Alright, so I’ve started using ebay to buy/bid on some clothing, and the first thing I did was start looking at more expensive brands – brands that I wouldn’t normally buy, such as Armani. However, I quickly noticed that were some large discrepancies in prices.

There was an auction for an “Armani” shirt ending in 15 minutes, and the bid was at only $15, which instantly triggered an alarm bell in my head. So I starting reading some reviews and articles that noted specific things to look for when trying to determine if an article of clothing is authentic or not. Good thing I did. It wasn’t long before I could immediately pick out the obvious fakes. Still, it’s a bit disconcerting to know that more than half of the listings are for fake products. I don’t care so much about whether it’s fake or not, but I do care about the quality of workmanship that goes into each article. If somebody is going to make a cheap knockoff, they’re not going to use high quality materials.

Good thing I read these guides, because they allowed me to separate the fake from the real and let me bid with confidence.

That was my first observation. My second observation was that I wasn’t really saving money on clothing, but I was buying high quality clothing for the same price at which normal clothing retails. So I propose this question to the readers: Am I being frugal if I spend the same amount but receive more in return?

I don’t think I’m being frugal by doing this. Although I’m receiving more in return, I am still spending the same amount which does not allow me to save or invest anything else. If I had been buying the same clothing before switching to ebay, then yes, I would be exercising frugality.

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