Sunday, May 27, 2012

Asking Can Save You Money

Remember yesterday when I saved us $113?
If you didn't see that one, here's the recap: Hubby and I wanted to change out our kitchen light. He wanted it done by an electrician (who quoted us $113 for the job). I convinced him that we could do it ourselves. We installed the new light, it looks lovely, and our house is still intact.

I suggested that we use some of our savings to buy a matching ceiling fan for the living room (our kitchen and living room are essentially one big room). Here's what we currently have:

The picture is a little blurry because I was too lazy to get up and turn the fan off for the photo. You get the idea, though. It's nice, but it's not very powerful at all, and it really doesn't go with the kitchen light we just put in.

Here's what the new kitchen light looks like from where I'm sitting right now. Can you tell how proud I am? Can you?

So, off we went to Lowes yesterday. I like Lowes. I can get a decent price there, and unlike Home Depot, they don't ignore me just because I have boobs.

In the lighting department, Hubby and I asked after a few different fans that we liked. Our favorite was a Hunter Regalia 60" fan in brushed nickel. Not only was it a nice fan, but the tag said it was on sale for only $79.98 (Down from $160).

Hey! Guess what! It was out of stock!

We asked about a few other acceptable options, and hey! Guess what! They were out of stock, too!

Our gruff salesman offered to call the other area Lowes and ask them to hold one of the Regalia for us. Here's the problem: at the other store it would cost us $127.20 (the sale price at the other store). Why the nearly 50-buck difference? I asked that. What I got was a slightly vague answer about inventory amounts.

I personally felt that if the tag was still hanging there, they should have found us one for $79.98. Gruff salesman disagreed. Gruffly.

Note: I imagine that this guy is probably pretty nice when not being hounded for something he doesn't have on a super busy holiday weekend. I don't hold this incident against him.

Today we bit the bullet and went to get the Regalia at the other store. On a whim, I asked again about the drastic price difference.

This turned out to be a great idea.

Awesome Lowes employees to the rescue! We had, not one, but THREE guys in Lowes vests helping us. The first was from another department. He not only helped us find TWO knowledgeable people from the lighting department, but he stayed until everything was resolved. The other two guys hopped on the computer and telephone to find the website price, and the price hanging in the other store. In the end these wonderful people walked my family and I up front to make sure we got the $79.98 price.

I love these people.

I love our new fan.

I'm also gonna love installing it ourselves. I can't wait to tell Hubby.











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