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As
Seen in Newsweek,
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BetterBudgeting.com
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Financial Journey Those of us who practice frugality in our daily lives are typically used to being the laughing target of those who don’t think the same way we do. Sometimes, I find that I am my own laughing target for many things I do! * * * Recently, I had one of these experiences. It began with a dead battery from my husband’s cordless power drill. Actually, there are two batteries, which does matter, because it is double the cost to replace. Since my husband fixes everything around our home, there was no question we had to replace these batteries. At first, he put the battery in our car, thinking we could stop by Home Depot to pick some up when we were out running errands. I didn’t think too much about it, except that I figured it would cost $4 to $5 since they were rechargeable batteries. A couple of days passed, and figuring the battery was too unique and old to find in our small town, my husband took it out of the car. He suggested I try searching www.ask.com, where you can receive an answer to just about any question. I asked where I could find this battery, and presto – there was my answer! I checked it out and one battery cost $12.85 plus $4.95 shipping. So much for my ‘guestimate’ of $4 to $5. Consoling myself, I thought it was still cheaper than a new tool, but couldn’t bring myself to place the order. Next, we tried finding a site for this particular brand of drill. We found a site, and a picture of the battery. A short statement alongside the picture suggested we check our local hardware store. Next, I tried Wal-Mart. No, they didn’t carry this brand of battery. But the Sales Associate told me they had a wonderful clearance sale for power drills/drivers at $55. I thanked him, scratched my head, and decided to call our friendly neighborhood hardware store which was much closer. At least we could save money on gas. Yes, they carried them for $16.99 each. I asked if they could meet competitor prices and sell it for the same price as Home Depot. The gentleman informed me that they don’t have the purchasing power of the larger retailers and were unable to match the price. To end this long tale--we bought the batteries from Home Depot for $22 plus tax. At least we made sure to do it when we were running other errands in that vicinity. Some would say that I wasted an hour of time that I can’t ever get back, both on the computer and phone, just to end up where we were going to start anyway. However, I am one to refuse to admit defeat. Instead, think of the things I learned and the skills I practiced during that hour. I found a great Web site to use in the future when I need questions answered. I discovered just how much can be saved at larger retailers, while taking the opportunity to practice my negotiating skills. And, when I finally did pay the $22 (plus tax) for these batteries, I knew we had found the best deal! And, afterall, that is what frugality is all about, isn’t it?!
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Copyright © 2004 by Karen Kuebler Want more money-saving tips? Get a FREE Subscription to our monthly newsletter!
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