Spend or save

How to decide where extra money is worth it and where it is not.

10 articles

Cheap things not worth buying, even when they are $10

Cheap things not worth buying: single-use gadgets, trend items and safety gear with no markings. Skip these even at $10, and here is why.

Hamza IdrissiNov 8, 20263 min read

Used furniture and household items at a garage sale

Spend or save

When secondhand beats new, and when it does not

What to buy used to save real money, what to always buy new, and a short check to run before you pay a seller. Solid, simple items are the best used buys.

Manon LambertNov 5, 20263 min read

A cheap plastic gadget with a price tag on a store shelf

Spend or save

Is the cheap version a smart buy or a trap?

Seven red flags that a cheap product will fall apart, and a few signs that the low price is fine, so you can tell a smart cheap buy from a trap.

Hamza IdrissiNov 2, 20262 min read

Shopping bags on a city sidewalk outside a store with a sale sign

Spend or save

How to shop a sale without overspending

How to shop a sale without overspending: a list of what you need, a cost-per-use check and a 24-hour rule that stop 50% off from costing you more.

Hamza IdrissiOct 26, 20266 min read

A shopping cart with everyday household items in a store aisle

Spend or save

Spend or save: a verdict on 20 everyday buys

Quick verdicts on 20 common purchases, from mattresses to phone cases, so you know where extra money helps and where the cheaper option is fine.

Hamza IdrissiOct 25, 20262 min read

A winter coat hanging in a tidy wardrobe

Spend or save

Cost per use, explained with real numbers

Cost per use is the price divided by how many times you use it. Here is how to work it out, with round example numbers, and where the math breaks down.

Hamza IdrissiOct 22, 20263 min read