I used to buy Pens in hundred packs because I figured I would lose them so frequently, and it was the same deal with pencils. Eventually I decided to get nicer pens, and a higher quality mechanical pencil, and suddenly I wasn't losing any of my stationary because the quality made me more apt to keep an eye on it. I have a pentel graphgear 1000 mechanical drafting pencil that I bought in a set for around $10. Ten dollars for a pencil? Am I out of my mind? I don't think so, as I've held onto this pencil for almost four years now, just because it writes well and I tend to keep it on me. I've dropped it hundreds of times with no damage, and it's a pleasure to write with. Is there something that you pay extra for that keeps you from buying it again soon after?
I guess it just depends on how certain you are that you'll use them and what you could have done with the money. I don't really tend to buy anything in bulk because I'm a minimalist, but if the deal is sweet enough...
Yes, I've done this as well. We used to buy these cheaper pens, back when my husband and I were still in school. We would buy a new one every month just because we'd lose both our pens all the time. So we decided to just buy the more expensive ones, the metal ones. It's not the brand Parker, just Zebra but it's more expensive than normal, plastic pens. So then we bought two of these and started using it. We haven't really lost those pens. We still have them right now although you still need to buy an ink for it. But it has been cheaper because these inks doesn't really cost much. Plus, the pens itself write better, they're smoother. And like you, we took good care of it because we didn't really want to lose it.
I have a rule, not to ever buy extra unless doing so would would cause a savings in the long run. So just the idea of buying from Sams Club is the perfect example of buying more so as not to need to buy as often. And it is usually a great savings.
It follows that cheap can be expensive. The fact remains that some products are of high quality and would outlive a succession of other inferior products which cost less. The extra cost of buying such a product should be counted as a saving. Its good to spend some time saving to buy a quality product than pushing for the convenience of a cheap product which would not live up to expectations and would require replaceament which would mean back to square one.
I am careful with my things and it really saddens me if I would lose a pen no matter how cheap it is. The item that I often lose is the hanky. I have sweaty hands so I always have a hanky with me and often it is in my hands. I may be losing a hanky once a month. Buying extra is not a bad idea. When there is a sale of batteries, I always buy a bundle because we use it for the flashlight and also our caller ID device is powered by 4 batteries. In a year, maybe we are consuming 8 to 10 batteries so it's all right to stock up a bit on it... especially when there is a sale.
I love Zebra pens! I love the metallic bodies and I've never had any trouble getting them to write easily. My parents bought a 20 pack from Costco a few years ago and they're still floating around the house today; I actually used one a few minutes ago! I feel like carrying around a metal pen makes me feel more "together" in a sense, just because I expect it to be more reliable, and with Zebras, I've never had any issues.
I never buy more expensive pens or pencils because I'll be forced to take good care of it. I'm one of those people who will never lose pens or pencils because I do a lot of journaling. Of course there was a time I'd forget a pen at home and have to ask some random stranger for a pen but since that made me uncomfortable I had to start taking good care of my pens.
Buying in bulk can save you a lot of money if you have the cash to pay up front. I bought a case of natural peanutbutter on Amazon last year and just now used the last jar. I saved prob $20-30 on it instead of buying per jar, which doesn't seem like much, but every bit adds up. And like you said, paying for quality can save you too when you don't have to replace something.
Light bulbs or lamps are a prime example of paying extra to eventually save money. Compare the duration and how much Watt requires a default incandescent light bulb to LED lamps. There is just no contest in energy efficiency and duration. Yeah, incandescent light bulbs are ridiculously cheap, but this outdated technology design went through a planned obsolescence during early XX century and only last 1000 hours, also It generates 80% heat and only 20% light. LED lamps, in the other hand, last 80000 to 100000 hours and are far more efficient in regards of Power consumption.
For me it's much more practical to buy in quantity because I'm personally very disorganized and I tend to lose small items very easily. I do this with pens and I do it with other stuff too like lighters. If I bought expensive pens or lighters I risk just losing them and if they were costly I would feel very bad about losing them so even if they don't last as long as the more expensive and permanent types I still go with disposables just because it's much more suited to my personality.
I always go for quality over quantity. With that said, I’d be more than willing to chalk up a few more dollars if the item in question will last longer or will have a higher-quality output. The pens you mentioned are a great example. Buying an expensive but high-quality pen that will last you for months is much better than buying a pack of cheap pens that stop writing when used for a day or two.
I paid a little extra to get my Honda Odyssey rather than buy a Dodge Grand caravan. Five years into the purchase, I haven't had any issue of note with my minivan whereas, with other GM vehicles, I would have spent thousands of dollars on unexpected maintenance and repair costs. It is always better to spend extra for a reliable vehicle, especially if you have small children since the cost of scrimping on a vehicle can be incalculable if you get in a major accident.
I have subscribed to Amazon Prime to save on the delivery cost. And for me that is working just fine. I get 1 or 2 day delivery at the most. You can see that saves a lot of money. Also the sellers ship things quicker. So that surely adds up lot of value in due process. Having paid more sometimes help a lot. But this does not apply all the time. That's something you have to pay attention towards as well.
If you know how and where to look for good deals and have a penchant for trying on new, unfamiliar products, you may find that you don't really have to pay extra to save money. Price doesn't always translate to quality as I've proven time and again and I don't have to buy an expensive item to be compelled to take care of it. I would hate to waste money by being careless about office supplies. I've freelanced for sometime and this has taught me to value every little supply there was in my home office. I wouldn't want to pay excessive attention to a small item just because it was expensive.
Well, for me it depends on the item. If I am sure that the item I am spending will last longer than the cheaper alternative and give better results then yes, the wiser option would be get the item that gives you the better outcome. Chances are you'll spend more money, buying the same brand of regular supplies than just one that is a higher quality.
