Does anyone have any suggestions for a good pair of sneakers that dont cost too much?

The ones I have now are good but about halfway through a workout my feet really begin to ache.

TIA

Angel

What type of workout? Walking? Running? Exercise classes?

How old are the sneakers you are using now? It sounds like the arch support is gone. What capacity are you using them? Are you doing a lot of cardio?

If so, I would recommend maybe getting fitted for a decent pair. It is a great investment, IMHO. Now is a good time to do it as they are probably liquidating their summer shoes and there are deals to be had. Also, my "brand" is Brooks (for running shoes). At the running store, they can cost over $90, but I can usually find them for closer to $40 at a sporting goods store. Dick's Sporting Goods has an outlet in my city and I can usually find them there for half the price.

Good to hear. I like my Brooks for running, they were the only ones with a narrow enough heel, and would love to save some on the next pair. Getting fitted for them was so worth it though.

Sometimes you really have to dig and they may not be the greatest colors, but I've learned that where running shoes are concerned, it's substance over style. The last pair I bought was at the outlet. They are white, blue, and orange (good thing I'm a Broncos fan). There was a pink kool aid stain on the top of the right shoe (an employee accidentally spilled on them) and they are by far the best Brooks I've ever owned.

LOL, I could live with that for $50.

I mostly use them for walking.

I just got new shoes about a month ago, so i hope i havent worn them out already.

Thanks for the suggestion junebug, i am going to dicks tomorrow so i will look for brooks!

Angel

Actually, while Dick's will have reasonably priced shoes, I would recommend you be fitted for a specific shoe if you are running or doing a lot of cardio.

Brooks may or may not be comfortable on you (they just fit my foot very well), so just look for something that gives you good arch support and is comfortable for walking, which may very well be Asics, New Balance, Addidas, etc....

In fact, I wore the same pair of old New Balances when I was losing weight

If you are doing walking, I suggest looking for a walking specific shoe. Consumer reports did a walking shoe evaluation and here are the top 3:

New Balance 791
Saucony Grid Omni Walker
New Balance 557 (their best buy meaning low cost, high value)

I've had some problems with some New Balance shoes (my feet are odd) so I generally avoid them but many people have lots of success with them so they are looking into.

I think it is so important to get the right shoe for your foot. It is impossible for any of us to say "this is the brand for you", cause what works for us might not work for you. My daughter has good success with Brooks, I wear Asic or Nike....but when you are starting from scratch, I think you might do well to consider being fitted by a professional. Depending on your arch, pronation tendencies, etc., what works for me will not necessarily work for you. Hip, foot, and shin pain can be caused by wearing a poorly fitted pair of shoes. A specialty store will have professionals who should watch your gait and bring out shoes that work for you. Once you find the brand and style that works for you, I suppose you can shop around for price.

Midwife - good point! As I said, you often hear New Balance highly recommended (even Consumer Reports recommends them) but I have to avoid them because of issues I've had with them in the past.

I just picked up a pair of New Balance 411 at Famous Footwear. I was looking for a new pair the sole on my old tennies was wearing through! Good and bad!! I think i tried on about 22 pairs of shoes at multiple retailers..my poor boyfriend. I found these and was shocked when i put them on. My foot didnt' feel like it was raised anywhere, or like it was rolling funny it felt normal what a concept!!! I think they were like $45 bucks. I've worn them on 3 runs(about 20 mins a piece) and i'm highly impressed. Hope this helps.

See, and if I even look at a pair of Nikes I have shin splints for a week

My two cents--
find someone in the store who actually runs and knows the real differences b/w sneakers. Then you can decide which pair works best for you! I really wanted a certain pair but bought brooks b/c they suited my bunion issues well.

I also want to mention POWERSTEPS. They have worked wonders for me. Essentially, they are generic orthodics. Terrific stuff!

good luck! I definitely understand how the right shoe can really help vs the wrong one hurting.