Real True Actual Headlines

I think that that is not quite right. What is intended is not that what you get when you buy something is worth exactly what you paid for it, because it is everyone's experience that we have spent a lot of money and ended up with disappointing crap. So you can certainly pay for something great and NOT get it ... old adages not withstanding.

What is really meant by this saying is more cynical, and along the lines of another adage: "There's no such thing as a free lunch," blended with "There's a sucker born every minute."

What "You get what you pay for" really means is "You don't get what you don't pay for."

In other words, although the vendor reserves the right to screw you by selling you junk for top dollar, you must nevertheless be prepared to pay top dollar to get the good stuff. Here's the logical diagram:

small money -> junk

BIG MONEY -> junk or good stuff

Caveat emptor.