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Do you splurge on shoes and if so, what brands and how much would you pay for a good pair of shoes, boots or sandals? Just curious!
I bought a pair of New Balance sneakers that are Made in USA. They cost $149.99 vs $69.99 and lower for the same brand made in Indonesia or Vietnam. I consider my USA sneakers fancy since they cost more than double what comparable sneakers cost.
We used to buy our kids Sorel snow boots when they were still made in Canada, but I understand the company moved to China a while back.
P.S. I once had a pair of dress shoes re-soled (half soles). I didn't give it much thought back then but they must have been of good quality. Shoes are now disposable.
When I used to travel for work, I'd often try and buy some quality shoes while in Europe. Wood soles tend to last a very long time. While also repairable, it was difficult to find in the US. On my last trip, I wasn't able to find anything similar anymore....but I didn't have a ton of time to look too much.
Some of the product in higher end stores here in the US is made to LOOK like it has wooden soles, but in actuality they are not. Would love to find someplace that does make them this way though. I've had such good luck with those types of shoes.
This is KIND OF like my aforementioned shoes that fell apart. They looked like the soles were sewn to the show, but they really were only glued.
This is KIND OF like my aforementioned shoes that fell apart. They looked like the soles were sewn to the show, but they really were only glued.
Agreed. I simply can't find them here in the US. However, the pairs I did get lasted me for years and years. Maybe more expensive up front, but given how few pairs I needed to buy, it was quite the value, and so much better for my body as well.
A pair lasts me several years, and I wear them nearly all year here in Phoenix. I need good arch support, and these sandals fit the bill. The soles aren't padded, though, so if that's important look elsewhere.
When I used to travel for work, I'd often try and buy some quality shoes while in Europe. Wood soles tend to last a very long time. While also repairable, it was difficult to find in the US. On my last trip, I wasn't able to find anything similar anymore....but I didn't have a ton of time to look too much.
Some of the product in higher end stores here in the US is made to LOOK like it has wooden soles, but in actuality they are not. Would love to find someplace that does make them this way though. I've had such good luck with those types of shoes.
I will spend money on quality shoes but will shop around online to find the lowest price. For instance, let's say I decided I would like a pair of black Birkenstock Arizona-Flor sandals. I would go to Google Shopping and type in the name of the shoe I want, a number of stores will come up with this exact shoe. Today (8/8/22) the price for this particular shoe ranges in price from $59.95 with free shipping to $115.00 with free shipping. I of course would buy the same exact shoe for $59.95 with free shipping. I usually use Google as my starting point. Then I will see if I can beat their lowest price by doing some sleuthing on my own. However, you can see that the lowest price Google shows today is 1/2 off! Not bad at all!
I buy Danner or Merrell shoes, and shop both at sierra.com for the price, and I have some Keen products there. I also shopped clearance Danner at the Danner website. I would encourage everyone that has a "brand" to google for the brand website and see if you can shop there, followed by signing up for their email, so you'll be aware when they have sale and clearance items. I often cross check items for price and reviews with Amazon. It works for me and my family!
I just replaced my Mephistos (similar to Birkenstock) after five years of faithful service. I have very few pairs of shoes, and I pay whatever I need to pay for a good fit and excellent quality. My version of frugality involves living with less, which doesn't always mean paying less for the few items I do purchase.
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