Beware of Advertisers!

Many years ago I read a quote which I will now probably butcher but it goes something like this: "It is the job of the advertisers to get us (the consumers) to buy things we don't need but they make us believe we can't live without" And there you have the job description for advertisers. And let's face it they do a great job! How many of us really need a brand new car? a new phone? a new kitchen gadget? And yet at the end of the commercial we're like, 'That would really come in handy'. 

Now that I'm retired and no longer have a regular income I need to think twice, no, I need to think 4 or 5 times whether I really need something. And then I need to ask myself, 'can I get it free'? Can I get it 2nd hand or at a garage sale? Dad is our garage sale professional and when I think of something I would like I ask him to put it on his garage sale list to look for. When we were looking to replace the hanging light/fan in the dining room I let dad know and he kept his eyes open. One Saturday he sent me a picture asking if this hanging light would work. It was perfect! And it helps that he has the skills to install it himself as well. Later in the year I saw the same light fixture at a friends home in her dining room and I'm willing to bet that she didn't pay $5.00 for it! The lady at the garage sale was asking $10.00 but took dad's offer of $5.00! It is all too easy and convenient to buy new but where's the  challenge in that?

So that's my challenge to each of you today! If you believe you need something, sleep on it for 24 hours and then decide if it's something you can live without or get elsewhere for less.