(Lessons Learned.)
I admit it. I'm famous for leaving my car lights on, or the parking lights on, especially since I've either been in a drive that wrapped around the house and didn't have anything to reflect the lights back to me, or, that I back into my drive and therefore, still have nothing to reflect the light on. Good excuses, but what's that got to do with leaving lights on in the daytime? Hmmm. Nothing. We have plenty of days where it's not real bright out, but, yet, it's not dark. I'm guilty. My lights have to be turned off manually and I've been known to leave my lights on more than once.
Okay. A lot more than once. ;-)
Most often I've been lucky and have been able to round someone up to give me a jump start. I have diligently carried my jumper cables in my car (they used to be in the big truck, but I learned my lesson quickly) so that I would always have them when I found a willing helper.
This morning, I went to the car and we're out the door late. The doors wouldn't unlock. Hmmm. That's strange. I came to find out that nothing worked; I apparently left the parking lights on last night when we arrived home. As usual, when you're late and this happens, distress can set in pretty quickly. As I went through my list of possible solutions in my head, I was grateful that we have neighbors. I went and asked for help ;-).
My neighbor came out in his shorts and turned his car around and helped me out. Oh, the sweet feeling of a rescued damsel in distress ;-). We thanked him,and I was kind of glad that he had a chance to warm up the van for his wife who was flying out the door to clean three houses after having no work for the last two days. Ah, well, at least I didn't ask him out here for nothing.
We went on our way, and I was diligent about keeping my car running so we could charge that dead battery. I dropped Big Z off with a hug from the car. I made it to the USPS and shut it off, not remembering until afterward that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. It started up and I figured the hurdle was over--- that was long enough for the alternator to do its work, yeah!
Today was a different story. I backed my car into the drive and headed to do my work. After I was finished with numerous tasks, I raced out the door to go offer help to our new friend with her baby since likely she and Baby were the only ones home. When I got in my car and went to star it, I found it wouldn't start, again.
Hmm. Not to worry; I'd checked already, and I can say that I did turn the lights off this time. The battery was dead, dead, dead. I got creative though and figured that automatics must be able to turn over by some other mechanism like a standard when you pop the clutch, right? I thought, "What do I have to lose (except maybe the tranny) if I just roll on down the hill here and start her up?" I figured nothing, and I had the bonus of my neighbor still being home (he's laid off from work). Well, alas, there is no such magic experience: my car didn't do a thing. Hmmph.
Off I went to get my neighbor to sweet talk him one more time for help. He was eating lunch, and his boy home from school ill. I told him I'd wait, all the while knowing my opportunity for helping my friend was likely to be a loss. Since I had to wait, I got my recycling containers from the street and stumbled over my gas cans in the garage entryway. They've just come from the back of the truck that has a new owner and home. I decided that I would give one of them to my neighbor as a thank you for helping me not once today, but twice. He'd been eyeing them in the back of my truck and finally asked me about them one day, asking if they were mine. I told him that most were, that I used them for when I mowed lawns in the summer. I came upstairs and got a pen to cross out my name so that I could surprise him with it.
When he came out, I'd finally sunk myself into the seat of my car and was enjoying the added warmth of my down jacket coupled with the warmth created from the sun's beautiful rays after rain last night. I eased into the fact that I was going to have to get a new battery . . . an inevitable action when a battery is as old as mine. My brother-in-law told me so in CA in late November when I left my lights on and had to ask him for help. He laughed (as only good brother-in-laws do) when I stopped him after my step-dad's funeral before he and my sister took off down the highway. He knew exactly what I'd done ;-). His family has had an auto shop for years so he could tell by my sweet battery that its day was coming, and he even suggested I take care of it right then and there. Well, I didn't. And, it got me back home and to CA and back for one more trip, no problem. Today, however, that wasn't the case.
My neighbor didn't say anything as he got in his truck and pulled it to my car. The van had a nice new battery in it, and new cable ends and it was sweet. I commented on it and he showed me it also had another new part (this many hours later, I admit I don't remember what it was). The engine compartment to his Toyota was even sweeter, and his battery also looked great. So, since I knew my engine wouldn't turn right over after how dead it was this morning, after we hooked up the cables, I told him to come look.
I went to the open door of my car and brought out the gas can. I said, "This is for you."
He said in his rusty English (he's from El Salvador), "How much you want?"
I replied, "I don't want anything for it. You asked about it and I'm giving it to you to thank you for helping me."
He said, "Really?" and he smiled. He was surprised.
I said, "Yes. It's for you. I appreciate your help, and I know you can use it for the lawn-mowing you do for your R.Services company."
I could tell he was happy. We started talking about car batteries and where to get them and then we talked about giving my truck away and he was surprised. He then told me he wanted a bigger truck, a Toyota Tundra, and that the prices are good for them now. I laughed and said, "They still cost a lot when you don't have any money!" And, he agreed, that now that he's out of work, he can't get one, but he drove one anyhow, and they're really nice.
My car started right up so I disconnected the cables and figured by then, there was no way I was going to be able to help my friend if I went to her house, especially if my car wouldn't start again! So, off to Sears I went. While I was driving there, I was wondering how my unexpected purchase would affect the rest of our budget. And, my other thought was I surely didn't have time to find someone to help me get a Visa gift card to make my local purchase! Thankfully, I made it through all that thinking as I arrived and had the thought:
"Isn't Sears on Big Z's Mall? I think it IS! Wow! This is great. I wonder, since I have money in my checking account (as of yesterday) and I have a debit card, if I can make an online purchase and pick up the battery right here?"
The first thing I told the technician was why I came to Sears. The second thing I asked was if I could check to see if Sears was a store on my son's mall so that I could get him a rebate for my purchase; and if I could pick up my battery right then and there. We had to ask his manager and we found that you CAN pick up your online order at the store. GREAT.
So, we went about checking to see if they had a battery in stock. We found one that would work. Then, we went to the computer to see if I could make an online purchase. We ran into a snafu there because Sears only has an Intranet of its own stores to view online.
I told the young man, "Isn't there anywhere else I can use a computer? I can only make this purchase through my son's business portal!" There wasn't, so, I said, "Well, my only solution is to go home, leave my car running, and make the order online and come back here." He had no other alternative but to agree, so, I got the pertinent information I would need and came home.
I went to Big Z Gives Big, Big Z's Foundation Mall, and I looked in the drop-down menu and YES! Sears IS on the Mall. I double-checked its rebate paid into the plan was 4.9%. For kicks and giggles, and since Kmart and Sears are now tied together, I checked Kmart's rebate --- not-so-good. So, happily I went back to Sears and made my purchase.
I easily navigated the system, placed my order for the battery and the installation, and checked the little box that said I could pick up the battery at the local store. YEAH. Ginny said she's done this before. Some of the other M-Team have done this before. But this was the first time that I got to do this before: I got to order from Big Z's Foundation Mall AND pick it up locally!!! In addition, I get to give Big Z a rebate for our emergency purchase!
Fantastic!
I admit to having to practice a little bit of patience awaiting the confirmation that I could get back to the store because they said my receipt could take up to 2 hours and I surely didn't want to leave my car running for that long. In the end, from the time I printed off my purchase to the time I got my email verification, it was about 20 minutes. Not too shabby.
I took my paperwork back to Sears, found my technician, and we set about getting the new battery in the car. The paperwork was pretty easy. I shared the story with the other new fella that was there, but no matter how much I raved about giving my son a rebate, they didn't seem interested in learning more about how they, too, could get rebates from their purchases.
I was happy to get my battery and was outta there and safely home. All told, my little emergency excursion cost me 3 hours and $125 from start to finish.
Is there a lesson in all of this?
Yes. That lesson is, "Shop on your mall!"
Is there another lesson in all of this?
Unfortunately yes: "Turn your lights off when you leave your vehicle, especially for extended periods of time!"
Is there another lesson in this?
Unfortunately, yes. And this is a very important one: Always, always do what you're told to do when you're shopping from your mall. Always, always, look at the magnifying glass before you place your order so that you know the stores' policies on their rebate payments to you. After all, there's that beautiful little blurb on your home shopping page that says, "First time shopping? Click here to get started". I think I'd read those bits of wisdom so that you can avoid this little learning lesson for yourself!
Alas, I was so excited and harried, that I saw the initial rebate paid into the plan at 4.9%. Having ordered through bigzgivesbig.com, this gave a rebate to the Foundation Mall and to Big Z's Mall, right?
Wrong.
I read the magnifying glass just now, and I have to reiterate: Always read your magifying glass before you purhcase.
Here's my news on my lesson learned on rebates for Sears as of today:
Varying Commission Levels listed below - please note Sears pays their affiliate commissions 120 Days out. Meaning the commission will not show in your commission table until the first of the month following the 120 days.
0% Gift Cards
0% Home Delivery Charges
0% When Item is picked up at store - even when ordered online
0% PA & Installation
1.40% Electronics: Home Office
1.40% Fitness
1.40% Housewares
1.40% Lawn & Garden: Nursery
1.40% Tools
2.80% Apparel: Junior
2.80% Apparel: Sportswear
4.90% Jewelry
Effective 12/28/08, Commission increased on jewelry from 2.8% to 4.9%
I think I need to get Sears a magnifying glass . . . they need to reward their dedicated My Power Mall Shoppers ;-).Is there another lesson in all this?
Yes! I didn't ask the people that I told if they knew of anyone who would like to earn a rebate for their shopping, too.
Is there another lesson in all this?
Yes. I did well to remember to shop on my son's mall and to tell others about it!
Well, live and (lessons) learned.
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