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Solarpunk
The space to discuss Solarpunk itself and Solarpunk related stuff that doesn't fit elsewhere.
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Here's my example: Nice Hoka shoes are typically 100$+, but Sketcher's Work Sneakers are ~40$. The Hokas would last a lot longer and be more ergonomic, but that price is way out of my reach. The Sketchers get disintegrated by a year of use.
What I do is add arch supports and gel shoe inserts (9$ iirc) into the Sketchers, and replace those when they wear. It adds about two years of life to the shoes! :)
How long do the hoka's last? I usually get $20 shoes that last a year before the soles wear though, so they'd need to last at least five years to break even. How long have you found them to last?
Unfortunately, I can't afford the price just to try Hokas. They were recommended by another nursing student, and seem to be a gold standard shoe for a lot of healthcare workers.
From what I've heard, though, it "depends on your usage".
What do you do to make your 20$ shoes last as long as you can? And tips and tricks?
When mine were new, I waterproofed them. Regular maintenance, cleaning and re-treating them with a silicone spray extends their life substantially. I also have repaired and re-glued mine when repairs were still at a small stage, to extend their life. I have re-sewn tops to the soles, too. I wear my junker shoes when conditions are wet, saving the good shoes from water damage. YouTube teaches about anything, now, including basic shoe repair.
What do you do to make your 20$ shoes last as long as you can? And tips and tricks?
I'm guessing it's probably just that I walk less than other people. Not a great solution. But I also have hard orthopedic insoles, maybe that distributes the weight more evenly? And I hadn't had to replace them for like the 10 years I've had them. I also wear my shoes even when the seams are ripped or the sole is a third of the way unglued, I usually only replace when my toes are able to touch the ground. From the other recommendations, I'll see if I can save up for the nice shoes though, it might be worth it.
I’ve taken my Hokas on hiking trips all over the country for years and they’re still just as good as the day I bought them. So with even regular rugged use you’ll probably get at least 5 years out of them.
There's a simpler saying: "you cannot afford to buy cheap things".
It's an effective way to climb out of poverty of you're making ends meat, so long as you're in a position where your things won't be stolen. Save up to buy quality, or buy used quality things that last and can be repaired. It's a wise investment, cheap goods are part of the poverty trap.
I mostly wear a single pair of $350 boots. The cost per mile makes them the cheapest footwear I can buy. I've worn them daily for 2 years, they have maybe one more year before they need a resole. Boots are only a single example. It's the same for everything from clothing to cars to houses to electronics.
How did you get enough money to get those things in the first place though? If you look at all those things, you cannot simply go without them for the months it would take to save up under ideal circumstances, and if you're impoverished, you can't really get a loan to get them either.
That's why I said if you're making ends meet. If you're truly impoverished, then you're just kinda stuck in that poverty trap
So much stuff in the building trade follows this. Flooring, cheap laminate and tiles scuff and scratch and need replaced after a few years, whereas solid wood/stone tiles are pretty much good for ever. Same with cheap fitted kitchens, plumbing fittings etc.
One of the most obvious is paint. "Cheap" paint usually needs twice as many coats, will discolour quicker and is harder to clean.
Thats what the concept 'conscious spending' tries to address and set up protocols to get out of the negative feedback cycle of having to constantly buy cheap shit only to have to replace it and double your cost.
https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/conscious-spending-basics/
The link above has much more details on this if y'all are interested.
In 2021 I rented a car and did Uber for about a year. At $316 a week, that car was costing me 1200 a month!
Eventually I lost the car as I couldnt afford to pay.
Now I’ve got a job, been building my credit, gonna buy a car instead. That car will be about $300/mo. And all because I’ve got the credit and cash to buy instead of rent.
Boots, same as Vines. I used to buy boots every year for 200pln and they gave out mid season. Bought a pair for 700pln and it lasted 6 years. Also I have a 15 year old backpack which I wore almost daily.
The explosion of dollar stores in the U.S. is like a boot that keeps pushing stomping on poor people to ensure they have to way out and this theory perfectly describes the situation.
The way forward is not to replace dollar stores with Targets, it's to move beyond capitalism and it's base of exploitation and move toward a base of cooperation.
Some ideas:
- Make and grow stuff (food, weed, soaps, furniture, etc. and give it away, consume stuff your neighbors make and grow. Everything you avoid buying is power you don't give to the capitalists.
- If you have money, help those that don't to buy quality boots (without seeking to profit, such as from a loan)
- Fix things, value things not for being brand new, but for working and having history.
- Buy used (tho if you have money, take care not to buy up all the nice things at thrift shops leaving the scraps for those who the thrift shops are their only choice)
- Become reslilient at the community level - start out by making friends
Tyres
In a subtle way. Go cheap and you may total your car in ugly weather. Go reliable and you may stop in time.
Of course you don't have to feature in c/idiotsInCars
the same concept is true for many other items - ultimately, it comes down to "you get what you pay for".
I had to get shoes last week, the ones I had previously had lasted 9 years and the rubber soles were beginning to crumble. they're now relegated to yard shoes & won't last another year. new shoes are 100% leather, with rubber soles, cost $90 & were on sale (normal price was $140). they'll last at least another 9 years without any issues.
most of the things I buy, I always look for sales but I never buy the cheap/cheaply made products. cheap stuff might last a year & it's just not worth it. expensive stuff is usually cheaper in the long term.
It's a true point, but am I the only one who finds the writing style genuinely cringe? It's all I can think everytime I see this quoted.