[DC?]

I agree with the idea that investing in quality is really only important for those items that you would like to use regularly or keep around for some time. For instance, I would rather spend a lot on high quality furniture than "disposable" furniture that gradually falls apart. That said, people's tastes change and the conservative look isn't as popular as it once was.

Another thing to keep in mind is you don't need to pay for needless "features". While I would like the luxury of an expensive espresso machine, my $30.00 glass coffee press makes wonderful coffee and doesn't even use electricity.