Usually Tightwad Tuesday is about tips and tricks to help you save money. And on the surface, I know this post doesn’t look like a tip to save money. But it really is. Sometimes you get what you pay for, and sometimes you save in the long run by spending more in the short run.
I bought new shoes recently. After attending South by Southwest in March, I found out the hard way that basic shoes from Target will make your feet hurt, if you stand too long. And my feet didn’t just hurt a little. They hurt so bad I spent my first day home parked on the sofa.
Bound and determined that I would not make that mistake again, I went shopping for new shoes before BlogHer. I hit a sale at Macy’s and found some sandals on sale for $49.99, regularly $90. Not a bad sale. And considering I had a gift card to pay for my purchase, it was a really good deal for me!
Now, $50 is definitely more money than I’d spend at Walmart or Target for a pair of shoes. But the sandals I bought are cushy! I mean REALLY cushy! And the uppers are leather, and the stitching is really strong. In addition, the Macy’s employee told me this brand of shoes has a great reputation. Since I bought a basic, rather than trendy style, these shoes should last me years to come.
So lets think about this. I only need these sandals to last me three years to make them a better buy than a cheap shoe. I’ve found that I need to replace cheap shoes once a year. So if I spend $20 on a pair of shoes at Target, in three years, I’ve spent $60, which is more than the $50 I spent on shoes that will last.
This isn’t true just for shoes and clothing. Furniture is another instance where it pays to spend a little more. Well made furniture can last a lifetime. Cheap particleboard furniture may be a lot less in the short run, but it’s more expensive in the long run, because you have to replace it every few years.
I’ve always heard that you should buy the best quality you can afford. And I believe that to be true. But please don’t go into debt for quality, if you can’t afford the best! Save your money first. It will be worth it!
Where do you find it pays to buy quality? Or do you think it’s always best to buy the cheapest available?
If you have a frugal tip, write a post, linking back to Being Frugal.net. Then sign Mister Linky, so others can find your post!
Photo by jonboy mitchell.
{ 20 comments }
Yes, yes, yes. For some things you need to get quality; for others you need to get cheap. The trick is deciding what to get when.
I get my cheapie Birkenstock imitations at Walmart for under $10 and call them Mock’nStocks. They’re comfy and I just love them. That’s a great deal, considering the ‘real’ thing costs over $100 here. On the other hand, my husband has foot problems and needs to spend serious money on his shoes.
Mr Linky isn’t up, but here’s a link to my post about saving money, time, and sanity this fall: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ReviewsAndMore/714110/
Annie Kate
I will spend SERIOUS money on shoes. This is because I have huge feet and have a very hard time finding shoes that fit, are acceptable for work/fancyoutings/anythingbesidesthegym, and are comfortable. So when I find a pair, I don’t really care what it costs.
Of course, being a frugal person, even SERIOUS money doesn’t cross the $200 threshold. And they better last for a long time.
And I’m pretty frugal in the rest of life. :-) Who says carrots need to be expensive to be tasty?
Shoes, clothes, furniture … yep, yep and yep.
but for me a real HAIRCUT is worth paying… and sadly, a real haircut will costcha a lot of money. (I’m not talking about ‘styling’ here. I’m talking HAIRCUT. If your hair is properly cut, you don’t need to style it if you don’t want. It will always look FABULOUS.)Why is it that people habitually pennypinch on hair cuts when it is the single thing that can make or break one’s appearance? I’ll never understand.
There are a number of things that it’s worth quality for the longevity: garden sprinklers (ours break twice a year with the cheap ones), grass-fed meat and milk, glass storage containers over plastic, some computer/digital equipment, and more I can’t think of right now. You learn the hard way after you’ve replaced something with another cheap one a few times.
My frugal tip this week = 5 ways to stretch your REAL maple syrup!
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/08/04/kitchen-tip-tuesday-how-to-stretch-your-real-maple-syrup/
Good shoes and foot health affect your whole body. Good shoes are a necessity. However, the best pair I have ever worn – I have them on now – I got at a garage sale for $2 :) These are my Hi-Tech work boots – I have worn them every day to work for the last year and swear by them… comfy, easy on the foot, and no pain when in them all day. I even wear them on my ‘in the office days’ as opposed to field work days. And when the time comes to replace them, I have found the same brand at Freddies and I’ll buy them on sale – only I’ll get the waterproofed ones this time – over 100 inches of rain here a year and these got wet toooo many times to count last year!
So yes – buy quality footwear – but don’t forget about the bargains at garage sales either!!!
I’ve been lurking here for a while but a post about shoes is a good way to get me fired up to comment :) I consider myself very frugal, but shoes are an area where I don’t compromise. I never buy cheap discount shoes anymore, no matter how cute they might be. I don’t buy A LOT of shoes, and I only buy practical, comfortable ones that I know I’ll get a lot of use out of. I have all but fallen in love with Merrells, Keenes, and Danskos. My Keenes cost probably in the neighborhood of $80 but I’ve had them for 5 years and they’re still as comfortable as they were when they were brand new. Every year I’ll spend probably $80-$100 on one great new pair to add to my collection. I shop the same brands so I can shop online to get good discounts and I’ll know my size will fit without having to try it on. Good shoes are completely worth it, and you definitely get what you pay for.
FOOD! While it can be a lot cheaper (and easier) to just buy lots of process and refined foods, it saves us in the long run because you don’t feel run down and you don’t get sick as often.
I could not agree more with the statement “You get what you pay for”. As a child, I found that statement to be so silly…”well of course you get what you pay for….you paid for it!!”
But, as an adult…I get it!
Shoes are a big deal for me since I have back issues. My sister never had back issues and recently she has noticed the trendy shoes she bought were “heavy” and causing her back to bother her after she walked around for awhile. Welcome to the club sista!
I really started paying attention to paying good money for shoes when my son was finally “shoe ready”. His feet were more like little shoeboxes then feet….square. I had a terrible time finding shoes for him and when I found then, they cost a bundle. But they outlasted him! He grew out of them before he could ruin them!
So, I started paying more attention to brands, how they were made and with what materials. Cheap shoes are cheap in price yes, but they are also cheap in material and function. So, I buy well-made shoes but I don’t buy them often and I do my best to catch them on sale. I don’t buy trendy shoes and with my back issues, I can’t buy the wedges or high heels. I wish I could wear heels again because I have some shoes that I dearly love but alas, age and health have outweighed pretty. My advice, especially for your children…buy good shoes! It will affect them the rest of their lives!!! As for an adult…..buy good, well- made, shoes. You will pay for it the rest of your life as well….pay now or pay later!
On a side note…..love the website and always look forward to the emails, advice and fellowship.
Bed sheets! We’ve bought cheap sets that were pilling after the first time I washed them. Better sheets are not only more comfortable to sleep on, but last much longer!
I learned about buying cheap Target shoes the hard way. My $15 sandals ended up giving me a stress fracture! It cost me over $200 in doctor visits PLUS I am now wearing an ugly cast/brace for the next 6-8 weeks. I will ONLY buy quality shoes from now on!
I’ve bought soooo many pairs of cheap shoes in my life and very few pairs were really worth it. Even the pair that I got from Payless that actually did fit comfortably — VERY comfortably in fact — got the weirdest most awful funk to them that I COULD NOT get rid of. And yes, I tried everything. And I had friends with the same shoes and the same problem. They also tried everything. So, they ended up in the garbage. I couldn’t bring myself to curse Goodwill with them.
If you’re going to buy cheaper shoes, get good brands that have been discounted. I’ve had pretty good luck at places like T.J. Maxx and even Ross because the shoes there generally weren’t made to be sold at Payless prices.
Also, unless you have something against leather, get leather shoes when you can. They hold up better, can be stretched, are more comfortable, can be polished up, can be buffed, and don’t get as funky smelling as pleather (unless there’s some expensive version of pleather that I’ve never encountered — but cheap pleather sucks).
And don’t forget to wear shoes plenty around the house before taking off tags and wearing them out. Ideally, wear them a bit for a few days to see if you feet change sizes. Often, our feet get a bit swollen with water when we are out shopping, so it’s important to see if shoes still fit when they are back to a smaller size — while still making sure that they stretch a bit when they swell again (hence why stretchy leather is important). And of course, feel the inside of the shoes, especially around the heel. If it feels like sandpaper, it probably will have the same effect unless you plan to cover it in moleskin.
This so reminds me of the discussion a few months back about Coach bags! Good quality shoes (and bags!) outlast the Target, etc. bargains and will serve you well for many years.
It was many years ago that I finally learned that life is just too short to wear uncomfortable shoes. I stick mostly with brands that I know, and I shop online for the best deals on those brands. I buy very few shoes, but the ones I do buy stay comfortable for years.
I also totally agree with paying for a great haircut. I don’t go crazy over the cost just to be in a posh salon, but I don’t do discount haircuts either. It’s never worth it to skimp on your hair.
Good shoes are certainly a great investment. I also like your statement about buying the best quality you can afford. I think that is a changing line, there are times in my life where I could afford $200 shoes, now I am at a point where I can’t, but I will still get the best I can at the best prices I can, and as Marci said, keep an eye out for the real bargains.
Correctly designed footwear is a must. I wore cheapies for years but now I’m paying the price in pain and limited mobility. It doesn’t help that I farm and ruin a pair of good boots in 6 months, but cheapies only lasted a month! I do cheap out on work shirts. They get stained and torn so much there’s no point in buying something that will last more than a month or two. Garage sales and thrift stores are my main shirt suppliers.
I agree! Good footwear can last years – while cheap shoes and sandals from target, wal-mart and the likes don’t last too long and aren’t very comfortable. A few years back when “Crocs” were all the rage my friend bought a pair of the fake ones for $6.00 instead of the real ones for $30.00 those lasted her about … 2 months – while my other friend’s pair (REAL ONES) lasted him about … 2 years! So in the long run buying the more expensive stuff actually ends up being more frugal!
Exactly! Of course, I wait for opportunities for when the quality I want is the quality I can afford. I actually rarely spend money on shoes. I have bought cheap ones and they hurt and don’t last. I much prefer to spend more money less often.
I had this very same conversation with my husband yesterday. He buys cheap tennis shoes and then complains that they don’t last long. I told him to spring for the better quality ones and he would be amazed how much longer they lasted.
I have a wide foot and used to always shop at Payless for my shoes. While I loved the shoes, they wouldn’t last more than a season. I then discovered Clarks and was in heaven. I hate paying the price for them but I watch for a sale. A pair will usually last me 3 years so they are worth every penny.
I totally agree! I wore some cheap sandals my first day at BlogHer and my blisters still have not healed! The rest of the conference I wore my super comfy birkenstocks, which are not cheap, but my feet felt great!
Sometimes you definitely get what you pay for!
Since my feet stopped growing years ago, I can spend money on shoes because they last a long time.
Toni
Good foundation shoes. I wrote about it here- http://dollarmama.blogspot.com/2009/08/zappos.html – I have some heel/arch issues, and after springing for really good sneakers for the first time, I can walk without pain. You can’t put a price on that. Now I just need to save up for good work shoes and good sandals, and I’ll have my shoe basics covered.
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