Advertising on TV is crazy expensive, which makes it a very exclusive marketing tool for businesses to reach their audience. When companies advertise on TV they do it as premeditated damage control. They incur in a huge expense with the purpose of selling more products or services they manufacture or provide.
Regardless, all that money spent is an investment. They spend X amount of money expecting to make X+ Y%.
Those expectations get crystalized when families like yours and mine surrendered our cash to them in exchange for what they sell. Indirectly we are paying for all those forms of advertising.
To illustrate my point, I want to share with you my experience hiring contractors. Two summers ago our air conditioning broke; it wasn’t cooling enough. It needed a charge of gas.
Exactly the same week, my neighbor was going through the same situation. With the difference that he decided to call one of the big names that advertise on TV. They came within 24 hours. He was also charged $580. There was a $150 fee for being an emergency call, plus $120 per Lbs of gas, and then some sort of extra fee for tuning the unit or whatever they told him.
The guy I usually call, could not come right away. We waited for three days. Yes, those were hot days. It was uncomfortable. However, I am aware that AC is not “a thing” all around the world. Most people open the windows when it’s hot and bare the heat; so we pushed through those days.
Finally, our technician came over. I asked him if I had to replace the unit? My AC unit looks so bad, I am not kidding, that you wouldn’t think it even works. His response was “don’t worry about it. Save the money for the kids. If we make it work don’t bother.” A few minutes later he had it cooling the house with no problems. Coincidentally, just like my neighbor we also paid for 3 Lbs of gas. Out total was $120!!!! No service call fee, tuning and all the other scam fees my neighbor paid for. This is not pocket change. This was a $460 difference!!
My advice to you: Stop calling those companies on TV to fix your washer and dryer; you AC! Post something on facebook and ask your friends for recommendations. Most likely, someone will recommend you a reliable contractor that will not bleed you to death.
Once you establish a relationship with a contractor, treat them well, respectfully, and be thankful for their help. It doesn’t take much to say “I really appreciate you came;” that goes a long way.
On my end, that day we scored a 79% savings!!!! It’s not rocket science. It’s all about choices we make on daily basis that put us in a hole of debt or set us forward in our path to build wealth.