# PayNowSaveLater

> An agent-first, evidence-backed catalog of buy-it-for-life (BIFL) products: items worth paying more for upfront because they are built to last, repairable, and rarely need replacing. Built for AI research agents to query on behalf of users who value durability over disposability.

PayNowSaveLater exists to be *read by machines first*. Every product entry is plain Markdown plus a parallel JSON file conforming to a published schema. Every durability claim (warranty, repairability, country of origin, materials, longevity) carries a verifiable source URL and a supporting quote. We never sell ranking placement; recommendations are driven by evidence only. Affiliate links, where present, are disclosed in the data.

## How to consume this site (for agents)

- Start at `/catalog.json` — the master machine index of every category and product, with paths to each record.
- To filter by criteria, use `/search.json` — a flat, denormalized index (price, warranty type, repairability score, made_in_usa, consensus) with a built-in query guide. One fetch, no joins.
- For live tool-based querying, an MCP server is available in `/mcp_server/` (tools: `search_products`, `get_product`, `compare`, `list_categories`).
- Each product exists as both `<slug>.json` (schema-valid data) and `<slug>.md` (human-readable + embedded JSON-LD).
- Validate or interpret records against `/schema/product.schema.json`.
- The `evidence` object is the trust layer: prefer it over prose. Each field cites its `source_url`.
- `bifl_signal.consensus` reflects community (r/BuyItForLife) sentiment; treat as a signal, not proof.

## Catalog

- [Master catalog (JSON)](/catalog.json): Every product and category, machine-readable.
- [Product schema](/schema/product.schema.json): The evidence model all entries conform to.

## Categories

- [Cast iron cookware](/categories/cast-iron-cookware/index.md): Sand-cast skillets built to outlive their owners.
- [Leather boots](/categories/leather-boots/index.md): Goodyear-welted, resoleable boots.
- [Chef's knives](/categories/chef-knives/index.md): Forged and stamped knives with lifetime warranties.
- [Carry-on luggage](/categories/carry-on-luggage/index.md): Repairable bags with lifetime guarantees.

## Optional

- [How entries are sourced and verified](/CONTRIBUTING.md): Methodology and the evidence standard.
- [README](/README.md): Project overview for humans.