Cheap isn't always frugal. Every time you replace the same pan, shoe, or appliance, you're paying more than the person who bought quality once.

This episode introduces the Cost-Per-Use Score (price divided by expected uses) the formula that reveals the true cost of any purchase. Damien walks through when Buy Once, Cry Once actually applies (daily-use items, the five-year test), when it's a trap (status purchases, new hobbies, hidden maintenance costs), and how planned obsolescence — a strategy costing the average household over a thousand dollars a year in tech replacements — stacks the deck against cheap buyers. The episode closes with a five-question protocol for any purchase over a hundred dollars.

If you've ever replaced the same thing twice and wondered where your money went, this one's built for you.

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Chapters

00:00 "Buy Once, Cry Once"

01:27 The Cost-Per-Use Score

05:11 When "Buy Once, Cry Once" Actually Applies

09:27 When "Buy Once, Cry Once" Is a Trap

13:38 Planned Obsolescence: Grrrrrr

17:22 The Five Question Protocol

20:55 The Mental Payoff of Quality Purchases