Getting Your Money's Worth: Tightwad

May 03, 2011, By Jack Heffron 0 comments

Jack Heffron

I admit it—I’m a bit of a tightwad. Friends and old girlfriends might say the “bit” is a bit of an understatement. Degrees in fine art will do that to you. It’s not hard to watch your money closely when there’s so little to watch, but sometimes I throw caution and credit card to the wind. Following—those times when paying more is necessary.

1. Kid stuff. Even if I have to eat graham crackers and popcorn for dinner for a week, I’ll splurge on my sons. These days that means music equipment for their bands. And though even cheap amplifiers aren’t all that cheap, it’s better to spend more to get a quality product. Teenage rockers aren’t known for treating anything gently, and when you settle for the bargain stuff it will soon be in pieces. My boys haven’t yet made trashing their guitars part of the act (thank God), but they’re not particularly mindful about how they dump a speaker cabinet into the van. The good stuff, however, can take a beating. And it sounds a lot better too. Money spent on the kids rarely sparks regret.
2. Haircut. A haircut follows your every move until it grows out. If you wear your hair extra short, a cheap cut is fine. Otherwise, it can be a daily annoyance for weeks. Better to stick with one good stylist who costs a little more but knows how to make you look your best. The haircut mills make their money on volume—getting you in and out fast. Spending more might seem a vain indulgence, but a good haircut actually requires less time and trouble in getting it to look right every day. And that’s easily worth the price.
3. Beer. Unless you’re guzzling a six-pack at a time, it’s better to spring for a better beer. You drink less, savor the taste and feel better afterward. Despite the commercials claiming that their swill tastes great and provides a life full of parties and super-hot friends, the budget beers are brewed in vats the size of nuclear reactors with as much loving care as the IRS shows a chronically late taxpayer.
4. Ballgame. As a confessed tightwad, I don’t go to a lot of major league baseball games, so when I do go I want a good seat. Now, I’m not above buying a cheap seat and slinking down to one a bit closer to the action. I feel I’m actually helping the team by making the ballpark look more crowded for the TV cameras, which wouldn’t spot me way up in the Uecker section. (Even if that sounds like a rationalization, I’m sticking to it.) But most times I’ll plunk down a little more to get closer to the game. Now, if you’re taking the whole family, paying an extra 10 to 15 bucks per seat can get expensive. But just you and the wife? You won’t miss the $20 and will enjoy the game much more.
5. Home repair. Whether I’m doing it myself or paying a pro, I’ll spend the extra money on quality products to ensure I don’t have to worry about whatever it is again. Squeezing the shekels on stuff that needs to function correctly every day for a long time is never a good idea. I spend what it takes so I don’t have to bother thinking about it anymore.

Sometimes, I admit, spending more really does make life better and easier.