The number one thing I have found the quality thing to be true about is shoes. I grew up buying the cheapest Payless shoes possible. They hurt my feet, they fell apart in a year, and I had sciatic nerve problems, but they were cheap and I was poor. Then I went to medical assisting school where we were required to wear white shoes. I had no white shoes - I wear brown and black shoes - so I went to a scrubs store and bought nursing shoes. OH MY GODS. My sciatic nerve quit pinching, my feet didn't hurt, and lo - those shoes are still around like 15 years later (granted, I haven't worn them regularly since I've not been in a job where I wore scrubs in several years, but the point is they got a lot of use for several years and are still intact). Since then, I've changed my ways. I wore a pair of Doc Martens for about five years - am on pair #2 which are about two years old I think. My winter boots are about as old as well. And both are far more comfortable than anything from the cheap store! I have fewer, nicer, kinder to my body, but last a long time shoes. And it's way better!