From groceries to clothing, it is practically un-American not to love a good deal.
But it seems, not only are you supposed to enjoy saving money on a purchase, you are also supposed to tell everyone what a great price it was.
In a conversation with your friend, she might say, "I love your (fill in stylish purchase here)."
Although "Thank you," is the polite response, in today's deal-finding consumer market you are to follow that "Thank you" with the customary phrase, "it was only (fill in alarmingly low price here)."
Add to that, how much it originally cost and be prepared to astonish all your friends with your David Blaine magical powers - sans the suspended box, of course.
"I had to buy it. The shirt was on sale for $20, and it was originally $80!"
If they are not too stunned by your shopping smarts, a response might include "I would have never paid $80 for a shirt."
There it is - the catch. Would I have bought this had it not been on sale? This is something I think many of us ask ourselves.
I was recently reading Mary Elizabeth Williams' article "The $2 camisole: How cheap is ruining our lives" on Salon.com, where she looks at consumerism from a different angle.
She admits to enjoying a good deal and having similar price-centered conversations with friends, but she questions the rock-bottom prices.
When Amazon practically cut the cost of its popular Kindle in half, Williams did not immediately log-on to the computer to "burn up some plastic" on a new digital toy. Her reasoning: some things are worth paying more for.
She jokes, "And while I know that spending $7,000 on a Viking range is a not-going-to-happen-in-my-lifetime experience, I'm sure I don't want to spend $268 on one from Sears that I'll have to throw out next year."
She also points out that those shockingly low prices come with different costs to the environment and those workers who produce the item.
There is a balance, and it is different for each buyer and to much extent the item being bought. Depending on your monetary circumstances, paying $80 for a shirt may be feasible, or may not be - even if it was bedazzled with Swarovski crystals.
However, for another item that might be a very reasonable price even with the same price tag and income. If it had been a dress that you could wear on many occasions such as to work, church and maybe even a night out, I think it would be a smarter purchase.
Investment in our possessions is something else Williams criticized, both from manufacturers - her H&M sunglasses snapped in half after just two weeks - and consumers - the ability to just throw away that $2 camisole from Old Navy after getting nacho cheese spilled down the front.
I have a strict policy when it comes to shopping, especially for those larger ticket items, that has to do with the "price per wear."
I didn't coin that phrase or come up with the genius system, and, in reality, I didn't even realize that was how I was rationalizing purchases until I heard it explained on TLC's "What Not to Wear." But it makes sense.
The show always stresses clothing as an investment. Although I don't always agree because I don't want to wear "classic" pieces all the time.
When shopping for staple items such as jeans or a nice black work pants, Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, the hosts of the show, suggest buying something that will last because you are going to wear it fairly often and you want it to continue to look good wear after wear. Items that are inexpensive are probably not going to be made with as high of quality material and that may show more quickly than you want.
This idea expands past the closet. If you drink a lot of coffee, invest more in a coffee maker that will go the distance versus one that you will have to replace in six to eight months.
Until reading Williams' article, I assumed lower prices would make people more apt to buy an item - sales were invented to move merchandise people wouldn't pay full-price for, right?
I think Williams sums it up best by saying, "I just want the price of an item to be a reasonable reflection of the effort that went into its creation and the use I will get out of it."
So whether it is full-price or practically being given away, consider its worth to your lifestyle.
•Contact Andrea Hall at ahall@gwcommonwealth.com.
