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My parents are not spenders. They are the king and queen of "Oh, no, its fine for now" fully cognizant that "now" can turn into a Very Long Time.
Case in point: They completely tore most of the house down and rebuilt it in 1987-1988. The kitchen they put in has a built in spot (including outlet) for a microwave that they "might get sometime." You know what has been in that spot since? Cookbooks.
This past weekend was the tax-free weekend for the year. All sales tax was suspended for items up to $2500 - and if the single item was over $2500? You only paid tax on the amount over $2500.
They decided to make a list and go shopping. Now they have great past shopping expeditions where they go out and come back with nothing. My mother was totally prepared to not get anything. Her list was modest. A new toaster that actually toasts BOTH sides of the bread. A new pole dryer. Some hypoallergenic pillow covers. A bigger cooler for the car for groceries.
She also thought they might be able to find a nice piece of furniture for the master bedroom that could function as a high side table that had drawers in it (pie in the sky, she thought). It would replace a fabric covered piece of plywood up on a jury rigged wooden base that my dad dumps all his pocket crap onto before going to bed. My mother HATES the pocket crap. She wanted something with drawers specifically so he had SOMEWHERE (hidden) to put his pocket crap.
My dad had loftier goals. He wanted a new flat screen TV. He wanted to finally get that microwave.
When they spend money they SPEND MONEY!
They came back with EVERYTHING ON THE LIST. Granted, some is being delivered - like the TV, and stand to put it on, and the bit of furniture for the master bedroom is being made and will be delivered in a few weeks.
The flat screen plasma TV is a 60 inch HDTV (replacing the "new" TV that was only about 33 inches ("new" being a relative term, of course. "New" in this instance means "since I was no longer living there")).
Case in point: They completely tore most of the house down and rebuilt it in 1987-1988. The kitchen they put in has a built in spot (including outlet) for a microwave that they "might get sometime." You know what has been in that spot since? Cookbooks.
This past weekend was the tax-free weekend for the year. All sales tax was suspended for items up to $2500 - and if the single item was over $2500? You only paid tax on the amount over $2500.
They decided to make a list and go shopping. Now they have great past shopping expeditions where they go out and come back with nothing. My mother was totally prepared to not get anything. Her list was modest. A new toaster that actually toasts BOTH sides of the bread. A new pole dryer. Some hypoallergenic pillow covers. A bigger cooler for the car for groceries.
She also thought they might be able to find a nice piece of furniture for the master bedroom that could function as a high side table that had drawers in it (pie in the sky, she thought). It would replace a fabric covered piece of plywood up on a jury rigged wooden base that my dad dumps all his pocket crap onto before going to bed. My mother HATES the pocket crap. She wanted something with drawers specifically so he had SOMEWHERE (hidden) to put his pocket crap.
My dad had loftier goals. He wanted a new flat screen TV. He wanted to finally get that microwave.
When they spend money they SPEND MONEY!
They came back with EVERYTHING ON THE LIST. Granted, some is being delivered - like the TV, and stand to put it on, and the bit of furniture for the master bedroom is being made and will be delivered in a few weeks.
The flat screen plasma TV is a 60 inch HDTV (replacing the "new" TV that was only about 33 inches ("new" being a relative term, of course. "New" in this instance means "since I was no longer living there")).
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http://www.agassiztrading.com/electrical/toasters/son-chief_toaster.htm
My dad was all SRS BIZNEZ debating the pros and cons of their choice, and my mom was all "you know the kind. You can poke your finger in there, but I used to roll up pieces of paper and watch them burn up. It was great fun! Why don't they make toasters that simple anymore?" (well, you firebug, probably because people poked their fingers in there while it was on and burned themselves, rolled up pieces of paper and set fire to their house).
...I was kind of expecting her to say she was nostalgic for a long fork and an open flame, but no, a heating element she could get at was what she (laughingly) wanted. My dad mostly ignores us when we get like that.
You know what I got tax-free weekend? Groceries.
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And yay for toasted toast and hidden pocket crap!