Ask HN: What do you perceive as worth spending money on?

Post by stewiecat » Fri, Sep 10, 2010, 3:31 PM UTC

akgerber wrote: post #66

jasonkester wrote: post #63

I tend to lean toward spending on Experiences rather than Possessions. That said, there are certain classes of Possession that can really make your life better if you buy the best. Always buy the best: - Kitchen Knives - Development tools - Toilet Paper All the above can be skimped on, but they'll make you unhappy. I've spent enough of my life sawing onions in half with a squirrelly 99 cent Ginsu clone, trying to get…

I get the impression that there are a lot of unnecessarily expensive kitchen knives out there. Professional cooks spend all day using a knife & most of them use some knife that cost maybe $25 at the restaurant supply store.

Post by jmhobbs » Fri, Sep 10, 2010, 3:45 PM UTC

kranner wrote: post #21

Books. Still a fan of the dead-tree variety. It's not so much paper vs e-ink, more that every new book is a new physical object with its own size, shape, weight and (sometimes) smell.

Post by jasonkester » Fri, Sep 10, 2010, 4:02 PM UTC

m3mnoch wrote: post #74

jasonkester wrote: post #63

I tend to lean toward spending on Experiences rather than Possessions. That said, there are certain classes of Possession that can really make your life better if you buy the best. Always buy the best: - Kitchen Knives - Development tools - Toilet Paper All the above can be skimped on, but they'll make you unhappy. I've spent enough of my life sawing onions in half with a squirrelly 99 cent Ginsu clone, trying to get…

no. way. seriously. i would have answered this question, with those same three things in that SAME ORDER! (LOVE my henckels!) no really. have you been talking to my wife? m3mnoch.

Post by Dobbs » Fri, Sep 10, 2010, 4:15 PM UTC

patrickaljord wrote: post #30

b3b0p wrote: post #15

First, I really (really) enjoy spending money on other people, especially those important to me (friends and family). When it's a surprise it's even more fun! I love to see their face light up when they least expect. Great feeling. Now, if we are talking about items for myself, not necessarily of great importance, I do indulge on certain things, but I have rules. I have no problem spending money on well designed item…

Ubuntu user here. Wireless, video, sleep and hibernate work too and I never spend time tweaking anything.

Post by irishman_irl » Fri, Sep 10, 2010, 5:43 PM UTC

djm wrote: post #44

Here are a few of my handy tips to help you decide whether you should go ahead and buy that new X: (1) Think about cost in terms of the work you had to do to buy it, not just the sale price. You are (most often) buying X with post-tax income so add your tax back on. (2) Think about the opportunity cost of making the purchase, or "what can't I afford if I buy X?" (3) Consider whether you are just buying X because it i…