I'm vacuum shopping and "floored" (
) by the prices! We have rugs and hardwoods, so it would be nice to have something where the brush roll could be shut off/on easy and while vacuuming, but other than that, my requirements are simple - suck junk off the floors. I love my attachments, but don't need anything developed by NASA or anything fancy. 
It seems there are cheap models and then the price rockets up from there. How would you frugal mamas apply the principles of frugality to a purchase like this? (Is the $400 vacuum really going to be most cost efficient over the long haul or would it be better to buy a lower cost one knowing it will likely be replaced in 7-10 years...?) I don't want to be cheap, but I don't want to be SUCKered into the "paying more means getting more" mentality, either.
Thanks!
) by the prices! We have rugs and hardwoods, so it would be nice to have something where the brush roll could be shut off/on easy and while vacuuming, but other than that, my requirements are simple - suck junk off the floors. I love my attachments, but don't need anything developed by NASA or anything fancy. It seems there are cheap models and then the price rockets up from there. How would you frugal mamas apply the principles of frugality to a purchase like this? (Is the $400 vacuum really going to be most cost efficient over the long haul or would it be better to buy a lower cost one knowing it will likely be replaced in 7-10 years...?) I don't want to be cheap, but I don't want to be SUCKered into the "paying more means getting more" mentality, either.
Thanks!
