Buying things

We live in a society built around buying things. This is a good thing, since it allows us to specialize, to do something that we like and that we are good at. But it also means that we have to decide what to buy.

I am price aware. I dislike spending too much money on things. I buy a lot of used things, and I get most of my clothes from the outlet section on ASOS. However, I’ve recently come to realize something:

I have never regretted buying something that was really expensive.

And I don’t mean that last beer on the overpriced club. I mean those things where you actually take time to consider the options and in the end decide on the pricier, better, alternative.

You won’t miss money you have spent on something good. You will, however, miss money you spent on something that’s not good.

There is a philosophy to this. Dustin Curtis wrote about how he, after selling all his belongings, decided to only buy the very best things.

The problem, of course, is that it takes a lot of time and effort to find the best things. Cutting though endless layers of marketing speak and misguiding information to find that golden nugget is not something everyone can do all the time.

But I think it’s a good thing to try to buy things of great quality, things made with love, things that will last. If they feel expensive, it’s hopefully because they are that much better.

If whatever you are buying is important to you, then buying the best will be worth it. If it’s not that important, don’t buy it at all.