By James Bow

What do an umbrella and a glove have in common? Well, the same thing as a pair of shoes. Let me explain.

Although this winter has been unusually warm, there have been days when I’ve wished that I owned a decent pair of gloves. On one such day, I happened to be shopping at a supermarket and I spotted a rack of gloves, all selling for under $15.

On an impulse, I grabbed a pair, added them to my purchase, and pulled them on. Later that afternoon, I opened my hand to wave to my daughter, only to have the threads on the palm of my glove rip, letting in the cold air.

It reminded me disturbingly of the time I was in a large drugstore during a rainy day and I realized I had no umbrella. Lo and behold, I spotted a rack of umbrellas, all selling for under $15. I picked one up, paid for it and, upon stepping outside, discovered that a bolt holding one of the struts that pushes the umbrella fully open had broken, and my umbrella was out of shape. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry, so I didn’t go back to the drugstore to ask for a refund or an exchange. By the time I thought about it again, at home, it was too late to return it.

Both these incidents have several things in common: they were impulsive purchases made at shops that did not specialize in the items they were stocking. The items were also cheap.

Who would buy clothing at a grocery store? And yet several places sell socks. A lot of items are deliberately placed by cash registers in the hopes that customers will suddenly remember a need, and grab the item that has reminded them of that need.

I could have gone to a store that specializes in umbrellas and gotten a more durable model. I could have gone to a clothing store and got a well-made pair of gloves, but I didn’t.

I went with what was cheap and what was there and, in the end, I paid for it.

This is how our consumer society has shifted away from quality to the cheap and fast, and it’s making us the poorer for it.

Once, on an impulse, I spent $80 for what I thought were a good pair of budget shoes. Within two months, the soles had cracked clean through, letting water in. That’s when it hit me: I’d spent $40 per month just for the privilege of wearing shoes. I now buy Rockports. Sure, they cost me $130, but each pair has lasted me two years or more. Do the math.

Author Terry Pratchett calls this phenomenon the Sam Vimes Theory of Economic Injustice, after one of his characters that coined it. The theory goes that people take advantage of the poor because the poor only have enough money to buy $20 shoes, whereas the rich have enough money to buy $50 shoes, which last five times as long. Do the math, and you’ll see why it costs more to be poor.

Or, in my case, impulsive.

So, do your homework. And, for goodness sake, don’t buy umbrellas at a store that sells laxatives. Demand better quality. Save up to buy that quality. Leave the budget producers behind. It may be more expensive, but it will save you money in the long run.

Or, learn to repair things. The umbrella still serves me well, thanks to a paper clip and a pair of pliers.

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James Bow is a writer and a father of two in Kitchener.
You can read more about him online at bowjamesbow.ca
or follow him on Twitter at @jamesbow.