So my wife and I are walking through church the other day and she says, "Slow down. I can't walk too fast in these shoes." I looked at her feet and saw they were "reasonable shoes", so I asked why she couldn't walk very fast in them.
She replied, "Because one of them is half a size larger than the other one and it keeps slipping off."
Hmmmm. "That's strange", I thought.
"So why is one half a size larger?", I asked.
"Because they were only $5 -- on the misfits rack. I thought that with my bunion I'd need a half-size bigger for this foot anyway."
I then joked that she got some shoes for $5 but will probably spend $500 in medical bills trying to realign her back once it gets thrown out from walking like a one-legged pirate. I also told her I was going to blog about it. :-)
Anyway, I thought I'd leave the final verdict to all of you. Was this a good deal or a case of frugality gone over the edge? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
A little extreme. At least she had a reason why she thought they'd fit--so trying them on wasn't extreme.
My left foot is not quite a half-size larger than my right foot. So I would be excited to find a matching pair that were different sizes, but if they didn't fit right then I wouldn't buy. I hate shoe-shopping. :-p
Posted by: Mrs. Micah | March 11, 2009 at 10:47 AM
I don't mind paying $40 for a decent pair of shoes. I keep them for years.
My current pair of Puma's has lasted me three years which includes a cross-continental bicycle tour. And their was quite the change in weather... rain, sleet, heat, humidity, etc.
I think that is a good cost per mile :)
Posted by: My Life ROI | March 11, 2009 at 11:01 AM
LOL I bought a pair of pumps for work last week. I had tried on one size but it was too big. LOVED the shoes! So I got a smaller size, tried on the right foot, it fit perfectly! So I tucked the shoe back in the box and went to pay. I brought them home, put them in my closet and the next day that I wore an outfit the shoes would match, I pulled them out. My shoes are usually the last thing I put on before I walk out the door to get in the car for work. I put them on, took 2 steps and the LEFT shoe flew off! It was way too big, but I was running late and figured, "eh, they're new shoes, I just need to get used to them" All day long, I was walking funny and slow, just to try to keep them on....it was terrible! lol
They make a heel pad that adheres to the back of the shoe. It will close in some of that extra space so that the shoe isn't so loose. Any of the "Mart" stores or a shoe store should have these pads relatively cheap.
Posted by: Lolita | March 11, 2009 at 11:12 AM
I would say you have a very understanding wife that let's you talk about her bunion on your website. My fiancé won't let me talk about her 11th toe... I mean there isn't a toe issue. I mean she's got 10 toes, no worries... Crap I am so dead now...
Posted by: The Weakonomist | March 11, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Sounds frugal to me though the real test will be how often does she wear them. I can attest first hand about a closet full of great bargain women shoes..... all with very little wear. (and don't tell my wife I wrote this either)
Posted by: Bob | March 11, 2009 at 11:27 AM
That's really funny. I've never bought two different sizes before but I have bought pairs half a size too small or too big, only to wear them so infrequently that they didn't end up being worth it. Shoe comfort is important to me. Funny though!
Posted by: Nicki at Domestic Cents | March 11, 2009 at 11:43 AM
$5 for shoes that don't fit properly is $5 wasted no matter how you slice it--to say nothing of the medical issues poorly fitting shoes might cause. This is frugality gone over the edge. She should have put them back as soon as she tried them on.
Posted by: Julie | March 11, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Spend the money on your feet. don't fool around with cheap junk. It can screw up all the joints from your waist down. as a 6'3" 280 pound man, my feet get pampered.
Posted by: Reid | March 11, 2009 at 11:58 AM
well I think you should never be penny wise and pound foolish. Your feet are more important than $$$ if something goes wrong the podiatrist is gonna want to operate so that he can make $$$
Posted by: firedupblog | March 11, 2009 at 12:14 PM
If the shoe fits...wait the shoe doesn't fit! Is a half size really that much of a difference? I suppose it was if she was actually walking oddly because of it. I'm on the fence with this one. If you can't tell a difference, then sure go for it. If it makes you walk funny, go buy a pair that fits. I know I can get many years out of a good pair of shoes anyway, might as well be comfortable ones.
Posted by: RB @ recessionsblow | March 11, 2009 at 12:14 PM
It was a good buy - it would be one thing if they were too small - that could cause a lot of problems. But a 1/2 size too big - that's easy to fix - stuff a small piece of tissue paper into the toe box of the shoe - then it will fit perfectly. :)
The shoes I'm wearing right now are a 1/2 size too big - they were on a great sale and they didn't have my size. I have tissue paper in the front, no one knows (well, except now for all of you!). ;)
Posted by: SUSAN FROM LI | March 11, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Anything extreme is bad.
Posted by: ss | March 11, 2009 at 12:40 PM
I have a couple of pairs of shoes that are too big for me -- two sizes too big, in fact. My mother purchased them for me when she was on a trip to Italy, and they're beau-ti-ful! (I love shoes!)
To remedy the problem, I went to the local dollar store and purchased shoe inserts. They come in one-size-fits-all, so you can cut them to match the size of the shoe. They really help to tighten up empty space.
I don't think your wife was being extreme. As long as you can tailor something to suit your needs, it's never wasted money.
Posted by: Dotty | March 11, 2009 at 12:49 PM
She could always add some padding and inserts to the shoes, I tend to find that makes shoes that are too large fit better. Although this is coming from a girl who now has neuromas in my feet due to wearing stilettos and ill fitting shoes too often. If she can then move comfortably without pinching her feet or by putting too much pressure on her toes, then it should be fine.
Posted by: CentsInTheCity | March 11, 2009 at 12:53 PM
That's over the top, but sort of endearing, too.
Posted by: Rhea | March 11, 2009 at 01:21 PM
In my opinion, when you sacrifice potential health and safety for something that costs less, you are being cheap, not frugal. Yes, it would be perfectly fine to spend enough for a decent pair of shoes, especially if it's something you intend on using and not just look good.
That said, I agree with the above that perhaps something as simple as adding foot insoles could solve the problem, and perhaps even provide an extra layer of padding and comfort.
Finally, I would love to meet a woman who is as frugally-minded as your wife. Does she have a non-psycho sister who is available you can introduce me to? ;-)
Posted by: Eugene Krabs | March 11, 2009 at 01:34 PM
Eugene --
I'm taking the 5th on that last question... ;-)
Posted by: FMF | March 11, 2009 at 01:57 PM
Over the edge. Way over.
FMF, one "theme" I've noticed repeatedly from your blog is your tendency to discount the value of time. Your wife not being able to keep up with you is a humorous anecdote, but think of all the time she'll lose from having to walk more slowly to places over the life of those shoes.
I'm not a big believer in the concept of "time is money," (which I think is often inappropriately applied) but time does have incredible value. Life's too short. When extreme frugality comes at the cost of precious hours, weeks, months, and eventually years of your life, it's just not worth it. I would caution you not, in your exuberance to pinch pennies, to be pound foolish when it comes to your time.
Posted by: Dave | March 11, 2009 at 01:59 PM
Tip I picked up from an old sage 40 yrs ago.
Don't wear the same pair two days in a row.
Rotate shoes and let them dry out from sweat for a day or two.
Definitely extends the life.
If you have a standard size (for me an 8D almost always works well), two excellent mail order companies I've dealt with for years are Sierra Trading Post and Onlineshoes.com
Posted by: indi500fan | March 11, 2009 at 08:36 PM
"Extreme Frugality Footwear Edition"
Consider yourself lucky; you've got a great wife.
Posted by: Mike S | March 11, 2009 at 08:42 PM
ugh...shoes are my weakness. I got to great lengths to avoid certain shoe stores because if I find a pair I love I have a hard time saying no.
As a result of "loving" a shoe, i've bought shoes too small, too big, too high and way too expensive. Since they don't fit, i think it still probably not the best buy, but at least she didn't spend a lot.
But if shes anything like me, the shoes won't get worn very often.
Posted by: Cynthia | March 11, 2009 at 09:02 PM
I understand her reasoning, but I was wondering if she had tried them on and walked in them before purchasing them. And a solution may be s shoe insert in the shoe that is too big. There are full size and half size inserts that might make the shoe fit perfect for her, as well as fit comfortably for that bunion. :o)
Posted by: Donna | March 12, 2009 at 12:05 PM
I actually am willing to spend a little extra for small niceties. I'm young, single and financially won't be starving anytime soon. I see the purpose of having wealth as a level of security and comfort.
Posted by: Shaun Connell | March 12, 2009 at 11:00 PM
Sounds a little extreme to me.
Any savings has been negated by the pain of those ill-fitting shoes.
Posted by: TStrump | March 15, 2009 at 01:47 AM