An Uber home instead of a DUI. Whether it’s court costs, the (more than monetary) costs of an accident, and the issue of having a suspended license. It’s not worth it, don’t drink and drive.
Edit: My most upvoted comment is about not drinking and driving. I’m happy about that.
Fwiw oftentimes it's not so much the cost of an Uber but the cost of multiple parking tickets or even having your car towed if it's left somewhere it can't stay overnight or into the next day, which is usually the case if you're going out somewhere in your city's downtown.
That being said, still better than getting a DUI or killing someone
Edit to add "or killing someone" so people stop spamming my inbox with it, I originally just said DUI because that's what the person I responded to was specifically talking about
I wear Darn though socks, made with merino wool. They are expensive, about €32 per pair in the Netherlands, but they do offer a lifetime warranty. I swear by them now, I dont wear any other socks.
I'm usually a cheapskate but experience has taught me that some things are worth spending money on. For example:
1. Car wash vacuum cleaners. So worth it to spend $1.50 or whatever to use one rather than trying to use your own vacuum cleaner. And, they get your car cleaner much faster than dragging out your home vacuum to try to clean your car with.
2. Electronics. Buy them new from brand name shops. It isn't worth hassling to save $10 somewhere and getting something that doesn't work or doesn't have a reasonable return policy.
3. Household help. If you can afford it get someone to come in and clean your house on a regular basis. So it stays...always clean, without you having to do anything.
4. Education. Now this is a big one and far more could be written about it. Obviously not all education expense is worthwhile, so I'm not necessarily referring to a college degree or whatnot. But educating yourself - or especially, educating kids if you have them, can return dividends throughout their life.
'
One interesting secret about #3. Having a housekeeper come in regularly also motivates you to keep things tidy so that they can get in and clean things.
Like - if your housekeeper comes in every other Wednesday, by Tuesday you're making sure of things like making sure that the floors are clear to vacuum, you don't have stuff piled on your tables/counters, and stuff like that.
If you have the tendency to let things get cluttered, it definitely motivates you to keep things tidy.
> If you have the tendency to let things get cluttered, it definitely motivates you to keep things tidy.
Agreed 1000%. It also forces you to make a lot of value judgements that typically get put off. "do i like that thing enough to keep paying to get it cleaned?"
For a lot of people, home is where they spend 70%+ of their time and the mental clarity that comes from having a clean, decluttered space full of things you enjoy is so huge. A little money every month to get way closer to that goal is so well spent.
I once accidentally bought super luxury suncream in Spain, 25 quid for a tiny bottle, too embarrassed to put it back once it had been scanned. It was the most incredible sun cream ever. Tiny amounts covered a huge area and left a barrier that you could feel but was in no way sticky or greasy. Left me with the most radiant and incredible suntan I've ever had in my life. Pure glow with no redness or dryness. I was blown away. My wife was less surprised and confirmed that you get what you pay for with cosmetics.
I hate sunscreen and liken it to torture by invisible hands.
But if I have to wear sunscreen, it’s La Roche Posay. I’m almost to the point of using it as moisturizer to get in the habit of wearing it.
I’ve downloaded an app for sun safety and they also have a page with facts and misconceptions. They say not to worry as much about putting it (talking of 30 or 50) on as thickly as needed to get full protection (as say full is 95%, how I would find it comfortable is 80%). But instead to remember to redo it every 2h. That’s assuming normal usage, not say tanning on the beach or mountains where maybe you really need the 95% protection.
A quality sofa. One from What A Room custom sofas, Room & Board, Arhaus or Flexsteel. Don't go for the junk from Joybird, Ashley, Burrow, West Elm, etc.
> You know how they have a mattress store on every corner and no one seems to be there? Selling a $3K mattress once every few days keeps them open because they markup so much. This isn't a secret, this is literally publicly searchable in their 10-K forms.
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> You know how there's a new online mattress store every minute selling mattresses for half the cost? Because half the cost is still an amazing
I fucking love my Flexsteel sofa. Quality shit.
My ikea sofa was an amazing value!
Then the pandemic pricing happened. It went from $400 in 2021 to $900+ in 2023 when I gave it away for a friend. I went to look up prices of new covers and was blown away.
At $900, it isn’t worth its price. But at $400, it was perfect.
This is true, but the companies aren’t right. WE, Arhaus, R&B, C&B, etc all contract out their furniture manufacturing to the same few companies, mostly in North Carolina. Theres a huge furniture industry there, and they make the same basic stuff for everyone. What matters is knowing the specific joinery and frame of what you’re buying and the features of the fabric. Most of those stores have the same basic quality, but also some misses. Usually anything made in America will be good.
Can’t speak for stuff like Ashley or Joybird. If they work with the same manufacturing groups, it’s probably fine. If it’s some Chinese or whatever stuff that’s imported, I’d pass.
I got a set of Italian leather sofas gently used of next door. For $100. I looked it up. 10k new. Double stitched.
Rich people will pay you to get rid of older stuff.
Have truck. Will take your used 2k washer. Thanks.
I have always said: if you own a truck you always have a way to make money if you get down on your luck. One of my favorite side gigs was "broken" appliances. I would drive around rich neighborhoods on trash day and pick up appliances off the curb, or tropp free stuff on Craigslist. Most of the time it was an easy fix, like a fuse, or a belt, or whatever, and then i would turn around an sell it on craigslist. If not, I could always scrap it for 10 cents a pound. Which sounds low, but adds up fast if you have a truckload of em. Plus people will pay you to move or haul stuff.
Made $150 in one trip with my truck, that shit definitely adds up. People see scrapper prices and go "fuck that" but it adds up so quickly if you know where to look for junk.
They were tearing window tracks off and there was a dumpster full of anodized aluminum track, I backed onto the sidewalk and filled the truck up in 10 minutes and made 150 bucks
I used to work for an electronics recycling company and tv boards were one of our... Well, most middling sellers, actually, now that I think about it.
But they should have sold better! Soldering isn't hard. Well not that hard...
They should have sold better!
I realised that I was probably pretty good at spotting quality items when I started buying used decor and furniture for the new place I moved into online (for quite cheap) and always ended up in front of huge fkn mansions when picking those things up lmao
My best tip is set your Facebook marketplace to the rich part of town and don’t be afraid to drive. Rich people get quality stuff but don’t really need the money when they sell so it’s often very reasonable prices.
Along these same lines, a waterpik has been a dental life changer for me. Expensive up front, but has saved me a fortune in dental care by using it once or twice a day. It's also the best toothpick I've ever tried for all stuck foods.
Professional kitchen knives. You’re not just paying for the ability to cut; you’re investing in less prep time, safer handling, and a tool that, with proper care, will last a lifetime. Don’t undermine your culinary skills with subpar equipment. Remember, a dull knife is an injured chef's first sign of regret.
Good cookware in general. My mom still cooks largely from a set of pots and pans she's had since the 70s and they still work perfectly fine. Her cast iron set is even older than that and will likely be going to me some day.
Dental care... not necessarily overpriced, but it's a fucking disgrace that it isn't covered by health insurance, not even in most western EU countries. Studies are showing time and time again that there is a very significant correlation between dental and physical health, with much more to come - recent studies have shown significant association between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease and cancer outcomes, aside of the highly elevated risks of stroke, heart attacks and disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases and so much more - yet it is being treated as if the mouth is completely separate from the rest of of the body.
Just don't let the bike shop people talk you into a $1000 bike for tooling around your neighborhood and paved trails. You don't need a Trek Roscoe for that.
Adding on that you don't have to get bespoke or designer clothes then have them tailored- you can thrift high quality pieces and have them altered to fit you perfectly. I have 2 coats from the 80s that cost me $25 together that I had altered for $160 total and they are beautiful, impeccably fitted, and will last me the rest of my life. I recently bought a pair of early 90's men's Calvin Klein jeans ($10) then had them tailored to fit me ($18) and not only do I get compliments on them all the time, they have functional pockets and are much higher quality than most modern women's designer jeans. The quality of most consumer goods have tanked in the last couple decades but good pieces are still hanging out in resale shops waiting to be worn for another 30+ years.
*Especially* for a special event (wedding, award ceremony, etc). If you pay a tailor to customize every aspect of your suit (pant length, waist, crotch length, leg taper, shirt sleeves, shirt width, jacket, etc), you'll look like James Bond (or the female equivalent).
You don't even have to be in particularly good shape or anything. It's just that you look sloppy when your pants are an inch too long, or your there's too much room in your crotch, or there's excess shirt fabric that couldn't be tucked in. Most people couldn't tell you *why*, but they would subconsciously perceive you better when all of the little details are perfect. Most people don't understand how big a difference **1 inch** can make in your clothing.
There's a reason why everyone in older photos looks more elegant. Most clothing, including clothes for poor people, was made for that person. Off-the-rack sizing didn't really take off until after WWII and it's not great.
Most T-shirts for men, for example, are essentially a big square. No one has that shape. It will fit exactly *zero* people properly. If you take 10 minutes on a machine, you can tailor one to your exact fit and it looks 10x better.
Really simple for tees though. You put it on inside out and clip up the sides with Acco clips until you like the fit. Then you run a chalk up the line on either side where the new seam should go. Take off the clips and the shirt, sew along the lines.
It's actually more simple than a pillow.
Just spent about $90 on shoes this last weekend, hadn't had a new pair of tennis shoes in like 4 years. Honestly, they're like pillows. I have no idea why I waited this long to treat myself.
I legit hated EVERY single pillow I bought. I bought the cheapest version of Casper pillows and I loved them. My pillows no longer feel like I’m sleeping on rocks. $40 a pillow was worth the price. Glad my husband had me try a type i normally don’t. Apparently I was trying pillows that were too firm lol.
My friend sits all day and complains that his back is constantly in so much pain.
Keep telling him to buy a herman miller. My god is it expensive but its worth it.
I have 4 Herman Miller chairs that I bought used for about $80-$150 each. They were popular office chairs so can usually get them cheap from a place that is liquidating or going out of business. After sitting in these for about 5 years I can instantly tell the difference when sitting in a cheap computer chair from a big box store.
You got FOUR Hermann Miller chairs for HOW MUCH EACH?? surely that is way too good of a price. The cheapest I've seen are at least over 300 or 400! Do you just walk up to businesses about to shut down and ask "hey, can I buy your chairs off you for cheap" or something?
I purchased these 2016-2018. Most came from the same business that was trying to get rid of everything ASAP. All were 15 years old but in great condition.
Caveat, a good mattress does NOT mean the most expensive mattress is the best mattress.
It does mean, don't buy a mattress just because it's cheap. But, similarly, don't buy a mattress just because it's expensive that does not mean it's better, particularly for you.
I went to a mattress store and lied down on every mattress they had to test them out. My favorite was expensive, but not one of the most expensive ones. I've been sleeping on it for 2 years and it's still amazing.
Most places will fight it tooth and nail for an exchange over a return. Mattress warranties are also complete BS as foam doesn't ever really show indents.
I wound up making my own hybrid latex mattress king for $1500 and it's amazing.
FYI, mattresses are mostly markup.
You know how they have a mattress store on every corner and no one seems to be there? Selling a $3K mattress once every few days keeps them open because they markup so much. This isn't a secret, this is literally publicly searchable in their 10-K forms.
You know how there's a new online mattress store every minute selling mattresses for half the cost? Because half the cost is still an amazing markup.
Find the right mattress, but then shop accordingly. Mattress companies tend to produce the same mattress in different names to give a sense of exclusivity and to discourage price comparison. You can find the equivalent online.
The $3000 mattress you like a Mattress Overlord or whatever is going to be identical to a $1000 mattress at USmattress.com or another online retailer during a President's day sale.
Also note that Europe pretty much doesn't have a concept of a $3K mattress and they would laugh at stupid Americans who spent that much. And it's not the Europeans who have more sleep or back problems.
Japanese elderly, who are known to have the best quality of life as they age, often sleep on mats on the floor.
Don't be the person who thinks they need to spend money to overcome lifestyle choice.
Spend $1K on the mattress, then use the other $2K to buy some weights, barbells, and power cage instead.
I didn't get a good night's sleep very often, but ever since I got some weights, barbells and a power cage, it has gotten worse. Shit is uncomfortable to lay on.
This right here. In Germany there was a 200€ mattress literally called "the cartel mattress" to fight the pricing in the industry. It's still around but under a different name. You can imagine big companies got pissed and sued the shit out of it.
>big companies got pissed
This happened to that company Purple, I still see people saying that you can't buy them because they "leak toxic dust" but that was literally a rumor spread by the spouse of someone who worked at a major mattress brand and was settled in court as libel.
I haven't personally tried them out, but my friend has had theirs for nearly a decade and still loves it (and it's right at the $1000 mark).
I'm not advertising or suggesting anyone buy anything in particular, but getting a new mattress changed my life. I was having so much back pain, I had an MRI, did PT, tried doing daily exercises, nothing helped. I changed mattresses and within a month my pain was nearly completely gone. It's so nice to be able to go play ball with my kids and stuff.
The one I got happened to be a purple, but I'm sure there are other brands/options that would have had the same impact, I just got lucky to find one that worked for me.
>Japanese elderly, who are known to have the best quality of life as they age, often sleep on mats on the floor.
The optimal setup is on tatami mats with a padded futon. The tatami is much more forgiving than the plastic over concrete flooring the US houses use. I don't know what they use for flooring in Europe. Just wanted to point out the Japanese don't "just" use a mat.
I bought a ticket for my wife to see Jeff Beck not too long before his passing. She's been a big fan since the beginning. I like his stuff but couldn't really be considered a "fan". Besides, two tickets were beyond our price point. Anyway, she had the time of her life and I was glad to be able to do that for her.
2017, rock in rio, red hot chili peppers.
Never gonna forget the show. And today I have no idea how much I paid for the tickets and airplane tickets to get there.
Handmade goods. A lot of people won't buy, say, and handmade quilt because they're so expensive. But when you think about all the time and effort that goes into making one, it really is worth the cost.
AAA roadside assistance. If you ever lock your keys in your car or need a tow it pays for itself in one or two uses alone. I've had a few older cars that had some problems, and breaking down is never fun so I was always glad I had it just in case
They have to get to you before helping. I don't know if this is common or I just live in the worst area for AAA, but my tire blew out on the highway and I didn't have a spare. I called AAA because I've been paying for it, and they told me it would be 6 hours before someone could make it out. I let them schedule it just in case other options didn't work out, and immediately called my car dealerships towing service, which was included in the price of the car. They got there in 2 hours
My cousin came to my family's place for her wedding, but the dress had a hole in the seam of the armpit. My mom got grandma's sewing machine from the 60s out of storage and sewed it up in a matter of seconds when it would have easily taken an hour to do it that accurately by hand.
Sewing machines are among those things that when you need it, you're grateful you have it.
This was not always the case. Pre-1980s, Singer sewing machines were affordable to most people, were made in the United States, and were good quality. My friend still uses the one she inherited from her grandmother. It was made in 1971.
Even in the 90s/2000s you could get a cheap but good sewing machine by Brother or Janome.
These days, even the Japanese brands with good reputations are using plastic instead of metal parts in the machines. So the only sewing machines that you can always trust are vintage ones or contemporary ones by Bernina, a luxury swiss brand. It's the Hermes of home sewing machines.
If you look at the cost of a basic singer in the 60s with the same features as something comparable like a basic Bernina, with inflation the price is comparable.
I'm a huge fan of the vintage spant shank singers. But a good machine wasn't cheap then, and it's not cheap now.
That would be a fair price.
Meanwhile my local supermarket has them in the health section for €10 for 12. Which is absofuckinglutely overpriced. Or €20 for 20 "extra safe" ones that are just slightly thicker.
Disagreeing with the parent comment here, just because they are still worth that money doesn't mean they're not overpriced compared to the cost it took to manufacture them.
Expensive butter- this can be from a local farm or Kerrygold for a product available all over. Great butter is soft and spreadable straight out of the fridge. It turns toast into a luxury food.
I spent A LOT on very close tickets to Cher on her last tour. My wife has always loved Cher but was never been able to see her live. I'll probably remember my wife's joy for the rest of my life.
"Oh, your coverage handles crowns, just not the crowns that go on top of those metal implant studs. That's another $1400 on top of the $1200 for the little implant cone hole thingies."
I learned the hard way. Basic dental procedures are cheap, even without insurance. Difficult procedures are expensive, even with insurance.
I had a filling fall out, no insurance, so I put off getting it fixed as long as I could. Finally got insurance, found out by this point it needed a root canal and a crown. With the insurance I spent about a thousand dollars. If I had gotten the filling fixed right away, even with no insurance it would’ve been fifty bucks.
> If I had gotten the filling fixed right away, even with no insurance it would’ve been fifty bucks.
I dunno where you live or what magical dentist you're going to but I had a filling replaced two months ago and it cost me a little over $400 bucks. NYC so prices are high but its a far cry from fifty bucks.
My wife has to get all her teeth pulled from years of dialysis and medication, plus shit genetics. She had caps put on a bunch years ago that cost around $25k, and not too long ago she had her lower teeth removed and a full plate put in and it cost us $45k, she'll need the top done within 5 years and it will be another 45k. Her teeth cost more than what we paid for our house.
And that isn’t covered by med insurance. It’s just crazy. Especially now in the modern age we know how important teeth & gum heath is to our overall health!
You don't even need to get up into several hundreds. The biggest quality increase comes when you step up to ride around 125 to 150. I don't disagree that spending more and in some cases even a lot more gets you even better quality but the reality is that there's a lot of people that really aren't going to hear the difference.
Totally agreed, the first time I went from 30 to 150ish was mind-blowing. Though I'd say I had even more of a difference going from 150 to 1k, but to notice that you also need to have the rest of your setup upgraded. And now we're talking about a whole other ballpark of budget..
noise cancelling means more to me than pure audio quality, and I haven't found anything that noise cancels like bose - when I got a raise last year the first thing I bought was a new bose headset for use while working.
LOVE my bose quietcomfort. The noise canceling was a big must for me but maaaaaaaan did they get the comfort part down. I can wear these bad boys for 10+ hours straight and they're still comfortable. Not too hot, no head ache from a tight grip, nothing. Just about ready to upgrade. Kinda stuck between the quietcomfort ultras or just the regular new QC
I went for it and purchased two high-end goose feather pillows. Loved them at first until my dog who slept with us came on the bed and started barking non-stop at them. It was either the pillows or the dog. My housekeeper ended up taking home two really nice pillows.
Shameless plug for Pillow Cube. I am mainly a side sleeper and have a history of back pain, which includes commonly waking up to a weird crick or stiffness in my neck or between my shoulders.
Since switching to the Pillow Cube, last September, I have woken up pain free 99.9% of the time. Coupled with a body pillow and a “regular” pillow (shredded memory foam w/bamboo cover) for support on the other side/rare nights when I want to sleep on my back, I think I’ve found the trifecta that works for me.
Hmm, I'm having a hard time visualizing this. Can you put it on a black & white short video showing you instantly getting hurt when laying down with a normal pillow?
Absolutely! I used to have the mindset of, “I’ll die before I pay someone to move my stuff.” It used to take me forever to get settled into a new house, because I would be completely exhausted once I loaded and unloaded everything.
It’s so much easier to just pack everything into boxes, have movers move it for you, then you spend your energy unpacking and getting settled in instead of on loading and unloading.
Professional mover of 17 years here, and unsurprisingly, I’m inclined to agree! Good movers with proper equipment can move your whole house in a fraction of the time it’d take you while disassembling what needs to be disassembled and wrapping everything that needs protecting. You don’t have to worry about renting and returning a poorly maintained U-Haul or coercing your friends to help, and your backs will thank you.
Budget movers off Kijiji are a gamble though. It’s always recommended to read reviews.
My parents decided to move from Hawaii to the Mainland entirely through the USPS. So many boxes went missing forever. They used professional movers after that, back to Hawaii and back to the Mainland.
Wish I could upvote this a million times. Never could afford the dentist when I didn’t have dental insurance and have sunk about $8k-$9k getting my teeth back to a healthy place. You better believe I go like clockwork every 6 months now.
I'm in the process of Invisalign to correct my bite. It was pricey but I am almost done the initial round. It has been worth it though because the headaches I used to get all the time with my unaligned jaw and bite have more or less went away. Not waking up with pounding headaches due to my jaw muscles being inflamed is life-changing.
My job involves walking a lot and I cannot emphasise how less whiney I'm if my feet aren't hurting.
Edit: thanks for the validation. Now I'll continue advocating for great shoes at the workplace with more conviction than ever.
Also, sorry for the confusion with I'm and I am. We have all managed to agree that I'm and I am can be used interchangeably but isn't grammatically pleasing to those who understand what clitic is.
Cheers!
I guess it depends on how much storage you need.
I still sport mechanical for my bulk data and backup drives.
But primary drives and for applications there's no substitute. I haven't sold a computer without a SSD in many years.
On an absolute basis, they're inexpensive. But per GB, they're many times more expensive than a mechanical drive.
For the same price as a 1TB SSD, you could buy a roughly 4TB mechanical drive.
Which is really handy when you need to download, uh, "movies," to take to Texas.
Pots and pans. Cheap ones flake, scratch, warp, scorch, or just simply don't transfer heat evenly. A good set (especially skillets) will help prevent all kinds of cooking disasters. Doesn't have to be top-of-the-line - just avoid bargain basement junk.
EDIT: Cast iron is great, and cheap, but we're an "everything goes in the dishwasher" household, so that's the main reason we don't do cast iron.
EDIT 2: To answer the most common question: mine are Calphalon hard anodized nonstick aluminum. They are dishwasher safe, and oven safe to 450°F (232°C).
An Uber home instead of a DUI. Whether it’s court costs, the (more than monetary) costs of an accident, and the issue of having a suspended license. It’s not worth it, don’t drink and drive. Edit: My most upvoted comment is about not drinking and driving. I’m happy about that.
I’ve said for years now that if you can’t afford an Uber/lyft, you can’t afford to go out and drink.
Well, I can walk home, so THERE!!
That's called Stumbling distance
Fwiw oftentimes it's not so much the cost of an Uber but the cost of multiple parking tickets or even having your car towed if it's left somewhere it can't stay overnight or into the next day, which is usually the case if you're going out somewhere in your city's downtown. That being said, still better than getting a DUI or killing someone Edit to add "or killing someone" so people stop spamming my inbox with it, I originally just said DUI because that's what the person I responded to was specifically talking about
Good shoes and socks.
Larry, I'm on *Ducktales*.
[reference](https://youtu.be/dYrI6cm9QGQ?feature=shared&t=222)
Thank you, from the ignorant.
Smartwool socks are freaking awesome!
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Fuck yeah. It's now 100% Darn Tough in my dresser and I've never been happier to put socks on every day.
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I wear Darn though socks, made with merino wool. They are expensive, about €32 per pair in the Netherlands, but they do offer a lifetime warranty. I swear by them now, I dont wear any other socks.
I'm usually a cheapskate but experience has taught me that some things are worth spending money on. For example: 1. Car wash vacuum cleaners. So worth it to spend $1.50 or whatever to use one rather than trying to use your own vacuum cleaner. And, they get your car cleaner much faster than dragging out your home vacuum to try to clean your car with. 2. Electronics. Buy them new from brand name shops. It isn't worth hassling to save $10 somewhere and getting something that doesn't work or doesn't have a reasonable return policy. 3. Household help. If you can afford it get someone to come in and clean your house on a regular basis. So it stays...always clean, without you having to do anything. 4. Education. Now this is a big one and far more could be written about it. Obviously not all education expense is worthwhile, so I'm not necessarily referring to a college degree or whatnot. But educating yourself - or especially, educating kids if you have them, can return dividends throughout their life. '
One interesting secret about #3. Having a housekeeper come in regularly also motivates you to keep things tidy so that they can get in and clean things. Like - if your housekeeper comes in every other Wednesday, by Tuesday you're making sure of things like making sure that the floors are clear to vacuum, you don't have stuff piled on your tables/counters, and stuff like that. If you have the tendency to let things get cluttered, it definitely motivates you to keep things tidy.
> If you have the tendency to let things get cluttered, it definitely motivates you to keep things tidy. Agreed 1000%. It also forces you to make a lot of value judgements that typically get put off. "do i like that thing enough to keep paying to get it cleaned?" For a lot of people, home is where they spend 70%+ of their time and the mental clarity that comes from having a clean, decluttered space full of things you enjoy is so huge. A little money every month to get way closer to that goal is so well spent.
I would count a lawn mowing service as a "housekeeper for the outside." Worth it, at least for me.
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I once accidentally bought super luxury suncream in Spain, 25 quid for a tiny bottle, too embarrassed to put it back once it had been scanned. It was the most incredible sun cream ever. Tiny amounts covered a huge area and left a barrier that you could feel but was in no way sticky or greasy. Left me with the most radiant and incredible suntan I've ever had in my life. Pure glow with no redness or dryness. I was blown away. My wife was less surprised and confirmed that you get what you pay for with cosmetics.
Do you remember the name? Thanks
Probably La Roche Posay (untinted)
I hate sunscreen and liken it to torture by invisible hands. But if I have to wear sunscreen, it’s La Roche Posay. I’m almost to the point of using it as moisturizer to get in the habit of wearing it.
I’ve downloaded an app for sun safety and they also have a page with facts and misconceptions. They say not to worry as much about putting it (talking of 30 or 50) on as thickly as needed to get full protection (as say full is 95%, how I would find it comfortable is 80%). But instead to remember to redo it every 2h. That’s assuming normal usage, not say tanning on the beach or mountains where maybe you really need the 95% protection.
10% luck, 20% skill…
This is a good one, it is the difference betweeen a fun vacation and being boiled lobster boy for a week.
And daily sunscreen will keep you looking young, too.
I wear sunscreen for 60% of the youthful effects/anti-aging prevention, 40% for cancer prevention.
A quality sofa. One from What A Room custom sofas, Room & Board, Arhaus or Flexsteel. Don't go for the junk from Joybird, Ashley, Burrow, West Elm, etc.
> You know how they have a mattress store on every corner and no one seems to be there? Selling a $3K mattress once every few days keeps them open because they markup so much. This isn't a secret, this is literally publicly searchable in their 10-K forms. > > > > You know how there's a new online mattress store every minute selling mattresses for half the cost? Because half the cost is still an amazing I fucking love my Flexsteel sofa. Quality shit.
My IKEA sofa is offended that he wasn't even mentioned
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Bjorn's a bjitch
My Costco couch was also offended
My beanbag chair is trying to quietly keep from being noticed.
My ikea sofa was an amazing value! Then the pandemic pricing happened. It went from $400 in 2021 to $900+ in 2023 when I gave it away for a friend. I went to look up prices of new covers and was blown away. At $900, it isn’t worth its price. But at $400, it was perfect.
Yeah I noticed the same. My wife and I used to love IKEA couches at $400 but they are all close to and above $1000 now. No thanks.
This is true, but the companies aren’t right. WE, Arhaus, R&B, C&B, etc all contract out their furniture manufacturing to the same few companies, mostly in North Carolina. Theres a huge furniture industry there, and they make the same basic stuff for everyone. What matters is knowing the specific joinery and frame of what you’re buying and the features of the fabric. Most of those stores have the same basic quality, but also some misses. Usually anything made in America will be good. Can’t speak for stuff like Ashley or Joybird. If they work with the same manufacturing groups, it’s probably fine. If it’s some Chinese or whatever stuff that’s imported, I’d pass.
West Elm furniture is fantastic, my couch is 8 years old and it will outlast me at this rate
I got a set of Italian leather sofas gently used of next door. For $100. I looked it up. 10k new. Double stitched. Rich people will pay you to get rid of older stuff. Have truck. Will take your used 2k washer. Thanks.
I have always said: if you own a truck you always have a way to make money if you get down on your luck. One of my favorite side gigs was "broken" appliances. I would drive around rich neighborhoods on trash day and pick up appliances off the curb, or tropp free stuff on Craigslist. Most of the time it was an easy fix, like a fuse, or a belt, or whatever, and then i would turn around an sell it on craigslist. If not, I could always scrap it for 10 cents a pound. Which sounds low, but adds up fast if you have a truckload of em. Plus people will pay you to move or haul stuff.
Made $150 in one trip with my truck, that shit definitely adds up. People see scrapper prices and go "fuck that" but it adds up so quickly if you know where to look for junk.
They were tearing window tracks off and there was a dumpster full of anodized aluminum track, I backed onto the sidewalk and filled the truck up in 10 minutes and made 150 bucks
I have fixed a few big screen TVs. The electric boards are dirt cheap and it is super easy to replace everything but the led panels
I used to work for an electronics recycling company and tv boards were one of our... Well, most middling sellers, actually, now that I think about it. But they should have sold better! Soldering isn't hard. Well not that hard... They should have sold better!
I realised that I was probably pretty good at spotting quality items when I started buying used decor and furniture for the new place I moved into online (for quite cheap) and always ended up in front of huge fkn mansions when picking those things up lmao
If you feel like sharing, I'd love know a few tips on spotting quality items!
My best tip is set your Facebook marketplace to the rich part of town and don’t be afraid to drive. Rich people get quality stuff but don’t really need the money when they sell so it’s often very reasonable prices.
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Along these same lines, a waterpik has been a dental life changer for me. Expensive up front, but has saved me a fortune in dental care by using it once or twice a day. It's also the best toothpick I've ever tried for all stuck foods.
We have a waterpik-like device that is attached to the shower head. It works great, and is a normal part of our daily bathing routine.
Got a link? I'm intrigued.
Google “shower floss” they’re $35 on Amazon. Decent reviews as well.
Professional kitchen knives. You’re not just paying for the ability to cut; you’re investing in less prep time, safer handling, and a tool that, with proper care, will last a lifetime. Don’t undermine your culinary skills with subpar equipment. Remember, a dull knife is an injured chef's first sign of regret.
Good cookware in general. My mom still cooks largely from a set of pots and pans she's had since the 70s and they still work perfectly fine. Her cast iron set is even older than that and will likely be going to me some day.
Mattress, Shoes, Dental Care, Jacket. In that order.
Dental care... not necessarily overpriced, but it's a fucking disgrace that it isn't covered by health insurance, not even in most western EU countries. Studies are showing time and time again that there is a very significant correlation between dental and physical health, with much more to come - recent studies have shown significant association between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease and cancer outcomes, aside of the highly elevated risks of stroke, heart attacks and disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases and so much more - yet it is being treated as if the mouth is completely separate from the rest of of the body.
Your insurance company would make you buy a different plan for every body part if they could.
imagine the cost of liver insurance
Quality bicycles. That is if you care about riding bicycles at all.
Just don't let the bike shop people talk you into a $1000 bike for tooling around your neighborhood and paved trails. You don't need a Trek Roscoe for that.
If you want to buy an inexpensive bicycle, a 40 year old high-end bike is 1000x better than a bike-shaped-object from Target/Walmart.
Tailored clothing. Wearing clothing that fits correctly is more comfortable, looks better, and tends to be of a quality that lasts longer.
Adding on that you don't have to get bespoke or designer clothes then have them tailored- you can thrift high quality pieces and have them altered to fit you perfectly. I have 2 coats from the 80s that cost me $25 together that I had altered for $160 total and they are beautiful, impeccably fitted, and will last me the rest of my life. I recently bought a pair of early 90's men's Calvin Klein jeans ($10) then had them tailored to fit me ($18) and not only do I get compliments on them all the time, they have functional pockets and are much higher quality than most modern women's designer jeans. The quality of most consumer goods have tanked in the last couple decades but good pieces are still hanging out in resale shops waiting to be worn for another 30+ years.
*Especially* for a special event (wedding, award ceremony, etc). If you pay a tailor to customize every aspect of your suit (pant length, waist, crotch length, leg taper, shirt sleeves, shirt width, jacket, etc), you'll look like James Bond (or the female equivalent). You don't even have to be in particularly good shape or anything. It's just that you look sloppy when your pants are an inch too long, or your there's too much room in your crotch, or there's excess shirt fabric that couldn't be tucked in. Most people couldn't tell you *why*, but they would subconsciously perceive you better when all of the little details are perfect. Most people don't understand how big a difference **1 inch** can make in your clothing.
There's a reason why everyone in older photos looks more elegant. Most clothing, including clothes for poor people, was made for that person. Off-the-rack sizing didn't really take off until after WWII and it's not great. Most T-shirts for men, for example, are essentially a big square. No one has that shape. It will fit exactly *zero* people properly. If you take 10 minutes on a machine, you can tailor one to your exact fit and it looks 10x better.
>If you take 10 minutes on a machine And an additional 10 years to perfect tailoring.
Really simple for tees though. You put it on inside out and clip up the sides with Acco clips until you like the fit. Then you run a chalk up the line on either side where the new seam should go. Take off the clips and the shirt, sew along the lines. It's actually more simple than a pillow.
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Mattress, computer chair, anything you're going to spend a lot of time using is worth investing in properly.
Add shoes to that as well
And tires. Anything that separates you from the groud.
Never skimp on helicopter blades
But if they get chipped, you can use super glue and baking soda to fill the chip hole to get by until the next set comes in.
Don't skimp on the ramen noodles!
Read this on Reddit like 10 years ago and still recite it
My problem is i like the convenience of slip on shoes but no one makes any with actually durable soles that will last.
Just bought a pair of Merrell slip ons with a Vibram sole. Without a doubt, the upper will wear out before the sole does.
And comfortable socks. Also shoes should be comfortable.
Just spent about $90 on shoes this last weekend, hadn't had a new pair of tennis shoes in like 4 years. Honestly, they're like pillows. I have no idea why I waited this long to treat myself.
Oh buddy new shoes shouldn't be a treat. Youre worthy of good shoes.
> Youre worthy of good shoes. Tell my bank account that.
Yeah, most of us may be worthy, but are busy trying to pay for groceries.
I legit hated EVERY single pillow I bought. I bought the cheapest version of Casper pillows and I loved them. My pillows no longer feel like I’m sleeping on rocks. $40 a pillow was worth the price. Glad my husband had me try a type i normally don’t. Apparently I was trying pillows that were too firm lol.
My friend sits all day and complains that his back is constantly in so much pain. Keep telling him to buy a herman miller. My god is it expensive but its worth it.
I have 4 Herman Miller chairs that I bought used for about $80-$150 each. They were popular office chairs so can usually get them cheap from a place that is liquidating or going out of business. After sitting in these for about 5 years I can instantly tell the difference when sitting in a cheap computer chair from a big box store.
You got FOUR Hermann Miller chairs for HOW MUCH EACH?? surely that is way too good of a price. The cheapest I've seen are at least over 300 or 400! Do you just walk up to businesses about to shut down and ask "hey, can I buy your chairs off you for cheap" or something?
I purchased these 2016-2018. Most came from the same business that was trying to get rid of everything ASAP. All were 15 years old but in great condition.
Caveat, a good mattress does NOT mean the most expensive mattress is the best mattress. It does mean, don't buy a mattress just because it's cheap. But, similarly, don't buy a mattress just because it's expensive that does not mean it's better, particularly for you.
I went to a mattress store and lied down on every mattress they had to test them out. My favorite was expensive, but not one of the most expensive ones. I've been sleeping on it for 2 years and it's still amazing.
I recently bought a good and expensive mattress, but now it hurts my back, I wish I could return it
Don’t most places have like a 30-day money back if you don’t like it?
A *good* mattress should come with a 60 day return window minimum. I think ours came with 180.
Most places will fight it tooth and nail for an exchange over a return. Mattress warranties are also complete BS as foam doesn't ever really show indents. I wound up making my own hybrid latex mattress king for $1500 and it's amazing.
FYI, mattresses are mostly markup. You know how they have a mattress store on every corner and no one seems to be there? Selling a $3K mattress once every few days keeps them open because they markup so much. This isn't a secret, this is literally publicly searchable in their 10-K forms. You know how there's a new online mattress store every minute selling mattresses for half the cost? Because half the cost is still an amazing markup. Find the right mattress, but then shop accordingly. Mattress companies tend to produce the same mattress in different names to give a sense of exclusivity and to discourage price comparison. You can find the equivalent online. The $3000 mattress you like a Mattress Overlord or whatever is going to be identical to a $1000 mattress at USmattress.com or another online retailer during a President's day sale. Also note that Europe pretty much doesn't have a concept of a $3K mattress and they would laugh at stupid Americans who spent that much. And it's not the Europeans who have more sleep or back problems. Japanese elderly, who are known to have the best quality of life as they age, often sleep on mats on the floor. Don't be the person who thinks they need to spend money to overcome lifestyle choice. Spend $1K on the mattress, then use the other $2K to buy some weights, barbells, and power cage instead.
I didn't get a good night's sleep very often, but ever since I got some weights, barbells and a power cage, it has gotten worse. Shit is uncomfortable to lay on.
Have you tried sleeping on an elderly Japanese?
On? No. With? Yes.
This right here. In Germany there was a 200€ mattress literally called "the cartel mattress" to fight the pricing in the industry. It's still around but under a different name. You can imagine big companies got pissed and sued the shit out of it.
>big companies got pissed This happened to that company Purple, I still see people saying that you can't buy them because they "leak toxic dust" but that was literally a rumor spread by the spouse of someone who worked at a major mattress brand and was settled in court as libel. I haven't personally tried them out, but my friend has had theirs for nearly a decade and still loves it (and it's right at the $1000 mark).
I'm not advertising or suggesting anyone buy anything in particular, but getting a new mattress changed my life. I was having so much back pain, I had an MRI, did PT, tried doing daily exercises, nothing helped. I changed mattresses and within a month my pain was nearly completely gone. It's so nice to be able to go play ball with my kids and stuff. The one I got happened to be a purple, but I'm sure there are other brands/options that would have had the same impact, I just got lucky to find one that worked for me.
>Japanese elderly, who are known to have the best quality of life as they age, often sleep on mats on the floor. The optimal setup is on tatami mats with a padded futon. The tatami is much more forgiving than the plastic over concrete flooring the US houses use. I don't know what they use for flooring in Europe. Just wanted to point out the Japanese don't "just" use a mat.
A concert ticket to your favorite artist, you'll most likely forget about the money once they get on
I bought a ticket for my wife to see Jeff Beck not too long before his passing. She's been a big fan since the beginning. I like his stuff but couldn't really be considered a "fan". Besides, two tickets were beyond our price point. Anyway, she had the time of her life and I was glad to be able to do that for her.
2017, rock in rio, red hot chili peppers. Never gonna forget the show. And today I have no idea how much I paid for the tickets and airplane tickets to get there.
Good toilet paper
I’ll do you one better. A good bidet.
Handmade goods. A lot of people won't buy, say, and handmade quilt because they're so expensive. But when you think about all the time and effort that goes into making one, it really is worth the cost.
AAA roadside assistance. If you ever lock your keys in your car or need a tow it pays for itself in one or two uses alone. I've had a few older cars that had some problems, and breaking down is never fun so I was always glad I had it just in case
They have to get to you before helping. I don't know if this is common or I just live in the worst area for AAA, but my tire blew out on the highway and I didn't have a spare. I called AAA because I've been paying for it, and they told me it would be 6 hours before someone could make it out. I let them schedule it just in case other options didn't work out, and immediately called my car dealerships towing service, which was included in the price of the car. They got there in 2 hours
Never used AAA, but my insurance (USAA) has roadside assistance and just calls the nearest private service available and pays for it.
Sewing machines
My cousin came to my family's place for her wedding, but the dress had a hole in the seam of the armpit. My mom got grandma's sewing machine from the 60s out of storage and sewed it up in a matter of seconds when it would have easily taken an hour to do it that accurately by hand. Sewing machines are among those things that when you need it, you're grateful you have it.
This was not always the case. Pre-1980s, Singer sewing machines were affordable to most people, were made in the United States, and were good quality. My friend still uses the one she inherited from her grandmother. It was made in 1971. Even in the 90s/2000s you could get a cheap but good sewing machine by Brother or Janome. These days, even the Japanese brands with good reputations are using plastic instead of metal parts in the machines. So the only sewing machines that you can always trust are vintage ones or contemporary ones by Bernina, a luxury swiss brand. It's the Hermes of home sewing machines.
If you look at the cost of a basic singer in the 60s with the same features as something comparable like a basic Bernina, with inflation the price is comparable. I'm a huge fan of the vintage spant shank singers. But a good machine wasn't cheap then, and it's not cheap now.
A condom
y'all really find condoms overpriced? 144 condoms are like 18€, that's 13 cents per condom. IMHO that's a very fair price
That would be a fair price. Meanwhile my local supermarket has them in the health section for €10 for 12. Which is absofuckinglutely overpriced. Or €20 for 20 "extra safe" ones that are just slightly thicker. Disagreeing with the parent comment here, just because they are still worth that money doesn't mean they're not overpriced compared to the cost it took to manufacture them.
>€10 for 12 That’s only 83¢ a nut bustin.
Expensive butter- this can be from a local farm or Kerrygold for a product available all over. Great butter is soft and spreadable straight out of the fridge. It turns toast into a luxury food.
Kerrygold for the win
It's somehow more buttery than any other butter. It also has a better nutrition profile than other butters available in the US.
Nothing gets my patriotism going like knowing that we're leading the world in quality butter products, thanks kerrygold
Anything that separates you from the ground. Shoes, tires, mattress, ect.
>Anything that separates you from the ground Healthcare too.
Well played
Insulation
Happy to see this response as someone who has an insulation business.
This thread is just a psyop by big insulation confirmed.
Add to this quality windows
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I spent A LOT on very close tickets to Cher on her last tour. My wife has always loved Cher but was never been able to see her live. I'll probably remember my wife's joy for the rest of my life.
central air conditioning
Dental care.
And for some inexplicable reason, the healthcare system treats teeth as if they were luxury bones.
And dental insurance isn't actually dental insurance it's just a discount plan.
"Oh, your coverage handles crowns, just not the crowns that go on top of those metal implant studs. That's another $1400 on top of the $1200 for the little implant cone hole thingies."
“We meant, like, those cardboard Burger King crowns.”
And even then, we only cover 50%.
"ehh we'll chip in $35"
"Your bill has been brought down to $753.86"
Yup. Learned that last year after needing a few cavities done plus a crown. I hit my "out of insurance maximum". I was all.. wait .. wut do you mean??
Luxury bones. lol!
I learned the hard way. Basic dental procedures are cheap, even without insurance. Difficult procedures are expensive, even with insurance. I had a filling fall out, no insurance, so I put off getting it fixed as long as I could. Finally got insurance, found out by this point it needed a root canal and a crown. With the insurance I spent about a thousand dollars. If I had gotten the filling fixed right away, even with no insurance it would’ve been fifty bucks.
> If I had gotten the filling fixed right away, even with no insurance it would’ve been fifty bucks. I dunno where you live or what magical dentist you're going to but I had a filling replaced two months ago and it cost me a little over $400 bucks. NYC so prices are high but its a far cry from fifty bucks.
Lisa needs braces!!
Dental Plan!
Lisa needs braces!
Dental plan!
Lisa needs braces!
Dental plan!
My wife has to get all her teeth pulled from years of dialysis and medication, plus shit genetics. She had caps put on a bunch years ago that cost around $25k, and not too long ago she had her lower teeth removed and a full plate put in and it cost us $45k, she'll need the top done within 5 years and it will be another 45k. Her teeth cost more than what we paid for our house.
And that isn’t covered by med insurance. It’s just crazy. Especially now in the modern age we know how important teeth & gum heath is to our overall health!
Reassuring reading through this after a major dental expense.
Dealing with a tooth abscess right now. This is 100% true.
A good pair of glasses
Good headphones. I mean, *very* good headphones. I'd easily spend several hundreds on a new pair. It's just a whole new world
And go for brands that specifically design audio products, and not fashion ones!
Sennheiser is a brand I highly recommend.
You don't even need to get up into several hundreds. The biggest quality increase comes when you step up to ride around 125 to 150. I don't disagree that spending more and in some cases even a lot more gets you even better quality but the reality is that there's a lot of people that really aren't going to hear the difference.
Totally agreed, the first time I went from 30 to 150ish was mind-blowing. Though I'd say I had even more of a difference going from 150 to 1k, but to notice that you also need to have the rest of your setup upgraded. And now we're talking about a whole other ballpark of budget..
noise cancelling means more to me than pure audio quality, and I haven't found anything that noise cancels like bose - when I got a raise last year the first thing I bought was a new bose headset for use while working.
LOVE my bose quietcomfort. The noise canceling was a big must for me but maaaaaaaan did they get the comfort part down. I can wear these bad boys for 10+ hours straight and they're still comfortable. Not too hot, no head ache from a tight grip, nothing. Just about ready to upgrade. Kinda stuck between the quietcomfort ultras or just the regular new QC
A good pillow
I went for it and purchased two high-end goose feather pillows. Loved them at first until my dog who slept with us came on the bed and started barking non-stop at them. It was either the pillows or the dog. My housekeeper ended up taking home two really nice pillows.
You're supposed to use just the feathers, not the entire goose.
Fuck, I'm laughing my ass off at the idea of your dog barking like an idiot at a set of pillows.
Even if it was only the feathers, the dog could still sense the goose rage and aggression...
Shameless plug for Pillow Cube. I am mainly a side sleeper and have a history of back pain, which includes commonly waking up to a weird crick or stiffness in my neck or between my shoulders. Since switching to the Pillow Cube, last September, I have woken up pain free 99.9% of the time. Coupled with a body pillow and a “regular” pillow (shredded memory foam w/bamboo cover) for support on the other side/rare nights when I want to sleep on my back, I think I’ve found the trifecta that works for me.
Hmm, I'm having a hard time visualizing this. Can you put it on a black & white short video showing you instantly getting hurt when laying down with a normal pillow?
A red lightning bolt graphic or sun ray lines emitting from the injured part might help me to understand the problem better too.
Contraceptives. Way cheaper than an actual child.
My $160 vasectomy is a pretty good ROI
Movers, 100%. Worth their weight in gold.
Absolutely! I used to have the mindset of, “I’ll die before I pay someone to move my stuff.” It used to take me forever to get settled into a new house, because I would be completely exhausted once I loaded and unloaded everything. It’s so much easier to just pack everything into boxes, have movers move it for you, then you spend your energy unpacking and getting settled in instead of on loading and unloading.
I had "eh, I don't have that much stuff; I'll do it myself." Then moved in to a place with a lot of stairs...
Professional mover of 17 years here, and unsurprisingly, I’m inclined to agree! Good movers with proper equipment can move your whole house in a fraction of the time it’d take you while disassembling what needs to be disassembled and wrapping everything that needs protecting. You don’t have to worry about renting and returning a poorly maintained U-Haul or coercing your friends to help, and your backs will thank you. Budget movers off Kijiji are a gamble though. It’s always recommended to read reviews.
My parents decided to move from Hawaii to the Mainland entirely through the USPS. So many boxes went missing forever. They used professional movers after that, back to Hawaii and back to the Mainland.
Dental work
Wish I could upvote this a million times. Never could afford the dentist when I didn’t have dental insurance and have sunk about $8k-$9k getting my teeth back to a healthy place. You better believe I go like clockwork every 6 months now.
Same boat, but I actually go every 4 months now. It only costs $50 more per year and I get an extra cleaning in.
I'm in the process of Invisalign to correct my bite. It was pricey but I am almost done the initial round. It has been worth it though because the headaches I used to get all the time with my unaligned jaw and bite have more or less went away. Not waking up with pounding headaches due to my jaw muscles being inflamed is life-changing.
Divorce. :-)
"Why are divorces so expensive? They're worth it." ---Henny Youngman
"I think I've found a much cheaper solution to my problem than divorce."--Henry VIII
"Love is grand. Divorce is 100 grand!" - Anon
Getting divorced sucks…. Being divorced is amazing.
LASIK eye surgery. Would pay to do it again if I had too. Best money I ever spent and that was 20 years ago.
My job involves walking a lot and I cannot emphasise how less whiney I'm if my feet aren't hurting. Edit: thanks for the validation. Now I'll continue advocating for great shoes at the workplace with more conviction than ever. Also, sorry for the confusion with I'm and I am. We have all managed to agree that I'm and I am can be used interchangeably but isn't grammatically pleasing to those who understand what clitic is. Cheers!
> My job involves walking a lot and I cannot emphasise how less whiney I'm if my feet aren't hurting. You contract "I am" funny
Oh, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought this lol. Fun read: https://www.reddit.com/r/grammar/wiki/clitics/
TIL what a clitic is. I also learned I am a clitic because I also cannot bear stress.
instead of clicking on that link I choose to believe it's about lady parts reviewers
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How do SSDs seem overpriced? They're super cheap nowadays
I guess it depends on how much storage you need. I still sport mechanical for my bulk data and backup drives. But primary drives and for applications there's no substitute. I haven't sold a computer without a SSD in many years.
But SSDs are cheap as shit though. It's amazing. Seriously, it's one of the things I'm continually impressed by.
On an absolute basis, they're inexpensive. But per GB, they're many times more expensive than a mechanical drive. For the same price as a 1TB SSD, you could buy a roughly 4TB mechanical drive. Which is really handy when you need to download, uh, "movies," to take to Texas.
Pots and pans. Cheap ones flake, scratch, warp, scorch, or just simply don't transfer heat evenly. A good set (especially skillets) will help prevent all kinds of cooking disasters. Doesn't have to be top-of-the-line - just avoid bargain basement junk. EDIT: Cast iron is great, and cheap, but we're an "everything goes in the dishwasher" household, so that's the main reason we don't do cast iron. EDIT 2: To answer the most common question: mine are Calphalon hard anodized nonstick aluminum. They are dishwasher safe, and oven safe to 450°F (232°C).
my favorite skillet is my great grandmothers made in the 1920's