My wallet shouldn’t say ouch over my footwear

I’m old, I admit it. I have to wear my memory foam walking shoes or my feet loudly complain. There was a time, however, when I wore whatever shoes were cheapest and fit me from out of the bargain bin at Kmart.

Growing up, we didn’t have a whole lot of money and new shoes were the ultimate in luxury. I can remember when a pair of the canvas shoes were $2 each, which seemed like a goodly sum for footwear. I mean, I ran around barefoot all the time, so to actually pay that amount to entrap my feet, was more than I could wrap my head around.

We always got our money’s worth out of them, that’s for sure. The shoes didn’t go in the garbage until they had one, if not multiple holes in the toe, and/or the sole was ripping off. Of course, they were very dangerous in that condition and there was zero traction on the bottom, but we made do.

Then, the shoes went up to $3....then $4 a pair. I think my ears are still ringing from Mom’s, “I don’t want half interest in the store,” at the

top of her lungs. I wore those types of shoes until my arches finally demanded I get something with more support, which, by then, I had a job and could afford to buy them without burdening the family.

Again, I turned to the cheaper side of the store, balking at the $10 I now had to shell out. Oh, if only I had known that was too good a price to dream of, compared to what I spend now! After a few years of that, I gulped and shelled out as much as $15 for walking shoes, getting my footwear on clearance and semi-annual sales.

Eventually, my feet flat out (pun intended) told me I needed to invest in a memory foam shoe that would keep me...well...on my feet. I swallowed my horror, for the most part, and purchased a pair of Skechers memory foam walking shoes, for, brace yourself, $60!

I almost passed out at the price, but once they came and I found how good my feet feel wearing them, I wished I’d had them all along. I’ve gotten them ever since and they have been a lifesaver, for as many steps as I take at events. Occasionally, I’m able to get a buy-one-get-one deal through a company, which helps save some money.

While I still wish the shoes I need were cheaper, apparently, they are on the cheap end, as far as the world is concerned.

Recently, I started watching a show on Disney+ called The World According to Jeff Goldblum. I adore Jeff Goldblum and can laugh just by looking at him, but actually, his series is really interesting. He explores fads and what makes people want to indulge in said fads.

One episode was about sneakers, and why collectors or the general public, go to such lengths to obtain the footwear. One place Goldblum visited, was Sneaker Con, a huge event center dedicated to the rare and hard-to-find shoes.

To my amazement, Goldblum chatted with a 13-year-old boy, who said the most he ever spent for a single pair of shoes was $1,800!!!!! Either his family has a ton of money or that kid gets a lot of Christmas/birthday money from his relatives.

As Goldblum visited the various booths, the collectors there shared that even one pair of shoes could go for as much as $12,000-$15,000, depending on how rare they are, while one lot went for more than $30,000 – cash.

I sat there with my mouth open, trying to contemplate why anyone would pay that much, especially for the 1990s model high top, which I always thought was ugly. The program went on to show news clips of shoppers who camp outside a store overnight, just to make sure they get the latest pair of shoes that come on the market.

I started giggling, as I pictured what would happen to a collector pair of sneakers if they found themselves in my possession, and how mud-covered and scuffed they’d be. I start my day out with good intentions, but if someone needs my help or there’s a newsworthy item, I’ll tromp through a swamp and knee-deep mud to do what I have to do.

My shoes are meant to be worn until the memory foam can’t remember anymore, not to be put on a shelf and bragged about. If I’m going to pay good money for them, they’re going to be worn. If they are an attractive color, so much the better, but you can bet I won’t pay hundreds of dollars, just to have the latest in trends.

High heels, now, that’s a different story!