I have lost weight in my feet. I have shoes that had gotten too tight to wear that I can once again wear, and shoes that used to fit comfortably that I am now walking out of. I have gone from an extra-wide width (DD) to a wide width (C or D).

With regard to athletic shoes -- I have problems with my Achilles tendon off and on, so I need to buy shoes with good padding. This pretty much rules out very cheap shoes. Right now, I have a pair of New Balance walking shoes that I use for long walks. I wear cheaper shoes (or go barefoot -- my favorite condition) around the house so that the New Balance don't wear out too fast. Payless is a good source for cheap sneakers, but I don't think Payless sneakers have enough padding and support to do anything very athletic, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. Payless does have the advantage of selling a lot of shoes in a wide width.

I agree that Kohl's is a good source for high quality name brand shoes at a discount. However, what they have is very variable. I always check when I am in there.