Yesterday, I walked into Costco in saw a pallet with a bunch of $20 running shoes. I was so excited at this great deal and they looked like all my other running shoes. I have with 1,000’s of miles on those shoes and I needed a pair for daily work. I happily threw them in my cart with all of my other bulk supplies, checked out and headed home.

I took them out of the box at home and they were so light, I thought wow that’s awesome. And then I put them on.

My $20 tennis… I got what I paid 4. I got a pair that on the outside looked just the same as the others I own at home, however when I put them on… I again was forced to realize the differences between a $20 pair of shoes and my much more than $20 shoes.

My other running shoes have exceptional arch support that you can feel when you take a step, they support my feet and do what they’re supposed to do. These new shoes are flat inside with no support. 😦

I’ve had other bargains that I’ve tried in the past.

I tried a different brand of laundry detergent once. I thought a cheaper box of soap could save me some money. In reality this new laundry detergent caused my clothes to become dingy, even when I used more detergent it still did not get the results I wanted. (AND my husband complained and insisted I go back to Shaklee Laundry) I went back to my already economical choice, my clothes look amazing  and I save money by spending “more” on quality product because I use significantly less. (My box of detergent costs a bit more than others, but lasts 2-3 times longer.)

The same thing goes for my daily supplements, I can buy cheaper vitamins at the store, however recent articles show us that these cheaper vitamins may not contain the ingredients promised. They also may contain other ingredients I don’t want.

For this reason it’s much more economical for me to spend the money on a supplement I know contains what it says it contains and that the company guarantees.

What’s more, the supplements I take on a daily basis have provided me with the results I wanted. For over 7 years I have felt better, I have had more energy, and I have NOT had to take 6 daily pharmaceuticals. I don’t have co-pays at doctors offices and I don’t have co-pays on those 6 pharmaceuticals every month – a HUGE savings. It would not serve me to go back to bargain vitamins that didn’t provide me with the nutrition that I need to stay healthy.

I don’t do cheap options very much anymore, and when I do they almost always prove that quality and value are more important!

I may “think” I am saving money because what I am buying looks like the other vitamin/shoes/detergent/toilet paper (that’s another story) yet it doesn’t contain what it is suppose to, SO I’ve wasted my money I will now head to the shoe store and get myself a good pair of walking shoes.

(You know its bad when your bulk purchase of toilet paper is never ending and you consider stealing tp from commercial institutions because it looks softer and more useful!)