shoes.....

The kids needed their second pair of shoes since the first ones were getting too tight and they would freak out everytime we (ok, I should saw I here, he never takes them anyway, so it is always me and he has no idea how they fit) put them on for the past week or two. So I knew ds needed wide but I thought dd did too since thats what she got last time when they were measured in Stride Rite. So I went all over creation (BRU, Target, Payless) looking for sizes 4w and 5w and could not find any. Well I found one really ugly pair of 4w. It's not like we can afford for me to go to more places given the cost of gas and lack of time (couldn't bring them with me alone, they knock everything over and off shelves in stores when I try to shop). So finally I bit the bullet and took them to the Stride Rite outlet 20 minutes away. Yes we spent the money on gas but I knew we'd do good. It was so worth it though. When I went there was no one there so the women measured their feet and helped me find the shoes and get them sized properly and in and out of the store in 15 minutes. And we saved over $40 from what we spent the last time. (I feel that $26.99 for Stride Rite shoes that fit properly and are well made is a great bargain.) This is an outlet store so normally you don't get service like that. I was so glad and so proud of myself for doing it and getting them home in time for lunch LOL. Turns out dd does not need a wide shoe any longer. I would never have known this without getting them measured. And I still would not have been able to find 5w for ds at any of the other places I went. Well dh will not stop giving me grief. He acts like we are on welfare. Yes we don't have alot of money but we can put food on the table and we obviously have internet, a roof over our heads, etc. He says that I should have just gotten a size 6 for ds at one of the cheaper stores. I feel this is a crucial time in their development and if I put the wrong size shoes on them it would not be a good thing. Maybe I'm wrong but this is just how I feel. Next time I will try again with the less expensive places but for this time, I feel good about how I did this. And like I said, dh keeps giving me a hard time. He says well what to people with no money do. I told him they cut back. They shut off the internet or do without cable tv or something so they can provide for their kids. Did I do so wrong?

PS This is a man who told me to sew holes in his socks and in the bedsheets rather than buy new ones before the kids came and we were both working but still struggling somewhat. Is this insane???? It's not like we were both working for minimum wage at the time.

 

I think you did the right thing. Tell him that $25 now for shoes is a whole lot cheaper than orthotics later because of poor fitting shoes. To me it is VERY important to have correctly sized shoes. At 5 1/2 my boys still get their shoes fitted at Stride Rite, but I will fill in with cheaper shoes for a second pair or for camp. Shoes happen to be one of the things that DH and I don't talk about--if they need them, they get them, no discussion.

 

i think you did the right thing too. AND you went to the outlet....they are usually half the price of the regular store. that is where i went for my kids shoes too. try not to let him get to you, and tell him you are doing the best you can for your kids. if he can't understand that...then let him go buy "cheap" shoes for himself!

 

If it is important to you, then it was not a waste of money.

My twins @ that age still wore Robeez shoes & booties. I am very pleased with them and do recommend them. I do not like a hard shoe on little ones.

 

My husband is very frugal with money as well. He holds on to it until the very end. I'm glad he's like that because I normally am not. However, when it comes to shoes, I rarely buy target, walmart, etc. because they rub blisters. We, too, have to have wide shoes and you just can't find them easily. So, when it comes to shoes, my husband does understand that we buy nicer shoes. I just bought two pair of stride-rites myself for about the same price as you. I think you got a great deal.

Besides, you are only given one pair of feet. I think it is important for kids to have good shoes so I don't mind paying a little extra. We save in other areas, so that is how I justify spending extra on shoes.

 

You did the right thing. If your DS needs wide shoes, then he needs wide. How would DH like it if his shoes were too tight? FYI - you can get Stride Rites pretty cheap on Shoebuy.com. You can always take them to the store, have them measured, and then order them online. If you register on Shoebuy, you also get a $10 member discount on every order, and they have free shipping. Also, if you buy Target/Walmart shoes, they have no resale value. If the Stride Rites are in good shape when they are outgrown, you can resell them on ebay or Craigslist. I've also gotten discontinued Preschoolians on ebay (new ones) and then resold them after they were outgrown for pretty close to what I paid new.

 

We are very frugal with our money, as there is not a lot left over right now at the end of the month. But I ALWAYS buy DSs shoes at Stride Rite. He wears an XW, and I can only find them at Stride Rite. I would never expect my husband to put on a size 15 shoe for his size 13 foot. Same concept -- I would have to go up two sizes to get it to fit on Ben's foot. That is just silly.

I also buy Stride Rite sandals for Hannah (and usually tennis shoes too) because they are all leather. She needs the leather soles because she has excessively sweaty feet. When she wears sandals with vinyl soles, she slips out of them and they are incredibly uncomfortable and unsafe. It kills me to pay $40 for a pair of sandals, but I just have to bite the bullet and do it.

We buy shoes twice a year for Ben. In the summer I buy tennies and sandals. That is a total of maybe three pairs a year. Paying $75-$100 in shoes for the year is worth it to me!

 

The girls almost exclusively wear Striderite shoes. I think it is well worth it to have quality shoes that are made of leather rather than man-made materials. We try to hit the outlet store a couple of times a year. I've also gotten lucky and found Striderite shoes at Nordstrom Rack for $16.99 and Marshall's for $10 on clearance. As pp said, you also will have higher resale value on Striderite shoes.

 

That is ridiculous, a man should be able to provide shoes for his children. That is a basic need IMHO. It's not like you are buying them several pairs to go with different outfits etc. I think it is very responsible of you to make sure they have proper shoes on their little feet!

 

You absolutley did the right thing! It's wonderful how much you truly care! Your kids feet thank you even if DH doesn't. )))

 

I think DH is just going through sticker shock. it's a shock to think about all the things that children need, and how much they cost.

 

You got a great deal!!! I think you did well!! That's WAY cheaper than full price! :hug99:

 

While I personally haven't spent more that %15 on each of the girls shoes, I think $27 for stride rite shoes is a bargain. If I could find them for that price, I'd get them.

 

guess I'm the only cheapo that buys their kids shoes from Wal-Mart and Payless - but my kids don't have XW feet either....they have very skinny narrow feet....

 

I guess I am the odd-man-out in two ways.

First, I only buy Wal-mart or Payless shoes. The way I see it, they outgrow them so quickly that having the best-made shoes isn't that important because they outgrow them before they wear out. Also, I've never known of anyone who had feet or leg problems because they didn't wear name-brand shoes as a toddler. Plus, by getting cheaper shoes, I can possibly buy them more pairs for church and stuff.

Second, if you have the money and your DH was ok with it, I would say it was no big deal. But, I am a big believer in making money choices as a couple. I never spend money without talking to my DH first and vise-versa. Even if it is just stopping for fast-food, I'll give him a call and check with him first since he manages the finances. He does the same for me when he wants to buy something to make sure there isn't something we need more. I know that isn't how everyone does it, but it has saved us a lot of money fights.

Obviously your DH is concerned about money or he wouldn't ask you to darn his socks. Maybe his concern isn't completely rational, but perhaps you need to talk to him about it. I don't know your situation (if you are a SAHM or not or who is in charge of managing the finances), but I know that a lot of men feel pressured to provide for their families and often feel like they come up short. I'm not saying that your purchase was wrong in and of itself, but maybe it is wrong to ignore his concerns.

I'm not trying to be judgmental, but you did ask for opinions. I'm just trying to offer a different one. I hope you take it as intended, as caring advise.

 

I think you did the right thing. You need to buy shoes that will fit them now. Have you heard about Preschoolian shoes? You can only buy them on-line, but they have a 40% discount for twins. There shoes have a very flexible sole. I've been buying them for almost a year now and I've been very satisfied with them. Here's the website:

http://preschoolians.com/

thea

 

I think you did the right thing. My nephew wears a wide width shoe and my sister can only buy certain brands for him. She is lucky in that she can find New Balance sneakers for him at Kohl's or Marshalls, but for shoes she ends up having to go a little pricier. By going to the outlet, you saved a lot on those shoes....did you mention that to him? He probably just had sticker shock.

It's not that it's important to buy brand names for your kids, but getting the proper fit is VERY important. And when his foot is a hard to find size....that often means buying a brand name.

 

Sorry if I wasn't clear. It is not so much getting the branded shoes, it is just shoes that fit well. And I have no way of knowing their size if I take them somewhere they are not measured. I just don't trust myself to know these things yet. I have nothing against Target, Walmart, Payless, etc shoes, I just could not find ds's size there and would have probably gotten the wide for dd when it turned out she was no longer a wide. That's all. And dh and I have been back and forth over this, it wasn't like I just went out and did it. I feel like, ok, it's done and he always goes back with EVERYTHING (even decisions he has made) with could of, should of, would have and it drives me nuts!

 

QUOTE(Snittens @ Feb 10 2008, 11:45 AM) [snapback]615141[/snapback]
You did the right thing. If your DS needs wide shoes, then he needs wide. How would DH like it if his shoes were too tight? FYI - you can get Stride Rites pretty cheap on Shoebuy.com. You can always take them to the store, have them measured, and then order them online. If you register on Shoebuy, you also get a $10 member discount on every order, and they have free shipping. Also, if you buy Target/Walmart shoes, they have no resale value. If the Stride Rites are in good shape when they are outgrown, you can resell them on ebay or Craigslist. I've also gotten discontinued Preschoolians on ebay (new ones) and then resold them after they were outgrown for pretty close to what I paid new.


Cool, thanks for all that info. Did not know that.

 

Don't even sweat it. Men feel pressured to provide. It's their genetic make up, I think. And women are genetically programmed to make their babies happy and safe. Not saying that women don't worry about providing or that men don't worry about their children's happiness, but I think each gender feels it more strongly than the other.

ANyway, your kids are happy (especially their feet....not much worse than ill-fitting shoes!). And from what you've mentioned about the darning socks and all, I think his frugal-ness will always just be your cross to bear with your DH. Look at it from the other side, my DH's money apparently burns holes in his pockets! So frustrating either way, I guess.