Shopping: Quality vs. Quantity

I know...shopping can be addicting. It really is addicting--that is, if you have the budget. But what would you buy? One or two quality items or more than five so-so items?

Probably, you've already heard about debates here. And some just do prefer to buy a few instead of several items for quality. On the other hand, there shoppers who buy several items at cheaper prices.

I've been in these two situations and been both shopper A and B.

I love shopping at tiangges because the prices are cheaper and you get to choose from several styles. I think, for P1,000, you can already get a whole outfit (e.g. P300 for bottoms, P300 for tops, P300 for shoes and P100 for accessories) for ladies.

Divisoria, Greenhills, St. Francis Shopping Square are just a few out of several places and tiangges where you can buy these items at relatively lower prices.

On the other side of wall, there are malls and boutiques that offer a top for around P1,000, a bottom for around P1,000 and shoes for around P1,000.

However, this does not mean that the 300-peso top you bought is of low quality and the 1000-peso top you bought is of high quality. Sometimes, it's only the brand.

Actually, quality vs. quantity is not an issue if you really look for value. Now, what do I mean here. I mean when you are looking for your stuffs, you have to consider both the price and quality and, of course, your needs.

It does not mean that just because it's a thousand-peso item that it's really worth your money. But of course, you also have to keep in mind that pricing is relative to quality. Manufacturers won't ask for a higher price if their costs in producing the item are not high.

In the end, I'd still recommend going to a sale of your trusted brands. This is a good time when you can buy quality items at lower prices, but that is, if you have the budget.

You can use your credit only if you think you can still pay for all your purchases. But if you really don't have the budget, don't try borrowing money. Just think that there are still several of these sale that will happen throughout the year.

Self-control is a precious ability that must be exercised. So...

Do you really need a smartphone? Do you already have lots of mascaras yet still want to buy one? How will you wear those shoes--everyday, once a week, once a month or once a year? Do you have the budget to buy all these?