Are Red Wing Boots Worth The Splurge?

In this blog, you’ll find:

• The 9 household items worth actually spending money on
• The money tracking app that helps me stay organized 
• Free stocks!!
• Community Q&A: Should I pause investing while I prepare to buy a home?

But first…

Being frugal doesn’t mean what you think it means

Be honest, do you keep wearing your socks even once they are worn through?

Can I be honest with you for a second?

I used to think being frugal meant buying the cheapest version of everything. Discount jeans that were basically leggings by month three. A vacuum that sounded like it was working but somehow made the floor worse. I was playing checkers when I should’ve been playing chess.

Here’s what changed everything for me: I started thinking about cost per use instead of cost at checkout. And once that clicked? My whole approach to spending flipped.

The r/BuyItForLife subreddit is a corner of the internet where people obsess over products that are actually built to last. Today I’m sharing 9 items worth the upgrade, straight from the people who’ve already done the testing for you.

Which brings me to–

9 Items worth buying once (and never replacing)

Play The Purchase Clarity Game before you make your next big splurge and let me know if it helps 👀

A quick note before we get into it: frugal does NOT mean cheap. In fact, the most frugal thing you can do is stop spending money on things that break, fade, or fall apart — and start investing in things that last. Here are 9 items the Buy It For Life subreddit agrees are worth doing right.

If you are looking to make a big purchase,

I made this purchase clarity game that helps walk you through the same questions I ask myself before I splurge.

#1: A great vacuum

There’s nothing worse than vacuuming an entire room and still feeling like it’s dirty. A cheap vacuum either loses suction fast or breaks down before you’ve gotten your money’s worth and you’re right back at the store.

Reddit’s top pick from across the entire subreddit? The Dyson V15 Detect. A solid balance of power and longevity from a trusted brand.

#2: High-quality shoes (The Boots Theory)

This one deserves a little backstory, because it’s a useful personal finance tool, and it comes from a fantasy novel.

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series introduces what’s called the Boots Theory: a good pair of leather boots costs $50 and lasts ten years. A cheap pair costs $10 and falls apart in a season. The person who bought cheap boots has now spent $100 over ten years… and still has wet feet. The person who spent $50 once? Dry feet, every time.

Reddit’s favorite? Red Wing Boots. One commenter put it plainly: “I’ve had Red Wing work boots last me 10+ years and know of other construction professionals with the same experience. Worth it? YES.”

#3: Quality cookware

Cookware might be the most-discussed category on the entire Buy It For Life subreddit: cast iron, knives, glass containers, you name it. And it makes sense: kitchen stuff is expensive, and flimsy pans that warp, scratch, or wear through their coating will cost you more money over time than just buying right the first time.

Reddit’s consensus for stainless steel? Tramontina. One commenter called it “a ridiculously good deal for the quality.” Another gave a Frugal Rich-approved tip: you can find Tramontina products in the restaurant supply section at Costco Business. If it’s good enough for a commercial kitchen, it’s more than good enough for yours.

#4: High-quality, versatile clothes

The goal isn’t a closet full of clothes. It’s a closet full of clothes you actually wear. Fast fashion looks fine until the second wash, and then you’ve got a drawer full of stretched-out, faded shirts that don’t really go with anything.

Reddit’s standout in the t-shirt department is True Classic. Multiple commenters pushed back on how long it took for the brand to show up in the thread.  One wrote, “I can’t believe it took this long to see this name in this thread.” The comment below it: “They are the best shirts I’ve ever had.”

#5: High-quality denim

Cheap jeans have a tell. I’ve bought plenty from Burlington and Ross and they all start looking like jeggings eventually. 

Reddit’s answer to this isn’t even a brand name, it’s a type of denim: selvedge denim. Unwashed, stiff, dark when you buy it, and it molds to your body as you wear it. Instead of breaking down, it breaks in. Fades uniquely. Becomes your pair of jeans. One pair can last a decade.

I’ve been curious to try Uniqlo, but you let me know if you have a favorite pair I should check out. 

#6: A durable bag or backpack

A good bag carries you through work, school, travel, all of it.

You’ve probably heard the brand names: Osprey, Patagonia, Cotopaxi, North Face, and a personal favorite, Tom Bihn. But Reddit’s real advice isn’t about picking the best brand, it’s about picking the right bag for you.

A quick quality check: look at the zipper. Rubber pull tab? Made for light use, won’t last. Rugged metal zipper? That’s a bag built to go the distance.

#7: Charging cables

We’ve all been there. You reach for your charger and it looks like steel wool. Or it throws that dreaded “Not Supported” error and you’re not sure if it’s the cable or the outlet or the universe conspiring against you.

Reddit is unanimous on this one: Anker. Thread after thread, the name keeps coming up. Quality construction, reliable charging, and at a price point that won’t make you wince.

#8: A Fisher Space Pen

This one surprised me, but it’s all over the subreddit. People are calling it the last pen they’ll ever buy.

One commenter put theirs through the washing machine. Still worked. Another wrote: “I’ve had a Fisher pen in my car for nearly 20 years. Nothing else will reliably write in the dead of a Minnesota winter.” They’ve got a lifetime warranty and apparently excellent customer service.

Oh — and NASA uses them. The astronauts aren’t out here skimping on quality.

#9: A French press

This one might upset the Keurig households. I’m sorry in advance.

But if coffee is a daily habit, it deserves a tool that won’t let you down. Electric coffee makers have pumps, heating elements, plastic components. Eventually, something burns out or breaks down, and suddenly your morning routine costs you $120.

Reddit’s Buy It For Life pick? A good French press — specifically, Bodum in stainless steel. Steel, glass, plunger. That’s it. Nothing to fail. Nothing to replace. Just great coffee, every morning, for as long as you want it.

Bottom line: every item on this list costs more upfront than the cheap version. But every item on this list will also cost you less over time — and save you the quiet frustration of replacing the same thing over and over again.

What’s in my browsing history 

• Okay hear me out on this one. I’ve been using Monarch Money to actually see my finances in one place — accounts, investments, net worth, spending trends, all of it. It’s the kind of app that makes you feel like an adult who has their life together. There’s a free trial if you want to poke around before committing, and honestly, if you’ve been putting off getting organized, this might be the nudge.
• This tool has genuinely changed how fast I get things done. Wispr Flow lets you dictate instead of type — emails, notes, ideas, whatever — and it’s scary accurate. My favorite part is that it understands intuitively when I want to list things in the middle of my monoglue. It saves me so much time in edit. If you sign up through my link you get a free month of Pro, and so do I when you hit 2,000 words (which will take you approximately one voice memo about your grocery list). Worth a try.
• Free stocks for opening an account. WeBull is giving away stock just for depositing money you were probably going to invest anyway. Open an account, make a deposit within 35 days, and you get rewarded for it. Not a bad deal for something you could set up in 10 minutes.

Should I pause investing?(community question)

Question: Thoughts on pausing investments while we prepare to buy a home? 

Answer: So seeing how my wife and I crossed the 3-year mark this year AND we’re also looking to purchase our first home, I think I can speak on this lol.

First of all, I totally respect the lifestyle decision to buy a home. And in 2026, that’s exactly what a home purchase is: a lifestyle decision. It’s not about the math, it’s not about optimizing your finances, it’s merely this desire to own your own property and establish yourself and your family.

Second, I would think of this time of saving for your down payment as a SEASON. It’s the season where you’re going HAM on this savings rate into your HYSA, and also a season where you might be dialing back on the Roth IRA.

And here’s the thing… that’s okay. Having a lower year of Roth contributions is not going to derail your retirement. What would derail you is buying a home you can’t actually afford. Also, I would begin talking to a mortgage officer at this point, just to get a feel for the numbers and what monthly payments would look like based on your down payment.

Also, last thought. If you’re paying significantly discounted rent at your mother’s home, that’s huge! What’s keeping you from maxing a Roth AND putting aside money for the home? Unless this rent is still a huge chunk of your paycheck. Or are there other big expenses you have monthly? 

Congratulations to you guys and good luck!

Last thing…

I think you and I can agree that one of the worst feelings is the shame that follows you after you make a bad purchase. To me, it feels like a pit in my stomach and I get waves of nausea every time I think about the “mistake”. 

I know that might sound a bit extreme– JC, it’s just a Keurig. But it’s real. 

Our spending habits have a huge impact on our lives. I’ve put in a lot of work into not feeling “shame” because no one can make 100% the right choices with money 100% of the time. But honestly, something that’s helped me more than hoarding money or not spending it at all is learning how to be good at spending money. 

To me, this looks like making purchases that are thoughtful. I like things that last and that I don’t have to think about buying again for a long, long time. It not only saves money, but mental load that I can put towards something more important to me.