I am not the best when it comes to making decisions, sometimes even simple ones. But in my defense, I am also pretty easy-going, so for most things, I could really go either way.
I have been a Verizon customer for years. Probably since before Al Gore invented the internet. At some point during our long-term relationship, Verizon rewarded customers with a "new-every-two" deal. I swear years ago it was better, that you pretty much could get any phone you wanted once your two years were up and you signed on for two more. But phones today are so much more glitzy and complicated that there is no way they would do that now. So you get 50 bucks towards something. Fortunately, for what I want, that and whatever special they have pretty much hooks me up.
I was up for a new phone this past October. Since my phone had been working fine, I waited until just before Christmas to see what my options were. But after looking at the array of choices and pretty much becoming overwhelmed, I ended up leaving empty-handed, not to return for over six months. Today, on a whim, I decided to go back to the store. I figured my phone was living on borrowed time, closing in on three years, so I might as well just get something. Apparently many others had that same thought, and I was told I would have to wait for 30 minutes to talk to someone, so I decided to forget it. I moved on to the Goodwill store, still shocked from yesterday's discovery that not only does the Gap no longer sell the shorts I bought in 2001 and have loved since, but shorts at the Gap apparently cost $40 now. And the jeans I also loved and probably last bought that same year now cost $60. What?!
Anyway, after I bought a much more palatable pair of $3 shorts at Goodwill, I figured I would try the smaller Verizon store at the mall. The sales dude there was able to help me right away and showed me a few phones, recommending two of them. I could not decide which was better--the virtually indestructible one with more megapixels or the one with the Qwerty keyboard, which I had been coveting because of the (hardly any) text messages I send each month. I told the guy I was ever so slightly leaning towards the latter, but I had to leave in under 10 minutes to pick up my kid, so I would be back. Then sales dude told me he could hook me up in five minutes.
This is where I typically falter. Where I go weak. The very reason why I hate car-shopping. I kind of wanted to go home and research these two phones more. But his persuasion got the best of me, and I told him I would go with the Qwerty one, which also happened to have a cool name (Cosmo or Cosmos; either way, still cool).
As with most of my purchases, I, of course, am now second-guessing my decision. The phone is made by the same company that made the phone I just gave up, so the similar setup and features are a big positive for someone like me, who hates reading manuals. But being the creature of habit I am, I have yet to try the Qwerty feature, so I might as well have gotten the one with more megapixels. And I am kind of annoyed by the leather case; I can't see what time it is without taking my phone out of the case. I am also missing my cool ringtones, but maybe if I go back the sales dude can pull those over just as he did my pictures and contacts.
In the grand scheme of things, I am sure it will be fine. It is not as if I just spent a lot of money or will be stuck with it for years on end (I think I am due for a new one in 20 months). But don't think I won't be pondering this decision a few times over the next several weeks or months.
After all, to this day, I still think about the other wedding dress I liked just about as well as the one I ended up with. And I got married over 11 years ago!
I am weird like that.
I have been a Verizon customer for years. Probably since before Al Gore invented the internet. At some point during our long-term relationship, Verizon rewarded customers with a "new-every-two" deal. I swear years ago it was better, that you pretty much could get any phone you wanted once your two years were up and you signed on for two more. But phones today are so much more glitzy and complicated that there is no way they would do that now. So you get 50 bucks towards something. Fortunately, for what I want, that and whatever special they have pretty much hooks me up.
I was up for a new phone this past October. Since my phone had been working fine, I waited until just before Christmas to see what my options were. But after looking at the array of choices and pretty much becoming overwhelmed, I ended up leaving empty-handed, not to return for over six months. Today, on a whim, I decided to go back to the store. I figured my phone was living on borrowed time, closing in on three years, so I might as well just get something. Apparently many others had that same thought, and I was told I would have to wait for 30 minutes to talk to someone, so I decided to forget it. I moved on to the Goodwill store, still shocked from yesterday's discovery that not only does the Gap no longer sell the shorts I bought in 2001 and have loved since, but shorts at the Gap apparently cost $40 now. And the jeans I also loved and probably last bought that same year now cost $60. What?!
Anyway, after I bought a much more palatable pair of $3 shorts at Goodwill, I figured I would try the smaller Verizon store at the mall. The sales dude there was able to help me right away and showed me a few phones, recommending two of them. I could not decide which was better--the virtually indestructible one with more megapixels or the one with the Qwerty keyboard, which I had been coveting because of the (hardly any) text messages I send each month. I told the guy I was ever so slightly leaning towards the latter, but I had to leave in under 10 minutes to pick up my kid, so I would be back. Then sales dude told me he could hook me up in five minutes.
This is where I typically falter. Where I go weak. The very reason why I hate car-shopping. I kind of wanted to go home and research these two phones more. But his persuasion got the best of me, and I told him I would go with the Qwerty one, which also happened to have a cool name (Cosmo or Cosmos; either way, still cool).
As with most of my purchases, I, of course, am now second-guessing my decision. The phone is made by the same company that made the phone I just gave up, so the similar setup and features are a big positive for someone like me, who hates reading manuals. But being the creature of habit I am, I have yet to try the Qwerty feature, so I might as well have gotten the one with more megapixels. And I am kind of annoyed by the leather case; I can't see what time it is without taking my phone out of the case. I am also missing my cool ringtones, but maybe if I go back the sales dude can pull those over just as he did my pictures and contacts.
In the grand scheme of things, I am sure it will be fine. It is not as if I just spent a lot of money or will be stuck with it for years on end (I think I am due for a new one in 20 months). But don't think I won't be pondering this decision a few times over the next several weeks or months.
After all, to this day, I still think about the other wedding dress I liked just about as well as the one I ended up with. And I got married over 11 years ago!
I am weird like that.
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