Bright Lights Eclipse Frugal Spending

Well, this weekend we had to bite the bullet and buy a new fridge.   When nothing in your freezer is frozen anymore and your milk is expiring BEFORE the expiration date, it’s safe to say that it’s time for a new fridge.   We were trying our best to ignore the problem, hoping that one day we’d wake up and it would all of a sudden be cold again, but after 2-3 weeks of denial, we had to face the cold (or in this case, lukewarm) hard truth.

Prior to my lay-off, this was supposed to be the Summer of Renovation which included new kitchen appliances, counter tops & a few other projects.  But, as I’m sure you can understand, once I lost my job all those projects that had made their way to the top of that long term to-do list (you know, the list that as a homeowner, never seems to get any shorter) were destined to just sit there with an indefinite delay. 

Now, as an unemployed person the last thing you want, is an unexpected, but necessary, “large purchase” .  But, we have been smart with our money over the years, and we’ve built up a good “emergency fund”.  Thank God for that E-fund, since the checks that come to me from the good old state of NJ don’t allow for an Unemployment Appliance Emergency. 

The process of shopping for major home appliances can be quite an ordeal: finding a great price, for a great fridge that both hubby & I can agree on.  We did agree that since this will be our fridge for the next 10+ years, quality & fulfilling our needs are just as important as price.  So, if you’ll indulge me, I’d like to walk you my fridge shopping experience

Step 1:  Check online for which stores are running great Labor Day specials (I guess, if we are going to buy a new appliance, this sale weekend is the best time to do it!).

Step 2: Travel to each and every store to check out our options (good thing I am unemployed since this took ME all day after hubby decided I should “narrow it down” without him and he’d look over the final few).

Step 3:  Realize that there are too many options and  I have no idea if I want a side-by-side or a bottom freezer, French door fridge.

Step 4:  Discuss pros & cons of each style with hubby and decide (at home) we want a side-by side.

Step 5:  Take hubby to a couple of stores to see the “finalists”… I mistakenly start with the bottom freezer contenders figuring he’d like to at least see them since he hadn’t participated in any of the shopping.

Step 6:  Watch hubby’s eyes light up, mouth agape as he’s illuminated by the LED lights when he opens the French doors on an enormous 29 cu.ft. fridge  (I can almost hear the God’s playing instruments as the clouds part and the heaven’s open up).

Step 7:  Realize I’m in trouble.. and should never have shown hubby the appliance version of a 60”, high def, plasma TV.

Step 8:  Wonder how all the pros & cons we discussed got tossed out the window after he became giddy, and childlike about having the “best fridge on the block”.

Step 9:  Realize that this is going to be another Men vs Women moment because hubby is going to suggest that we buy a refrigerator that is so big and so bright that you can see it from the moon.

Step 10:  Give in, because it’s a GREAT deal for an awesome fridge and we’ll use it for many, many years to come… although, I try to negotiate with hubby that since he’s so happy about the new fridge perhaps he can learn to clean up around our kitchen??

The Heineken World Fridge -- My Hubby's Dream!

I have never ever seen hubby so excited about anything “home related”, surely not an appliance.  He was like a moth to that LED light and I almost wonder if the fridge manufacturers are onto something.  The more bells and whistles on an appliance the more likely that you can actually get a man interested in buying and using said appliance.    Now, if I could only find a trash can can that has surround sound and fancy lights I’d be a happy girl!!