Warranties + Time = Free Stuff
Warranties, like rebates, are pretty awesome for saving money. And just as with rebates, the general population typically doesn't bother with them due to the headache usually involved. But Mr. FG and I recently bothered with two lifetime warranties. (Yay us!)
We hired someone to install replacement windows back when we bought this house (they were so bad, many of them wouldn't even close.) The windows we got have a lifetime warranty, which is a good thing because one of our panes had a seal failure.
At first, I thought the window was dirty on the outside, but when I went outside to clean it, I realized the "dirt" spots were inside the window.
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So, we dug up the warranty information and got a new pane sent out. I thought they'd send us a whole new upper window portion, but they only sent the glass, which has to be installed in the frame.
I was a little scared of the process, so when my dad came over to do the cabinet door installation, I asked him if he could help me put the new glass in.
It turned out to be not a super difficult job, and I now feel confident that I could replace the glass myself if any of our other windows fail.
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Also, Mr. FG bought a Ridgid drill a few years back after getting frustrated with the poor battery life of his other drill. The batteries on Ridgid tools come with a lifetime warranty, so if one stops taking a charge, you can get a new one for free.
The batteries have been fine for several years, but lately, one quit taking a charge. So, we went over to Home Depot, where someone in the tool rental department was able to handle getting us a new battery.
Eeeeeexcellent.
So, now we have a new window pane and a new battery for $0 out of pocket. Schweet.
Of course, the most awesome thing would be to buy something so well made that it never needs a warranty. But if you try to buy quality and it still fails, the second best thing is to have a warranty and to use it.
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Joshua's 365 post: Untitled (yes, the food category for this post is right!)
When there's a free warranty included we always use it - like the lifetime ones. Fortunately its rare a return needs to be made, as quality products tend to have such guarantees - so you may be paying a little extra but you know you are spending wisely.
What we never do is buy extra warranty on appliances etc. We take our changes presuming that it'll average out on replacements required versus what we would have spent in insuring the goods. And so far so good.
I buy a warranty for my car tires, because I went through a period of getting many, many flat tires. $35 flat fee from NTB was a good value for me because of my talent for driving over sharp objects.
Noticed I typed 'take our changes' rather than 'take our chances'. If the odds are stacked against you then a warranty would seem the prudent thing to consider! aka a propensity to puncture your tyres...
As far as extra warranties are concerned, Consumer Reports recommends against them in most cases. They are rarely used and not worth the extra cost. So, like Jo we usually don't buy them.
I don't buy extended warranties, but I make sure to keep receipts when a warranty is included. In the past couple of years I have had a camera replaced, a laptop fixed, a watch repaired and a belt replaced, all free under warranty. And no, I'm not a particularly careless person, it's just been a run of bad luck!
We keep receipts for this stuff... for a recovering paper hoarder this is enjoyable rather than a chore 😉
We had only been in our house a couple of years one summer when I was very pregnant and very hot. The AC was on but doing nothing in the Virginia heat. I finally sucked it up, called a repair man and prepared for the worst. Turned out the AC was still under warranty so the $400 repair was free. It was like I won the lottery!
That's an argument for calling in the problem sooner rather than later. If you delay, the warranty might run out. My roommate got his Dremmel tool replaced because he didn't delay; had he waited months or years as he often does, he would have had to buy a new one.
I recently took advantage of the lifetime warranty on two JanSport backpacks. One was my daughters new backpack that the zipper got stuck on fabric flap, and one was my husbands (10+ year old) backpack that had frayed shoulder straps. Both were returned in about a month good as new! All I had to do was pay the shipping fee to send them to JanSport. It was an awesome experience and definitely made me a loyal customer!
When we built our house in 2001 we took extended warranties on all appliances, except microwave, and this was the best money spent, because things are not made like the used to be we have used all the warranties....we have replaced 3 items and got an extended warranty on fridge and have already used it. So on major appliances I would get extended warranties they only are like $145 for 4 or 5 years well worth if for me!
Blogher is posting an evil, nasty ad on your blog right now (12.30 pm, Fri Sap 20). It's for a contest to win $1000, it covers your text, and as I scroll down your page it scrolls down with me.
Anyone else getting this?
I need to do better with following up on lifetime warranties....I'm not sure which products we like and use that might have 'em, and our paperwork is scattered in several places. (Note to self - organize those papers!!;-)) My husband is sometimes reluctant to take advantage of a lifetime warranty when it's available.....like the LL Bean slippers with the stitching that started unravelling after 3-4 years of off again/on again wear. Sigh. I'm glad you were able to fix your window and get the free battery replacement.:-)
We have the exact same windows you do, and the same problem with them. We also have the lifetime warranty, which has been great because we've had to replace nearly all of them by now!
When the paddle got stuck on my kitchen aid mixer, kitchen aid sent out a whole new mixer! We've also gotten a new lid for our crock pot, new lids for water bottles, and a new vacuum. I was just thinking about writing my own post on this very topic.
We don't keep receipts or paperwork on this stuff. You just call the company and see what they will do for you. And we certainly don't buy warranties. That is never a good deal. There is always stuff that won't be covered, and sometimes you have to pay a deductible. Then you have to fight them to cover it. Don't buy warranties.
That is fantastic! I always try to keep my warranties (and rebates) at hand until it's time to use them. I'm getting better about it; they all now go in one folder, rather than many folders divided by product name, and that's been very helpful in ensuring I keep everything at hand! Good for you.
We were given a nice set of Calphalon non-stick pots and pans for our wedding over 9 years ago. They have a lifetime warranty, and we have sent back one at a time here and there as they have worn out. Recently, we realized they all were not looking so hot, so we sent them all back. We figured maybe they would replace some of them or possibly all. They sent us back a brand new box, replacing them all. Brand new, what we had replaced was probably over 500 dollars of pots and pans brand new! Of course I wish they didn't wear out in the first place, but the lady I spoke to at Calphalon said it is pretty normal to only get about 5 years (I think that's what she said) out of a non-stick pan.
Does anyone remember the Jansport bookbags? I used to love the one I had and I remember sending it back to the company twice for repairs b/c it had a warranty. I'm not sure how long I kept it but I'm pretty sure I had for a few years.
We also completed a rebate form from a dept. store even though it had expired and it took a little work to get the correct form from the store but everything worked out and we did receive about ten dollars in the mail. Its always nice to get unexpected checks in the mail!
I have noticed that those individuals who are big buyer and somewhat boardering on hoarding do not bother with warranties because it must feel overwhelming to manage all those items
I, however am like you, I take it as a personal success and of course bore everyone with my story of how I took advantage of my warranty. Could it be I just have another type of obsession?