I agree. IMO, being frugal is more like being careful to spend extra money only when it makes a real difference in what you're getting than getting the cheapest

I agree. IMO, being frugal is more like being careful to spend extra money only when it makes a real difference in what you're getting than getting the cheapest version of everything no matter what. By all means, don't buy a $30k car when a $12k car does everything you need a car to do. But for a tech professional, it's silly to pinch pennies on a tool you spend a substantial part of your waking hours using and is used to earn your living and should last several years.