I honestly believe that one should never skimp when it comes to purchasing a major household appliance such as a refrigerator, stove, washer or dryer. However, my ex-husband Pete felt differently, and always tried to cut corners when we were married. Shortly before our wedding, we moved into an apartment which had washer and dryer hookups, so we knew that we needed to purchase a washer and dryer. I suggested that we go to Sears and peruse their selections, but Pete balked, declaring that it was a waste of money to purchase a brand-new washer and dryer set.

One day we were driving on the highway in a remote area, and Pete noticed a used appliance warehouse. He insisted that we check it out, and before I could protest, he had exited the freeway and was driving up the unpaved road which led to the warehouse. We entered the warehouse, and Pete zoomed in on an old (circa 1970’s) white Maytag washing machine and an old yellow GE dryer (circa 1970’s). I must have made a face because Pete immediately scolded me, saying that it didn’t matter that the units were old and mismatched. Pete said, “The washer is $175 and the dryer is $150, which are great prices. We should get these, because they’re a great deal.” Basically, I wasn’t able to argue with him, so we bought the two units and made arrangements to pick them up in several days.

Over the span of three years, the washer broke down SEVEN times, and each time, the service call ranged between $100 and $225. The dryer broke down three times, and the service call ranged between $100 and $175 each time. I was infuriated over the fact that we had dumped about $1,600 into appliances which Pete had declared “a great deal”. Shortly after we separated in 2002, I marched over to Sears and purchased a brand new, matching washer and dryer set, paying $800 for it. I ended up having that washer and dryer set for 10 years, and only had to call a repair person once for the dryer, to the tune of $125.

It is always best to choose quality over a low price.