We used to be people of repair and resourcefulness, taking pride in our ability to tinker with the longevity of our things. But nowadays? Not so much. We may try to recycle, but as soon as something breaks we're looking for a replacement. Luckily, our ingenuity can match our laziness.
The subreddit r/BuyItForLife has 973k members and it's dedicated to practical quality products that were made to last. Like a phone from 2006. Or a sewing machine from the early 20th century!
The person who founded this online community, u/Petrarch1603, got the inspiration for it from r/ShutUpandTakeMyMoney. "I noticed that sometimes [it featured] useful products that I was interested in buying. Unfortunately, I also noticed a lot of gimmicks and cheaply made products too," they explained.
Now, r/BuyItForLife is twice the size of its predecessor. I guess people really appreciate pristine craftsmanship!
#1 Bought It In '88 With Money My Grandmother Left Me. My Mother Was Upset That I Spent My Inheritance On Something As Ephemeral As A Bicycle. I've Ridden Thousands Of Miles On It, Including A Double Century In 2000. Now It's My Townie Bike, For Shopping, Commuting, And Errands
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#3 Rolleicord 6x6 Film Camera From The 60's Still Going Strong And Some Examples Of The Pictures It Makes
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#4 Colman Snow-Lite Low Boy Cooler From The 60s. Gifted To Me From My Grandparents Who Picked It Up From A Thrift Store Nearly 20 Years Ago. Still Holds Ice For Nearly A Week!
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#5 My Great Uncle's Watch That Lived Through Combat In Ww2. Wound It Up And It Still Works Perfectly
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#6 Oregano - Mom Got A Piece Of An Oregano Plant From Her Aunt When I Was A Kid. She Transplanted Some To One House, Then Another And Another, Then To My Place, And Again When I Moved. We Have Never Purchased Oregano In My Entire Life. It Even Pops Up In The Lawn, Makes Grass Cutting Smell Nice
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#8 Graphgear 500 Mechanical Pencil. The One On Top I’ve Used For 20 Years, The Other Is Brand New
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#9 My Girlfriend Uses This Sewing Machine To Make Masks. Her Great-Grandmother Bought It New Back In 1925. It Still Works Perfectly
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#11 Here’s The Before And After Finished Product On My $5 Allen Edmond’s. These Bifl Shoes Were Destined For The Dumpster But I Was Able To Bring Them Back To Life. The Dye Color Is Uneven Between The Left And Right, But I’m Just Gonna Let It Bug Me For A While Until I Get Around To Fixing It
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#13 Bifg (Buy It For Generations): My Viking Husqvarna 21a, From Early 1960's. Belonged To My Grandma. My Son Is The 4th Generation To Use This Machine... Spending Quality Father-Son Time Teaching Him How To Sew Useful And Beautiful Things That Will Also Last A Long Time
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#14 These Russian Valenki Felted Wool Boots, Made Entirely Out Of Hardened Wool That Served Me So Well Here In Texas In Ver The Past Couple Days. No Soles, No Form, Basically Like Wearing Snow Proof 2 Inch Thick Hard Wool Socks. Had Them For 5 Years, No Sign Of Wear
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#16 I Bought This Palette Knife Over 30 Years Ago And Have Created Countless Paintings With It
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#17 Staplers?? Huh. Here’s My Tried, Trusted, And Tantalizing Cadet Model 302. Ain’t She Pretty?
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#18 It's Time To Switch My Ipod Classic (2006) For Spotify. Have Been Using It Daily For 15 Years But Spotify Is Just Too Convenient. Rest In Peace Little One
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