Having received my latest credit card bill a few days ago, I'm reminded about how much money I spend on useless crap on a regular basis. Granted, I score a pile of bonus points with my purchases but that doesn't justify the amount I spend in order to earn those points. As much as I hate to admit it, I've given into consumerism just as much as anyone else who lives in the modern world.
However, a tiny percentage of my overall spending has not been for naught. In fact, some of my purchases have proven to be the greatest value for those dollars.
$1.00: Pull-Apart Keychain with Ball Bearing Release
In 1998, I was walking along Main Street (Highway 62) in the small town of Bancroft, Ontario, when I popped into a general store to buy a popsicle. At the cashier's counter I also bought a brass-coloured keyring. Call it an "impulse buy" if you will, but this little keyring has been with me ever since. The brass colour has worn off, but the ball bearing release mechanism is as strong as the day I bought it.
$15.00: Toronto Humane Society Adoption Fee
Back in 2003, I decided to adopt a cat from my local animal shelter. After walking through all of the aisles of the "Cat Room", I found a beautiful black kitty whom I brought home that day. She had a pre-existing kidney condition that I was unaware of at the time of adoption and sadly, she passed away just 19 days later.
I returned to the same shelter a few days later and found another black kitty. When the staffer at the shelter heard that my first adoptee from their shelter had passed away only a few days earlier, he waived the second adoption fee.
Those of you who have or have had pets know that the money spent is worth every penny. By the way, my second cat is healthy has been with me since.
$29.99: 1/4-ton Hand Dolly
In 2001, I purchased a hand dolly from the local hardware store for $29.99 (plus tax). It proved to be extremely useful to me while moving, but also extremely useful to my family and friends while they were moving. It may not sound like a lot, but being able to move 3 or 4 boxes at a time vs. one at a time makes moving that much less painful.
I've moved 3 times since 2001 and have helped more than 10 of my family and friends do the same. Now that we've all settled in to our respective homes, this little dolly still finds use twice a year, transporting my snow and summer tires from storage to the trunk of my car and back again.
$79.99 USD: Nike Cross-Trainers
A cross-border shopping trip landed us in Grove City, Pennsylvania in 1998. As some of you may know, clothing and shoes that are deemed necessities are not subject to state tax in Pennsylvania. And since I stayed in the US for more than 48 hours, I had a personal exemption of $400 when I returned to Canada.
These shoes have been used for dozens of 5k and 10k runs, years of training at the gym, several hiking trips in the backwoods, and a multitude of other activities. They've gone through hell and back, and I still have them. There are a couple of small holes here and there, but for a pair of shoes that are 13 years old at the time of this post, they are in relatively good condition. For gardening, house painting, camping, and other rough-and-tumble activities that require beat-up old shoes, these Nikes are perfect. Who says Nike doesn't make shoes that last?
$150: Raleigh Mountain Bike
With my office only 3kms from my home, I was looking to buy a bike so I could start riding to work when the weather was nice. I didn't want or need anything too expensive because it would be used primarily for commuting and would be locked up outside using the city's public bike racks.
When I found the online ad in 2010, I jumped at the opportunity. For only $150, I wouldn't lose any sleep if this bike was stolen or damaged. The best part was that this bike was practically brand new. The former owner only rode it for one season. And since it's a mountain bike, I also use it for offroad trails. I've already rode hundreds of kilometres and plan to get thousands more out of it.
$21,800: 1996 Honda Accord EX 4-Door
This was the out-the-door price in 1998 when I purchased this car (my first). Used, of course, but with only 34,000kms, it was barely broken-in. Even at 250,000kms, it was running as smooth as when I first test-drove it. Mechanically, there was nothing wrong with it. Cosmetically, it could have used a new paint job.
My intention was to drive this car until it died. I figured at least another 250,000kms would be possible. But late in 2010, a truck inexplicably backed into my car while we were at a red light and mangled the hood. The other driver didn't want to go outside the insurance since his car was part of a company's fleet, so my insurance company wrote-off my car. It was an unceremonious end to a 12-year run.
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As you can see, the best purchases were not expensive at all, save for the car, but I got and/or continue to get maximum use and enjoyment from them. If I had followed that principle for the majority of what I bought, I probably could have saved enough money to be a millionaire by now, or at the very least, a ten-thousandaire!
