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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