Step outside your house and everyone’s selling you something. They used to throw pamphlets and send salesmen/women to your place. Realising how they couldn’t quite get into your head, brands used tv, radio, tabloids and magazines with coupons inside to sell you stuff. Along came the internet and now all you do is shop online. Advertising has had multiple entry points into your household and it continues to find the fuel for the Sales fire to burn, longer. With so many brands pitching you their products, how do you decide what you really want and that you need it too?
Well, the answer to this question is the very basis of all our purchasing habits. Differentiating between your wants and your needs can help you prioritize your purchases or the lack of them. Today, we’re going to discuss how you can afford sneakers that you really need. Here goes my list of tips in no particular order.
Get what you really need
Getting carried away is easy when hypebeasts surround you. Looking at their gear, the car they drive, the phone they own can and will tempt you to shell out the type of money you don’t have, just to fit in. But there’s a deeper connection here. The notion that someone dresses in a certain brand or has nicer materialistic things than you doesn’t in any way, shape or form mean that he/she is better than you. Never sway too far away from who you really are. That is the key.
Wait
Have you ever seen a lion or a tiger on an active hunt just aimlessly running from one end to the other of a large open field? No? It’s because they’re really smart. Learn to be patient. Nike did not become a Fortune 500 company in 1 day. Tinker Hatfield did not design every Jordan in 1 hour. It’s okay to let some purchases wait. Study how prices and sales work. Ask yourself why does this store always manage to sell stuff for the lowest markup? Which store/site offers you great deals repeatedly, why and when? Timing is everything.
Less is not always more
This is not about being frugal but smart. Quality is relative in nature and following it over Quantity is a blind blanket approach. If you love variety, don’t let anyone convince you otherwise and make you buy a $200 pair of denims citing “Quality” as the reason. Trade in what you don’t need for the one(s) you actually do. Nobody needs to know what you’re up to. Kicks make a great gift too, so be on the lookout.
Network, Trade & Resell
You don’t need to be at a sneakercon to network with people or to trade your stuff. Use your social media platforms and the people that surround you all day, every day. School, College, Place of Business/Work, etc. are all fair game. Reselling is a completely legal industry tarnished by the pathetic illegal inclinations of those who run it. Web hosting gets resold, liquor gets resold, cars get resold, so why not kicks? Resell if it helps you afford more than just your next pair of shoes.
eBay
People still don’t believe me when I tell them eBay is not just for used items. Their second biggest concern is fake products. Nike is on eBay and so are many other brands, if that helps bolster your trust. Regardless, eBay has still some of the best deals and steals no matter which country you live in. Pay special attention to auctions and bid wisely. For example, if a bid ends in the next 5 minutes, enter your final bid in the last 20 seconds and hit submit to avoid being beaten to the dollar. Still, don’t shy away from used stuff. The odds that you would find something in a great condition are really high if you know where to look.
Identify the bracket, pay that price
You either know what the word “Quality” stands for, or you don’t. I’ve seen people use the word so liberally, they think they created it. You need to draw the line on how much would you spend for tumbled leather, how much for pig skin suede, how much for full grain combat boots, etc. and spend within those price brackets rather than being Pseudo brand loyalists who buy everything their favorite Youtuber or Instagram Blogger posted.
Stay away from Debt
Debt kills everything. Imagine paying a part of your earnings to someone + interest for the next 12 months because you couldn’t hold that impulse exactly 12 months earlier. Whoever controls your debt, controls you. If you’re loaning money just to look cool and hang out with the “in” crowd, you’ve lost the plot already. Furthermore, debt will prevent you from bagging a good deal right in front of your eyes because your credit card was maxed out on a foolish impulse purchase yesterday. Use your credit card judiciously and save it for actual emergencies in life.
I’ve skipped the obvious one (Get a job!) but I’d love to hear how you afford your sneakers and apparel? Do you agree with any of the aforementioned tips? Let me know in the comments below.