07 September 2016

Gotta Love Shopping Days

You know how some days you just can't find a decent deal on anything you need? And on others, everything just seems go right? We call those "looking days" and "shopping days."

We knew we needed to get a gas-powered snowthrower for the new drive. It's 275 feet long, give or take, and varies from 10 to 20 feet wide, being widest in the middle as it curves in front of the garage doors. We kept telling ourselves that we'd buy one as soon as they went on display, this year.

We just visited a Big Box Hardware store, and lo and behold: a double row of snowthrowers sitting out front.

We went inside and found a sign: 15% off on any Troy-Bilt model that's in stock. So I flagged a clerk down, and started looking over the gas-powered units. My old electric model was great, but best suited our four parking spaces at the old place. The new driveway is just too big, and it's no fun dragging 200' of extension cord through snowdrifts.

We were driving my wife's small SUV today, so it needed to be a model which could be folded up small enough to fit in the back. Ideally, anyway. Worst case scenario would be to buy a bigger model, and set it aside for Older Daughter to retrieve with her F-150, after work.

And then, everything clicked: we picked a model that was priced at $500.  The 15 percent discount lowered that to $425, and the 10 percent veterans' discount lowered it further to $380.

And the handle bolts together in the middle, like a lawnmower, so the clerk grabbed some pliers and a couple of wrenches. He even helped me lift the thing into the back of the SUV.

I love a good shopping day. :)


p.s. Notice to FTC: I paid for everything described here, out of pocket. Take a hike.

10 comments:

drjim said...

Might have to look into one when we move to Colorado.....

Rev. Paul said...

Jim, you might want to look at a self-propelled model, depending on your elevation & snow profile. I thought about it for this one, but decided to take a chance and save some money.

drjim said...

The elevation is around 5000', and the snow profile is 54" per year, with the largest month (12") being March.

Yeah, I know..... you guys probably get more snow in one snowfall than Fort Collins does all year!

Still, even though I've lost 10 pounds, and have been doing some strenuous (for me) work the last month or two working on the car, shoveling snow was NOT something I enjoyed back in Illinois!

Rev. Paul said...

Okay, you probably won't need a self-propelled model, but that's good news for your pocketbook. Yes, we get more snow than that. I liked shoveling snow when I was young, strong & stupid. A few years ago, it became a chore, and now I don't care for it at all. But with the machine, it's much better. :)

drjim said...

Yeah, baby!

POWER toys for BIG boys!

LindaG said...

Hope it works well for you!

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Snow blowers make winters tolerable, IMO.

Rev. Paul said...

Thanks, Linda.

WSF, agreed. There's no way I'm going to shovel 275' of driveway by hand.

Guffaw in AZ said...

What's a snowblower?
What's snow?

:-P

gfa

PS - unseasonably cool @ 95, today
PPS - and good for you!

Rev. Paul said...

Guffaw - you know that fake white stuff that Sam the Snowman slides around on, on the Rudolph Christmas special? It's the real version of that. :) And thanks.