Just need to vent

I am sorry to hear about that...I hated going to the laundromat which I had to do for 1 year and a half until my husband and I could afford one...he didn't seem to be a big hurry as he wasn't the one having to go to the laundromat...it's amazing how dependent we have all become on things like that...and how much we take for granted the simple things...trust me in the last 8 years we have not lived in the best of circumstances financely but have slowing climbed out of it...so it wil get better I just hang in there.

I have had things like that happen myself. Seems like things happen at the worst times. A possible solution if things are real tight, have you gone to some place like Aarons, Colortyme, Rent a Center? Sometimes they will have new stuff there and if you pay it off in 90 days it doesn't cost any more than buying it new at the store. We have had to do that a few times and some things we have had to streatch due to budgets. Just a thought that might help.

Just watch the prices at those rental places!

Read the contract carefully, too. I just got back from service call for a lady who has a PC from Rent-a-Center. It was a hrdware issue that RAC should, by rights, have made good under warranty. They couldn't figure it out, so they said it wasn't their problem.

These places are a little more expensive that a regular retailer if you do the accelerated payoff. Where they shove it in you and break it off is on the longer-term rent-to-own. That can run into several times the value of the item. Again, read the contract carefully!

Good luck!

I hate it when that happens....I really do. We've had that happen to us and its hard to be prepared for emegergencies.


Take your tight budgeting as an accomplishment! and I hope it works out with the washer.

Vent anytime! :D

Yes you do have to watch some of those places. Guess we have been lucky dealing with the guy we deal with. Most things we have gotten paid off in 90 days, so that has helped.

Thanks everyone. Right now we are doing our wash at my moms so it isn't costing us anything. I am going to use some of my tax refund to buy a new machine. I will not deal with any of the rent to owns around here. But thanks for the ideas.

I feel better just knowing that someone knows how it is.

Also, I am comparing prices with Maytag, GE, and Amana. Anyone have any advice. I will not buy a kenmore ever again so that is out of the question.

When we bought our washer and dryer 8 years ago, we really wanted Maytag but didnt have the $$ for it...we were buying our first house at the time so we had to be sensible. We've had our "Home Depot" special GE washer and dryer ever since, with no issues.

I am sorry to hear about your troubles and believe me, I know exactly how you feel. Sometimes it just seems life aint worth doing....but I guess things will get better

I know how you feel--about the time you think you can breath--something breaks down! One time all of our vehicles broke down at once with no way to work!

Hang in there!! This is a good time--if there is such a thing-- for buying appliances--they are getting in their "08 models and several around here are on sale, so check around!!..KAren

Have you tried looking on Craigslist for a slightly used one? I am a craigslist junkie, you wouldn't believe the deals you can find on there if you spend the time looking. I've seen 1 month old high end kitchen appliances go for 25% of retail, they were installed, rich lady don't like them so they get replaced, see it with all kinds of things on there.

I ended up getting a kitchen table with 4 chairs (solid wood) for $50 there and this weekend ended up getting a dishwasher for $40. Not quite as big as the one we had but it isn't bad. Have seen a lot of things on there, plus some people will even offer things for free, but just watch those because sometime they don't work or are total junk. I did have a friend that got a dishwasher that worked and looked pretty good for free. Guy got another one and just did not want to mess with it trying to sell it, so he just gave it away. Think it was only like 4 years old. Some of those things you also have to watch the price because some people on there are trying to sell used for the price you can get the same item new, but if you watch, you can get some really good deals. I am always on there looking!!!

Just goes to show the quality of machines these days. My dad bought a Montgomery Ward washer and dryer back in 1980. He's had them both out in the garage many times changing the belts and such, but to this day both machines still run fine. Same with his fridge - it's from the 70s and still works, albeit he's had to change the fan motor a few times and a new compressor.

Nowadays you buy something and it's dead within 5 years.

Then again, my dad has always been a very good handy man. My dad used to take us "garbage-picking" on Sundays, and he would look for appliances (refrigerators, dishwashers, lawnmowers, etc) that looked 'newer'. He knew that most likely it was thrown out because it was broken and the owner would just rather buy a new one than pay to repair it. So my dad would fix these things up and then resell them at garage sales.

Taking your clothes to your moms sounds so familiar.
Just a year ago Me and my wife had to lugg our wash to
my mother's house to dry them.The place we lived was an old dumpy mobile home, with the floors falling inn
and it could not support a dryer because of the outlet
was faulty.It could have caused a fire.But we managed
to move to a new place and get a dryer hooked up.My
mother however still misses us coming over to dry clothes,so we have to make other "excuses"to come over.

Thanks for the great ideas. I will be checking out craig's list. Also, where I live we have 2 different papers where people can sell items they no longer want. Until I read your posts I never thought to look in there. Oh and I just remembered there is a guy up the road that sells used appliances with a 1 year warranty. You people are really good. Joggged my memory and may have saved me some money.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

spatterson, we lost our washer last year becuase of an electrical surge that caught it on fire. We went to the used appliance store and were able to find one nicer than the one we had for a fraction of the cost. I was going to get it until I could afford the one I really wanted and ended up keeping it and loving it. We have had no problems and it has been a year or so. It has already paid for itself.

Leah!!!!!!!! How is your baby and where did you move to when you left Cincinnati? Dang soooooo glad you are here and doing well!!!!!

My husband and I rent a place from a lady whose mother used to live in our unit. So it's got air conditioning and washer and dryer included. The washer and dryer are the same ones that my husband said they had when he was growing up. He's 32. They are Amana. Well, the dryer finally kicked the bucket, and we bought our own. It's a GE "home depot" special. LOL! I love it, though. It was cheap and works great. The only problem now is that when we move, I may have to either sell it, or get a washer to go with it. It all depends on if the place we move to has a washer dryer in the unit or not. I hate moving. But, now that I got a job again (yea!!!) we can move to a cheaper place. My dad is going to help pay for the move in costs and the cost of getting a U-haul. We're just going to be moving across town. We couldn't move while I was out of work because they want to see employment history on applications. So we had to pay more money to live in a more expensive place until I got work so we can move to a cheaper place. Funny how that works.

That is great news that you are able to move now. A cheaper place and a new job. Sounds like you will have some extra money!!! Good luck to you.

Well, that extra money will just go to pay down the car loan...besides utilities that's the only real debt we have. And I want that GONE! I hate owing money to anyone. I don't feel like I can put money away into savings unless we don't owe anyone else.

Oh swedishgirl, I hear you. I am in the process of paying off all my debt too. When I pay one debt off, I add that payment to my other. From what I have read, you should have $1,000 in savings and then pay off your debt. Once your debt is paid off then you can put more into savings. $1,000 for emergencies.

Being debt free will be the greatest feeling.