Welcome to Ask Wirecutter, where deputy editor Annemarie Conte helps you figure out how to make the most of your stuff. If you have a shopping conundrum for our advice columnist, submit it using this form or via Annemarie's Instagram, where she occasionally posts question prompts for you.Dear Wirecutter,My husband is an “order the most expensive thing on the menu” kind of guy, but because of how I was raised, I have trouble splashing out even when we can afford it. Settle a debate for us: What are some products where the cheaper version is just as good as, or maybe even better than, the pricey one?V.M.Dear V.M.,I don’t think we can so neatly categorize people as either spenders or savers. In my experience, I’ve found that everyone with disposable income has some things that they like to spend on and others where they become a total skinflint. Wirecutter’s philosophy is all about being an informed shopper and making the decision that’s best for you.There are some product categories that you should not cheap out on because the inexpensive versions simply don’t work very well. But on the flip side, just because an item has a large marketing budget doesn’t automatically make it good. Sometimes you can find a more humble model that is solidly designed and constructed. And sometimes it’s never worth spending extra money because nothing in the category is built to last.