You can spend your money on the cheaper Empire or Stanley combo squares available at Home Depot/Lowes. You'll then spend the rest of your time squinting trying to read the things. The satin chrome finish on the Starrett rules make them worth twice their cost. Glare-free, easy-to-read, and exceptionally accurate, these Starrett tools are lifetime tools. Look on Ebay, and you'll see Starrett squares that are 50+ years old going for top dollar. These are the finest squares available.