The High Price Of Athletic Shoes

These are my brand new New Balance workout shoes. Paying for them ticked me off.

I have looked for months for a brand new pair of workout shoes second hand. They ARE to be had. I have seen and bought them in the past. This time, however, that fabulous deal eluded me. So, I resorted to shopping for a brand new pair on the clearance rack.

I found these lovely green and turquoise beauties at Meijer for $34.50. They were regularly priced at $69. SIXTY NINE DOLLARS!!! Why? Will they also wash my car and do my laundry?

I learned about 5 years ago that New Balance work the best with my feet. So, that's the brand I buy. It's honestly better than buying a no name brand with no cushioning or support. My last pair of NB not only wore like iron, but they also washed in numerous bleach loads and came back looking spotless. Even when I started wearing them to the shop.

So, if I were to be completely honest with myself, I would do the math. Say I bought that last pair for $50. I wore them every day to work for several years. That results in about 96 cents per week, for at least a year. Since I had them longer than that, the outlay went down even more. Ok, that helps.

I guess it's that initial shock of paying so much upfront, and that's why I try hard to find name brand goods second hand. If your kid runs track, you wouldn't believe the like new pairs of cleats I see at Goodwill every single time I go.

I know I run the risk of losing a good deal of my readers when I talk about second hand shoes. There's a real 'ick' factor involved for some folks. Here's what I do: buying name brand, good quality shoes at a thrift store, means I can take them home and run them through a scalding hot, bleach load in my washer. Superior quality ensures that they will come out perfectly fine. Added bonus? You paid $4.99 for them resale, so you can afford to play a little laundry roulette.

When I buy anything second hand, I am beyond thorough when checking them out. Seeing how much wear there is, checking out the inside to make sure everything is still stitched and where it belongs. Making sure the soles aren't sloped (huge sign of too much wear).

It seems to be much easier to find heels or other kinds of footwear second hand. People tend to hang onto their athletic shoes longer. However, like I said, I have found great deals. Brands I otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford, like that fabulous pair of K-Swiss back when Claire was a baby. I loved those things right to the garbage can.

I am just getting back into working out, 4 months after my hysterectomy. These brand new NBs won't do the work for me, but they'll sure help.

At $34.50, if I wear them at least 5 times a week, their final financial outlay will be mere pennies :)