what you pay for

Recently I've begun to appreciate quality in the things that I buy. Now, I'm not exactly thrifty (I don't clip coupons or compare prices in the grocery store, for example), but where non-consumables are concerned, I tend to shop cheap. I buy my clothes at secondhand stores, my shoes at Payless, my books online or from eBay, get my hair cut at SuperCuts and other low-priced chain stores. But here's the thing: that only works about half the time. A good book is a good book, no matter where you got it or what you paid, and it only makes sense to buy good clothes secondhand - all the quality for less than half the price (as long as it's in good condition).

However ... I've gotten tired of having to replace my shoes every year. And of coming home from getting my hair cut in a bad mood from having been rushed through and given a cut that doesn't look that good. (No, not all low-priced places are like this ... but I've had a lot of bad luck.)

So a while back I bought a really nice pair of shoes (Merrells, if you must know), that I've worn almost every non-summer day for a year and a half, and they're still going strong. (Next time I won't buy suede, though - they feel good and are holding up well, but don't look amazing.) And going forward, I think it's worth the money to buy good shoes that will last. And I've taken to getting a $50 hair cut from a local salon - I come home looking good, feeling good, and feeling well taken care of by people who appreciate my business. AND I can go longer between cuts because the cuts are more carefully done.

Going forward, I think it's time to start paying more attention to the quality of the things I buy, and weigh the price against the time I expect something to last. (Simple stuff, I know ... but I think there's a value in learning that the best bargain isn't always the item with the lowest price.)