3 of our best and 3 of your worst

[Amy752]

Best:

Pug #1
Pug #2
My Dyson vaccum

Worst:

Treadmill that I rarely used
clothes that don't fit or I end up hating
a bunch of junk from thrift stores I *thought* I could sell on ebay (haha!)

[Ima saver]

Gosh we had a pool too, talk about a bad decision and a money eater. Plus, I forgot , we bought a boat. Boat: something in the water that you pour money into.

[kashi]

Best:
- pet investments (they are worth it!)
- kitchenaid mixer (I use it ALL the time)
- vacation with my mom a few years ago
- studying abroad

Worst:
- expensive college education
- endless crafty things that just fill up my house
- any gym memberships & all the gym equipment I purchased

[nanamom]

Assuming kids don't count (and they do cost!)

Three best:
Our dog. Purebred Golden Retriever. She is turning 16 years old in April.
My sewing machine. I love to sew and make alot of gifts as well as my clothes.
our van it costs alot but we can seat 8 and that makes a difference when we are with grandkids.

Worst:
The stuff I am trying to sell on ebay because I don't want it anymore!
Car, Ford focus, never given us any trouble over 100,000 miles but a BIG payment still
Money I've spent trying to make money somehow.

This thread really made me think, I like it!

[Ima saver]

Best: treadmill, I use it everyday.

[jodi]

Three best:
Tightwad Gazette book (compilation of all three books) that I bought on a whim years ago - totally changed my attitude and has given me countless ideas.
Digital camera - cost a lot of money, but saved a ton in film and developing - and I get exactly what I want.
Thrift store dressy clothes that I have been wearing to work for years and still look new.

Three worst:
Any car I have owned - the latest being a 2000 Ford Windstar that has had too many things go wrong to list.
The first two years of college - I wish I had not put myself into serious college loan debt to get an education I could have gotten at the local community college (but I did meet DH there, so it was worth the money in the long run!)
Several pieces of jewelry DH has bought me (three pairs of earrings, necklace - all broken or lost). I have terrible luck with the beautiful things he gets me - even the earring with the screw backs, so now I am just going to keep what I have and get cheapo stuff when I need something nice. it's just money down the drain, no matter how careful I am.

[Ima saver]

Fake 3 karet diamond ring I bought on Home shopping for $25. Everyone thinks it is real. Best ring I ever bought for $25.
Worst, all the jewelry I bought on Home shopping and don't wear.

[markitcat]

Best

1. A solid oak vanity from the 1920's for $10. It was stuffed in a back room in the corner under a pile of stuff. It was painted black and had a hideous seat cover. I got it about 15 years ago, refinished it, and recovered the seat. It has dovetail corners and beveled glass mirror. The wood is thick and heavy. It is my favorite piece of furniture in my house.

2. My ferret. $100 of love and entertainment that has lasted for 6 years.

3. Any how to, or finacial book, or course I've ever taken.


Worst

1. Modeling classes that my daughter talked me into signing her up for.

2. Drum set for my other daughter. I'm half deaf now.

3. The junk food I've eaten over my lifetime. Not only the original price paid, but the cost of dental work and health problems.

[abowers]

Best (In no order)
1. Super cheap gym membership (Hoping to still be going as often as I am now, in 6 months)
2. My bike. $400 purchase that held me off from buying a car for the first 3 months here -- b/c I was able to ride my bike to work. Not to mention some nice bike rides to explore the new area, and along the very long, pretty, canal towpath here. And it got my legs in shape!
2a. My car that I bought in October. Payments are affordable, it's allowed me to go back home to visit parents and friends inexpensively (34mpg on the highway!). Also saved my boyfriend his sanity in that he didn't have to get up at 6-7am to drive me to work anymore.
3. My education, though it has yet to pay off. I have lots of loans, but it will be worth it in the end.

Worst
1. A number of clothing items that I didn't wear enough times, or that were impulse purchases. Luckily I was able to sell many of them on ebay.
2. Buying food or coffee out, instead of making it at home. (I have gotten better about this though)

[jmjj215]

Worst: spending $25 on a ponzi scheme when I was 15. Of course, I had no idea what the heck a ponzi scheme was... and $25 was a lot more to me back then as well

[BCHGRL]

Best
1. My education
2. My home
3. My car

Worst
1. My home (yup, same home)
2. My car (yup, same car)
3. Too many suits for work - lost 30lbs and they no longer fit - sold through thrift store

I should have bought a home sooner, but I just wanted to live on the beach, which I could only afford to do as a renter. I'm glad to own my home and do not have to deal with a landlord, but it is also qualifies as my worst because prices increased over 100% while I was procrastinating. My car is on the worst list because I paid too much for it (again, young and dumb). Bad purchase then, but 6 years later it is paid off and still runs like a dream.

[lrjohnson]

Best:
1) The Tightwad Gazette books; way beyond tips - I underwent a total head shift
2) Futon Bed I bought at 16 that I used for over 10 years through many moves.
3) Vintage armoire I spent "too much" on at $150 that I adore and have had for 20 years.
4) My deductible and copay on rehab.
extra because it may not count) Paying off old cc and medical bills while making minimum wage: gave me a sense of discipline and a real feel for the value of a dollar.

Worst
1) Many, many meals out. At least now I try to get good value and it doesn't creat debt.
2) Whatever I charged on my credit card when I was young...I'll remember paying for it way more than enjoying whatever it was.
3) Whatever I ever paid for cigarettes or alcohol.

[Ima saver]

A good buy: my luggage. My mother got it for me with green stamps for my 15th birthday. It has been lots of places, even lost in aruba. 14 cruises, canada, 4 plane trips, all over. I still have it. It is now 46 years old!

[Tightwad Kitty]

Three of My best purchases are:

1. My House was a ex-family members home and has never been owned by non-family member. I got it at price that I could afford too!
2. My first Car that I drove until this year, I had it 23 years.
3. This computer that I bought 6 years ago, & putting on broadband.

My three worse purchases are:

1. My Kirby Vacuum Cleaner that I paid too much for! It works ok but the price ouch!
2. The hobbies that I started and spent big on but never did much with.
3. The books that I bought and will never read.

[KarenSue]

I would second (or third) the Tightwad Gazette books. They have changed my way of thinking. We were able to successfully save for, and build, the house we're in today.

Our mattress. It is extremely comfortable. There's nothing better than an awesome bed to sleep in!

The computer. Countless hours of entertainment, and I sell things all the time. This investment has paid for itself many times over.

The three worst things? Hmm...

The dogs. We love them, but they are destructive, expensive, and, well, furry. Never again.

The things I have left over from the toy store I used to own. I'll never recoup what they cost, and they're difficult to sell. Lots of small things, like charms, stuffed animals, etc. Anybody want some? ;o)

[Ima saver]

I want to know what kind of mattress you have Karensue? Mine is very uncomfortable and I need a new one.

[PrincessPerky]

Yeah I am curious too, I am getting a new one soon...I can't wait!

[tinapbeana]

Originally Posted by Lostsoul33

Best purchases:
My computer. I can't imagine how I lived without my pc
Marriage license and honeymoon to South Carolina. Awesome man and the trip was great.
Our kingsize bed. After the honeymoon and always having a kingsize bed, we came home and made the big purchase. We love it!

Woohooo!!! I live in SC and it's a beautiful place. Where did you go?

[tinapbeana]

OK, I'm actually going to reply to the question this time

Best
1. My house (in July of this year): paid 63k for a house appraised at 75k as is. We spent 2600 having a tree removed (have a bunch of firewood now!), still need to install an oven and clean up yard debris, comp sales value will increase to 85-90k.
2. Digital camera: Many hours of enjoyment and memories. Plus I'm pretty good at it and am considering selling some prints. Plus plus: I can decorate said house with said prints for cheap!
3. Hiking/camping gear: DH & I enjoy roughing it (dig a hole to pee in kind of camping). Plus, it's fun to see how little we can get by on for a couple of days living, err, *camping* in a statepark.
4. A tee shirt from Walmart that has lasted 14 years and still looks great. WOW!

Worst
1. Canoe DH said he'd wanted for 20 yrs (which he did). We don't have a place to properly store it outside yet, so it's laying in the floor in my den.
2. Anything on my CCs I had in college. I didn't know what I was doing and didn't think, and am paying the price now.
3. The college I chose for all the wrong reasons. Scholarships helped and I got out of Emory w/ only 11k in loans, but could have gone to U of SC and made money w/ surplus scholarships. DOH!

[Thrifty Ray]

Best:
My 2nd computer/Internet
My 2nd wedding license..17 years and strong as ever!
My 2nd camera- digital~ no more film!!!
my free library card!!!

Worst:
My 1st computer- it was a 1980's version purchased mid-1990's..I knew nothing about it and it was a total waste of $75
My 1st wedding license...this is a whole other topic
all those lunches out when I worked outside the home...I dont remember most of them and I spent WAY too much money on them!!!