“Consumer Reports” The Only Way To Buy

Some of the best money spending advice I’ve ever got was from a former boss, the dad to the children I was a nanny for. He was a frugal sort of guy. (I wrote a little about them here in the context of a great waffle recipe).

Anyway. They seemed to be great money managers and taught their kids about money in unique ways. Like when they were teenagers they got X amount of dollars for the week, to cover gas, food and extras. If you ran out of money early, that was your problem. I remember the eldest child running out of money and asking her parents for gas money. Her mom suggested she ask her teammates (who she took home after practice) to pitch in, which she did. Problem solved.

One morning I was down eating breakfast and John was reading a Consumer Reports magazine. “What a nerd,” I thought, but asked him what he was researching. He was researching cars. Lynn needed a new one, as her ten-year-old old Honda Accord  had almost 200,000 miles on it and was ready to pass down their eldest child.

“Do you always research everything before you buy it?” I asked.

“Yes. If it is over one hundred dollars, it’s worth researching,” he said.

Fast forward 16 years later. This former nanny has had a subscription to Consumer Reports for years. We don’t buy anything without it. Even if it’s under $25. (Yes. I love crow. Thank you. I have to eat it daily for some of the stupidest things I’ve ever said.) Some of our Consumer Reports Best Buys include: a ten year old coffee pot, two digital cameras, Ben’s Truck, my car, our computer, coffee for the coffee pot, our washing machine, dishwasher, dryer, our deck stain, house paint, running shoes, laundry detergent (until we started making our own), cat litter, chain saw, lawn mower, shopping places on and offline… Shoot. I could go on and on.

Who’s the nerd now?

I would like to share my nerdiness with you and save you some money in the process, by giving away a free year’s subscription to the unbiased Consumer Reports magazine.

Just leave me a comment saying what you’re looking to buy.  A vacuum? Insurance? Beer? Wine? Batteries? Cleaners? What’s your poison? This give away ends at 9:00 pm CST on Friday, November 13, 2009. One entry per person, please.

Simply,

Sis

PS Consumer Reports is not sponsoring this giveaway. I am, because I want to. Because…I’m thankful for my readers. Because…I love ya, Man! Consumer Reports don’t even know I exist until my subscription comes due. Thank you.

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