Techie and I were discussing the bizarre combination of creation and marketing that is Kopi Luwak coffee last night, and it led into a conversation around whether certain items are worth the extra money you pay for them. Kopi Luwak being an easy example; it is undeniably better coffee than the regular roasted stuff you can buy in any store. While the flavour itself isn’t appreciably changed, it eliminates any of the bitter aftertaste you will normally experience a few minutes after you finish your cup of Plain Ol’ Regular brand coffee. For many people, this is a great discovery; for myself, it’s an exercise in futility. When I reach that point of unpleasant aftertaste, I simply solve it by having another cup of coffee.
Grey Goose vodka is another example we discussed. Again, it’s a lovely vodka. It’s smooth, and doesn’t have most of the “bite” that you will find in lesser, cheaper vodkas. But what happens if you actually like that bite? Grey Goose is not a vodka that serves well in most mixed drinks that feature vodka — think those fruity tropical drinks you might enjoy on a beach somewhere — because you just can’t taste it. So in making a mixed drink, many people don’t like the taste as much, but they will continue to buy it just because “it’s better”.
Yet for every failed example, there are likely two more that are evidence in favour of spending the few extra dollars in the right place. So what are your choices? Where will you willingly spend a few extra dollars for the “better” product, knowing that it’s worth every extra penny?
On the topic of Vodka … if you want to make the cheap stuff taste like the good stuff, run it through a Brita pitcher two or three times.
When I used to drink, I used to like the high-test vodkas, like Smirnoff 57 and that Russian vodka that makes your eyes bug out. Good stuff, for vodka.
Before I quit drinking, I longed for Starka. No more, I fear. There are 3 places that will import it, but only a case at a time.
You know, I'd heard that, but I didn't really believe it. Have you tried it? Does it really work?
I haven't tried it – not much of a drinker (snicker). I saw a blind study once that determined you can turn Popov into Smirnoff but not into Grey Goose.
Mythbuster's test proved that it depends upon the tatster's palate … and that Kari Byron looks nice in glasses.
[youtube kO077nu2m5E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO077nu2m5E youtube]
To be fair to the Kopi Luwak coffee, it's a very low volume product with enough demand that they can charge more for it. If people stopped buying it, their price would have to go down. Supply and demand.
Coffee is one area where I am willing to spend money for a better product. I could get Folgers from the grocery store for a few bucks and suffer through drinking that swill. Or, I could spend some more moolah and get good whole bean coffee. I just finished the last of my Starbucks, which I do like even though some think it's overly bitter, and will be trying some coffee from Hyperhound Coffee next.
Now that brings up another conundrum…are you will to spend a little more for a product if you know that part of the profit from your sale goes to a good cause? Hyperhound donates 15% of their proceeds to rescue shelters.
I generally like Starbucks coffees, although the taste can vary quite a bit from batch to batch. I don't know if their roaster or blender is the blame for that. Bastards, whoever it is.
I generally won't spring for products that supposedly give a percentage to 'good causes' for a couple of reasons. One, I distrust nearly all charity organizations to give the money to the 'good cause' because they all seem to be thieves, and two, those products used for charity drives are usually of lesser quality and not worth the money charged.
/and get the hell off my gravel while you're at it…
I'm a youth soccer coach and know the treasurer for our org. We got close to $6K from a couple of local Chilis one season thanks to them donating a portion if an adult or kid shows-up in the soccer uniform. One year the treasurer was telling me about a company, I think it was a landscaping company, asked if they could have a phone number on the shirts of the team that they were sponsoring. The treasurer said sure, but then the number was some area code not used anywhere here, so he called it and was a recorded message basically – call this number to have your fortune told, $9.99 for the first two minutes, call this other number for steamy… and so on. So yeah, now they check all phone numbers are for the business and we really appreciate those Chilis restaurants helping-out. They probably do get more business that way too, good for them.
I used to work at a place that had a huge United Way drive every year, and it was political as hell for the employees. Your job could turn to crap if you didn't donate enough, basically. Then the big UW scandal broke, showing what a crooked operation it was, and my company still held the big UW drives, with all of the politics still in place. I've rarely been so utterly disgusted.
Local charities that I'm familiar with, like the schools in the area and neighborhood sports and stuff, I give them $$ all of the time.
The big ones I tell to piss off.
I would. In a heartbeat. And I usually do buy products that cost a bit more but make an appropriate donation… if it's all in scale. If it's $50 more, and they're making a $10 donation, I'll buy the cheaper stuff and donate $50.
That's basically how I am. For instance, the Hyperhound product is basically the same cost as Starbucks, if not a bit cheaper. I pay a little bit more than I would at Starbucks once I add in the shipping, but not outrageously more. I haven't tried it yet, so I don't know if it's any better than Starbucks, but I can't imagine it's any worse.
Now I'm excited to try it. Maybe I'll forgo Starbucks tomorrow and make some Hyperhound Sumatra blend coffee and conduct a taste test on the way to work.
Oh sirs, please help out us poor, unpaid blog writers. They beats us with whipses and steals our meagre lunchesses…
I haven't brought this up in a little while so… game on.
All natural peanut butter. Not only is it a little more expensive but it is a pain in the keister because you have to stir it up (after pouring off a little of the oil). The taste and texture are worth the cost and effort ten times over.
Is Skippy Natural PB natural enough? Ingredients: roasted peanuts, sugar, palm oil, salt. It requires no stirring, and I love it.
I've tried it and it is a reasonable step up from tan mayo but no match for the real thing. I still sense a little of the artificial greasy feeling on the roof of my mouth. In a sandwich this may not be a big deal. For a treat, try Smuckers or store brand all natural peanut butter in ice cream or as a topping to apple slices or Hershey miniatures. Yum!
I've had peanut butter with those things. Also good is PB stuffed celery. As a kid, I loved peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches and PB and mayonnaise sandwiches. I haven't tried the latter recently, but I did have a dill pickle and PB one last week (first in years). It was good, but not as great as I remembered.
Er, you know that stuff goes straight to your keister, don't you?
As does most things that taste good. To prevent that, if it tastes good, spit it out.
Salt, sugar, and palm oil, huh? Desecrate that temple!
It's delicious………..chunky style, of course!
Chunky is the key.
<img src="http://gifsforum.com/images/gif/disgusted/grand/disgusted_gif.gif">
Closeted peanut butter-phobe says what?
About the most adorable and heartening thing in the world is to give a dog real peanut butter. I did it twice this weekend. Max stands there after the fact and wags his tail licking his mouth with his tongue for quite a while, surely thinking, "This is a fantastic day!"
We put treats and peanut butter in Kongs for The Mocha and then freeze it. We give her one when we leave for the day. While assembling the Kong, she sits there waiting to lick off the spoon. The dog is seriously addicted to peanut butter.
Blahblah, you've probably heard/seen this before…
Don't pour off the oil. Seal lid tightly, store upside-down. Flip around and open, easypeasy stir, you are done.
I'll always spend more to buy a better tool, unless it's a tool that is doomed to be destroyed from the get-go, then it's a cheapie.
I'll spend more on decent coffee (I can't always afford the really good stuff, and I don't mean civet cat-pooped coffee, either).
I'll spend more to get a good PC mouse. Just got a Cyborg R.A.T. 7, and I like it, so far.
I'll spend more on better raw materials for my various wood working projects. I'm damned picky, and I hate crappy wood.
1- Tools – Cry Once. That is all.
2- Coffee – Kicking Horse Coffee. Any Variety. Starbucks will do too.
3- I don't normally endorse spending $stoopid on peripherals, but if you're an MMORPG nerd (SWTOR FTMFW) then the Razer Naga IS THE SHIT.
4- Spend the time at the yard. don't let the monkeys pick out your wood, otherwise your project will be sine waves rather than stable.
Damn straight! Definitely a man who has walked the mile.
re: gaming mousies – actually I don't game, but I really like the accuracy and the ability to customize gaming mice, and that's what attracted me to the Cyborg (plus, it looks cool). I spend so much time using the damned things that the ability to make small physical tweaks can take strain off of my aching wrist. When I went mouse hunting this time, I did check out the Razers, but most of their configurations are too specialized for me. My oldest boy swears by them too.
I am sure the Cyborg R.A.T. is nice, and adjustable to boot, but it just looks…meh, can't get into it.
But for some reason, I just LOVED my Saitek Cyborg joystick. Same design language, same adjustability. 3-axis stick plus throttle and 6/8 buttons (depending on how one counted, it was a "ambidextrous" joystick).
I'd have to try a R.A.T., but most retailers don't like taking stuff out of packages just to satisfy a nerds' curiousity.
I'm a very thrifty person, but I will spend more on cosmetics, body lotions, etc. I'm worth it.
I'm sure that you are. I never complain when my wife goes out and buys her anti-ugly creams and lotions either.
How about Panda Poo Tea?! $3000 a pound.
I think I'll stick with my Earl Grey.
That's about the same price as panda steaks. Not a bargain!
Car tires, because aquaplaning into oncoming traffic is much more expensive than a decent set of shoes for one's car.
Also, shoes. Because plantar fasciitis is much more painful than spending $20 or $30 more on decent shoes. Good footwear can last much longer as well: I've had my mid-range $250 Merrell hiking boots for twelve years and the soles are just starting to come off this year.
I knew a friend who bought four tires with a treadwear rating of 800 for his Volvo 240 wagon, figuring he'd save money on tire wear. Big mistake. The Volvo handled like it was on ice – the tires were so hard that they didn't provide any grip.
Don't think of it as overspending on tires. Instead, consider the added cost as a reallocation of underwear expenses.
I had a pair of Caterpillar work boots for nearly 8 years. Best damn boots I ever purchased. A+, would buy again.
There's a reason why some hookers only charge three bucks.
A wise person once told me "Spend your money on your shoes and your mattress. For most of your day, if you're not in one, you're on the other."
I haven't made it quite to nice-mattress land yet, but good shoes are an absolute must.
BEER!
I buy craft beer because it tastes better than the piss in a can the big three brew.