Some Places Should Be Torched

Harbor Freight Tools is specifically on my mind at the moment. Not because they didn't have what I was looking for. Not because their prices were to high. No. On the contrary, they had what I was looking for, at an obscenely low price, too.

Why the 'tude, you ask?

Because when you go in there, you may think you're only going in for a few $2-3 dollar tools, but chances are you will have spent the better part of your 401k by the time you walk out those doors.

Serious.

Case in point: They're having a sale on their rechargable batteries for $2.50 per package. Pretty sweet deal, I'm thinkin'. So I go down there, pick up a few packages of AA's, 'cause we go through those quicker than my kids can snarf down a box of dry cereal. Then, a few packages of AAA's, 'cause of the various remotes we have. Then 2 packages of "D" size for the baby swing, along with a package of "C" size, 'cause somewhere in the vast cornucopia of beeping and flashing objects that make up our kids' toy collection, there is surely a toy that needs "C" batteries. Then two 9-volt batteries, just to even it all out. If you have been paying attention, you'll see that my current tab is approximately 25.00

But wait, how to recharge all of those batteries? It's not like I can stick them in my mouth while I jam my finger into a light socket (although that is a good time!). So, raise my debt level up another $15.00 for the charger, because my fickle little charger at home only does the AA and AAA sizes. Running total: $40.00.

Okay, now to get the stuff I needed. 2 sets of hex keys (Metric and SAE) for $2.99 each, along with an extremely cheap T-shaped screwdriver. Throw in a couple of spring-loaded clamps @ 1.99 apiece, and a set of small plastic bins to put screws and other junk into (for $6.99), because the plastic specimen cups from the hospital are just not cutting it anymore! My junk totals approximately $17.00

For a grand total of $58.93 plus tax.

At least when you go into the Sears hardware department, you're aware that you'll likely have to take out a second mortgage to cover your purchase. But at Harbor Freight, the brain's center of self-deception is kicked into high gear when it sees low prices and shiny tools.

Mmmmm..... shiny!