If you are tired of spending good money on stuff that breaks or wears out too quickly, then you’ll want to read this article. I’ll break down the three things that you need to know in order to afford better quality stuff.
Buy Used, Refurbished or Last Year’s Model
If you would rather have a digital camera with a zoom feature and video but can only afford a basic model, consider buying a used or refurbished model. You may find that you get all of the features that you want at the price that you want just by choosing last year’s model, buying an older one from someone who wants to upgrade to the next new thing or by buying a factory refurbished version that you desire.
While my example tells you how to save on digital cameras, you can apply this strategy to almost anything. This past weekend, I picked up a couple of brand new “Phillies” sports t-shirts made out of heavy cotton for $1.50 each because they had “2010” printed on them. New ones printed with 2011 cost ten times the price. In a few years, they will all be “vintage” anyway.
Spend More Upfront
If you can scrounge a little extra money together, it might actually pay off to spend a bit more upfront for certain items because you will wind up having them longer. I find this to be true, of all things, with underwear. If I spend $5 a pair for better quality panties, they will last for years, and hold up to hundreds and hundreds of wearing and washing. Any less and I am having to replace the underwear within the year and spending more in the long run.
Do Your Research
Just because a brand has been all over the media and advertisements doesn’t necessarily make it the best quality. Do your research. You may just find a lesser known brand that does what you want it to do and will last just as long if not longer than the more popular choice.
Find out what the resale value or average ownership time of an item before you purchase it. We tend to do this with cars, but there is a lot of information out there about a lot of different products. Take advantage of it to get something high quality but without the name and the high price.
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