I am NOT a consumer whore (and how!)

[trinityvixen]

Despite the tag on this entry, I've been very good. I bought one lamp at IKEA this weekend, and I've proven that I'm desperate for it because I've been misereable for a good long couple of weeks without it. The lighting in our living room is just not up to snuff. The bulb has noticeably dimmed over time. It must recently gotten way worse because I'm just all of a sudden noticing that I get really head-achy if I sit in the living room relying on that overhead light. Especially if I sit in the one corner of the couch. I pop in the IKEA lamp, and presto, no more headaches.

It's just part and parcel of a few lighting issues in our place right now. The hallway light has one socket that I just can't wedge a bulb into and darkling1 said the light over by his and feiran's office almost immediately popped a bulb when he tried to replace it. I need to get the managers to send over their electrician again. At least the living room is settled (for now). I suppose I'd have the electrician take a look at that, too, or at least bring by another bulb with which to test if that's the problem or not. Whatever I decide to do, I will have to be sure to get done before we move out. I'm certainly not paying for them to fix these things on my deposit later.

But the point of this post is that I proved I can restrain myself this weekend in purchases (if not in food; ugh, all-day hangover from Indian buffet). I did not buy a 1TB external hard drive for $100. I don't immediately need it, seeing as once I reclaim my portable hard drive, I'll have about 100 GB free on it. (I think.) It was a close call, but I made it. I find myself less and less apt to spend frivolously on such things. However, as I discussed with moonlightalice, the temptation of household goods grows ever stronger even as the siren lure of technology and DVDs fades from my memory. (Thanks, Netflix!) The allure of possibly organizing myself, of outfitting myself with real furniture and such is always so hard to resist when you go to a store like IKEA and see all the ways you might, finally, coordinate the pieces in your rooms. (As opposed to the hodge-podge I inherited/purchased from parents and siblings and friends and strangers.) I'm very lucky to have left only with that lamp.

Comments

[edgehopper.livejournal.com]

Who was selling a 1 TB external hard drive for $100? My hard drive is filling up with TiVo recordings.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Buy.com was. In a moment of weakness, I went back this morning to try buying it--just to, you know, see how I felt about the sort of finality that putting it in my cart would engender--and it seems to be out of stock. Or, rather, that I would try to add it and it would say it was in stock but would suggest I buy from other, not-$100 vendors.

I did see that it was $94.99 at NewEgg, but you'd have to pay at least $20 for shipping.

[bigscary.livejournal.com]

If you're not on the buy.com mailing list, you're missing out on a chance to have your pocket picked by GIANT BARGAINS every morning.

Also, missing an opportunity to track the GB/$ rate in a variety of media.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Ugh, I need to get off their mailing list. It's too tempting!

[bigscary.livejournal.com]

butbutbut 7$ for a keychain digicam! Sure, it's CIF (300x300 about) butbutbut!

[saikogrrl.livejournal.com]

Gogo self control! XD Also I know Ikea is terrible like that. I want my house to match n all!

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

It's evil. They have entire living room setups to make you feel like you could be all classy. Even with that living room, I never could be :P

[wellgull.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I still question the classiness of a giant fuzzy orange couch.

[chuckro.livejournal.com]

Crap, that's a dangerous site. I don't even need the extra storage space, but the idea of having a whole terabyte to myself is so tempting...

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

There's still something magical about a terabyte. I mean, I functionally have 1TB between my storage options, DVDs/CDs I've burned, and yet? THE TERABYTE DRIVE CALLS TO ME.

Thank God they were sold out. I need to get off of Buy.com's mailing list. I won't, but I should. BigScary is right: the mailing list is like having Buy.com pick your pocket with BARGAINS every morning.