Photo by ileezhun – fotolia
Have you ever gotten sucked into buying one of those “As Seen On TV” products? They are seductive. Who doesn’t need a PooTrap to attach to your dog’s butt so you don’t have to bend down and pick it up? Or a Bed MadeEZ, a plastic device that tucks in your sheets?
Maybe you had the willpower to resist the late night ad, but then you saw it at Walgreens for only $9.99 and you caved. I can see you nodding sheepishly. I’m guilty, too. I’ve bought the Snackeez, the water pillow, massage socks, and the sneaker-souper-upper, which promised to make your old sneakers look new … it didn’t. Apparently, I haven’t learned my lesson.
This weekend at the Home and Patio Show I bought an at-home teeth whitener for handsome husband. (Clearly I married the right person, he was totally on board and you can see he’s using it!) Even our kids rolled their eyes at us and could barely believe we spent $100 on the thing. Hey, whitening at the dentist is way more expensive.
There are definitely some people who would never get sucked into an impulse purchase. I am not that person. At the risk of sounding like I’m rationalizing my gullibility, I do have an explanation. I like to think of my tendency to believe these sales pitches as optimism, not naiveté. Glass-half full folks—you know what I mean. I want whiter teeth, cleaner sneakers, and dog poop that picks itself up. I want to believe someone can invent all of those things. I am an eternal optimist and I not only accept that about myself, I like it. I’m also contributing to the economy of inventors that someday will invent a bed that makes itself!
But maybe I have learned a thing or two … at least I didn’t buy this new exercise machine that’s a cross between a carnival ride and a human blender:
Photo by Jordana Green
Did you ever get sucked in to a sales pitch or late night ad? What did you buy? This week I wish you whiter teeth, and an optimistic attitude in all you do.
Update: After two uses, handsome husband’s teeth look whiter!
Photo by Jordana Green
