Beware of Cheap Products That Get More Expensive Over Time
Friendly PSA: Remember to consider the long-term value of your purchases. Some items initially seem quite affordable, but over time they become quite expensive. And apartment therapy offers several helpful examples.
These aren’t just cars – you want to factor in the total cost of ownership for everything you buy. Foresight isn’t always easy, though, so luckily Dabny Freik of Apartment Therapy warns us about the following:
Inkjet printers. Again, the printing equipment itself is inexpensive. This HP OfficeJet costs less than $ 100. But they’re also ink pigs, and it’s incredibly painful to pay $ 22 for one black cartridge, let alone $ 48 for a tri-color cartridge. For mascara. This is another good reason to stop using paperwork.
Water filtration systems: it’s the same here. The Brita water jug is $ 20.99 on Amazon, and the filters are $ 14 for a pack of three. They recommend changing the filter every two months. The tap water here in the US is pretty safe, so it’s really money spent on a slight difference in taste.
Reusable Mops: You can buy the Swiffer Starter Kit for about $ 20 online, but it will cost you another $ 10 per change. Considering that you often use more than one replacement pad for each cleaning, the cost can really go up.
This does not mean that you should avoid buying these items, you just want to know their current value. Freik offers some additional examples, so check out her full post at the link below.
Initially cheap products that actually get quite expensive over time | Apartment therapy