My wife had a reputation among her friends for being a savvy shopper. Whenever there was a sale, on clothes, shoes, or household items, she was on it. The thrill of scoring a good deal brought her genuine satisfaction.
But that satisfaction didn’t last.
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A woman sits on a chair next to shopping bags. Illustration photo by Pexels/Porapak Apichodilok |
The clothes she bought faded or lost shape after a few washes. The sandals snapped after a few weeks. Electronics stopped working within months. It was too much trouble to fix them, and since they were “cheap,” she just bought new ones. And so the cycle continued: buy cheap, break fast, replace often.
Every time I tried to bring this up, she’d respond, “If it breaks, I won’t feel bad, I didn’t spend much on it.” But I did feel bad. I regretted the time she spent hunting for these deals, the energy spent ordering, and the clutter that filled our home.
One day, I sat down and did the math. In the first six months of the year, she had spent nearly VND15 million (US$600) on discounted items. Yet she still complained, “I have nothing to wear,” because the quality did not match the glossy advertisements.
I asked her to try a different approach: buy less, but buy better. At first, she resisted. But when I showed her my genuine leather bag, still looking new after years of use, next to her peeling faux-leather one, she started to consider.
I’m not someone obsessed with brands. But I do believe in value and durability. I told her, “Try investing in fewer, better-quality items. Things that last, make you feel confident, and don’t need constant replacing.”
Gradually, she stopped browsing discount pages. She began choosing items with care. She bought fewer things, but better ones.
Saving money doesn’t mean cutting all spending. It means knowing what’s worth spending on. Reasonably priced branded goods aren’t about showing off, they help you avoid the frustration of cheap, disposable purchases. They save time, reduce waste, and bring more satisfaction.
We often hesitate to buy a single expensive item, yet easily spend much more on many cheap ones. In the long run, smart consumers are those who invest in quality.
And when more people become discerning buyers, the whole market benefits. Sellers will be forced to improve. Poor-quality goods and knockoffs will have less room to thrive.
*Readers’ opinions are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’s viewpoints.
