trading up vs. make do without

**Sara Noel** · 10-03-2007, 09:57 AM

In the TWG, Amy D. mentions trading up. In her example it was in regards to her cook stove. She purchased one and sold it to trade up to a better one.

My question is this..Do you tend to buy things twice/trade up or do you lean more toward doing without until you can purchase what you want? If you do trade up, can you give an example?

**staceyy** · 10-03-2007, 10:45 AM

I do things a little differently. I usually buy good quality and recycle if I can. I bought a good quality couch and sofa, and when it began to look faded after a number of years, I slipcovered them. When I tire of my reversible bed comforters, I buy new reversible duvet covers to change the look. This means I can get years and years of use out of each comforter. Our main tv was a small color tv. When the color began to fade, we moved it to another room and then upgraded to a somewhat larger model.

When I tire of my furniture or accessories, I move them to the basement to be used again in the future, or I use them to spruce up another room.

In my last home, I bought a really nice electronic stove. When I moved to my new home, there was no refrigerator so I bought a refrigerator to match the stove. When the dishwasher went bad, I replaced it with one that matched the stove and refrigerator so now all three match and are from the same manufacturer.

**Sara Noel** · 10-03-2007, 10:59 AM

But what if you couldn't afford to buy and recycle?

**Susanscraps** · 10-03-2007, 11:15 AM

I am currently saving for a new stove...I REALLY want a double oven, and also to switch over to gas. My stove only has 2 working burners, and the oven it self is slowly dying...a 35 minute cake takes at least 45 minutes. But, I want what I want, and if I have to wait till there's only ONE working burner, I will!
Yep, I'm saving for it bit by bit!

**anna021** · 10-03-2007, 12:56 PM

Our relatives always laugh at my DH and I because we have things for such along time. We alway try and buy the very best we can afford, and then make it last. We keep things in there original boxes, example: I was given a very nice set of knives when we married over 25 years ago, I still keep them in the box they came in, and the card from the person who gave them to us is still tucked in there too. Before we could afford a big pool, we had one of those 3 foot pools, ours lasted 4 years, my BIL and SIL would buy a new one every year. Friends always want our hand me down clothes because their in great shape, and never dried in a dryer,(I don't own one) I always try and find a use or new owner for something I don't use anymore, hate to waste. I've found in the long run it saves a lot of money as well. Another tip, less clutter allows you to find what your looking for so you don't have to keep buying the same things over and over again. Another money saver.

**kaykwilts** · 10-03-2007, 01:04 PM

We save up instead of trading up.

**Denvergirlie** · 10-03-2007, 02:08 PM

We do both, saving up and trading up.

**oct2667us** · 10-03-2007, 02:49 PM

well if it was up to me . I do with out till I can get what I want. but my dh goes and gets what he wants or wants for us. even if it makes a new bill

**Momof4cats** · 10-03-2007, 02:57 PM

To me, it's more of a hassle to trade up than it is to get something that'll last. I'd rather make do and save up for it, unless it's something that can't be done that way, such as needing a car and not having one. In that case, I would get the cheapie and make do with that then trade up.

**peanut** · 10-03-2007, 03:28 PM

Hmmm...I buy secondhand and create my own slipcovers, etc. to get the look I want, because I invariably can't find it on the market for the price I want. Then, when the item wears out, it either gets recycled or goes to goodwill.

I also buy solid wood furniture and make it last. Not expensive stuff. My dining room table is an IKEA pine table we bought 27 years ago for $100cdn. I am about ready to refinish it. The chairs are a deal from Zeller's. They're a little hard to sit on, so I'll rug hook some chair pads for them. My pine IKEA love seat and chair have had the cushions recovered with fabric off the wall at Fabricland. My pillows have been recovered 2 or 3 times now.

I guess I just buy what we can afford and learn to make do. It rarely pays to spend top dollar in my mind. We're shopping for a new sofa these days. I refuse to pay $3000 for a quality one. I'll either find a secondhand one or purchase through a factory outlet store.

Jean

**staceyy** · 10-03-2007, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sara Noel

But what if you couldn't afford to buy and recycle?

I guess I hold on to what I have until I can save to buy what I want. No more pulling out the credit card. Large purchases are usually bought with savings or tax returns. I have never sold something and used the proceeds to help upgrade, though I think its a great idea.

**gentledenny** · 10-03-2007, 04:16 PM

I have lived in the just use the plastic and buy the best for many many years. I have changed those habits although it was hard and took living alone. I can control myself somewhat. I usually buy the best i can afford, take good care of it and make it last. Today, if my computer broke down, i would buy a new one on a 0 percent interest store offer, and pay it off in 2-3 months. I refuse to use a credit card i cant pay off before interest. My last van i bought at o percent thru GMAC . i just traded it off for my new Car and it cost me .07 percent interest for 3 year. SO the car , yeah they didnt offer 0 percent except for one year and i couldnt make those payment. The amount of interest i have to pay on this new car will be saved 10 fold with the 200 percent savings in gas miliage. from 17 to 34 mph. HMMM is that 200 percent. well double anyway. you do the math. But if i knew something was fixing to go bad, i would save until i could buy a replacement. I dont seem to have any luck selling things. SO usually give away or move to the shed

**sdrjeolsen** · 10-03-2007, 06:24 PM

We save up rather than trade up, I'd rather wait and get what I really want.

**redhead68** · 10-03-2007, 07:00 PM

We save up, too.

**Jaded** · 10-03-2007, 07:33 PM

I do both. I always like to have good small appliances, like toaster ovens and microwaves, because I use them so much, so I try to buy new and use them until they die. I've had three microwaves in 15 years, and this one is only 3 years old. I'm not completely happy with my toaster oven, because I needed a new one, and bought it at Big Lots. It looked good, lots of features, but it turned out to be a pain to use, and I don't even use half the features, so I'm going to save up for a better one.

On furniture, I buy used or like my DR suite, scratch and dent. It's solid wood, and will last forever. I got it half price because it was banged up in shipping. Hey, distressed is in! I've had it ten years. Almost everything else in this house was bought used, on deep, deep discount, or gotten from freecycle or from the side of the road.

I'm about to paint most of the used furniture white to do a cottage look, so I'll have "new" furniture for next to nothing. I need a new couch, but I never have company over, and no one ever uses the couch, so I may just give it away and find a nice used love seat somewhere, or a couple more chairs.

I've never traded anything up. I've always saved for what I wanted, like cars, etc., and bought used. I drive cars until they die, then I junk them and buy another.