“Buy cheap, buy twice” (or “when you buy cheap, you must buy twice”) is a saying that means that quality—while initially costing a little more—will last longer and will save money in the long run. “Buy cheap, buy twice” has been cited in print since at least 1972.
 
 
24 December 1972, Aberdeen (SD) American News, “Higher Education Provides Many benefits To Citizens,’ pg. 13, col. 4:
First, “you get what you pay for,” and secondly, “buy cheap, buy twice.”
 
Google Books
The Other Britain:
A New Society Collection
Edited by Paul Barker
London: Routledge & Kegan Paul
1982
Pg. 131 (“Making Ends Meet” by Paul Harrison):
Poverty breeds proverbs: man is what he eats; buy cheap and buy twice; buy cheap meat and you smell what you have saved; and so on.
 
Google Books
The Greening of Africa:
Breaking Through in the Battle for Land and Food
By Paul Harrison (Earthscan)
Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England; New York, NY: Penguin Books
1987
Pg. 211:
It is cheap - around 35 shillings ($2.30) - but the proverb ‘buy cheap and you buy twice’ applies: the jiko lasts only a year, and the grates have to be replaced every three months or so, at 8 shillings each.
 
Google Books
Post-Industrial Lives:
Roles and Relationships in the 21st Century
By Jerald Hage and Charles H. Powers
Newbury Park, CA: Sage
1992
Pg. 58:
This lengthens our temporal horizons, which in turn leads us to recognize the problems of durability, longevity, and long-term operating costs (e.g., “buy cheap, buy twice”).
 
Google Books
DJing For Dummies
By John Steventon
Chicester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
2010
Pg. 30:
Remember the saying ‘Buy cheap – buy twice’ when it comes to this kind of thing because if you get really cheap, unsuitable equipment now, you’ll need to buy better equipment in a few months’ time when you get better at DJing.
   
Real life with Susan J. Sohn
Buy Cheap/Buy Twice: False Economy
JANUARY 17, 2010
(...)
The old adage of “buy cheap, buy twice” has never been truer. Not only has this definition of false economy endured, its essence is now amplified.  If you buy cheap, not only will you buy twice, three times etc., but ultimately you will pay in other ways…pollution, illness. These back-end costs are infinitely worse and are past your own lifespan, but onto the lives of your children and grandchildren, their health, well-being……
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Buy cheap, buy twice.
Author: Jennifer Thomas
Publisher: [S.l.] : Authorhouse, 2012
Edition/Format:   Book : English
   
New York (NY) Times—Bucks blog
September 4, 2012, 1:15 am
Striving to Lead More of an Heirloom Life
By CARL RICHARDS
(...)
It reminded me of the case I made this summer that we might actually save money by spending more on a high-quality item when we plan to keep it. I know this isn’t a new or revolutionary concept, but when I read the comments, I was surprised to learn how many cool sayings there are from around the world that capture this advice.
 
“We’re too poor to buy cheap things.”
“Owning just a bit less and buying good quality stuff that lasts longer ends up making a huge difference over a lifetime.”
“I don’t buy much, but I make sure it is something I really want.”
“Buy cheap, buy twice!”
 
Twitter
Commute by Bike
‏@Commute_by_Bike
“Buy cheap buy twice.” -Chris G on my “No Regrets” post http://ow.ly/g5rSx
1:40 PM - 14 Dec 12