Aug 31, 2006

Don't Make Me Bring Them Back

First an update on our police action yesterday. I got a full briefing from our crack security detachment at work this morning. It seems that the 2 bozos that were apprehended were from Mexico and were driving a truck they stole two months ago from the parking lot next door. The sounds we thought might have been gun shots, were in fact concussion grenades that the police threw at the dopes to stun them. Real grenades would have saved the public a bunch of inconvenience, if you ask me. This is a money-saving tip that may seem obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people won't use it. They are too lazy or too timid. During the spectacular recent makeover of Casa Sneed, the lovely Mrs. Sneed and I spared no expense in making it into a showplace and I think the result proves that. This is a photo of our new chairs that we bought at a little boutique called Costco Membership Warehouse. If you are not familiar with Costco, it is similar to Sam's Club and I think BJ's Warehouse. For an annual fee you get the right to buy gigantic-sized quantities of stuff at a bargain price. Anyway, they sell all kinds of things, food, clothes, books, tapes, computers, heck, Costco even sells caskets cheap. Many of your finer interior design firms use Costco. I'm sure I've seen some of their people in there from time to time. One evening we were at Costco and they had this giant stack of Lane leather chairs for $499.99 each, with a $100 dollar instant rebate. Since we had been looking for new chairs for the living room, we bought two. The net cost was $880.98. This is stylish living to white trash like us, so we think the chairs are just dandy. This past Tuesday night we went to Costco to get a giant vat of something or other and the formerly giant stack of chairs had been reduced to about 10 and the price had also been reduced to $399.97 minus the $100 rebate. This means that just a couple of weeks earlier, we paid $200.02 plus tax more for 2 of the same chairs. Well, I was not taking this sitting down, even in my new chairs. I found the manager and asked her if I could get the $200 back. She said that if I had my receipt and had purchased them less than 30 days ago, I could get my money back. We went home, got the receipt and because we purchased them 29 days earlier, we were able to get $216.20 refunded. How great is that? Whenever we make a large purchase we try to pay attention to the sales for a few weeks afterward to make sure the item doesn't go on sale for less money. Retailers will almost always refund the difference if an item goes on sale right after you buy it. If they won't refund the difference I have been known to return it and repurchase it at the lower price. A couple of years ago, I bought a $3300 HDTV set at Sears and the next day it went on sale at the dreaded Circuit City for $500 less. I called the guy who sold it to me, while still standing in the dreaded Circuit City, and insisted that he match the price or it was going back. He not only matched the price but I got an additional 10% of the difference. That's a $550 savings with just a phone call. I guess my point is don't ever be afraid to ask. All they can say is no and then you get to get huffy with them, which can be fun too. Merle. Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong and sometimes just full of it. Tag:

2 comments:

Kurt said...

They're making money off you even with the $550 refund, and they would rather make money off you than not, which is what would happen if you returned it.

The only time I was not able to get satisfaction was from Virgin Mobile. Avoid them at all costs. And tell everyone.

alphabet soup said...

Well done with the chairs Merle!!
They sure look comfy. Oh dear, I've just made that blunder of abbreviating a word!! Now I can see how you will be able to retire with the sum you have stated you will retire with!! Application and paying attention is what it is all about.