10 THINGS YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO SKIMP ON

Money is pretty tight for a lot of Americans nowadays. But lucky for us, there are plenty of things we buy where quality doesn't depend on price . Like, generic aspirin is just as good as the brand-name stuff.

But, as Liz Pulliam West at MSN Money points out -- there are areas where you shouldn't even think about skimping. Even when your budget is really tight, you should try to make room for the following:

Car maintenance. Sometimes scrimping on a small expense can lead to a much bigger one. That's what happens if you wait too long to change your oil or have that weird noise checked out. Find a reliable mechanic and make sure your budget includes money for regular maintenance and repairs.

Classic clothes. You have to wear them every day, so you should make sure they hold up over time. This doesn't mean you should buy designer duds on a Target budget. But if you're choosing between a cheap knockoff that will only last one season and a classic piece that costs more but will still look good in 2010, your choice should be obvious.

Computer memory. You always need more than you think, unless you never add new software, download a tune, or play a game. Save yourself headaches and tech-support calls by loading up when you buy a new machine. If you're adding memory to an older machine, consider maxing out the available slots.

Family safety. Safety experts say you should have a smoke detector outside every bedroom and a carbon-monoxide detector on every floor, plus escape ladders for every bedroom above the first floor. Solid door and window locks are a smart security measure, but remove any window bars that can't be opened from the inside.

Health. If you're one of the 46 million Americans without health insurance, you know it can be hard to take care of your health. But there are ways to do it that don't require insurance or cost a fortune; search online for tips on getting care for less.

Home inspections. It's stunning that people will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a house but refuse to cough up a few hundred for an inspector who could warn them that they're throwing their money away. In today's slower housing market, there's really no excuse not to hire an expert to inspect a home before you buy.

Mattresses. You don't have to drop a couple thousand dollars on a specialty mattress to get a good night's sleep, but steer clear of used or really cheap mattresses. When it comes to comfort, expensive isn't always better. What matters is what feels good to you.

Teenagers' cars. If you're going to buy your kid wheels, or allow them to buy their own, the car should have good safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Why? Because teen drivers' crash and fatality rates are much higher than any other age group. So they're more likely to need airbags, restraint systems, roll bars, and crumple zones than other drivers