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It is not often that one can say they have come up with a new term or phrase. In this case, I can, as far as I know. The term: “paying for craft.”

Pay for Craft
To spend extra money to buy something that has been designed and built for quality and longevity instead of for maximizing profit.

My wife and I had a conversation recently that started me thinking about this. She was going to a store that is more expensive than Wal-Mart but supports local farmers. I went with her once and was surprised at the prices. She explained why she shops there.

First, she does want to support the local farmers and local businesses instead of sending money to China. Second, she enjoys craft foods, like more expensive cheeses, chocolate, and soda.

Afterward, I had a good long think about it, and I realized that she is right. More importantly, I figured out that I had been doing the same thing for a long time.

My sunglasses are made by Julbo. They are not cheap.

My particular pair can cost almost $200!

What I get in exchange is a pair of shades that work in all situations that I have needed, which is hard to do because I am quite sensitive to the sunlight. I also get a pair of shades that I cannot easily break.

As another example, my wife and I recently purchased a Riccar vacuum after suffering through a piece of junk made by Dyson. It was a lot. Worth it? Absolutely.

My wife also purchases art, and it decorates our home. Without the art, our home would be bare.

When we got married, we purchased a hand-crafted ring for both of us. Mine was titanium, made by titaniumknights, and hers was custom, designed by herself, 3D modelled by me, and constructed by Forge Jewelry Works. It is beautiful.

My wife's ring.

When it is not winter, my commute vehicle of choice is a wonder of German engineering: the Scorpion Full-Suspension 26 trike by HP Velotecknik. I love that thing, and it makes biking much more bearable.

And last, but not least, I am a programmer, and the number one tool I actually touch with my hands the most is my keyboard, the Keyboardio Model01, which has helped my hands recover from Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).

My RSI was also helped by switching to the Dvorak keyboard layout.

Besides helping my hands, the Model01 made it so I rarely have to move my hands off of the keyboard, which has made learning vim easier, especially since the arrow keys are accessible without moving your hands. And despite not caring much for the wood frame at the beginning, I now have to admit that it makes the Model01 feel crafted.

I have actually publicly voiced my satisfaction with my keyboard and Keyboardio before:

When my wife and I had that conversation, I thought that paying extra was not worth it, but I was wrong. Sometimes, paying for craft is well worth it, and I intend to do it more.