You should be buying cheap shit

Just last week I said that you should stop wasting your money on shit. A big part of that is not spending money on cheap shit that falls apart after a couple of uses and you have to constantly replace.

I'm not changing my mind, but sometimes you really should buy cheap, second-hand, knock off shit before you buy the expensive top of the range good stuff.

Let's be frank, $140 jeans are totally frugal if they last 8 years. But if you buy them and realise you hate them, it was a waste of money.

That kitchen aid gathering dust?

The thermomix you bought and discovered you hate risotto?

You got a pool then realised you're afraid of drowning?

Absolute total wastes. Good quality expensive things that have burned a huge hole in your wallet without making you happier.

If you want to buy something expensive, you should buy a cheap shit knock off version first.

Trial it, see how much you like it, see if you enjoy baking muffins in a cheap silicon tray before buying an expensive set (FYI, silicon bakeware is amazing. I make so many muffins now...)

Buy it cheap

So you've decided to start off a new diet where you drink green smoothies every morning? Good for you, but step away from the $80 NutriBullet. Instead, grab yourself a $15 Blender. Let's be honest, it might not last forever, but there is a good chance it will last longer than your obsession with green smoothies.  

Buy it second hand

Whatever it is that you're just starting out - from cooking, to hang-gliding, to fencing, and back someone else has probably done it first. Before you rush out to drop $20,000 on a hang glider, see if you can pick up a second hand glider for a measly $5,000.

Or maybe, for a more relate-able idea, you probably have a friend with a thermomix sitting in the back of their cupboard not being used.

Financially free AND gravity free!

Buy it on special

If you've have a cheap knock off in the cupboard, and you've borrowed from a friend, then you can hold out for specials. While new rock climbing shoes can cost over $100 places like Anaconda regularly have sales where you can get new gear for 50% off. 

or maybe, you'll find a new hobby

The beauty of buying cheap shit, before committing to top price, top of the range equipment is that you'll never be left with a $30,000 hang glider and the realisation that you're afraid of heights. If you're enthusiasm outlasts your equipment, then that's a great reason to pick up some better quality items. But if you're only going to stick to a juice diet for a few days, why bother dropping $80 on a blender when a cheaper version will do the same thing.