This is a funny one. My hubby sometimes turns notoriously cheap, hence I had to make up a new word for him as in, he's giving me a "cheapache."
Usually he only gives me one when we're spending on something unfun or for the house.
Yesterday, a friend called from the junkyard asking if we wanted the bumper off of a Honda there. Our Honda is a 1997 hatchback. We were rear-ended by an uninsured driver after a ski trip maybe 6 years ago, and hubby didn't want to pay to repair the damage to the rear bumper. It looks like a shark took the bite out of one side. I agreed, because I just found out I was pregnant AND with 200k miles on it, I thought the car would die any second.
So yeah... I said yes on the new (used) bumper, at $43. My hubby protested, saying "can't we get one cheaper? We should skip it and just save the money."
Um yeah, a cheaper bumper than $43?? I'll let you guys chuckle quietly at that one. The car, still alive and well, now has 225k miles on it and clearly is not dying any time soon.
I said yes to the bumper, rolling my eyes. Later, Hubby said he refused to *pay* to put it on, so with the help of the Haynes repair manual from the library, I SHOULD DO IT. Like how he decides to be cheap and that means I have to figure out how to replace a car bumper while he stands over me scratching his head!?!?! I thought that was funny.
(as a sidenote, Hubby is not handy. I have fixed every house issue and hung every shelf in our 11 years together. the irony? He says we live in a specialist economy, and he is a specialist, so he is supposed to earn enough to 'pay' another specialist to take care of everything else. Um yeah. No one is paying me to be the handywife!! Funny, I know).
Anyway, I said sure, I'll try. I got an auto repair manual out of the library. It looks easy, which means it won't be, but it should be an adventure. Wish me luck!!
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In other news,
I also saw this article and thought it was insightful:
Funny DH cheapache!
October 18th, 2012 at 08:42 pm
October 18th, 2012 at 08:50 pm 1350593407
October 19th, 2012 at 12:50 am 1350607805
October 19th, 2012 at 01:55 am 1350611745
'Course it might be just a few bolts?? If so - you GO girl!!
October 19th, 2012 at 03:56 am 1350619014
AMEN to your comment that it "looks easy" which means it won't be. That is always the way that goes.
October 19th, 2012 at 04:43 am 1350621825
October 19th, 2012 at 01:04 pm 1350651840
October 19th, 2012 at 02:13 pm 1350656001
I make it a rule to never fix my car, because then it only gets hit again. There is a rule out there that my car will *always* have a dent. Though certain cars seem to have worse karma. My first car kept getting rear ended over and over and over - I was even hit while paying at a parking garage. (I share this for Petunia - ha! - save the money). That said, if you have to take the risk, $43 is not a bad deal. Good Luck with the DIY!
October 19th, 2012 at 04:00 pm 1350662412
Note to Monkey Mama, I have never had a ding on any car I have owned in 35 years!
October 19th, 2012 at 04:03 pm 1350662629
October 28th, 2012 at 10:47 pm 1351464453