So, the battery on my watch died. It is just a cheapo watch that I bought at Target a year or so ago. I paid $20 for it.
Now there are some things that are worth spending more money on, and for many people a good watch is one of those things.
Not for me.
I am murder on watches! I tend to forget to take a watch off when I do things like, oh, jump in the shower. I wear it to bed. I wear it painting and gardening and in all sorts of circumstances that beat the heck out of it.
So I don’t spend a lot of money on watches for the most part. Well-Yankee Bill did buy me a very nice watch when we were dating-it’s a rather expensive gold watch. That stays in the jewelry box and only gets taken out for good. But for daily wear I go cheap.
Being the frugal soul I am, when the battery died I looped it around the handle of my purse and waited for my next trip into town. That trip happened this Sunday and I confidently headed to the jewelry counter at JC Penney, where I know they replace watch batteries.
They didn’t have the right size.
So I headed to the Dakota Watch kiosk in the center of the mall. The guy there took a look and told me that because it was a water resistant watch, the battery would cost-
wait for it-
$17.
Yes, that’s a $17 battery for a watch that only cost $20.
No wonder our landfills are full. They actively encourage you to throw things out rather than repair them.
I admit, I caved an bought a new watch. I even decided to update my style and bought a bangle watch with 3 interchangeable bands for $30. And this time I’m going to try to act like an adult and not beat the heck out of it.
I work so hard I just use a clock my watch would be broke in one day!! Have fun. Daphne
You know, it’s the same with with a lot of kids’ toys that use those same little batteries. My son had a favorite keychain toy that used them. When they died, I tried to replace them, but it was going to cost just a few cents less than buying a new one. I actually ended up getting a coupon somewhere, so I did just buy the new one for less! Ridiculous!!!
Jen, try Walmart next time you need a new battery! I always go there for our watch batteries and have never paid more than $3 (including tax and installation!)
We get charged an arm and a leg here for changing water resistant watch batteries as well. I have a friend who is a jeweller, and the cost isn’t the battery, that’s bog standard, it’s the watch itself. Something about it having to be re-pressurised. If you say you don’t care about the water resistance, they’ll just pop the back off the watch and change it there and then for you for the normal price.
I hell on watches as well. Not to take anything away from you beiing trained but I’m told I walk like an army girl, swinging the arms, creating a bit of a breeze and the watch always gets clunked off door frames and the corners of walls. It gets to the point it’s so badly scuffed I can’t tell the time from it. I usually just stuff a cheapy in my pocket now and don’t bother wearing it.
Btw I’m loving the new look. I like the comments at the top, it encourages me to comment, not that I need encouragement.
To answer my loyal readers:
Daphne-I know a lot of folks just use a cell phone instead these days-I like the look of a watch.
Tara-it is just insane. Sometimes you can get those button batteries cheaper at the $$ store, but I swear they don’t last very long.
Leanne-That’s what they said! It was the water resistant thing. But they guy wouldn’t just pop it in there, I tried. And don’t worry, I’m not insulted that you used the phrase “army girl” 🙂
Glad you like the changes. I’m trying to get myself more organized. I’ll be writing about it soon, but I’m probably going to start a few ads.
laura-oops! missed ya! I’ll see if Walmart will put one in cheaper. I’d still like a watch to use when gardening etc.
My husband likes casio watches . He has an indoor/outdoor job , so in Houston he sweats a lot and sometimes gets dirty and casio is the watch that has lasted!!! We also get the batteries replaced at Walmart .
it’s amazing how many things are cheaper to just replace rather than fix– toasters, microwaves, even things like stoves! i hope you enjoy your new watch 🙂
And at $30, it should be worth while to replace the battery on it.
For the most part I’ve stopped wearing watches, mostly because I’me really bad about remembering to replace the battery.