Advice me
So, my blu ray player came today. I'm super excited about it because it means I can stream netflix to my TV. This is important because when I actually had cable and watched TV all the time, I got really used to doing stuff on my laptop while I was watching stuff. Even if it was only writing about what I was watching. And now, watching stuff on my computer, I'll think of something I want to check and pause the video and go do the other thing and then completely forget I was watching something. And it doesn't get watched, and it's sad. So yeah for having things on my TV while I surf again!
HOWEVER!
The universe hates me today. First I threw my back out walking on a treadmill this morning (how does that even happen it's walking I do it all the time without injury). And then, when I went to plug the blu ray in, I noticed that my TV? Isn't working. I haven't turned my TV on in at least a couple of months, so I have no idea how long it's been like that.
Here's my dilemma. This TV is about 4 years old, and it was a floor model when I bought it so it had been used for awhile before that. So it's not quite as old as you would usually like your TV to be when you replace it, but I have no way of knowing just how much wear and tear it got before I gave it a home. It's also already been repaired once. I had to replace a fuse. Which in all honesty is probably what happened again. Which isn't hugely expensive to fix, but do I want to keep putting money into it? Even when it's working, it's always had problems with developing weird green patches of color on the screen if I pause something for too long. It goes away eventually, but it's still annoying. I don't remember what it cost exactly last time, but I know it was less than $100, pretty sure it was less than $50. And the TV repair place here charges $25 to open it up and diagnose the problem, so if it's a much more expensive repair I could always cut my loses at the $25.
On the other hand, it's kind of a big clunker. The screen is flat, not bubbled like the old ones used to be, but it's still got the huge ass end hanging out the back. Something widescreen and flat has a certain appeal. But I'm also looking at least $250-$300 minimum for the size I want. Maybe $200, but then you start getting into brands that don't have good reps for reliability. Now, I don't want to get into the details of my finances, but the gist of it is yes, I can absolutely afford that. In fact, my paycheck this Friday would more than cover that without having to touch savings. That being said, I'm trying to save money. I want to move into a new apt next spring so I need deposit money, then there's Dragon Con in Sept that I want to go to and I need money for that, and then of course just keeping a little something around in case of emergency. So shilling out several hundred on a luxury, especially after I just splurged on the blu ray player not long ago, makes the penny pincher in my cringe. On they other hand at least this splurge wouldn't put me far into debt, a concept my brothers can't seem to grasp, so I'd still be the most financially responsible sibling, which is fun.
So basically I keep going back and forth in my head. Yes, I can probably get this TV repaired and for probably not that much money. But I also kind of want a new one just because. And I can afford a new one, but I'm also trying to save so do I really want to shill out for a new one.
ROUND AND ROUND IN CIRCLES I GO
HOWEVER!
The universe hates me today. First I threw my back out walking on a treadmill this morning (how does that even happen it's walking I do it all the time without injury). And then, when I went to plug the blu ray in, I noticed that my TV? Isn't working. I haven't turned my TV on in at least a couple of months, so I have no idea how long it's been like that.
Here's my dilemma. This TV is about 4 years old, and it was a floor model when I bought it so it had been used for awhile before that. So it's not quite as old as you would usually like your TV to be when you replace it, but I have no way of knowing just how much wear and tear it got before I gave it a home. It's also already been repaired once. I had to replace a fuse. Which in all honesty is probably what happened again. Which isn't hugely expensive to fix, but do I want to keep putting money into it? Even when it's working, it's always had problems with developing weird green patches of color on the screen if I pause something for too long. It goes away eventually, but it's still annoying. I don't remember what it cost exactly last time, but I know it was less than $100, pretty sure it was less than $50. And the TV repair place here charges $25 to open it up and diagnose the problem, so if it's a much more expensive repair I could always cut my loses at the $25.
On the other hand, it's kind of a big clunker. The screen is flat, not bubbled like the old ones used to be, but it's still got the huge ass end hanging out the back. Something widescreen and flat has a certain appeal. But I'm also looking at least $250-$300 minimum for the size I want. Maybe $200, but then you start getting into brands that don't have good reps for reliability. Now, I don't want to get into the details of my finances, but the gist of it is yes, I can absolutely afford that. In fact, my paycheck this Friday would more than cover that without having to touch savings. That being said, I'm trying to save money. I want to move into a new apt next spring so I need deposit money, then there's Dragon Con in Sept that I want to go to and I need money for that, and then of course just keeping a little something around in case of emergency. So shilling out several hundred on a luxury, especially after I just splurged on the blu ray player not long ago, makes the penny pincher in my cringe. On they other hand at least this splurge wouldn't put me far into debt, a concept my brothers can't seem to grasp, so I'd still be the most financially responsible sibling, which is fun.
So basically I keep going back and forth in my head. Yes, I can probably get this TV repaired and for probably not that much money. But I also kind of want a new one just because. And I can afford a new one, but I'm also trying to save so do I really want to shill out for a new one.
ROUND AND ROUND IN CIRCLES I GO