The Chronic Consumer

One topic my husband and I have been discussing a lot recently is whether or not we should spend money on expensive home electronics or simply settle for the cheap stuff. For instance, we decided to go with a high-quality Sharp Aquos LCD flat-panel television instead of a cheaper model because we didn’t want to run into any problems down the road. However, our DVD player is just a piece of junk $79 model that we bought on sale about 7 years ago.

The question is: are we losing out on anything by not having a “real” entertainment setup? I mean, I suppose we could pay a few thousand dollars for a Bose home theater, but how much value would that add to our viewing experience? Are good speakers and so forth worth the investment?

I’ve talked to a couple of friends about this issue, and as far as I can tell, opinions are divided on this matter. Some people think it doesn’t matter at all, while others believe we’re shortchanging ourselves (and our television) by not having proper accessories to go along with it.

Hey, if money wasn’t an object, I’d go out and buy the most expensive home theater equipment I could find. But that’s not the case here, so we’re really going to have to think about how much we’re willing to spend on these products.

Have any of you started to receive your tax refunds yet? If you filed early and opted for direct deposit, then there’s a possibility you’ve gotten your payment already. If you have received your refund, what are you planning to do with the money?

I’m only scheduled to get $42 back from Uncle Sam, so it’s not as though I’m going to be able to go out and buy beachfront property or even Branson lots with my check. Still, it’s a lot better than owing money on April 15, so I’m not complaining.

What I’m really waiting for now is the $600 that I’m supposed to get as part of the economic stimulus package. That’s enough dough to buy something good for sure. I’m currently putting together a list of possible purchases that I might make. Thus far, my list contains a bunch of items ranging from books and DVD box sets to more expensive items like a PlayStation 3 or a weekend getaway with my husband.

Whatever I end up buying, I know I’ll have fun just shopping again!!

My son went to play at a friend’s house over the weekend, and the other boy had a trampoline. The boys bounced around on that thing for hours, tired themselves out, took a break, and then went right back for more. My son loved the trampoline (that was the first time he had ever tried one).

The problem is that now he’s asking for one of his own, but unfortunately, we just don’t have anyplace to put it. Our backyard is far too small to accommodate one, and every room in the house is too crowded to add something like that.

Maybe we can get one if we ever move to a single-family home, but for now, it’s a no go. Sorry, buddy!