There are things where if you buy the cheap option it can cost you more over the long run. An obvious example is a cheap product that breaks down. Tools you use

There are things where if you buy the cheap option it can cost you more over the long run. An obvious example is a cheap product that breaks down. Tools you use for your work are another category like that. Your desk, chair, computer, development software, etc are not good places to save money. Having a tiny edge here earns you much more over time than the initial expense. I wouldn’t go less than 32gb on a dev machine. My laptop had 32gb which I upgraded to 64gb when I bought it. If you really can’t afford it, then you work within your constraints. But plan to upgrade when you can. I recently spent $300 on a chair to replace my $50 chair which I was finding uncomfortable for long periods of time. I value my time at roughly $100/hour, so if I spend three more hours at my desk this month because I’m more comfortable, then it’s paid for and making me money every month thereafter. The payoff is less clear if you work for a salary and performance is not well connected to your compensation.