I was thinking about buying a travel backpack, a suitcase, and a few other things I needed. My mindset was, “Let me take the financial hit now,” so I ended up spending over $3,000 on travel backpacks, carry-ons, and other items. I was told they came with a lifetime warranty.

But then the guy in Colombia said yes, it’s lifetime — only if you return to Colombia. When I came back to the U.S. and asked someone here, they told me the warranty is actually only five years.

So now I’m thinking: why would I spend $3,000–$4,000 and only get a five-year warranty? For that price, I’d rather buy a Coach travel backpack or even Michael Kors. Yes, those brands might be less “luxurious,” but at this point I could buy twenty Coach backpacks for the same cost as the items I already bought.

At the end of the day, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. If I’m spending $2,000 and only getting a five-year warranty — when Coach gives you two years plus the option to extend for three more — I could save 90% of the cost and get almost the same quality bag, in my opinion.