Comments on: When you buy cheap, you get…longevity?

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:36:03 +0000

I have a winter scarf that was left in the lost and found at a restaurant I worked at when I was 19. It was never claimed, so I “claimed” it. I’m still wearing it every winter. And I’m now 56!

By: Maharani

Maharani — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:58:02 +0000

I also still have a heavy cotton single bedspread my Father purchased in Bhutan when I was ~ 15. It was one of a pair that my sister and I had on our beds growing up. Hers was lost years ago, but I still have mine and use it as a throw. It has a very striking and unusual woven pattern on a black ground and probably cost less than a $1 at the time, pure cotton, only slightly faded as I washed it a couple of times. If I had dry cleaned it, it would probably be good as new. As I am now 55, that puts it back 40 years.

On the side of NOT cheap, but made to last for a lifetime, my mother just gave me all her Kanjeevaram silk saris, hand woven, heavy silk brocade. They are worth a fortune now. I wear them when I go out. I have to attend a lot of events as pat of my job and I need pm wear.

By: Maharani

Maharani — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:44:27 +0000

I have a dozen cotton dish towels that I bought for $5 at Trader Joes in 1988! For 22 years they have withstood weekly washing, regular bleaching, and hard use (I cook from scratch), and other than slight fading, are as good as new! Thats real quality. I never buy paper towels. I also have an electric clock/radio I bought at Fedco in ~ 1983 0r 4 and it is not only going strong but, despite the fact that its plugged in, WAY WAY more dependable than a celphone……I dont have to remember to recharge it, pull it out of my bag, take it to work,blah blah blah. Same for my vacuum cleaner-Fedco, 1986. Some things last forever.

By: Donna Freedman

Donna Freedman — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:00:03 +0000

@Bagel Girl: That sucks.
Thanks for reading.

By: Bagel Girl

Bagel Girl — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:53:18 +0000

I’m still using my parents Kirby vacuum cleaner, (an upright), that they purchased in 1954.

By: Money Hackers Carnival – The BBQ Edition

Money Hackers Carnival – The BBQ Edition — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:07:42 +0000

[...] Freedman presents When you buy cheap, you get…longevity? posted at Surviving and [...]

By: Donna Freedman

Donna Freedman — Mon, 24 May 2010 02:24:02 +0000

@Funny About Money: I remember the Timex — it was your big-deal gift when you graduated the eighth grade. Only then were you considered mature enough to own a watch. Nowadays they let 3-year-olds have ‘em. Of course, they’re $2.99 POCs from Wal Mart.
Thanks for reading.

By: Funny about Money

Funny about Money — Mon, 24 May 2010 01:10:01 +0000

OMG! Does anyone remember Timex watches? Back in the analog days, I bought a Timex at a drugstore to use while I was riding around in the sticks at the ranch. Figured to throw it away when it crapped out, which I expected would happen within a year. It ran and ran and ran and ran. It outlasted three much fancier watches, one of which was pretty expensive.

The Evan Mecham Television — a tiny TV set purchased to watch that worthy governor’s antics while I was at the office (no one wanted to miss a minute of the ongoing sideshow…Arizona is famed for its hilarious politicians) — cost all of 40 dollars. I found it at the back of a now-defunct supermarket. Mecham was impeached in 1988. The television was still going strong when the damnable digital change struck. Mightily resenting being forced to buy junk to watch TV that ought to be free, I never got a “box” and an antenna to share the top of the refrigerator with the little guy. But…it’s still in the closet. I may yet try to revive it.

By: Deedee

Deedee — Sun, 23 May 2010 23:02:40 +0000

My fruit bowl in the kitchen was a wedding gift my parents received in 1953, according to my mom it was from a “five and dime” store. My mixing bowls are a stainless steel set that I remember my mom using with her counter top mixer when I was growing up. And I have the aluminum canisters my mom used in her kitchen (another of their wedding gifts). Each canister is imprinted with what is supposed to go in them i.e. coffee, tea, flour, sugar – and my favorite – grease!? All of these things were considered “cheap” when they were new in the 1950′s, but have held up beautifully and are so cool today!

By: Donna Freedman

Donna Freedman — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:15:55 +0000

@Trina: I’m using two Tupperware bowls that my mom got in the early 1960s and, like you, own a ton of “previously owned” items. The only new pieces of furniture I have are the bed (bought a place called the Mattress Depot) and the dining table (an RTA model that was on sale at Kmart). I’m typing this from a desk that cost $5 at a rummage sale, in fact.
Oddly, I don’t feel deprived.
Thanks for reading.