Is it better to buy cheap items that only last a year or to pay for quality items that will last a long time? It's a question that many people who reach adulthood have to consider when getting their essentials.
In a Reddit post to the subreddit r/AskMenOver30, a user asked for advice on what to spend his money on when replacing stuff. "What do you recommend [for] someone who wants to reduce quantity of stuff, and replace it with fewer, higher quality stuff?" the post title read.
"I am a guy who only ever goes thrift store shopping once a year, and buys things mainly based on costs," OP wrote. After his finances stabilized, he wanted to consider a new approach to purchasing items, "mainly to declutter my life, but also to streamline some basic activities I do every day."
From clothes and kitchen equipment to hygiene and shaving products, there are plenty of essential items OP was considering when it came to quality over quantity. "Whatever you tried the higher end product of, and it made you never want to go back," OP wrote.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we produced 292.4 million tons of material waste in 2018. Each year, 92 million tons of clothing alone is wasted, per Earth.org. This textile and material waste contaminates soil, air, and water, producing carbon air pollution that contributes to the planet's warming and climate disasters.
By purchasing higher-quality items that won't need to be thrown out for a long time or by thrifting to avoid the need for a new item, we can help reduce waste.
According to Retail Dive, we could eliminate more than two billion pounds of pollution, the equivalent of taking 76 million gas-powered cars off the road, if we all bought just one second-hand garment instead of a new one. When we are done with our old or unwanted items, taking them to thrift stores can help declutter our lives and help them find a second home
People even find some high-quality items in thrifting that will save money and ensure less waste is contaminating our planet. For example, one thrifter found a Le Creuset Dutch oven for only $6. Others have found nice dishes, a hair dryer, and a luxury Celine bag.
The commenters let OP know their thoughts when it comes to throwing out old items and splurging on quality replacements.
"If what you have works, don't replace it," wrote one user.
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Cheaper clothes 🤑 "I'd go one-by-one and as things wear out or you realize they are not meeting your needs, replace them," another wrote. "It really has to be driven by you because people value different things - and in some cases, 'the quality option' will not work for you at all."
Many users suggested buying things that last long, so you don't have to replace them, such as cast iron kitchenware, cotton jeans, quality socks, and hardware tools.
"I bought a razor that uses the old-fashioned double-edged blades a couple of years ago," another wrote. "Way less waste, works just as well, and cheaper in the long run."
"The things you value most is where you should spend your money," one commenter suggested. "Light bulbs. GE [Reveal] LED. Makes everything look much better, it's the color. It's surprising how much better."
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