Here at CNBC Make It, we pride ourselves on being good with money. That means we love consistent saving, smart investing and, of course, a great deal. Don’t want to overspend on holiday gifts this year? Try “slow shopping.” Is your landlord increasing your rent? Remember you can negotiate.
Sometimes, though, the convenience or happiness pay-off is enough to justify the financial cost.
Here are seven things CNBC Make It staff thought were worth the higher price tag.
$90: Sophisticated tote
I spent hours searching for the best work tote and I finally found one I love and can not recommend it enough: The Go-Getter Tote from Poppies and Peonies, a Canadian brand.
Here are a few reasons why I love it:
- It has flat straps that don’t dig into your shoulder.
- It has a zipper.
- It has great organizational compartments inside.
- It can fit a TON.
- I love the pocket on the outside that doubles as a sleeve to slide onto a suitcase.
— Natalie Wu, digital rotational associate
$100: Big water bottle bag
It’s a bit of a stretch to say I’m glad I spent nearly $100 on a bag to carry my water bottle, but my Dagne Dover Sloan water bottle sling has at least lived up to the hype I built up for it in my head.
I bought it to bring to Coachella in April and on long dog walks thereafter and it was and has been a godsend for both. It holds the 32-ounce Nalgene water bottle I separately purchased along with a plethora of other small necessities — my phone, keys, some cash or cards, hand wipes, headphones and more — all while keeping me hands-free and cooler than wearing a backpack.
— Kamaron McNair, money reporter
$100: High quality rain jacket
Fact No. 1: Until recently, I hadn’t owned a rain jacket since middle school. Team Umbrella over here. But walking my dog in the rain, with a leash in one hand and an umbrella in the other, is a lot to juggle.
Fact No. 2: When I decide to buy something new, I research the crap out of my options. Probably too much. Still, that’s how I ended up with my Patagonia Torrentshell 3L rain jacket. It retails for $179, but I got one off Worn Wear (Patagonia’s used gear website) in perfect condition for $107, plus $7.50 in shipping.
My first impression was negative. All lanky arms, it felt designed for Michael Phelps. Then, when I cinched the sleeves tight, it somehow immediately fit — a feeling I found replicated with the waistband and hood, too. Even in downpours, my upper body doesn’t get wet anymore. If only I could say the same thing for my dog.
— Cameron Albert-Deitch, success editor
$120: Really nice sunscreen
I’m not a “glass skin” skincare girlie — I’m a pale-skinned, acne-prone, desperate-for-sunscreen-that-won’t-break-me-out girlie.
In May, after a popular sunscreen brand triggered a two-month-long zit parade across my forehead and chin, I splurged on Lion Pose’s AHA Serum at Sephora for $79. Do I know what AHA stands for? Absolutely not. But, I heard the product reduced scaring, redness and dark spots on acne-prone skin, and decided to give it a shot. It cleared my dry, patchy skin so quickly that I went right back for the brand’s Mineral Sunscreen, which retails for $40 at Sephora. Formulated with women of color in mind, the sunscreen doesn’t leave a white cast and acts as a primer under makeup. Plus, it lasted in this fair-skinned redhead’s beach bag all summer long.
— Megan Sauer, success reporter
$200: Countertop dishwasher
Anyone who’s said money can’t buy happiness has never lived in an apartment without a dishwasher and desperately wanted one. I recently caved and bought the Hava countertop dishwasher, which is compact enough to tuck under my kitchen cabinets, but big enough to fit around four place settings.
Set-up is straightforward: Plug it in, feed the outlet hose in the kitchen sink, fill up the water tank via a pitcher or hose attached to a faucet, add detergent and let it run. I’ve always had clean dishes after the 29-minute speed wash, and longer cycles run upwards of an hour. New models are on sale for $279.99, and I got a refurbished version (which works like new) at a discounted $199.99.
— Jennifer Liu, senior work reporter
$200: Designer frames
I used to really hate wearing glasses for long periods. I felt like I was constantly pushing them up from sliding down my face. But last year, I learned about Covry, an Asian American-owned glasses brand made to fit lower nose bridges. Their signature “elevated fit” frames sit higher on the nose and away from the cheekbones. (If you’ve ever gotten glasses marks on your cheeks or mascara on your lenses, you’ll understand what a big deal this is.)
I was able to order five pairs to try on at home for $10, and that credit applied to my purchase later on. Frames start at $105, and my lenses brought the total up to $195. The frames were such a gamechanger that I ended up ordering sunglasses from them, too.
— Jennifer Liu, senior work reporter
$500: iPad mini
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how often I use my new sixth generation iPad mini, which I bought to watch movies, sketch, read books and follow sheet music while I practice playing drums.
With 8-inch by 5.3-inch dimensions, it’s smaller than most tablets, but I think that’s actually the sweet spot in terms of size. The screen is big enough to watch Netflix or YouTube, but the overall size of the tablet is less bulky than my laptop, which allows me to carry it in my backpack pretty much everywhere I go.
The mini is also perfect for looking up random things on Wikipedia or Google while I’m reading or watching a movie, which I do often. Not everyone needs a tablet, of course, but it’s become my go-to device for reading and web browsing, whether that’s at home on the couch or when I’m traveling.
— Mike Winters, money reporter
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