Total newbie here…

I am on town water and have never had a problem with taste or anything. I had an RO filter in my old house for drinking water just because my parents were getting rid of it so why not.

We just moved to a new house that has a whole home system. I don’t really know what that means, except that I have to add salt, so it’s got a softener. I called the company to ask about maintenance and they said $400/year, because they have to change the “carbon tank”. Add in the cost of salt and I’m paying nearly $30 month. That seems excessive to me…. I mean I love the idea of filtered water and imagine it’s better for my hair/skin/appliances….. but…. Is it overkill? How do I know if it’s actually necessary/worth it? ie doesn’t tap water have to meet safety standards etc? Should I do some sort of water test?

I guess it’s also two separate questions- drinking water vs everything else. I assume an RO system makes “better” water than a whole home system. Is whole home filtered water “good enough” for drinking/cooking/coffee etc?