Today we slept in late again, but eventually got down to business. But just as I was starting the vacuuming, I noticed the vacuum wasn't picking up very well. The dirt canister was empty so I cleaned out the filter and checked for clogs. I couldn't find anything, but the vacuum just wasn't sucking. And really, if it doesn't suck, what's the point?
So Spouse & I headed out to K-Mart to buy a new vacuum. We figured the previous one was about 7-8 years old, and had only cost $79. so we felt we'd certainly gotten our money's worth out of it. We bought the same vacuum (Bissell Clearview) again, only its the 2008 model (Clearview II) and came with an extra upholstery brush attachment that will be very handy getting dog and cat hair off the furniture. It was $89. but was on sale for $79. We were rather happy we replaced our vacuum with the same one 8 years later for the same price.
On the way home we decided to stop at Safeway to check their price on fresh turkeys. It was $.10 per lb. cheaper than Food Lion, and lots of other Thanksgiving ingredients were also on sale, so we decided to go ahead and do our full Thanksgiving shopping while we were there. (Our plan was to do it later in the afternoon, after finishing the housecleaning.)
I am a big believer in shopping ahead of time. In past years we've done our Thanksgiving shopping on Tues or Wed evening and the stores have been 'picked over', leaving us frustrated from not being able to get everything we needed in one trip. So for the last few years I have strongly encouraged Spouse to shop several days ahead of time while the shelves are still full and we have a better selection of turkeys. I think he's seen the wisdom in this by now.
After putting all the groceries away I put the new vacuum together (15 seconds) and got started. I must say I am extremely impressed! The new vacuum has a self-propelling action so you don't even have to push it. I must sound odd, getting excited about a vacuum cleaner, but I just love it when you get something that really works as well or better than you expect, and you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it.
Those Dyson and Rainbow vacuums are probably great too, but I don't want to pay $600. or more for one. Having pets, our vacuum always starts to smell after a few years, despite cleaning it with bleach. You wouldn't throw away a $600. vacuum after 5 years. But think of how many years I can buy a new Bissell over and over, and always be get a fresh, new, better technology vacuum, before I'd spend $600.
I don't want an expensive vacuum that lasts 30 years. I want an inexpensive vacuum that lasts 7 years, so I can throw it away and get a fresh smelling, new one. Fortunately Spouse & I agree on this.
I'm the same with shoes. I've never paid more than $50. for a pair of shoes because I don't want shoes that will last for 12 years. Styles change, and sometimes my feet make my shoes smell. I'd rather have a $30. pair of shoes that are comfortable and in style now that I can throw away in a few years when they smell bad or have gone out of style.
I've also been called cheap, but that's not an insult to me.
Crush du Jour: Ivan Sergei
9 comments:
I've got a Hoover bagless that I've had for awhile now. Works well enough.
I refuse to spend more than $100 on a vacuum cleaner if only because we've got a house full of hardwood.
Shoes, I'm the same way. I do a lot of walking so I wear shoes out fairly quickly. No sense spending more than $50 on a pair when I'm going to go through 4 or 5 pairs a year.
As to turkey. Keyron took it upon himself to get a bird at Whole Food (aka Whole Pay Checks). The bird is about 25 pounds and was $40! It better be a good bird is all I can say.
BTW, I can't stand Food Lion. It has to be one of the most ill stocked supermarkets I've ever seen.
Remember, even if you are called cheap, you don't have to be called easy. Me? I'm both. Clearly.
Thrifty. The word you're looking for is Thrifty.
We had a Filter Queen that I really liked, and it cost a pretty penny. The motor finally died a loud dramatic death a couple of years ago. We replaced it with a Bissell much like the one pictured here. It has done good service.
Congratulations on your thrifty vacuum cleaner purchase. Kudos are in order.
as long as its sucks well and does the job then its all good!!! Food Lion? Funny name...we got our Turkey from WINCO ( another funny name) If you spent $50 you got a Butterball or Norbest turkey for 24 cents a lbs...So we got a big o turkey! :-)
so i found you from searching the links from david dust, and i just thought it was funny that the in post i was reading you featured ivan sergei while i am watching him in the awesomely bad 'santa baby' on tv right now! i wonder if you watched it earlier today too?? haha
Cheap is most definitely a compliment to me!
In our family, Brad is much more like you when it comes to money. He'd much rather buy something on sale at a lower price and sacrifice a bit of quality in the process. Me, if I see something on sale, I immediately become suspicious and wonder why the retailer is trying to get rid of it!;-) Pay top dollar and get top quality is my motto, and it really pisses me off if I pay top dollar for something and it turns out to be a dud.
And that said, I don't want to sound smug. Getting a vacuum for $79 that will work well for 7 or 8years is a great find and a good deal! I, too, would have jumped at that one! :)
(But then I would have splurged for an organic free-range turkey!) :)
Good for you. The clutch on my $500 Dyson is out again. I'm sure pet hair is up in there somewhere again. But it's out of waranty and I 'm not paying to get it fixed again.
My old Sears canister has been a mainstay now for 20 years.
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