A man attempts to make a sale to two women at a roadside stall. - FILE
When 23-year-old final year university student Adlaine wants jeans, and that is often as it is almost standard wear 'on campus', he heads to downtown Kingston, where he can snap up three for a little over $2,000.
That is less than it would cost him to buy a pair of genuine name brand denims at a store on the Constant Spring Road plaza strip, near Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew. And if he had a realm choice, that is where he would head to.
"Yeah, the jeans cheap downtown, but they don't last as long as the genuine one. Is not only in the material itself, but also the colour," Adlaine said. Of course, as he cannot practically wear one pair of jeans all the time, it is another reason to buy three with the same amount of money that can purchase one of the genuine articles. And even when the colour is gone and the threading wearing, he wears them anyway.
However, he realises that if he were to replace the jeans as they get worn, over time he would end up spending much more on the cheap items than the more expensive one.
This is but one example of when 'cheaper is dearer' or, to put it in more formal terms, spending a lot of money on low quality items over time ends up costing more than a one-time expenditure for a quality purchase. While the saying "nutten cheap no good" does not always apply, quality certainly costs.
BUT IT IS WORTH IT
Mechanic Paul gives the example of cheaper disc pads. "You will fin' that them cheaper, yes, but when you have to change in six months, even three depends on how you drive, then it better you buy one that you wear for over a year, because you have to take the cost to change it into consideration as well," he said.
This goes not only for disc pads, as he applies the 'more expensive is better' philosophy to almost everything car related, from cheaper motor oil (which he says clogs the engine) to filters.
"It is better you put good things on your car, that will last, because when one thing go bad it affect something else and that cost you too. Plus if something go wrong in certain circumstance, it can cos' you a accident or a tow," Paul said.
Dressmaker Marlene does not believe in too cheap material and she tells her customers just that. "When material cheap it tear easy, it harder to sew, the colour don't last, so it don't make any sense," she said. That is not to say she concentrates only on expensive fabrics, but instead finds a middle ground. "I will go to the fabric place myself and pick out something sturdy, but not so expensive," she said, that is as long as people come to her early enough.
Of course, there are items that are bought expressly because of their cost, such as jewellery and some perfume, which go to the other end of the scale and the more money spent the better. In other cases, though, the balance of price and quality is the objective and buying cheaper items often turns out to be more expensive in the long run.
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