Picked up this cute little lamp from the Goodwill in Medford for $8. Looked like a retro gem with a milk glass shade. Got it home, plugged it in, and the cord started smoking after 10 minutes. The wiring inside was crumbling and totally frayed. So I wasted $8 and had to toss it, plus I could have started a fire. Has anyone else bought something cheap that turned out to be a genuine safety hazard?
I used to think any tablecloth was a waste of money, just use placemats right? Well last month I grabbed this ugly floral one from the bin at Ollie's Bargain Outlet for three bucks on a whim. Had a big family dinner thing last week, someone spilled a whole glass of red punch and I just wiped it up with a sponge. Placemats would have been ruined. Has anyone else found random home stuff at bargain stores that changed your mind about something?
I found a 3-pack of super glue at the dollar store for $1.50 last week and thought I scored big, but when I used it to fix my glasses hinge it stayed gooey for 4 full days before finally holding. Turns out some of that cheap glue has different additives that take forever to cure, especially with small gaps. Anyone else waste a week waiting for bargain bin adhesives to actually work?
I've been buying $8 bags of King Arthur bread flour for my banana bread for like two years now. Last week at the thrift store dollar bin section, an older cashier saw my cart and said just use all-purpose with a spoonful of vital wheat gluten for 30 cents less per loaf. Tried it with a $2 bag from the discount grocery on 5th Street and honestly my bread came out way softer. Has anyone else figured out cheaper substitutions that work just as good?