curse of the money-saving gadget

[judywatt]

I used to have this problem myself -

The Curse of the Money-Saving Gadget

Items you buy thinking they will save you money in the long run
but then you end up using them for a short period of time
before they take up space collecting dust
until you get sick of dusting them
so you give them to Goodwill
or sell them on Ebay or at a garage sale
for a fraction of what they cost you.

My husband has had this curse many times too
so it's not just me or just a female tendency, for sure.

We still have cupboards and closets full of stuff we never use
which I am trying to sort through and purge right now.

And then there is our precious little garage -
a luxury in itself to have one in San Francisco
that is ours, all ours, and comes with the apartment.

There is no car in it though.
Nope, just more stuff we need to get rid of.

We might get a car soon though!
After more than 15 years of not having one.
And we will have our own precious little garage to house it.
Not one of those awful garages you have to share with neighbors
who may or not be sane (ours currently are, but in the past, yikes).

Anyway, that is my money-saving advice to MYSELF this year -
do not buy any more things that I think I will use and will save $$$
but then I only use them a few times before they are dust catchers
or taking up space in my small apartment or my precious garage.

And if Joe wants to buy something like that -
try harder to talk him out of it!

Onward I go... rainy day, yay!
Making progress on decluttering (slowly)
and getting tax stuff together to enter into Turbotax.

........

Comments

[tuatha242.livejournal.com]

There was a whole Cosby episode about money saving gadgets in the 80's. I remember it was hysterical. You can usually find trends in must get items..Goodwills and thrift stores are filled with..fondue pots..toated sandwhich makers and those George foreman grills..also juicers. Everyone wants a juicer..no one wants to clean them.

[judywatt.livejournal.com]

Fondue has been making a comebacj in restaurants, but I would NOT buy a fondue pot for home use. I used to a a toasted sandwich maker and actually used it quite a bit but finally gave it away. Also had a juicer which I only used maybe 5 times, then gave it to Rachel, and I doubt she ever used it. Never had a Foreman grill but was tempted - oh yes, correction, I did have a little one that I bought on sale on Amazon for 10 dollars, never used it, then sold it for 15 dollars, so that worked out OK!

I have various exercise items that have yet to be used though. And Joe bought a guitar he hasn't touched more than maybe twice for 30 minutes each time. Luckily it was a cheap guitar. He used to have a great guitar years ago that got stolen. He used to be great musician in his youth - but that was a long long time ago. At one point when we were on a tiny apartment, he had his childhood piano moved into it at a cost of several hundred dollars (when we were broke) and then never played it. What a dust magnet that was, and it took up half the living room too! Finally sold it.

And we have so many other stories like that... gah.

[tuatha242.livejournal.com]

moving to California..really taught me to Let GO...but not as much as i would have liked. Once upon a time, everything i cared about fit in an army duffle bag..those were the days..but sometimes those info mercials grab me..when it's late and im too tired to read and too awake to sleep and changing channels.

Things i almost bought..rubbery looking bakeware..i hate baking..bullet blender...some sort of uber makeup collection in one round container.(i never put make up on..tho i should reconsider that one).

what i would buy if they invent it..3 daily servings of delicious food in one 8 oz glass low cal..and for only $19.99 for a months worth:)