The main idea of ​​“smart money” is to give preference when shopping to the durability of the item purchased, rather than its cheapness, brand or fashion. Difficulty This “financial problem” is to be able to find and buy “one thing for life.” Unfortunately, today high-quality products are not in fashion. Manufacturers produce consumer goods that fall apart after 1-2 years - and this is still a good (!!!) service life. Many things wear out within one season. 1) “Buy it for life” I like to buy things that can “faithfully” serve me for decades. But, unfortunately, now you can’t find such things “through the day”. The fact is that many manufacturers of previously reliable and durable brands have switched to producing items that are “disposable” in quality. Which sharply reduces our chances of buying a truly durable item. But don’t despair - we search and find! 2) Long-term benefits outweigh the high cost On the horizon of 10+ years, we receive tangible financial benefits from purchasing a more expensive, but higher quality and durable item. More affordable alternatives require frequent replacement and, as a rule, are completely irreparable. Yes, we will have to come to terms with the fact that long-lived things cost a little more than their short-lived counterparts (but their undoubted big “plus” is that some have a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer)3) My long-lived record-breaking things (1) The other day I discovered sneakers that are a quarter of a century old (= 25 years old). I bought them for hand-to-hand training, but after I moved to Moscow in 2000, I soon stopped do this. From that time on, I used sneakers very rarely, only for home wear. In addition, they give off nostalgia from pleasant memories of distant youth.(2) My snowboard boots fell apart 20 years after I bought them. Fortunately, this happened right next to the ski lift to the mountain, so I walked 5 meters to the nearest rental, where I got some intact ones boots. After which I bought myself new ones - a completely new design, which had never existed before. In general, all my ski and snowboard things and accessories serve me for a very, very long time, because Initially, they are designed to be very strong (designed to withstand frequent falls and large temperature changes). (3) In cold weather, I wear a down jacket (bought by me back in 2005), inside of which there are real feathers and down. It is very warm (designed for 30-degree frosts), so I wear it extremely rarely, because... in Moscow in winter it rains more often than severe frosts come. (4) Kitchen utensils They are very durable, although their appearance has faded slightly. 4) Advice from the “smart money” series Do not rush to buy a new expensive thing. Look for them first on the AVITO website in the “New but unused” section. Although they received the “used” status, in fact they were not “used” and are sold unopened in their original packaging. 5) “Share your smile” Write in the comments: What are you have you been using it for more than 10 years? Share your story about long-lived things that have served you flawlessly for many years! Additionally: Read my other article “Where NOT to invest money? TOP 3 most dangerous places for your money." I will be grateful for your likes and reposts of this article. Author of the article - Alexander Evstegneev, personal finance expert, author of 20 books on financial literacy, investor with 25 years of experience, laureate of the Russian Ministry of Finance Prize for the best media project on financial literacy