Price or Value

[Snoopy]

Which is most important to us nowadays?
Is price what makes you buy something or would you look for value? In these days of globalization we can purchase almost anything cheaply. From clothing and whitegoods to food, the items in our shops now require us to part with a far lower proportion of our income than ever before. Much of what we buy does not have the quality that we enjoyed in times past and thus, IMHO, represents poor value. Are we happy to spend little and often or would we prefer to return to the days of value where, whilst costing comparatively more, things lasted longer?

[Bar Wench]

It depends what it is. Could you expand?

[Snoopy]

It depends what it is. Could you expand?

Due, according to my doctor, to diabetes expansion is out of the question. I am, in fact, trying to shrink.


BUT ~ If you are serious ...... we enjoy a high standard of living but everything seems to be made to be disposed of or replaced. We are on our third washing machine in five years. My mother's machine lasted over twenty. When I was at school a pair of shoes lasted from September until Easter when we were bought sandals. Now I'm buying two pairs of shoes per term per child. Fruit purchased in Sainsbury is under ripe today and within two days it is rotten. The list just goes on and on. We buy cheaper but shoddy products.
Why? Because it is cheaper than buying quality.

[Barman]

Coming from quite a poor background (aaaahhh), I?m keen on achieving value for money. For that reason I will never, ever buy ?designer? product which is clearly normal product with an expensive label.

Having said that I?m not averse to spending it on things I like ? books DVD?s gadgets, etc. but will always shop around for the best price ? even if it means waiting for somebody to bring something over from the UK. I guess the ?saving? mentality that I was forced to acquire as a child helps that aspect.

[Bar Wench]

It depends what it is. Could you expand?

Due, according to my doctor, to diabetes expansion is out of the question. I am, in fact, trying to shrink.


BUT ~ If you are serious ...... we enjoy a high standard of living but everything seems to be made to be disposed of or replaced. We are on our third washing machine in five years. My mother's machine lasted over twenty. When I was at school a pair of shoes lasted from September until Easter when we were bought sandals. Now I'm buying two pairs of shoes per term per child. Fruit purchased in Sainsbury is under ripe today and within two days it is rotten. The list just goes on and on. We buy cheaper but shoddy products.
Why? Because it is cheaper than buying quality.

I was serious!

Personally if I can afford to buy quality then I shall. For instance I know my ?150 washing machine is unlikely to last the distance however, when I purchased it that was as expensive as I could go without getting into more debt.

If I have the choice I always go for quality. However, I will shop around for the best deal. It is to this end that I make a lot of my own clothes and cook things from scratch. I am then in control of the standard of production and there is nothing shoddy about it. Or at least if there is I am aware of it from the beginning!

We live in a disposable consuming society and personally I am doing everything I can to get away with it within the budgetry constraints that I have.

[Snoopy]

It seems then that at least we three prefer to buy quality but are looking for value for money.
In my experience the two go hand in hand.
Last year we bought a pair of school shoes for the elder boy. Cost ?35. I made the purchase and his mother had a fit when she saw the price.
That was in October ~ he is still wearing them and they still fit him (yes I know all about children's feet growing etc but they really do still fit) Hardly a mark on them compared to his smaller brother whose shoes are the bog standard "Back to school" from Asda at ?10 ~ he has wrecked 5 pairs since last September. Thus ?35 compared to (5x?10)=?50. A saving of ?15 I would argue ~ from buying on quality rather than price.
Daughter's shoes are an unmentionable subject 

[Uncle Mort]

I also prefer to buy quality but look for value for money.

I buy the best shoes for my daughter because I know she will take care of them but my son manages to scuff and damage shoes within a few days of having them, whatever the quality. It's a waste of money buying an expensive pair.

The problem now is that disposing of goods that are worn out, broken etc. has become more costly and time consuming. It's no longer a matter of just leaving them out for the dustman. So it pays to buy a more durable item.

[Snoopy]

What a good point ~ The cost of disposal .... hadn't thought about that angle.
Have a clap

[Bar Wench]

Which with electrical items is going to get higher and higher due to the wee whatever it is thing.

[Darwins Selection]

I would not presume to comment on clothing or shoes, but with things like washing machines, I don't totally agree about the reliability/desposability point.

I think that on balance, the likes of washing machines are more reliable nowadays.
The difference is that when they break down there is nobody who will fix them or if there is, they want ?50 callout charge plus ?50 per hour plus parts.
As we are all 'affluent' the usual result is to decide that you can buy a new one for not much more and anyway this one is "unreliable" now, so throw it away instead.

I am used to the idea of mending machinery rather than replacing it and can be quite handy at repairing simple things like that.

We have a Zanussi washing machine which is getting on for 10 years old. Every 18 months or so, the motor brushes wear out and it stops.

You can get replacements delivered in 48 hours for about ?6 inc P&P, and they take 15 minutes to replace.

We just don't maintain things any more.

[Snoopy]

I would not presume to comment on clothing or shoes, but with things like washing machines, I don't totally agree about the reliability/desposability point.

I think that on balance, the likes of washing machines are more reliable nowadays.
The difference is that when they break down there is nobody who will fix them or if there is, they want ?50 callout charge plus ?50 per hour plus parts.
As we are all 'affluent' the usual result is to decide that you can buy a new one for not much more and anyway this one is "unreliable" now, so throw it away instead.

I am used to the idea of mending machinery rather than replacing it and can be quite handy at repairing simple things like that.

We have a Zanussi washing machine which is getting on for 10 years old. Every 18 months or so, the motor brushes wear out and it stops.

You can get replacements delivered in 48 hours for about ?6 inc P&P, and they take 15 minutes to replace.

We just don't maintain things any more.

Do you do call outs to North Wales?

[Barman]

We just don't maintain things any more.

I think a lot of modern goods are simply not designed to last or be repaired.

[Darwins Selection]

Do you do call outs to North Wales?

Shouldn't that be 'calls out'?
Anyway, no. Ring Dai-the-spark.

We just don't maintain things any more.

I think a lot of modern goods are simply not designed to last or be repaired.

I agree about little all-electronic gizmos like iPods and PCs, but things with big moving parts I am not so sure.

If the programmer fails on the washing machine then you are stuffed.

If the motor/pump/valves/bearings fail, it is like fixing cars 20 years ago, a bit of common sense and brute force.

[Barman]

Do you do call outs to North Wales?

Shouldn't that be 'calls out'?
Anyway, no. Ring Dai-the-spark.

We just don't maintain things any more.

I think a lot of modern goods are simply not designed to last or be repaired.

I agree about little all-electronic gizmos like iPods and PCs, but things with big moving parts I am not so sure.

If the programmer fails on the washing machine then you are stuffed.

If the motor/pump/valves/bearings fail, it is like fixing cars 20 years ago, a bit of common sense and brute force.

But there is also a shortage of those shops with a bazillion bits of washing machines and cookers piled haphazardly all over the place. Little white haired bloke in a bluff overall that ran the place could identify any piece of washing machine/fridge/cooker/hoover at a glance and put his hand on a replacement (which must have been in stock gathering dust for thirty years) instantly?

I remember when British Gas (bastards) told us that our boiler (which had been on ?premium platinum satin cushion? support contract for ten years) would have to be replaced because it was leaking and the parts no longer available. A quick trip to the parts shop produced a set of ?new? cover plates or whatever for a fiver (disgusting inflation ? the price tag on them said 7/6d).

[Snoopy]

Do you do call outs to North Wales?

Shouldn't that be 'calls out'?
Anyway, no. Ring Dai-the-spark.

We just don't maintain things any more.

I think a lot of modern goods are simply not designed to last or be repaired.

I agree about little all-electronic gizmos like iPods and PCs, but things with big moving parts I am not so sure.

If the programmer fails on the washing machine then you are stuffed.

If the motor/pump/valves/bearings fail, it is like fixing cars 20 years ago, a bit of common sense and brute force.

No I've checked with Fowler's Modern English Usage and the s goes on Outs.