Poll: Electronics most worth the splurge

With the economy tanking, consumers need to be a little more cautious in their purchases. However, as Vicky Sanderson wrote last week, some products are more splurge-worthy than others. Her picks? Furniture and linens that will last forever.

Last week's poll asked Yourhomers what home products they'd be willing to splurge on in the current economy. The winner was electronics, with 23 per cent of the votes. This is not particularly surprising, considering the whole "anchoring" trend, and the miserable weather, is driving people indoors for entertainment. A few movie nights may be all it takes to decide it's time to upgrade to HDTV or Blu-ray.

Furniture came second in splurge-worthiness, with 16 per cent, and appliances close behind with 10 per cent.

Linens, at six per cent, tools with five per cent and wallpaper, with two per cent, rounded out the list.

The remaining nearly 40 per cent of voters said they wouldn't splurge on any of the listed items.

This week, the poll asks about the slightly less sexy, but more controversial, prospect of housing being included in tax harmonization. Read more about the topic in Stephen Dupuis' column. Should housing be exempt? Cast your votes on the homepage and I'll post the results next Saturday.

And, for more Saturday reading, I recommend checking out the story on Gordon Pinsent's Manhattan-style condo makeover, complete with slide show, Colin and Justin's beige and brown, but not blah, drawing room design and DecoRita's visit to West Elm.

Comments

[Juli]

At this point, we should be thinking about every purchase we make. NO MORE JUNK! North Americans became crazy consumers over the last ten years. Buy, get bored, replace. We need a total shift in attitude. So my best bests are to splurge on what you absolutely love. Buy things you know will last. Technology is advancing so rapidly, so buy the best electronics you can afford, so that you are not continually playing catch up. Be smart with furniture - things that get used often should be able to stand up to wear and tear, and they should be classic, so you don't tire of them. And invest in experiences because that's all that remains once you've tossed the old for the new.