Is there any part of your body that works harder than your feet? Not really. You’re walking, running, ducking, bending, and otherwise giving your feet a really big workout. This means that now is the time to pay for good shoes that can work with you and not against you. Unfortunately, a lot of people end up cutting their shoe budget in favor of better clothes. However, you only get one pair of feet in this lifetime, so you need to make sure that they’re well protected. Unfortunately, the trouble with super cheap shoes is that they are made of super cheap materials. These are the only protective materials that your feet have standing between them and the hard sidewalk. If you walk in urban areas where there is a lot of metal and glass on the ground, you could be potentially setting yourself up for disaster. Of course, it doesn’t have to be this way.

It’s possible to get high end shoes at a good price, even if you’re in the market for a brand new pair. You will just need to catch the sales — usually around the holidays is a great time, and also right after a holiday is a great time. Any time of the year where sales teams think you’re going to be spending money is a good time to spend money — but in a much more controlled way, of course. You don’t want to go overboard with your shoe budget — there’s no need to save up for thousand dollar shoes, even if they have a famous designer behind them.

It’s better to focus on the things that you can control, naturally. So if you’re in the market for shoes, look for shoes that might be slightly above your price range normally and then save up for those. That way, you’ll get a good pair of shoes that will last for the long haul!