I went to order my usual English Breakfast tea, expensive but worth it, especially since they don't charge shipping. It says so, too, on the website shipping free on all orders.
Then I get to the checkout and suddenly there's a large shipping charge bringing the total beyond what I want to pay for tea.
So I flounced away, emailed them to ask wtf, only more politely, then ordered a different tea from a different supplier, half the price and no shipping either.
Left to right, tea department: new Ceylon tea, occasional lapsang souchong tea and usual tea now nameless because I'm mad at them.
That's part the first.
Then I checked in on YouTube with Marion's World, where she gave us a virtual tour of this show
Where I saw a terrific idea I'd never heard of, based on ancient stick spinning, the spurtzler, from Natural Born Dyers, a lovely northern firm, very ecologically careful and just nice people.
This will be easier on my hands than a spindle, I think. And they're hand made from wood which has fallen in storms or is otherwise upcycled. I chose ash, which I think is #3 or #4 and, this is where the rationalizing gets into gear.
What I saved on the tea paid for my spurtzler. The shipping cost from the UK is, whispers, more than the selling price. But I'm worth it.
I didn't realize I'd be shopping along with Marion when I switched on. I paused her video long enough to investigate the new toy, I mean tool, then came back to continue!
I have to plan for the darker winter evenings ahead, after all. I have quite a bit of roving to spin. And other such completely invented reasons.
Happy day, everyone, do what you want then the reasons will follow.
Look at it this way, the tea, though you enjoy it, is gone once you drink it. The spurtzler will be there to use again and again. This works for me.
ReplyDeleteI like your thinking.
DeleteYour rationalization has certainly convinced me!
ReplyDeleteGood, we're on the same page.
Deletewe all deserve to splurge on ourselves now and then.
ReplyDeleteI find it very hard to do. Family conditioning. This was a small breakthrough.
DeleteYou can justify anything if it's important enough.
ReplyDeleteThat should be stitched on a pillow.
DeleteIt can be the shipping cost that kills. It's the same with mail here. It might cost us $20 to mail a $15 parcel to my daughter on the west coast.
ReplyDeleteYes, it can't be good for small businesses. I'm justifying this because it supports an artisan.
DeleteIt seems you're good both at economics and at rationalizing.
ReplyDeleteYears of practice!
DeleteShipping costs are often more than anything we are sending via post these days. Prohibitive in many instances!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a real decision to send anything by mail.
DeleteI am so glad you managed to find a way to treat yourself to what you truly wanted. Life is short, as I think you may have recently said on my blog. And let us not forget that in the ordering of this toy/tool, you are supporting an excellent business.
ReplyDeleteYes, they're my homies as well as excellent artisans and just nice people. My treats usually involve artisans and tools.
DeleteI’m always very mindful of what I’m spending. Comes from years and years of having too make ends meet.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think you ever get out of that habit
Being in Australia most things have huge shipping costs.
Making the product just way too expensive
Another mistake is to think the price is reasonable only to find it’s US dollars
Once you convert you can have a mini heart attack
Yes, my difficulty with spending on myself is pretty much baked in at this point. Growing up poor will do that.
DeleteThis is so important to you and will make you happy, so good you treated yourself.
ReplyDeleteSo great to see you back, Inger, and with such an encouraging comment! Thank you.
DeleteShipping (along with the tacked on "handling" charges) has made mail order shopping near impossible. I wouldn't have ordered from them either. The bright side was that you found a more economical supplier!
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm really intrigued with is the spurtzler. I've never seen one before and found a video to show how its done. A blogging friend spins exclusively on Jenkins Turkish spindles and does beautiful work. I love the way the yarn can be wound directly onto the spindle as a ball. She's got me wanting to try spindle spinning again but the Jenkins are pricey and always sold out on their website. (She's offered to proxy shop at one of her regional fiber festivals). The spurtzler looks like it would be easier on the shoulder. And so portable! That's a huge plus.
Yes, I love my spindles but my shoulder tires, and I think this will be easier once I get the hang of it. I'm really interested in finding out.
DeleteThe lower cost tea is just fine, plenty of flavor.
I’d buy a spurtzleur just for the name. Have you heard back from the free-of-charge overcharging website? At our house we’re much too good at rationalizing spending.
ReplyDeleteThey got back to me explaining they'd had to start charging shipping, but not explaining why they'd failed to update the website, so I thanked them and reiterated that my objection was their saying one thing and doing another. I'm done with them.
DeleteGlad you found the tea for a better price without shipping.
ReplyDeleteMuch better price and really good tea. I'm happy.
DeleteIt's so annoying when companies change their policies and don't bother to inform their customers which I'm finding it happening more and more these days. Either that, or they decide to up their shipping costs unless you purchase 'x' dollars. Usually the 'x' factor is way out of reach of the normal person. Glad you found an acceptable alternative.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite happy with my new tea, so I'll probably stay with them. Unless they switch on me!
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