It is said that we get what we pay for and I definitely believe that this is true. There are some things in life that are worth the expensive price such as great food and a good bottle of wine. However, some other gimmicks are just not worth buying.
I feel that it’s ridiculous for my boyfriend Nick to pay $80 per month from September to January for the NFL Sunday ticket sports package channels. I completely do not understand why my boyfriend needs to have access to 16 NFL football games every week, when he can only watch one (or two with picture in picture) at a time. However, life is all about choices, and that is his choice.
While we are on the subject of useless television channels, do any of you have “The Aquarium Channel”? I discovered that I am actually paying for a channel that fills my television screen with swimming tropical fish and soothing relaxing music 24 hours a day. In my opinion, this is the summer equivalent of the “Yule Log Channel” that comes out around the holidays and displays a burning fireplace with Christmas songs.
A few months ago I ordered the Slap Chop from the infomercial on television. I thought to myself it would be a great idea because I eat a lot of vegetables. I hoped it would cut my cooking chopping time in half. However, I am sorry to report that I am not a fan of the Slap Chop. It’s a good thing that I received a free second Slap Chop with my order because my first one broke within a month. The slap chop does not cut through the skin of vegetables such as onions and peppers, which is also disappointing. In my opinion, everyone should save their $19.99.
I am outraged at the current price of Breakfast Cereal. What is up with the price of breakfast cereal? Kellogg’s, Quaker Oats, and Post are multimillion and in some cases multibillion dollar companies. They must have research and development budgets to create more efficient manufacturing, therefore enabling them to bring down the cost of a box of cereal. Seriously, have you ever noticed the outrageous cost of breakfast cereals? A box of Post Nesquick cereal is over five dollars. A family size box of Lucky Charms is close to ten dollars, and the most outrageous of all are the new mini Mini Wheats by Kellogg’s at over $6 for a small box.
Please don’t get me wrong. There are some things that I consider overpriced but I still choose to purchase. I don’t mind spending money at the grocery store. Everyone has to eat. The more I spend at the grocery store, the less I spend on eating out. However, I also don’t mind spending money on takeout food. I am cautious about how often I actually sit down and eat at restaurants because I feel the cost usually isn’t worth the price. However, I usually don’t think twice about grabbing a sandwich or Chinese food on my way home from work.
Another purchase I never regret making is buying anything under $9.99. If I see something that I may or may not want I won’t hesitate to buy it if it’s under $10. I won’t be upset or lose sleep over $10. If I don’t buy it, but then I decide the next day that I do want it, it may not be there when I go back.
The price is always my deciding factor when I’m deciding to buy or not to buy something. What item is definitely worth the price for you?
(Photo By Horia)
Dual Income, No Kids launched in the spring of 2006 and is now part of District Media, LLC. With over 10 million visitors and syndication on Google News, District Media delivers high-quality personal finance news and advice. Our 58 blogs inform, empower, educate and entertain the public -- free of charge, with all operating expenses financed by advertising. 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
The items I regret the most are the cheap $10 items. It’s because the price is so low, I think I can just buy it and forget about it, except I just wasted $10!!!
I NEVER buy anything that’s on an ‘informercial’. NOTHING. If there’s something good at a normal store and I like it, I buy it. I don’t trust the “tele-shopping” and neither their products.
Buying cheap stuff can also bite you in the … You have to see how many things of 9.99 were actually good and how many were useless in no time. Then you’ll really see that maybe 40 bucks might be well spent for something that will last you 10 times more that the 10 dollar item.
I agree with the cereals, my god, it’s as if they’re putting oysters there or black truffles. Come on, it’s cereals :D
What I splash on? IT stuff, clothing (I dress casually, but still it costs), groceries, as you said. Trying to eat healthier. I stay away from the chinese stores (the 1 dollar stores or how you guys have them in the US). We have this junk in Romania too and they are selling GARBAGE.
I hate those infomercial products. I usually wait for them to be sold at Bed Bath & Beyond or CVS for $10 and buy them with a coupon.
I’m with you on the cereal – another CVS-only item!
I have to challenge you about the slap chop not being worth it. I have found it to be extremely useful & a HUGE time saver. I make a lot of dinners in the crock pot so I prepare them in the morning before I head off to work. Before I had the Slap Chop it would take me 30 mins at least to cut up all the veggies. Now it takes less than 10 mins. I’d say it is the user, not the product that needs help. It takes a little getting used to & it can be a pain to put together but it does what it says for sure! I was very skeptical at first but my hubby ordered it as a gift so I had to try it out, glad I did. Just one happy users opinion!