Smart frugal people have strict guidelines about what they will and will not pay for.
For a list of things that frugal people will not pay for, see our corresponding article.
However, there are some occasions when a frugal person will save money in the long run if they end up paying extra.
#1: Plumbers
Unless you’ve attended trade school, taken plumbing courses or have a plumber in the family, it’s best to leave the toilet, sump pump, septic tank and underground clogged pipe issues to a professional plumber to solve.
A mishandled installation of a toilet or sump pump can cause future problems to lurk under the surface only to be discovered later.
For underground clogged septic pipes, most homeowners don’t own a long enough snake to handle this type of job.
The money that must be spent in order to fix these issues is just part of owning a home.
#2: Tax Accountant
Many taxpayers use free income tax websites and software in order to avoid paying a tax preparer or tax accountant.
If a taxpayer has several sources of income or has sold stocks or mutual funds, income tax preparation instantly becomes several degrees more difficult to understand.
Details such as cost basis per share, capital gains and capital losses that can be carried over from previous years must be taken into consideration.
A good tax accountant will also have valuable knowledge of new or little known tax laws that could net you more money than the cost of the tax preparation fee.
#3: Healthy Food
Frugal people are usually smart shoppers when it comes to squeezing the most out of a food budget.
However, even with an abundance of store sales and coupons, they won’t load up their carts with unhealthy food for their families.
Frugal folks don’t sacrifice healthy living just to save a few dollars at the local supermarket.
With all of the obvious ways to save money and practice frugality, such as trimming utility, vehicle, insurance, and housing costs, it’s obvious that paying for plumbers, tax accountants, and healthy food are smart moves.
These important expenses will save money in the long run.