Your favorite money spending tips
 

(This is not a parody thread.)

My momma taught me a lot but one thing she failed to teach me was the importance of spending enough money on tools.

She was always very cheap about lawnmowing devices, power tools, and the like, and I took that attitude when I first moved out. But since then I've learned: that a shitty cheap cordless drill, for example, is not really a tool at all, but a pain in the ass that you must put up with while trying to actually get something accomplished.

I'll never forget the first weed-whacker that my momma and ex-wife colluded on forcing me to get. They demanded that cheapest available electric was fine to whack our 1/3 acre lawn. It was actually branded "clip-stik" which should have been the first clue that it was inappropriate for an actual man to wield. (And looking back, the first clue that I was systematically being feminized in the relationship...)

The correct whacker for the job cost 3 times what the cheapest one cost, but saved countless hours of pain and frustration. Since then I've come to the same conclusion about almost every tool I've owned. If you pay for the expensive one, it'll actually work, and then you'll actually use it and not throw it away in a few years.

Yeppers ,
When Carol and I first got togather 18 + years ago , we needed a lawn mower , cash was at a low then , but we needed a mower , so I went out and bought a Toro , $350 , the wallymarto version was $75- $100 , Carol FREAKED , but ya know what that SAME mower is still working FINE !!!

Same with hand tools , buy cheap and you will replace it over and over ,
I have a phillips head screwdriver that I have used most EVERY day for the last 20 years , yes it is showing some age , but it still VERRY useable ,

Oh and THIS is my weed wacker , http://www.troybilt.com/webapp/wcs/s...10138_18652_-1

UT -- your favorite money spending tips are really money saving tips.

Money spending tips would be like "buy a rare stamp for $3 million and use it as regular postage."

always blow your last $20 on fast food.

I'm with Undertoad on this, my dad always told me "you get what you pay for". All my hand tools are Craftsman, Power tools are Black and Decker, Skil. I use my tools on a daily basis, and can't afford to break something in the middle of a job.

Buy the good one, and only cry once.

certain items are worth it to spend the extra money to buy quality. I don't know from tools, but among my choices for the category are:

shoes
body jewelry (essential!)

My husband destroys even quality shoes. He scuffs his feet and kicks his own heels when he walks, stands on one foot with the other when he's sitting down... We've actually learned that we might as well buy the cheapass ones because he needs new shoes every 6 months no matter what.

Food is another thing that I believe in buying quality--the generic brand is okay for some stuff, but I can really taste the difference in things like sandwich meat, cereal... oh, and toilet paper! Quality toilet paper is always worth it.

We're cheapasses through and through, but we have learned now the kids swim on teams, that you get what you pay for with goggles. (to a point) dollar store and Walmart don't cut it. $12 is what you have to pay.

and I just bought a new bike that wan't totally the cheapest. we're newbie spenders.....

Even second hand QUALITY tools are usually better than cheapo new ones. Hand tools in particular.

Spending tip. Spend till it's gone, then stop. What me worry?
Black & Decker top of line? Get real. IMHO. Hand tools and drills, ect. I buy from harbor freight. Folks borrow, they break. City picks up junk, trash once a week. Time I drive 55 mile to return a brand name tool to store, I can buy 2 junk ones.

Buy a good one for using and cheap one for lending.

Sometimes cheap works. For things that will be used repeatedly and often (like a lawn mower) quality matters. If you only need something a scant few times (a hot glue gun for instance) why shell out for it?

Just look online for consumer reports b4 u ever buy anything because you can find all the info u need about repairs and ect online.

Same here. But I will tell you that I think that craftsman power tools have gone down in quality in the last 10 years or so. Not so for the hand tools. I have moved on to DeWalt for power tools.

Another tool which you need to spend cash on for quality is a chainsaw. I am on my third one in 8 years. Only a good one will cut straight. My first was a Craftsman and last two were (is) Poulan.. I am totally dissatisfied. I am going to spring for $300 or $400 on the next one and get one that cuts through wood like a hot knife through butter.

TM - regarding chainsaws, how often do you have to sharpen them? I bought one several years ago and I think I probably need to sharpen it, but this is my first chainsaw experience. I've cut down, and cut up, about 8 or 10 Ponderosa Pines, each about 40 feet tall and 18 to 24 inches in diameter.

I use to sharpen it a few times a year, but I find that running the sharpening tool over it a few times before or after every use has helped a lot. The other thing I have found is that I am more apt to just buy a new saw blade a few times a year, they are about $25 or $35. I can never quite get it as sharpe as when they are new. Not like a knife that is easily sharpened.

When you're throwing sawdust instead of shavings, the chain is dull.

Right, if you just happened to be a subscriber.

I, too, swear by CR. I would never buy anything major, like a car, without checking them out first. And I do subscribe to the magazine, although you can buy it in stores.

they have an online subscription, too, which I'm considering. Only thing is, they automatically re-subscribe you annually using your credit card number, and I don't like that idea.

CR had a small reputation-bobble last year regarding car seats (right when I was looking to buy one), but otherwise they are pretty reliable.

I bought a Husky, no I can't spell it. About ten years ago. I think about $350. I only use it for fire wood. I've spent about $45 bucks on it. Because I left gas over the winter.
Sharpening a chainsaw. I've bought every gadget know to man, and still can't get it right. I try to keep it out of dirt and hit it a lick with a file. Then buy a new chain. Once I went about 20 miles away to cut fire wood and the damn chain came apart. So trip back to town to have fixed. Now I keep a spare chain in tool box.

Husquavarna?

Oh, I completely agree. And wallets/purses. I have Coach bags that are 10+ years old that still look brand new.

that's kind of nasty.

Adventures.

Money can accomplish almost anything. Whenever I'm off to do something that might leave me up shit creek I make sure I have plenty of money to buy a paddle.

Some, but not all, of my spices and condiments are more expensive. Think paprika is just boring red stuff to decorate diner baked potatoes? Try some Hungarian paprika, hot or sweet.

Since spices go stale so quickly, I don't mind paying more for an ounce of something rather than the more economical two ounce store brand.

Every time I find an even better balsamic vinegar, it's more expensive than the last one. Same with mustards, although I appreciate more variety there.

I'll make my own spice blends as I need them, or just a couple of months supply at a time. Depends on what it is.

Yep. Thanks. It's not an every day word for rednecks.

Heh. Don't agree about purses. I just can't fathom spending all that money on a purse. I'm much more interested in the configuration (has to have outside pockets, etc.); and I don't WANT my purse to be around 10 years. I get sick of them. I just use mine until I get sick of it or it falls apart, then get a new, cheap again, purse.

I came to rely on Milwaukee tools when I was working in the construction field; most notably the Sawzall and the Hole-Hawg.

I have a few Milwaukee tools. A port-a- band saw, couple of drills and I drink old Milwaukee light, ice cold

DeWalt is the Sears premium line. Craftsman is the basic, no-frills line. Same company though. I sometimes buy DeWalt but I also buy Delta, Porter-Cable, Milwaukee and Hitatchi. It all depends on the tool and the job but I must agree that you get what you pay for. I always say, buy the quality...you'll rarely be disappointed.


Brian

That, I believe, is a Swiss brand and is top 'o the line. Home Depot doesn't sell them but Lowe's does.

I stupidly bought a Poulan - well its not that bad but its a little toyish.

My wife and I and a helper from our neighbor to the South just cut and hauled eight and one half tons of fallen trees from our back yard. They weighed the truck at the landfill every trip ($32.00 per ton in Fairfax County).


The Poulan did admirably for a while but living out here - I need a real chain saw. I think I'll be stopping by Lowe's on the way home tomorrow. There's at least 5 more trees I need to drop. The ones we hauled off - they dropped all by themselves.

Oh... I was cutting up a small dead tree that had been down for who knows how long and I smelled the unmistakable scent of cedar. Turns out we have several downed cedar trees (±6" diameter) which I promptly moved into the garage to dry.

Maybe this is a good place to ask this...

I have a 1950s era Black & Decker electric hedge trimmer. What do I lubricate the blades with...should I have to lubricate the blades?

It sounds like it's binding, but could that be something like when an electric starter goes bad on a car and fails to make good contact? Could binding blades cause the electric bits to do that...could it hurt them permanently?

I just used the thing one time, and it started making an occasional high-pitched noise near the end, like when an electric hair trimmer binds up.

chain oil. for chain saws.....or high viscosity motor oil

yes, you should lubricate it.

I picked up some 3-In-One oil. Will try that. It did sound like a missing starter though.

Nope. I think thin oil for that, because it's not used much. IMHO

30 weight oil.

and dont forget the gauze pads and ball bearings

it's all ball bearings nowadays

You must do a lot of screwing Zippy.

Sweden, I think.

I've learned that first rule. :LOL:

I am working on the second.


My rule is. Quality over quanity when buying groceries.
That is something I had to learn.

Correct. I keep confusing chain saws with chocolate. I've found that between the two I can solve just about any problem that comes along.

Camping gear. With few exceptions, any camping gear worth having is going to be expensive.

Good thinking, cheap camping gear can be more than a pain in the ass, it can be dangerous.

When on a college road trip to Vegas, upon arrival in town you should always spend your FIRST $20 on gas for the trip home. [/voice of experience]

The scissoring blades are not the only moving parts that can make that awful sound. For the blades, just some motor oil will be fine. Be generous, but not so much that it sprays everywhere. And the oil will be a dust magnet too so be aware and clean it. Your goal will to have the surfaces smooth so they glide over each other without binding. A rusty surface will hold more oil, and more dirt and crap, until it's shined up through use. Then a very light coating of oil will be sufficient to keep it going well, and be a much smaller crud magnet.

As to the other parts that might be making the noise and need attention, the commutator brushes on the motor might need some lube / replacement. Also the motor bearings might need some tlc too. If you've cleaned up the blades, and you know it, and it still screeches and groans while running in the air, I would look to the motor parts.

Everyone seems to be in agreement that paying good $ for power tools is the way to go - DeWalt is my personal fave.

i also don't like to skimp on nice dress shoes or T.V.'s and computers.

Had a few shitbox t.v.'s and pc's that have died in the arse on me as i have tried to save a few bucks.

Dress shoes - don't get me started. I ended up biting the bullet and paying AUD 300 bucks to get a pair of Batsanis dress shoes for my wedding and have been happily wearing them every day to work for at least a year with no trouble. Prior to that I would spend 200 on a shite brand and have to get a new pair every 5-7 months

Not as Much as I would like to be doing ;)

Now as to chain saws , Haskys are a FINE choice , good saws ,
I have an ECHO
Great saw , and as to chains , well NOTHING beats a new chain , but it ain't that hard to sharpen one , you just have to treat it like a knife , shape it then sharpen it .

I only buy Milwaukee, or Bosh for work. Porter Cable used to be a good tool company, I have a Porter Cable screw gun. Word is they have moved to Mexico, and are making tools as reliable as DeWalt. I have a Black and Decker sander, and a 1/2 inch drill from them. I use them once, or twice a year, and for that they are fine.

My chainsaw is a Craftman. again once, or twice a year. If money was no object I would buy a Sthill.

Speaking of chainsaws, my dad worked for the Mall Tool Company in Chicago. According to dad, the company was started by a guy who parachuted in to Germany, during WWI, or WWII, I don't remember, and stole a chain saw. It was an over head valve engine, and weighed a fraction of what we were using back then.

Exactly right. If you go to a real saw store, they'll teach you how to do the job properly. Saws are a lot safer if they're set up right.