New shoes from New Balance Express online

My shoes are really getting quite worn out due to all of the walking I do. I've been on the lookout for new shoes for over a month now, waiting for the right deal. Today is the day! I got an email alert from New Balance, NB Web Express, telling me that today is the last day for a sale offering 15% off and free shipping (and no sales tax).

I like a comfortable shoe for walking, something I can even do a little hiking in, but something marginally "dressy" so that I can walk into most decent restaurants or events down in Washington, DC without needing to have a second pair of shoes. One pair of shoes for everything. That's me. Actually, I do have an old pair of New Balance running shoes that I may wear on occasion, but as comfortable as they are I prefer wearing one shoe for all occasions. Besides, I would prefer to wear a waterproof shoe so I do not get drenched in a light rain. Although in truth even waterproof shoes don't keep their protection for the kind of hard use I give them -- over four hours a day, five to eight hours on weekends.

I chose the New Balance Dunham 8000 Windsor Waterproof Milled Leather Oxford for $94.99. Minus 15% or $14.25. FREE shipping (ground) and handling. NO sales tax. Grand total of $80.74. That fits my budget.

They will arrive next week sometime, but I'm going to try to get another couple of weeks out of my current shoes.

These are the same shoes I bought here in NYC when I moved here back in May 2008. They held up fairly well.

Back in January I bought a pair of the "Oakdale" Dunham model that was on clearance for 50% off the $135 price. They have been fine, but my budget requires the cheaper shoes. I budget $90.

Walking shoes last me about 5 to 9 months. After 5 months they really are ready to be replaced, but I try to squeeze all of the use out of them that I can. By the time I get a new pair, the old ones are looking very sad indeed.

The good news is that I am now set for another six months.

Check out the New Balance NB Web Express web site.

-- Jack Krupansky