Frugal Shoes!

Remember, being frugal is about being more economic than being cheap. This was a lesson that I had a really hard time learning. To me, cheaper was better because it meant more money for other necessities.

Unfortunately, this was my thought also with shoes. I would buy cheap shoes because they were cheap, trendy and cheap! However, they didn't always last as long as I had hoped them too.

When I got married to my husband 15 years ago, we were in Freeport Maine on our honeymoon. We checked out the outlet stores. I figured for sure everything would be super cheap. There were some things that were, but not everything.

My husband took me shoe shopping, I needed a new pair of black shoes as, once again, my shoes were falling apart. I wanted a nice pair of classic looking loafers. He found a pair. FOR $96!!! I almost threw up! There was no way on this earth I would pay that much for a pair of shoes. My whole wardrobe probably didn't cost that much!

However, he insisted and he won that one.

I was scared to wear them. I was sure that they wouldn't last more than any other shoe that I had and that it was surely a waste of money.

Boy have I learned to eat crow.

15 years later and the only wear on them are the insoles. The rest look great and haven't fallen apart at all. And yes, because they were a classic style, can still be worn today.

Did I learn my lesson? Yes, but not with this pair of shoes. It has taken 15 years for me to trust that quality pays in the long run.

When we were pregnant with our oldest son (now 11 years old), my feet hurt incredibly. I was standing on them all day and needed a good pair of shoes. We bought a pair of Clark slides and they were the most comfortable shoe I had ever worn! I felt like I was walking on air. They were worth the money to me then because my feet didn't hurt.

Those shoes were retired 2 years ago, much to my disappointment. They were literally falling apart and could not be fixed.

I saw the wisdom in purchasing these shoes, and immediately went out and bought another pair.

Unfortunately, something changed with the shoe. The name and the price were the same, but the shoes weren't as comfortable.

I am now in my seventh month of this pregnancy and my feet were absolutely killing me wearing them. My back was going out, my legs ached, my heels killed!

My husband said it was time for new shoes to help me. I disagreed as these shoes were in perfect condition.

You see, he has been trying to convince me to purchase a pair of birks for years. I couldn't justify spending the money on a pair of sandals. However, I have watched how my husband has worn the same pair for over a decade.

The more I complained about my aching body, the more he insisted that we purchase a pair of birks. He won.

After looking around for sales and styles, I found a pair that I like and bonus, they had the comfort foot pad in the soles. No aching feet for days like my husband had prepared me for. About 24 hours of discomfort as they were broken in.




I now want to get a second pair for outside shoes. 

I have learned my lesson that quality in shoes pays off. That means forking out some extra money every decade or so ;) 

What are you wearing on your feet that make your day more heaven?

Enjoy your day!

1 comment:

Laura said...

Hey Liz! It's me Laura! I love your stories about your shoes! I also hate shelling out money for shoes, but then they always fall apart after a year or two, or sometimes after just months. I hate that! I think I would actually save money buying the expensive ones like you said! When we can afford it I am going to invest in a few pairs.