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Showerthought: the guy at the Tucson flea market who talked me out of the cheaper tool made me rethink what "budget" even means
Last Saturday I was about to buy a $12 multi-tool from a vendor at the Tanque Verde swap meet when the guy next to me, named Ray, said he bought that same one three times in two months and it kept stripping screws. He pulled out a $30 version from his back pocket that he'd had for six years and said the cheap ones cost him more in the long run. I put the $12 one back and I've been thinking about it all week. How do you all decide when saving money up front is actually the more expensive choice?
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joseph_ellis8523d ago
That $12 tool reminds me of the time I bought three cheap hammers in one year, and every single one snapped at the handle. I told myself I was being smart with my money each time, but by hammer number three I had spent more than a good one costs. My wife still brings it up whenever I walk past a bargain bin. Ray is right about the math, because the cheap stuff usually breaks right when you need it most, and then you pay twice. The hard part is knowing which things are worth paying up for and which ones are fine to go cheap on. For me it comes down to how often I use it and how mad I would be if it died in the middle of a job.
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