Why it Pays to Shop Around

[Ben]

It pays to shop around and use the Googles.

A few days ago, I bought this (super deal with a 25% off coupon):

https://www.harborfreight.com/15-gallon-spot-sprayer-12-volt-61263.html

Turns out the drain cap was cracked*. Because it's a chemical sprayer, there's a whole big thing you have to do before returning it to Harbor Freight, so I thought, "They must have replacement parts, no?" Yes they do. A replacement plastic cap is $8. Non big deal, right? Eight bucks and via Amazon I save both the hassle of the return and the gas to drive there. Except while gazoogling, I came across the fact that the cap is just a standard 3/4" hose thread (as in garden hose). That's $0.35 at the local hardware store. 

Anyway, I'm finding more and more that it's almost more valuable to spend time searching prices on cheap stuff than expensive stuff. I used to always just do the latter, but am finding more and more that I can save 10x or more on under $10 stuff with just a few minutes of online research. That adds up. As to the sprayer, other than the cracked cap, it's an excellent unit. I should have bought one of these years ago. Hose and spray nozzle are well made, and the motor pressurizes very well. It only comes with alligator clips, which is somewhat impossible for access to an ATV battery under the seat, but a $5 cigarette lighter plug, a few snips, connectors, and electrical tape, and it plugs right into an ATV 12v outlet.


*Which I didn't realize until I'd already driven over part of my lawn, so I expect some interesting patterns of dead grass (I was spraying generic RoundUp) on the lawn in a week or so. 

[230RN]

Must be more'n twenty yar ago I put together a bunch of adapters with cig plugs, cig jacks, and big alligator clips in various combinations.

Enormously handy, but I don't futz with that kind of stuff any more.

A hint for car batteries not to be used in the car, but other things (like my handy-talkies) is to clean the terminals and put stainless hose clamps on them.  Can then use small alligator clips on the protruding ends of the hose clamps, and you don't have to use the meter probes to poke through lead corrosionate (Pb₂CorO₅) to take a measurement.

Terry, 230RN

[Nick1911]

I order many things drop shipped driectly out of china and hong kong for very, very cheap prices.  Shipped.  They do take a while to arrive.  But, very inexpensive.

There's a sign at one of my appliance parts supply houses in town stating "Buy good products from real people locally.  Support local business."  You know, that's okay, but when I buy parts there and look at the box, almost all of them come out of factories overseas anyway.  Sorry guys, you're middlemen, and the world is changing.  If I need something today, I'll shop there.  Otherwise, I don't feel guilt ordering things directly from overseas for a fraction of the cost.

[RoadKingLarry]

If I need something today, I'll shop there.

I try to support local business when I can but far too often I hear "We can order that for you".
My thoughts when I hear that is - I can order it too, probably cheaper and have it sooner.

[HankB]

There's a sign at one of my appliance parts supply houses in town stating "Buy good products from real people locally.  Support local business."  You know, that's okay, but when I buy parts there and look at the box, almost all of them come out of factories overseas anyway.  Sorry guys, you're middlemen, and the world is changing.  If I need something today, I'll shop there.  Otherwise, I don't feel guilt ordering things directly from overseas for a fraction of the cost.

Same here. I've been known to laugh out loud when I see someone touting "buy local" and whatever it is they're selling is decidedly NON-local . . . and often isn't even domestic.