Fitting out a family of four with winter shoes for under $100 sounds like a near impossible feat. Well, there’s one company which believes those days AREN’T over.
Spend-less Shoes invited Mum Central’s Founder Belinda Jennings and her family down to the company’s Marion store to put their products, and the $100 budget, to the test.
Like any shoe purchase, customer service makes the decision a little easier. That’s where Spend-less Shoes retail assistant Clair stepped in. Clair explained that there is a huge winter range to choose from such as joggers, high tops and canvas slip on shoes. Not only was she able to talk us through the options, but she was also determined to make every dollar count.
Within moments of stepping into the store, the two children; James (4) and Alex (2) had begun to select their favourites. The rows of brightly coloured kids shoes didn’t daunt James and Alex, who both decided on velcro sneakers. James was drawn to the orange and blue Liam shoe (available instore), which had a similar colour scheme to his outfit. At a cost of $19.95, it was well within budget. The rest of the family still had $80 to play with.
Alex was next and he tried on a few different pairs. Eventually, he decided on the Mitch with a clear, spongey style sole at a cost of $19.95. Once the kids made their selections, they were putting them to the test. The Spend-less Shoe aisles soon became the test track, which resulted in some excellent action poses for the camera. When I asked James his thoughts on his new pumps, he explained “… they make me feel good”, and continued to put those soles to the test.
While the children busted moves, the parents were able to claim a few minutes of retail therapy. Jason already had leather work shoes and wanted a no-fuss canvas slip-on. After evaluating colour, Jason went for the Men’s Hockey shoe valued at $29.95.
Now onto Belinda. Having only $30 to play with doesn’t seem like a lot when it comes to women’s footwear. But the best part about Spend-less Shoes is that there are discounts to be had any day of the week. Belinda spotted a pair of black Jemma ankle boots with a small chunky heel, which looked great under her jeans. They were reduced to $29.95, which was just within the budget.
Store Manager Julie Baillie says there is no real secret to fitting out a family for under $100. She says it’s actually quite basic, you should always look out for specials.
“We do have a lot of deals going on. Sometimes we will have two pairs for $50 or two pairs for $30. And just look for anything with the little reduced tickets. We also have our tables out the front too and there is always a staff member who can come and help you.”
Julie says shoes for both adults and children can be positioned at similar prices. So she recommends to look at the style of shoe you are buying – rather than who it is for. “So we’ve got sneakers and casual flat slip-on shoes; they are probably the best options within that budget.”
