Only buy goods from retailers whose expertise is in the area of the goods being sold.
Examples include:
- Buy hair products, such as blow dryers and flat irons from companies like Conair or Revlon, who specialize in hair products. Conair or Revlon will offer a superb hair dryer for about $25 if you don't wish to fork over $100+ for a Chi brand; because that's what Conair and Revlon do, make hair gadgets. They are in the business and know what they're doing! And because they are established in the hair industry, they have a reputation to uphold.
- Buy your mattress from Beautyrest for $800 when you don't wish to pay $2,000+ for a much more expensive Sterns and Foster mattress. Beautyrest (established in 1931) makes an excellent mattress despite its lower ticket price.
- Buy a Hoover vacuum cleaner (selling since the 1930s) when you can't afford a Miele (a used Miele vacuum is $700; new ones are $1,400+). In the year 1990, I bought a Hoover vacuum cleaner at Woolworth's (the famous, now defunct variety store) for $60, which is still running strong today. In furnishing my apartment, I had to buy so many things, I was happy to find my Hoover for less. It is a brand well known for making vacuums. I think I'm getting my money's worth!😍
- I never buy shoes from retailers whose primary business is not shoes. I trust Merrell and Sorel for proper arch and heel support over Calvin Klein or Kenneth Cole. In footwear, I need more than style! I get the best shoes for my feet cheaper than what these chic, yet unskilled high fashion designers charge. Shoes aren't either seller's main focus.
- If you don't have $400 - $700 to invest in a William-Sonoma blender, you can get a durable and powerful Oysterizer blender, a prime maker of blenders. About $24, it has 10+ speeds to do everything from mixing, blending and crushing ice. Mine lasts for decades.
- If NARS or Charlotte Tilbury luxe cosmetics are too costly, you will find beautiful colors and uncompromising quality from the likes of Maybelline (began in 1915), L'Oreal (started in 1909) and Revlon (launched in 1932), all brands with 80+ years of beauty experience, yet sold at your local drugstore. You can bet your budget, they get it right!
When on a budget, I stick with the tried and true -- businesses who have made a certain thing forever.
Established industry pros don't operate like flushes in a pan. I notice they tend to offer stellar quality items at affordable price points. You can forgo a few bells and whistles without sacrificing overall product expertise. All the essentials that make the goods worth buying tend to be there. Every purchase need not be top of the line, but articles should serve their purpose and last. Expect a brand whose name is synonymous with a specific product to deliver. Quite often for less! When having to budget, you are rarely disappointed.
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| Photo: 123RF |
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Well said Debra. I always had Hoover vacuums, although more recent ones sadly don't last as well. At least in our country, so many trusted brands have gone to the 'dark side' and now produce cheap versions of the original good brand. Sad but true. However, hope springs eternal, and one tries to find the best value with everything. I am making a note re the hair dryers - need a new one of those.
ReplyDeleteOh goodness, sometimes the quality changes when a private company sells out and becomes a publicly held corporation. I dislike when such a change isn’t for the better and the quality of the goods suffers. My old Hoover still requires a vacuum cleaner bag, which I like over a bagless plastic cylinder. I live in fear I will one day be unable to find the bags. I love how you periodically just toss all that household dirt in the trash. I don’t want to clean a cylinder ... and afterwards clean the sink! Yuck! 🤢 Some changes are not an improvement.
DeleteDearest Debbie,
ReplyDeleteThat is a clever list and indeed, if we always use common sense and never get anything in an impulsive way; we're fine!
As for the Miele, they already start NEW from $ 299 and indeed up till $ 1,499 - https://mielestore.com/vacuum-cleaners/canisters.html
Still got my first Miele vacuum cleaner and don't need to get another one yet. They last forever and like my washer and dryer, hope to copy-cat my Mom's Miele's washer that lasted for 40 years! My husband Pieter once built in some new parts, not even much but it kept going on forever.
Shoes are so important for our feet. I have to only buy leather with leather upper sole for good foot health. Others are synthetic and cause ugly stinky feet and God knows what else.
But watching out at Outlet stores like Saks Off 5th and Last Call lets you get quality brands in leather for a fraction of the price.
Hugs and happy August, hope you have sunny weather. We had for 2 days, nice for biking but we have not yet been able to book our trip for the bigger rides that I've blogged about. Too much rain in the forecast...
Mariette
Always lovely to hear when a price is a little less. I never expected to have my Hoover vacuum for so many years. It’s like the Ever ready Bunny. Just keeps going!
ReplyDeleteWe had a 91 degree F day today, yet overall not such a hot summer. Happy Daylight!
Hugs 🤗 right back to you!❤️