Buy It Again Sam!
Posted by Gail | Filed under Smart Shopper
Yeah, I know, it’s a pretty sad play on the Casablanca quote but it got your attention, didn’t it? Familiarity has a way of doing that. Familiarity lets us feel safe because we sort of know what to expect. Familiarity is easy because it means we have to think less. And sometimes going with the tried and true – skipping all the angst – is the best way to go.
Take shopping for a new vacuum cleaner. You could do all the research, buy the consumer magazines, ask friends and family, shop the local stores and do a test drive, or you could just buy the vacuum cleaner you bought last time assuming you were happy with it.
We’ve become a society obsessed with getting the best, fastest, quietest, latest, newest, freshest, and manufacturers know this. The idea of planned obsolescence isn’t new, but what about “brand loyalty?” Has that gone the way of the Do-do bird as “new and exciting” have emerged as our favs? If we’re faced with a dozen buying decisions and expend the energy it takes to make sure every decision has been completely thought through, will we have any energy left to just enjoy our lives?
It isn’t just about vacuum cleaners. It’s about our cars, televisions, printers and even our laundry detergent and dish soap. With thousands of brands competing for our attention is it any wonder we sometimes just throw up our arms and say, “forget it!” Or worse, become so confused by all the options, features, lights and buzzers that we end up buying something for the wrong reasons.
Hey, I’m all for doing the research when you’re laying down big bucks for a significant purchase. But if you’re spending $30 on a printer, does that warrant the same research and attention you’d put into buying a new fridge that you expect to last you for 15 years?
If the thing you’re buying is supposed to have a long life, shouldn’t you spend more time to make sure you’re happy with it before you choose? And if you don’t know a woofer from a tweeter, does it really make any difference how much research you do when you decide to buy a new sound system? Ditto if you’re shopping for luggage. Why not just buy the same brand you bought last time and save the gyrations of finding “the best?”
Apparently we human beings have a tendency to overwhelm ourselves with choice. So says some of the most recent research on decision making as reported in an interesting book called Rapt by Winnifred Gallagher. And so we end up twisting in the wind, worrying about making the “best” choice when, in fact, just about any choice will do. There are actually people who will beat themselves up over not getting the best deal whether they’re buying toilet paper or a new dishwasher.
In the new world where frugalisters reign supreme, making sure you get the best deal is like in the old world where the number of credit cards you had in your wallet testified to your success. Sure, it’s responsible to shop smart. I’m all for that. I’m just not for tying a body into knots the for the sake of getting the best deal. More than once I’ve done all the research only to be disappointed with the performance of my “best buy.” On the other hand, if I’ve found a product (or service) that meets my needs, I no longer feel the need to find something better. I’m quite happy to buy the same again and strike one more decision off my list with the minimum of effort leaving me time to think about things that are really important.
November 23, 2009 at 7:36 am
Ah if its a staple as in laundry soap or dish detergent etc then you can try different brands and see what goes well vs cost..sales unless you absolutely know beforehand
Who cares its not the end of the world on that suff.
As for appliances one might research that more of course.
10 years now might not be uncommon for longevity vs repair costs based on buys today.
Your mileage may vary of course depending on use and care of it is no guarantee either.
You get a $350 repair estimate plus tax on a 5 year old dish washer you won’t fix it.
I never go by consumer listings on any such thing as a best buy.
I might read them but i won’t make a final decision based on that.
I have 2 printers, refurbs I bought for $38.00 each 4 years ago and they still are going strong they even work with windows 7.
As for home theatre if you really don’t know what to get a yamaha receiver rxv series, doesn’t have to be large one and a brand name of sub and the small satellite speakers should do(keff,psb,bose).
November 23, 2009 at 9:01 am
The Tyranny of Choice is very true with Consumer products. In previous days you didn’t have all the choices, which makes me think “Brand Loyalty” may make a comeback, since most folks I know don’t want to spend the time doing the research (unless their current Car/Vacuum/Stove/Fridge/etc., is a Lemon).
Isn’t it great to have all these choices? No, not really.
November 23, 2009 at 9:15 am
This could also be headed What is the Value of your Time ( and how can it be better spent).
November 23, 2009 at 9:21 am
When it comes to everyday items or products, I usually make the decisions alone. I will give something the benefit of the doubt, and try it. If it doesn’t meet my expectations, I move on to another product. I don’t shop based on price or brand alone. I do find it humourous that the manufacturers find the need to make something ‘new and improved’, and I often find that I no longer like the product.
When it comes to larger household items and appliances, my husband and I make the decisions together. I usually know what features I am looking for and I let him do the ‘research’. Many things are trendy or touted at the next best thing, but I don’t let that sway me. I go with what works for us.
When it comes to cars or household electronics or tools, I let my husband do the ‘research’ on those. His decisions are based on price, brand, and value for our dollar. So far, in 10 years, he hasn’t make a bad decision for us on those choices.
While we may not be brand loyal, we have learned from our past experiences to stay away from certain brands in the future. We use others input and experiences to help guide our decisions too. And in our jobs, we are able to see how some products are made, and how much other products are marked up once they reach the retail stores, and lately that has provided some sway in our purchases.
Making decisions regarding purchases doesn’t have to be a chore. It is what you make it.
November 23, 2009 at 9:24 am
Research is important, but only for a few select things. I think the more the item will cost, the more effort you should put into research. I don’t think it’s important to research every little purchase such as laundry soap. But a bit of research before you buy a car or a house or a long lasting appliance is important. The thing is so many companies have products that are really high in quality these days thats it is very hard to compare them.
regards,
Jason
November 23, 2009 at 10:09 am
We have been “shopping” for a new flat screen TV for about a year and a half now. And by that I mean research shopping. There is so much choice and it seems so difficult for us to tell one deal over the next that the reality is we aren’t at all swayed to actually purchase right now. We’re settling just fine with the old tube TV and not actually buying a TV at all because we can’t seem to bother making a decision. And it’s not out of frustration, it’s more out of apathy due to too many choices and the inability to feel like we can actually make a good researched purchase. At least with technology it often feels like the biggest gamble as to whether the purchase will still be any good next year. It is hard to part with $800 or so knowing that tomorrow that TV might be second-best.
And yet obviously our 8 year old TV is worse. But at this point it’s free.
November 23, 2009 at 10:13 am
We’re lucky that there is an appliance store where they only sell good stuff. It’s a little ways from our house but we know that whatever they sell will work well and keep working for the long term. This means I don’t have to waste time researching and shopping around, we just go there, say we need a washer that can do 3 loads a day and he says get this one. Saves me the angst of having made the wrong decision.
As for the laundry detergent research, we buy the one that’s on sale and I keep a tally of how many loads I can do with it and therefore how much each load costs. Once we’ve tried them all, the one that cleans the best for the money is the one we’ll go with.
November 23, 2009 at 10:30 am
My husband and I feel that doing the research to make the best purchase is just part of the process of shopping responsibly.
For small purchases — say groceries, I read nutrition labels and I’m more inclined to buy what’s most healthy for us and what’s organic, regardless of price. Ditto for cleaning supplies — if it’s good for the environment, I’m more likely to buy it.
For larger purchases like our car, my husband and I did a lot of comparison shopping and research. We visited at least six dealerships in at least three cities and test drove lots of different hybrids before we found the one for us.
For our biggest purchase of all — our first house — we will certainly be doing a lot of research and prep work before we buy. Looking at the neighbourhood, at mortgage brokers, at real estate agents, at home inspectors, and at the house itself to make sure it meets our family’s needs. I’ve even ordered some free brochures from CMHC (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation for any non-Canucks out there) to help me get organized.
We don’t feel that comparison shopping and being an informed consumer is a chore or a waste of time. We are doing what we can to get the best value for our money, our time, and our energy.
November 23, 2009 at 11:24 am
Sometimes a smaller purchase just needs a little thought. When I see something at a bargain price I usually ask myself – “why?”. Are they discontinuing it? Will I need replacement parts I can’t get? Is it non-refundable because of its condition? Is it actually functional for my use?
I notice for example at Walmart – two items almost identical will have a massive price difference. A two-step stool versus a three-step stool, the 4-litre slow cooker versus the 5-litre slow cooker etc…But when I give it some thought I realize that a two-step stool isn’t tall enough and the 4-litre slow cooker is a smidge too small to hold most recipes. If I would have purchased them, I would have ended up back at the store buying the more expensive replacement – now paying twice for the product.
When I was researching my netbook purchase there was a fire sale on netbooks that was very tempting. But upon reading the fine print I realized that the netbook on sale had very little memory. For an additional $100 I could get a non-sale netbook that met all my needs.
I think a business with quality products, whether it’s cars or shoes, knows that they will withstand the “research” test. Usually those items are consistently priced. Sometimes you can get a bargain and luck out with both great quality and a low price but it might take research to recognize it.
My most interesting “cheap low quality” purchase was a “Citizen” brand television I bought in 1994. 15 years later and it’s still going strong. Go figure.
November 23, 2009 at 11:55 am
Jennifer – We are in a similar position about the TV’s and apathy over actually making a purchase is exactly where we are. We actually upgraded our satellite to HD but still do not have an HD TV (and we watch a lot of sports!). The other intriguing thing, apart from the selection of types of TV’s is that the price keeps dropping … how low can they go?
Anna – my parents took pity on me when I was in University 18 years ago (argh! almost 19 years now) and bought me a cheap color tv. Unknown brand name ‘Nikko’ from The Brick. It has moved countless times throughout its life, and still works fine. Seems a shame to replace it when it has been so trustworthy – I doubt my next tv will still be fine after almost two decades of use.
I do find it hard to part with my cash on a big purchase in case it is the wrong decision, especially on experience type things (a concert, a trip) because there are not any refunds. It is hard to really comparison shop because one person’s version of ‘fun’ does not necessarily match another persons ‘fun’. Or ‘affordable’. lol
November 23, 2009 at 12:22 pm
I think it’s important to put in some time to research. Helps you learn what is out there, and you might not choose the brand you originally thought was best.
But for things like premium gas or brand name ice cream, I don’t notice a difference and therefore go for the cheaper. I think it’s still a good idea to test the different types first (laundry detergent, cereal, toilet paper etc) and decide what you like best. Some things are worth the extra little bit!
November 23, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I’m still waiting for the LCD tv I want to come down more in price. I don’t spend enough time watching tv to justify its current cost. Researching it has taken time, but in the end it came down to how much I preferred the picture over other brands.
I have got bit by not researching some purchases, eg the convection wall oven which developed a problem far too soon and is not worth repairing because the problem may reoccur. If I’d talked to some repairman prior to buying, I would have saved myself some money and grief on that one. Also, years ago (when Inkjet printers were expensive) I bought an Epson, not realizing that if the nozzles plugged the printer was toast. Those experiences have led me to avoid certain brands.
If I find a product I really like I will continue to buy that product. But I hate it when they a) repackage it and then I can’t find it at a glance b) improve it, because generally it is no longer the product I liked. or c) rearrange the items on shelves so I can’t find it quickly.
I really hate shopping for items now because there are so many choices and often even finding your favorite becomes a chore. There is such a thing as too much choice and it just adds one more stress in our lives.
November 23, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Research is all well and good but up to a point. While it’s good to know your prices before going shopping that’s usually where it ends for me. I don’t drive myself nuts with questions like what if something better comes along later for the same price or less? If I did I’d never buy anything. I can only live TODAY in the here and now.
My time is precious to me. When shopping for a big ticket item I ask myself “What do I need it to do for me?”. Bells and whistles and having the best on the block are not important to me. If the item does what I need it to do, for a price that’s within my budget and as long as I or people I know haven’t had bad experiences with the brand, it comes into my home.
A couple of months ago I was shopping for a second TV. I wanted to spend no more than $600 and was looking for one that was around 32 inches as we already have a big screen tv in the house. The salesman could not understand why I didn’t want the biggest and the best. I could get something better for ONLY a few hundred dollars more and take 2 years to pay it off. (Gail’s favourite buy now pay later). I stuck to my guns.
I’ve been happy with LG and Panasonic products in the past so I started with those. I found a 32″ LG for $500. It has a wonderful picture and looks great. There were slight differences in picture quality between the one I bought and the more expensive ones in the store but not enough of a difference to warrant going over my budget. Besides, I’m not going to be watching my tv alongside the others. I like the set I found. Job done within one day of deciding I wanted a 2nd set. I was enjoying my tv while some of my family members would still have been researching.
My mother spent many years building appliances at Westinghouse and Camco. She said with the exception of the bells and whistles they’re all the same. She remembers making fridges. In the morning they would put one company’s label on them and in the afternoon after changing the look of the knobs they would put another company’s label on the same fridge. Consumers could compare the two fridges all they wanted but they were buying the same product.
Last Friday I went shopping for furniture and appliances (sister re-doing home). We had been to a few appliance stores and knew our prices. The same day I also got a quote on fixing a stove in a rental property I own – approx. $250 and no guarantee how long it would last. While shopping with my sister I found a NEW Inglis stove with warranty for $298. Did I research the stove? Is it the best on the market? Of course not. I hadn’t had any problems in the past with any product made by Inglis. For the amount I was spending (and writing off on taxes) it wasn’t worth my time and energy to research stoves. They are basically all the same. They heat food. It’s the cook not the stove that makes meal fantastic. Oh, and my tenant was thrilled that she’s getting a new stove.
I’m not saying I don’t research anything. I just try to put my time and energy towards the items (ex. cars, property) that can have a big impact on my financial situation.
November 23, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Has anyone noticed that you can buy a new printer, complete with ink cartridges, for as cheap as the replacement cartridges? I have, and generally use that logic to try different printers! My new part time job (to build the EF, etc) is at Superstore, either processing damage claims, or helping stock shelves. I have shopped at this Superstore for 10 years and not realized the immensity of product available. How many flavors of snack crackers, box sizes and brand names does one society need anyway??? The slogan “If you can imagine it, you can build it’ comes to mind. The massive array of fragrances of Febreeze/Glade Plugins, etc. is mind boggling. Now, even dryer fabric sheets come in over a dozen fragrances. Campbell’s soups come in Chunky, Thick N’ Chunky, Reduced Sodium, Heart Healthy, and on and on, and then in dozens of varieties of flavour combinations in each category. There is such a thing as TOO MUCH choice, as far as I am concerned. The worst thing is that when a perfectly good product has been left behind, it ends up in the landfill because it is outdated and no longer sellable. I guess there is a good reason that I generally circle the outside of the store and get out. No wonder some of us long for a simpler time – too much of something is NOT a good thing. As for researching a huge purchase, absolutely. Most of the rest of it comes down to personal preference.
November 23, 2009 at 1:41 pm
I’m pretty much with you – I don’t sweat over small purchases. For me, I’ve found that the decision I make in 15 minutes is usually as good as the decision I make in 15 hours, so I can save a lot of time and energy and just go with it.
My husband, on the other hand, ENJOYS bargain hunting. Which, I think, is something different. If you’re driving yourself crazy over $10 it’s wasted effort. If you REALLY enjoy the act of saving $10, on the other hand, it’s a different story. It’s at least as good a way to spend your time as watching TV for instance. (Unless, of course, you’re watching TDDUP, that is.)
November 23, 2009 at 1:50 pm
WHAT you buy is as important as WHERE you buy it!
I do lots of research on items (because I enjoy doing the research while I am saving up for it — helps me stay focussed on the saving part), but I KNOW where I am buying my next appliance — whatever brand I end up with. Sears has always been EXCELLENT to me for delivery, complaints, service quality, etc. Basically I am confident they will back their sale, and that goes a long way making me more comfortable with my purchase… even if it isn’t the very best deal, it is close enough to be worth it for the security.
(Thats just my own personal experience, others may of course have different stories)
November 23, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Planned obsolescence. I never really understood this until we started buying toasters. We inherited my Mother-in- Law’s toaster (well it was actually stolen when she wasn’t looking) because my husband had an unnatural attachment for it. It looked like it had been kicked by an elephant that got impatient waiting for peanut butter toast but it worked like a hot damn. Perfect, crisp toast every time. I hated that toaster because it was old and ugly and ruined the look of my designer kitchen.
By the time we “found” it this toaster was 21 years old and we used it for 11 more years before it finally died. At the junk yard funeral my husband swore he would never be able to own a toaster again. For a week he used the broiler setting on our oven but managed to incinerate the bread every time and setting off the smoke detectors REALLY got on my nerves so we went shopping for a toaster.
First we bought a medium priced brand name and it lasted l7 months. Never made a decent piece of toast. Could not find anyone to repair it in the city where we lived so we next bought a really, really expensive ($125 in 1983) stainless steel gourmet toaster that lasted 2 years. The push down knob broke off exactly a week after the year warranty wore out so we had to use pliers to grab the stub to push the toaster down. When it started toasting on only one side I took it to be repaired. It cost me $35 and more or less worked for 3 more months. We then bought the cheapest toaster we could find. It lasted almost 4 years. After this one shorted out nearly electrocuting the Hubster I was lucky enough to find an identical twin to my MIL’s toaster at a garage sale. It looked worse than the original but it worked perfectly for 6 years. Not bad for something over 46 years old that cost me 50 cents.
When we moved up here we had absolutely no mover damage at all – fist time ever in all our moves! – but they lost a box. Guess what was in the box?
We have lived here for 10 years now and I have 2 broken toasters and one broken toaster oven sitting in the basement waiting to be recycled. The only person who did small appliance electrical repairs retired the second year we lived up here at the age of 45 – having made a fortune to rival that of the Klondike Gold Rush barons. I cannot bring myself to just garbage these has-beens away so am patiently waiting for a time when our city recycling program will include appliances. We also have an over the stove microwave oven/fan that broke down right after the store where we bought it went bankrupt. To send it from the Yukon to Alberta to be repaired would cost as much as to buy a new one. This sucks but so does the fan part so we still have it sitting over the stove smirking at us. We bought an $85 counter top microwave and it has worked fine for 4 years. Hope I haven’t jinxed it.
At this point in our lives we no longer have an electric toaster. We are using a camping toaster (a metal plate with three collapsible wires that form a pyramid). We place it over the big back element on the stove and flip the bread by hand as each side toasts. This works fine if you don’t mind singed fingers and three pieces of toast getting cold and soggy while the fourth piece toasts. The Hubster whines but just as long as the stove element keeps working I think we are golden. But I do live in anticipation. The stove element is brand new so I expect it to die at any time –it is the third one we have had to replace on a ten year old stove that is practically still a virgin cooker since I hate to cook. I know it would be easier and cheaper if we just gave up toast altogether but I am married to a man who apparently will go into a deep depression and steady decline if he cannot have crunchy bits of bread and honey.
If we lose the stove we plan to use a fork and a candle. I am prepared. We have over twelve dozen eight hour-no drip-non smoking-emergency candles and a supply of forks that range in size from a three inch long sterling silver pickle fork for wafer thin French bread to a two foot long lethal Bar-B-Que pronger for the bagels.
November 23, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Maureen!! I laughed so hard I fell off my chair!!
November 23, 2009 at 2:17 pm
As an employee of a manufacturing company..,. you would be suprised at the number of name brand products and generic products that are actually “cross” fills of the EXACT same product.. people love to buy a “premium” product with a premium price point becuase there is an expectation the premium price means better.. relabelling, new and improved and rebranding all feed into our desire to get the new latest and greatest thing..
and lot’s of manufacturers have exclusivitiy agreements with their retailers now- which makes comparison shopping very difficult becuase each “brand” or “model” is not available at different stores.. cross filling their products with different labels allows a manufacturer a chance to focus on producing one quality product but leveraging it under different brand names. and time after time it is the brand name with better repuatation and better perception of quality that consumers gravitate towards ..
November 23, 2009 at 3:17 pm
ROTFL about the toaster… I have had the same problem finding one that will actually toast the bread in one cycle. They all seem so wimpy. Finally bought an Oster at Costco that seems able to do the job, we’ll see how long it lasts.
As for research, I only do research on items that cost over $200. Otherwise it’s a waste of my time.
November 23, 2009 at 3:31 pm
What I find annoying is that there is often no way to judge the value of a purchase in advance. That is, the name or price point is no indication of quality.
I’ve bought high-end brand names that don’t work or last worth a damn.
I’ve bought high-end items that do what they’re supposed to forever.
I’ve bought generic items that work beautifully and run for ages.
I’ve bought generic items that don’t work as well as the box they came in.
It’s a total crap shoot.
November 23, 2009 at 3:38 pm
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November 23, 2009 at 3:46 pm
If this post resonated with you, you might enjoy a book I read recently: John Naish’s _Enough: Breaking Free from the World of More_. In Chapter 5, entitled Enough Options, he says:
…in the Journal of Product and Brand Management, (one study) found that offering evermore options failed to increase the ultimate level of customer satisfaction. The report cautioned that three options per model is perfectly adequate, while anything over seven causes anxiety and can be counter-productive. The Germans have a phrase for it: ‘die Qual der Wahl’ — the torture of choice.
The other chapters are Enough Information, Enough Food, Enough Stuff, Enough Work, Enough Happiness, and Enough Growth. Usual disclaimer about no affiliation with the book applies. Happy reading!
November 23, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Satisficing (definition from Wikipedia):
“(a portmanteau of satisfy and suffice) is a decision-making strategy that attempts to meet criteria for adequacy, rather than to identify an optimal solution. A satisficing strategy may often be (near) optimal if the costs of the decision-making process itself, such as the cost of obtaining complete information, are considered in the outcome calculus.”
It’s another way of saying not to spend too much time on a decision — too bad the word itself is rather clunky…
November 23, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I’m with you Scott :O
Has anyone else noticed that the things from the ‘olden days’ were built to last and the newer stuff built to last till 1 week past the warranty?
@Maureen ~ I thought fans were ’supposed’ to suck? Ha! I’m also with your hubby – have to have my spelt toast with cooked dates on top for breakfast. Loved your missive.
November 23, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I understand what people mean about not spending alot of time researching laundry soap, but if you look at the cost over a year or so, you may re-think that idea for some relatively low-cost consumer goods. Of course, this is the reasoning that leads to bulk buying in warehouse stores that may or may not be the best thing for your family. Imagine spending 50% of this week’s grocery jar money on laundry soap!
November 23, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Maureen, you need your own blog. I always laugh when I read your posts! The ban of my existence is coffee makers. The last one I bought brand new lasted just over 3 years, and I paid close to 100.00 for it.
The one I have now I bought at a yard sale last year for 2.00. It makes great coffee and I have a feeling it will last for at least another 2 years ( fingers crossed).
When I bought my new vehicle I did a fair amount or reseach and had it narrowed down to 2 companies. The one who got my business was the company who actually came out to talk to me ( plus gave me money for my old clunker), the other BIG company ignored me every time I went to have a look at their vehicles.
Sometimes it comes down to who gives the better service, not necessarily the best price.
November 23, 2009 at 5:08 pm
The trouble with brand loyalty on some things, like vacuums, is that a vacuum brand that was really good 5 years ago may have been purchased by another company or had other financial constraints. This can cause a manufacturer to start cutting corners so that when you go and buy the same vacuum again 5 years later, it is actually not the same high quality product you were accustomed to. This happens all of the time these days.
November 23, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Maureen, you should send that blurb to the Yukon News and see if they’ll pay you to print it. Hilarious!
November 23, 2009 at 6:03 pm
I agree wholeheartedly, I LOVE Maureen’s posts, especially the one about hiding in the closet to break the dog’s cookies, cuz it could count!!!! I look for Maureen’s posts almost as much as Gail’s, and always have a good belly laugh over the stories. A good sense of humor can get you through anything….
November 23, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Ah..the perils of too much choice and just whose opinion can you trust today? I used to trust consumer reports.org until a few major appliance purchases based on the reviews turned out to be lemons. I think it helps to really ask around with friends, neighbours, appliance and electronic repair persons. We bought a Boesch dishwasher 14 years ago based on our local repair person’s opinion. This appliance has worked like a dream. As for electronics, I think it is safe to assume that very few companies are building for longevity or where would their profits go (ditto appliances–why did my parent’s Gibson fridge last 38 years and my Kitchenaid only 9?) Until consumers start demanding that appliances both big and small, plus electronics last longer we are going to keep filling our landfills with poorly made items. IN the meantime, prepare to be surprised it something works like it should and lasts a decent amount of time.
November 23, 2009 at 6:48 pm
We bought a new vacuum 3 yrs ago. We went with a dyson because of the cost savings with having no filters to replace. This is particularly important given that our apt has rugs in 3/4 of the space, and god knows how many people trampled over it. it was amazing to see what came out of the rug the first several uses. Our other vacuum would have required atleast 2 new filters to get that amount of junk out of the rug.
November 23, 2009 at 7:29 pm
First of all to all of you who found my toaster pain and suffering to be amusing…. Thanks that was just what I was going for! Giggle!
@Now Anna: was this chair that you fell off of by any chance one of those adjustable office/desk chairs? I have had 3 over the past 12 years and have found none to be trustworthy. My first was overly enthusiastic. When I would pull the lever to raise the seat it would launch me into orbit. If I attempted to lower the seat I ended up sitting an inch and a half off the floor with my chubby legs twisted into a Yoga position my husband called the Q-tip. Knees shoved into ears. I retired this chair to the laundry room where it holds my laundry basket which I cannot set on the floor because of the flooding. Did I mention leaking washer number three?
My second chair was a very temperamental homicidal maniac. The instant I would gingerly place the corner of one butt cheek on the seat Freddie would flip me over backwards with such force that I would be launched into a series of very ungraceful, very client impressing somersaults. (side note: Ya know how your mother always told you to wear clean underwear in case you got hit by a bus. Well……) If I attempted to just leap into Freddie’s arms the chair back would spring forward slamming my face into the desk top. You know you have been married too long when you greet your husband at the door with a black eye, wads of bloody Kleenex stuffed up your nostrils and several staples and a pencil eraser deeply embedded in your forehead and all he says is “I told you not to try to adjust that chair and what’s for dinner?” I sold Freddie to my neighbour for her daughter. Don’t judge me. I needed the money for chair number three and kids have soft and pliable bones and they bounce. The swiveling bastard never, even attacked her.
Chair number three was a militant Union member. Went on strike on day one. This was before I was reformed by Gail so of course I lost the receipt and could not return it. After a year I got tired of sitting on a phone book and pillow and having to climb over or crawl under my desk in order to leave because the wheels would lock up so I bought one of those giant exercise balls to sit on. They are supposed to improve your balance and posture but mine kept deflating – making a very loud, long drawn out fart sound. Insert embarrassed blush here. Currently my computer sits on a stack of encyclopedias and I stand in front of my desk. Burns more calories.
November 23, 2009 at 7:32 pm
@Tara: I had an Oster blender that lasted from 1974 to 1999 so maybe there is hope. I think it depends on who and where the brand name is now being made. My blender was terrific and only gave up the ghost when my husband used it in an experiment. Something to do with settable solids and the viscosity of Yukon River mud. The Yukon Government still owes me $29.99 plus interest. I never researched any purchases until the internet. Now I just take a little peek for everything and it is driving my mad. Everyone has an opinion.
@ Catherine: Spelt bread! I love this and used to have a great recipe for my breadmaker. The first one. For some reason it never worked in the second one. Neither works now. Have you also noticed that everyone now wants to sell you an extended warranty? And that what is in the extended warranty used to be in the regular warranty which you got for free?
@ an ostrich named Sam: Coffee makers? Insert hysterical laughter here. We own four. They live with the coffee bean grinders and the toasters in the basement. We use a plastic Militia cone filter that you sit on top of the cup and pour boiling water into. No moving parts except for the steam. When the Hubster brings home fresh roasted gourmet coffee beans I hand him the cutting board and a hammer. We bought our last car from the owner of a dealership who was outside brushing off the snow from all his display cars himself. Didn’t want to risk scratching a single one. We had decided between two cars and manufacturers that we liked but we never even went to the second dealer. Perhaps the other car is a better car so this makes us foolish but we could not have asked for better before and after sales service. We left the car at the dealer to be serviced while we were out of town and this same man met us at the airport so that we would not have to spend money on a taxi.
@tigerlilly Yukon News! Are you a northern girl? Unfortunately I have sent them a few letters to the editor that I thought were witty and amusing but that they thought were worthy of a restraining order. Ditto the Whitehorse Star but What’s Up Yukon did publish a funny poem I wrote. My first time in print other than on Gail’s site.
@Suzanne – thanks you always make my day. I am currently babysitting a Golden Retriever and a Rottweiller. They are goofy lap dogs in 100 and 140 pound bodies. Dawg is hiding in the closet. He is intimidated by them. Thinks the girls are after his body. They are lovely but not the brightest crayons in the box. They cannot count but that is okay. They can tell when the box still has cookies in it so I just keep giving them cookies until it is empty. No choice as they manage to each keep one paw firmly on my foot nailing me to the floor.
November 23, 2009 at 10:53 pm
What always amazes me is that people will spend an huge amount of time researching value for dollar on “stuff” and yet grab food and throw it in their grocery cart like it’s not important.
Because we eat too much of any one thing, we assume it is cheaper to get the white pasta at .89 then the organic equivelent at $1.69
Well, if we cooked and comsumed, HALF of the organic, brown rice pasta, we would be at par, plus giving our body nutrients it could use and do something with, aside from adding layers of fat.
Half of the $1.69 is close to the full package of the .89 packet!!!!
Some one please explain to me why spending $200 a week on food that does nothing good for the body is a better bargin the $200 of REAL food that nourishes the body?
November 24, 2009 at 12:00 am
@Maureen. Thank-you for my laugh(s) of the day!
I had a little countertop Oster convection oven that worked like a charm for at least 18 years and was used a lot. In fact until I could afford my built in convection oven, it was the only oven I had for about a year. I should have kept it instead of thinking it was near its end, because my wall oven lasted about 800 cooks and bit the dust. Alas, it was no longer under warranty.
Most of the time I think extended warrantees are useless. They are too expensive and generally if an item is a real lemon the problems will show up in the first year while it still has a warranty. Also some credit cards have extended warrantees on purchases anyways which will give you another year or two of coverage.
My Dad was an appliance repairman. He was very happy to retire when he did because it was just about the time they were making things so you could not fix them or parts were almost as expensive as buying a new one. Having lived through the Great Depression, he hated the whole enforced obsolesce attitude of manufacturers. Even after he retired he had the old fridge, stove, washer, dryer, and car for many years because he had the parts and knowledge to repair them for very little cost and they just kept going. Eventually they upgraded one by one but the old items were still running so he sold them and to the best of my knowledge served their new owners until they wanted to upgrade.
I also get frustrated with items that have so many bells and whistles that I don’t need. It’s hard to find something that does only the basics. My Dad always said that the more things an appliance/electronic device can do the more things there are to go wrong with it and the shorter it’s life will be.
November 24, 2009 at 10:18 am
There is a book that talks about this exclusively this topic Gail, called “The Paradox of Choice” by Barry Schwartz. Incredibly interesting. They did a test with jams/spreads (I think) in the supermarket, they were all set up on the table. They found more people bought some when there was about 6 varieties to choose from, but when there where 24 varieties on display to choose from, people bought less.
November 24, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Maureen – I love your post! Thanks for the laugh and the memories.
I too had toaster problems most of my life until I got one for free using my air miles. I took whatever toaster they had, since I too was so frustrated I was about to go without one. They had a T-Fal which I had enough points for, so I ordered it and they even paid to deliver it to my house. It cost me nothing but time with the air miles telephone rep and some points – I consider that free. I’ve had it over 3 years now, knock on wood, and it works great. I’m now saving my points for the next small appliance that goes.
I wonder if the reason the toaster is still working so well is because I didn’t do any research and just took what they had. I say this because I usually research many purchases and every one of those that I do I have problems with. I feel like Murphy’s law of shopping – no matter what I buy something will go wrong. One good thing about this Murphy’s law of shopping – it makes me not buy much thus saving money.
November 25, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Maureen …. Your posts are golden still chuckling away you’ve made my day..
November 27, 2009 at 9:58 am
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November 29, 2009 at 11:56 am
When you think about it, we – society as a whole are most likely 95% responsible for the manufacturers’ everchanging options. WE want newer and better, and prettier ‘whatevers’ to go into our newer, better and bigger homes. Some of these posts got me thinking that, yep, my mom’s best fridge lasted about 38 years as well, only being retired to a spare because it was ‘ugly’. My son’s first home, a $100K 1 bedroom dinky box of a house required all new appliances – black no less. My niece’s newest $500K home has chrome kitchen appliances, and candy apple red laundry appliances! that I think one would need to be a rocket scientist to operate. Her one and four year old sons will soon forget that water comes from a tap, when you can put a glass under a spout on the fridge door and the sensor spits out a glassful of ice cold water!!! I don’t even want to know what those futuristic units cost!! For as huge as my niece’s ‘mansion’ is, it only has one spare bedroom, and since she is expecting baby #3, even that will disappear soon. My brother builds homes in Saskatoon, and was telling us about one that has – count em, 97 windows and 17 doors!!! What on earth for?? I ain’t cleaning those windows, nope! It is the same with kids video game units – the hype has everyone lining up for hours, and paying a month’s wages to get their kids the newest fandangled rage, only to have another manufacturer come out with a newer, better one next month. And after going through the ‘red ring of death’ episode with our XBox 360, as well as several of my son’s friends, getting the newest off the block is not always a good thing. How sad is that that a design defect, causing a problem, has such a catchy name? When I took my sons on long road trips, the captive audience opportunity was the time I quizzed them on multiplication tables, or had spelling bees, or “I Spy”, or just admiring the scenery. Now, you plug a movie into the DVD player, or game system into the port, or the kids just keep their head down the duration of the trip, texting all their friends back home about how boring the trip is!! Years ago, I was sewing machine shopping, and the saleslady was showing me a model that had the feature of the needle always stopping in the “up’ position. This machine was hundreds of dollars more than a ‘regular’ machine, and I thought ‘what on earth would I need that for?” Now, years later down the road, with a very expensive Husqvarna Designer I computerized embroidery machine in my arsenal, I have become very spoiled with this particular option!! But, as others have said, the more bells and whistles, the more problems. All my touch screen features have now become ‘Push harder” features. My embroidery feature no longer reads my floppy discs, because that part is obsolete, and to upgrade to the USB stick will not only cost me about $500, I will have to have all my patterns transferred from disc to stick, and that takes a special program which I don’t have. While I am at it, I might as well replace the touch screen parts that don’t work, cuz what’s the sense of having them if they don’t work, right? I still have my grandmother’s treadle Singer sewing machine that I learned to sew on – it needs a $12 belt, and I bet it would work just fine!! In the meantime, I have added a part time job to my full time job to earn enough to cover this upgrade, along with the upgrade to my horse from lawnmower to riding unit! I want to upgrade my gas guzzler next year, so the work will continue. Thank God for my daily dose of Gailisms, and all the advice of my fellow posters – you keep me focused when life throws curveballs, like $200 worth of gas to go to an unexpected funeral waaaay up north (not as far as Maureen, although I would make that trip just to meet her…..) Thanks for the venue, folks…..