Monday, July 18, 2011

Boy! Am I glad I didn't pay a dollar for that!

I have a brother-in-law who checks consumer reports for just about anything from clothing, to restaurants, from cars, to toys (for big kids and little kids). Sometimes, we give him a hard time about it and tease him for constantly tuning into consumer reports.

I can only remember a handful of times where I was mad about paying for something that wasn't worth the price tag. #1, Jeff and I spent $30 for dinner at Johnny Rockets at the Cherry Creek Mall and I was a little more than disappointed and a little less than ticked off. Case in point, no food that unappetizing should be more than $4 for the entire family.

Anyway, I'm not the type to check out consumer reports, I usually just shop the best deal or greatest discount, that way if it's a bust, I'm never that mad. I recently visited Target to get soda and Peanut Butter M&M's and I don't know how, but on my way to or from those aisles, I passed the 75% off summer sale rows. I got a few pool toys for Lauren and a fridge water dispenser for me. Let me break it down:

1) Fridge water dispenser thing, normally $6.99 (I paid $1.75)
2) Bubble 3 pk, normally $1.99 (I paid $.50)
3) Cool fish bomb pool toys 3 pk, normally $3.99 (I paid $1.00)
4) Water guns 3 pk, normally $1.00 (I paid .25 cents.)

Today we experimented with the water guns. (Disclaimer, I know I have a little girl, but every time we go to the pool she's always trying to steal the boys' water guns!) Two of the three are great. Excellent accuracy, high range shooting, tasteful really in a kid's squirt gun. The third, however, leaks out the bottom. Needless to say, I sure am glad I didn't pay an entire dollar for the water guns! Really tho, it's a way of me saying that I really do enjoy getting a good deal--and, I suppose I have an underlying understanding that the item might not reach my expectations and I get what I pay for.

There are some things you don't skimp on, and that is up to the consumer to decide. In my brother-in-law's mind, he could put that quarter toward a $20 powerful super-soaker, deemed to bruise a kid's gut. I, on the other hand, am okay with spending a fraction of the cost on a super cheap toy or two that my kids will inevitably break anyway!

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