One of the most maddening things for many evangelicals and fundamentalists is the culture of getting things "as cheap as you can," and I'm afraid it stems from a basic confusion of the concepts of "thrift" and "cheapness." Contrary to what we often believe, they are not synonymns. "Thrifty" people conserve their resources by appropriate purchases of quality items at a good price; "cheap" people squander their resources on shoddy, "cheap" goods.
What's the cost? Let's start with shoes; you can save a lot on 'em if you go to Target, right?
Well, run a few miles in 'em, and let's talk about how much it costs to go to the podiatrist. (personal experience) If you're lucky, it'll be just your feet and not your knees (orthopedic surgeon) and back.
Increasing numbers of us aren't so lucky. What is thriftier; $100 for a decent pair of shoes, or $500 in podiatrists' bills, or thousands for knee or back work? Those $20 shoes were cheap, but they sure weren't thrifty, were they?
Going further, how many people never get in shape because they never get shoes that fit. Now think about medical costs of $6000 per person annually, and half that due to lack of good diet and exercise.
Now how much are those cheap shoes costing you?
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3 comments:
i work in a factory, and steel toed boots are a requirement.
i tell all the youngsters when they first hire in: spend the money. get the best fitting boots from a quality manufacturer. $200 for a pair of boots might seem stiff, but it is NOT costly.
for me: roughly twice a year, i get new boots. i refuse to look at the price, and get what fits the best. if the salesman even alludes to price, i leave and come back when somebody else is there.
price is meaningless to me, and i dont need to know it until check out time.
result: after 25 yrs of 'boots on concrete floors', i still dont have the issues (hammertoes,disfigurments,huge callouses,etc...) most of my peers suffer from.
I bet your back is in better shape than most guys' after five years, too. Am I right?
I buy Keens - a brand you can find at sporting goods stores - good for one of my feet that was damaged, but man, good for feet in general and well worth the 70-95$.
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