Quality Is In A Class All By Itself!

I learned, early on, never to buy inferior products …

Yes, higher quality stuff may cost more (most of the times) but with that extra money comes superior materials, making it much more difficult to break the items in question. With this in mind, why would you want to buy anything other than high quality? Take tools for instance: sure, you could buy a set that you could chuck away if they were soon broken, but wouldn’t you rather have a set that you could pass down to your grandkids after a lifetime of hard use? Well, this is what quality will get you!

You might say to me, “Well, the cheap tools cost less to replace, AND the higher quality tools can still break”. Ok smart guy, think you got me now? Well, you don’t, because with higher quality tools, the manufacturers are so sure of the quality of their tools that most of them add lifetime warranties to their products, so if they ever break (even if it’s your fault, I should add here) you’ll get them replaced for FREE. So dollar per dollar, the higher quality will work out better financially in the end anyway.

Over the years, I have learned that buying quality products at heavily discounted prices (I love my clearance sales. A lot) is the way to go (this’ll save you a ton of cash over buying mediocre products at normal prices). I also found out that I totally enjoy using quality products much more as well (the reason: they just work that much better, in my opinion). The following is what I have discovered about purchasing quality things:

Never be in a hurry to buy. This way you can look for a great item at an even greater price. Searching around casually on your own schedule will give you the best chance of finding an item that you will be happy to own for many years. Bonus: higher end merchandise goes on sale quite frequently, and some of the markdowns can be huge.

If something is designed to last a long time … then quality used often beats low quality new for value, in most cases. For example: automotive experts say that a three-year old, well-made car can save you 40% on the cost of owning it in the long run (I’d have to agree with the “experts” this time).

Quality materials and construction add to the value of an item. However, extra features may not always raise the value of the item. Also, keep in mind that a brand name will often unnecessarily drive up the price. Learning the difference between value and irrelevance will help you make a much better buying decision!

Always decide if the extra features (which add complexity and extra need for repair or replacement) are ones that you really need. Are you really going to use all those extra cycles on that washing machine? Is an icemaker and dispenser really that important to you on a refrigerator? Yea, probably not.

I live by the fact that it makes sense to buy quality. Perhaps I inherited this commonsensical ethic from my parents, who very carefully purchased the best of things that they could both find and afford. Being the 6th child of twelve pretty much meant that I grew up with not much disposable income to carelessly toss into the wind. Now, I’m not saying that I was poor (far from it) but I certainly understood early on in my life that when my parents bought stuff, they were buying the best quality available so they didn’t have to buy the same thing twice.

I also realize that the higher initial cost of quality may sting a little (believe me on this one) but that sting will shortly blossom into complete satisfaction once the hi-quality product performs well beyond its lasting duties. The truth, as I have come to know it, is this: poor craftsmanship almost always causes lingering disappointment, which is usually intensified by the realization that the product was dressed up to look like quality, but was in fact far from it.

Keep this article in mind the next time you go out on one of your shopping adventures (you’ll be glad that you did … and so will your wallet).