When Quality Is Frugal

Raise your hand if you bought a set of jumper cables in the dollar aisle your 20s thinking thing they would be just the thing when your battery died in the middle of nowhere.

That was one of my first lessons in quality vs frugality. There are lots of times when high-quality equipment saves money.

When Quality Saves

The Life Hacker website discusses the how sometimes investing in quality is frugal. "It's about spending wisely on the right things so you have the money for the things that are important to you."

Balancing price and quality is the trick to deciding when to invest. Consider how often your will use the item and how important it is to your business.

For cages, the number one reason veterinarians, shelters, boarders and groomers use cages and kennels is to securely house the animals they care for. If the housing is sharp, does not latch properly or injures the pet, it provides an unnecessary  risk. This would be a reason to purchase the best quality you can because failure hurts your reputation.

For groomers, a grooming table that will adjust to fit your body and grooming style helps avoid repetitive use injuries that could cause pain or limit your career. A table you use for hours every day needs to work for you and fit you well. The investment you make could save you significant dollars over both the short- and long-term.

When durability is cheaper

Most smart buyers calculate the cost per year of equipment. It is important to understand the true life of the equipment.

Think about your first car. How much did you spend on repairs the year before you finally sold it and invested in something that did not generate continual repair bills?

As much as Shor-Line loves the beauty of its cages, grooming equipment and tubs, most customers love them because they don't have to think about them. They just provide dependable, reliable service decade after decade. So, when they think back, their investment was dollars per year and getting better with each passing year.

True capital investments, such as housing and grooming equipment, should be a near-lifetime purchase. Smaller items, such as towels, will be used hard in most animal care businesses. Planning to replace them much more frequently means you might think about price more.

Frugality vs Style

The caveat to this is when your personal style or wants come in to play. Many veterinarians truly enjoy surgery. And your hard-working kenn

el manager at an animal shelter really appreciates high-quality runs. And groomers spend their days at their table.

When it comes time to invest in a new surgery table, grooming table or other equipment, let your aspirations rule. As long as your budget can justify it, you want the high-quality, stylish or beautiful piece of equipment that makes you will feel good every day. buy it.

Making the Decision

There is no right way to buy equipment. Understand your budget both now and in the future. And then consider how often you want to have to purchase replacement equipment. When you look at the cost to replace cheap equipment and balance that with both the dependability of high-quality equipment and the way it makes you feel about yourself, you likely will choose a few dollars upfront to save over the years.