Unfortunately, plastic cards are out these days, replaced by NFC, except in some technologically backward countries like US of America. These wallets also can't carry cash and are too thick and heavy. I use tyvec wallets for cash, they last ~two years but are really thin and weightless.
Buy well, buy once
171–180 of 392 posts
Re: Buy well, buy once
#172In a way I admire committed minimalists. But I often wonder what their long term lifestyle is like. Surely many of them are single (or they only count the items which are solely theirs). They surely rent at a higher rate than own property. They surely own vehicles at a lower rate. And so on. I just get this picture of a person in an urban area, living alone in a studio apartment, dependent upon everyone else for basi…
Dunno, seems like we might be past peak materialism. Do people really need 2000 ft^2 with a 2 car garage just packed with crap. So much so that they often buy things because they can't find what they own. Even renting storage units on top of a full size house is surprisingly common. China closets, album collections, file cabinents, many book cases packed, shelves of games/cartriges/cdroms, many different kinds of spo…
200 sq ft sounds great, just don't fill it with crap.
Re: Buy well, buy once
#173A dear friend of mine always said “if you buy quality you cry only one time!”
Re: Buy well, buy once
#174An observation I have made of my grandparents, who certainly had a bit of money, is everything they own is high quality and has lasted them years. My grandfather still has his Hickey Freeman suits and sports coats tailored and repaired by a local menswear shop. Their Dualit toaster still works while I have personally gone through many Cuisinart toasters. Their technics AV components still work with their high quality…
This sounds to me like a combination of survivorship bias and cost preference. You see the resilient things at your grandparents' house because those are the only things that have survived. All the poor quality things they purchased over the years are gone by now. Also, you and your parents probably favor lower-cost items (as do most people these days) over longevity. This may simply not have been possible in your gr…
I personally don't favour cheap over longevity, and I don't really believe most consumer do either.
The problem is that it has become increasingly difficult to discern if something will last.
An expensive product, from what was a trusted brand, can be just as short lived as a cheap one these days. Cost does not always reflect quality.
And brands that build long-lived products struggle as they don't have the repeat customers of products that are good, but contain forced obsolescence features.
It's a hidden cost to consumers that is often hard to figure out without extensive research.
Re: Buy well, buy once
#175From reading the comments it seems that a lot of people are more interested in organizing their stuff than in enjoying their stuff whether they are minimalist or not.
Re: Buy well, buy once
#176Earlier quoted context omitted.
I use a broccoli rubber band as a minimalist iPhone 'case'. [1] It makes the back and bottom of the phone grippy, so it's easier to hold. It does slightly block the corners of the screen, but not much. It doesn't provide much protection in case of a drop, obviously. But the added grippiness makes drops much less likely! I have occasionally bought broccoli that I didn't need just so I could get another rubber band, af…
> It doesn't provide much protection in case of a drop, obviously. But the added grippiness makes drops much less likely! I found popsockets and ring holders a better option in that regard https://image.gsmpunt.nl/blog/image/image_3.png
> popsockets
Oh so this is what those weird phone attachments are called. Thanks!
Re: Buy well, buy once
#177Sometimes I buy something cheap and then if I use it enough to break it I end up investing in a decent one. Another perspective on incremental delivery.
Re: Buy well, buy once
#178> You are either in your bed or in your shoes, so it pays to invest in both.
Do you wear shoes inside?
Re: Buy well, buy once
#179You’d think if you pay more you get quality. I paid 280€ for the Microsoft Surface Headset 2 when they came out. After a year and a half, the plastic head band cracked in half. The part of the device that is stressed whenever I put the headset on or take it off was cheap plastic and just broke with regular use. 280€ down the drain because some MBA or stupid designer said hey let’s use cheap plastic.
Re: Buy well, buy once
#180In a way I admire committed minimalists. But I often wonder what their long term lifestyle is like. Surely many of them are single (or they only count the items which are solely theirs). They surely rent at a higher rate than own property. They surely own vehicles at a lower rate. And so on. I just get this picture of a person in an urban area, living alone in a studio apartment, dependent upon everyone else for basi…
I’m fond of the conspiracy theory that the rise of minimalism is actually propaganda to placate Millennials who can’t afford the same level of material comfort as their parents and other earlier generations enjoyed.
You can add tiny houses and van life to the list.