense to buy the best quality cutlery you can afford. If you can't really afford a top quality knife, at least get a good sharpener to go with your 'budget' knife.

6.  Shoes.  Quality shoes pay for themselves by lasting longer.  If I had a nickel for every cheap pair of sneakers I've bought over the years, it means that I could have bought one or two really good pairs of sneakers. By the way, who decided that sneakers need to be so ugly?

7.  Paint.  Cheap paint doesn't cover as well, so you end up using two coats.  Two gallons of cheap paint cost more than one gallon of good paint . . . and it takes more than twice as long to put on two coats, because you'll wait for the first coat to dry.

9.  Exterior housing materials.  Siding, shingles, paint and windows should all be high quality.  Especially if you live in a place where it rains a lot. You know, like Southwest Louisiana. Unless you're just dressing up your house to sell it, get the good stuff.


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