To spend a lot on something that lasts years instead of similar on lots of cheaper items that don't last?

[babysaurus]

This is a light hearted AIBU, please be gentle!

A friends daughter, 9, hates brushing her hair as its thick and brushing hurts it. She also fights having it washed for the same reason. Her mum has bought detangling sprays and lots of different brushes, "the last one cost me £8", but none have helped enough. I have a Mason Pearson brush which she used (I took it over for her to try) and the difference was amazing. Unfortunately these brushes cost £35+. My friend said she would (not could) pay that much for a brush as its ridiculous, but has prob spent at least that already on cheaper brands.

This prompted a lighthearted discussion with her over buying one off expensive products that last forever (my last Mason Pearson was a 12th birthday present and it lasted till I was 36) and her preference of buying cheaper things but on a regular basis (she has pans that look like Le Creuset but aren't, for example) because paying huge amounts for things when you can get an equivalent for less is apparently the way to go. (Not a purely financial decision.)

So, if you were there too, would you be agreeing with me or my friend...?!

Depends, I have hand blender for smoothies, soups etc which cost me £4.99. I've had it 10 years now and it is still going strong.

Totally agree that it depends on the item as to whether it's worth paying extra. Taking my wardrobe for example, I have better quality (and more expensive) 'classics', like a trench coat, black wool coat, black boots... The white T shirts etc I buy more cheaply because no matter what you spend, they still go grey in the wash.

As for hairbrushes, I have a perfectly good Denman which has been with me years and years and is still fine. A middle ground maybe?

I see someone else has already quoted the Sam Vimes theory of economics. It's a good one - buy the best quality you can afford. That doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive though.

Sorry, I meant the well known boots that are now made using cheaper materials. They cost £100!

Ah, I didn't mean those!

They're a good example though. A few years ago, they'd be great. Now rubbish, but cost the same or more

Buy cheap, buy twice. As my esteemed Granny always said.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf
My comb came free with a 1991 copy of Mizz magazine. Is that bad?

Mine came free with Just Seventeen mag, circa 1985

That said, I do think it's worth shelling out for an expensive brush if that's what works for your hair. An expensive brush isn't that expensive compared to the price of a haircut or too. It'll last a long time (unlike the haircut) and it's worth keeping your body parts in good condition!

Whilst I think it's false economy to buy lots of cheap things regularly, it's not necessarily true that a £35 hairbrush is the solution. I'm sure there must be a balance between a good quality, a reasonably priced brush.

The first pair I bought cost £30 and lasted for about 4 years. They were so comfortable too. I have such problems finding footwear that doesn't cause me problems with my tendons...now I'll have to start searching again (or maybe buy some insoles with arch supports)...

YANBU if you have the money and it's not a disposable or fashion item, I would always get the best I could afford.

My Jaeger winter coat (classic style) is still going strong 3 years on. My friend's was half the price, but only barely lasted a season.

I was going to quote Sam Vimes' boots theory of economics too! Love Pratchett.

I'd agree that there are lots of things where you should buy a good quality item if you can afford it. Though there are things where I happily buy the cheapest I can find because it won't be needed for long.But for items that I use a lot, then I try to buy good quality, though I do hunt around for the cheapest supplier.

I also subscribe to the "cost per wear" clothes theory - I'd far rather spend money on the perfect pair of jeans that will get worn tons of time than on a pricy posh dress that will be worn rarely. The posh dress will come from the sales or the charity shop as I just can't justify it to myself.

I agree when it comes to opaque tights.

M&S autograph ones, which cost about £8 a pair, last more than 3 times as long as the standard M&S ones.

I bought DD1 a really good brush when she was 9 she had similar hair ( i cant remember the make) anyhoo she is 20 and still using it, I think if something is going to work/last then of course it is worth it, but imo spending money on something that is designer or expensive just because isn't worth the money if it falls apart

sign up to autograph tights got some in sale for £6 with cables ( normally £12) the plain ones are £8 though

it works the other way too some years ago I had a X- type jaguar car and though extremely comfy and nice to drive it was nothing but hassle and so expensive to repair by BF ( now DH) said it had a really poor quality of build cheap bolts that shear off etc, had about 50,000 mileas on clock when I sold it; I now have a practical renault kangoo has 130,000 miles on clock and has only ever had new tyres

YANBU. I always get the best I can afford. I am now off to google said hairbrush as my dd hates having her hair brushed (wild, curly and getting longer - she is only 3).

Well lubeybooby this twenty-something woman disagrees with you.

It's not difficult!

My point in mentioning my daughter was she's the one whose hair I brushed all her 'too little to do it herself' life and she hated anyone but me doing it because I never hurt her.

You just have to be careful that's all. Make sure you allow plenty of time if it's very tangled and have some consideration for when it's pulling and take the pressure off the scalp by holding that section of hair. Untangle the worst with your fingers if need be.

It doesn't have to hurt the child no matter what brush or comb you use

My significant other regularly evangelises about the long-term savings quality purchases can bring. This is particularly true of shoes.

I was brought up to buy the best I could afford at the time. This principle seems to have worked so far.
Recently I heard someone saying that they were too poor to buy cheaply. It sounds like a contradiction in terms, but makes sense if you think about it.

If agree with you. Made DH spend £35 in Lakeland on a potato ricer yesterday. He looked a bit stunned but I said looked more hard wearing and robust than the shitty shinny metal one,

Will report back in 15 years when it better still be going strong!

I try to buy the best I can afford and so does DH. I got a brand new Le Creuset 28cm casserole dish for £25 on ebay recently. Just takes a bit of searching for bargains. Also have bought a brand new £200 Dale of Norway cardigan for £12

I think in this particular case there are two things though, one is whether to buy to last (which is always great if you can afford it and the more expensive item does actually last), and the other is whether it is worth paying more for something that really works, as opposed to getting by with something that doesn't do a very good job.

I think hairbrushes are quite a personal choice -for example I really dislike the feel of my mother's Mason Pearson, and always buy Denman's because for me that's the brush that works best for my hair.

My dd had very very tangly hair when she was younger, often waking in the morning with a total bird's nest at the back. Given enough time I could always detangle it in the end, but it could take 45 mins or so before it was totally brushable. In the end we had it cut short, and looking back I can't think why we didn't do that years before. She looks much nicer with it short, and we could have avoided all those battles.

i've had a dale of norway jumper about 15 years still looks great and not stretched it is so warm it does not get worn that often as too warm to wear inside the house

I totally agree with everyone saying "buy cheap, buy twice"

The number of times dh has bought the cheapest option only to have it break on us a few weeks later. It's so bloody annoying. My only problem is that I haven't yet matured to the point where I don't lose thinks on a regular basis. Sometimes I buy cheap because I know it will vanish into the ether within weeks.

I spend £1 on a hairbrush from wilkinsons and generally buy one every couple of years. A £35 brush would have to last 70 years to be value for money

Not necessarily, value is not just about cost but also about effectiveness. I had no idea brushes could be so different, so I'm just going to make up some numbers to demonstrate:

Assume the cheap brush takes 20 minutes to get tangles out of hair, and the £35 brush takes 5 minutes - time saving 15 minutes per day.
What's 15 minutes worth? If we take the national minimum wage (not applicable to a 9 year old, but we need some way to quantify it) of £6.19 for over 21s, it takes 23 days to be worth £35. Leaving aside money, what is an extra 15 minutes in bed every morning worth to you? (Or at least, to someone with very tangly hair.)

One argument for a £35 brush for a 9 year old: OP says the girl hates brushing and washing her hair - it is possible she now associates personal hygiene/grooming practices with unpleasantness so adapts to avoid them - this could cause problems with social interaction later. That is an extreme extrapolation, but I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility - school can be cruel.