34-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 23, 1995
Taking
Time
by
Rebecca
Escott
Turn Down Extended
Warranties and Save
Are you looking for a way to
save money during this expensive
holiday season? One way may be
to say “No” to the offer of an ex
tended warranty on an appliance
or electronic device that you’ve
just purchased.
An extended warrenty soothes
people’s fears. It also quickly pads
a store’s profit! In fact this option
may be the most lucrative offer
stores are making to consumers
this holiday season. Consumer
Reports magazine evaluated this
option several years ago. Accord
ing to retailers, only 12 to 20 per
cent of people who buy a warranty
will ever use it. Some of those
“using it” are seeking clarification
on instructions not actual repair
“service.”
Many people don’t cash in on a
warranty because the product per
forms well, and they don’t need it
Others don’t cash in because they
don’t remember that they have it
Think about it. How good are
you at filing warranty policies that
come with products you have re
ceived? And then how good arc
you at remembering that the war
ranty exists and what it says? Al
most everything has a manufactur
er’s warranty these days, but you
have to keep the receipts and pa
perwork to know about it An ex
tended warranty goes beyond the
regular manufacturer’s warranty.
If a consumer is unlikely to access
a regular warranty, he’s even more
unlikely to ever need the extended
one.
Extended warranties act as an
insurance policy, but is it a good
one for consumers? The next time
you hear a salesperson describing
how complicated an item is and
saying, “Wouldn’t you just like to
know you don’t have to worry
about any repairs for the next five
oun
season a
years? . .stop and think. Does
he have an underlying motive for
building your fear about the relia-
bility of the product? According to
Consumer Reports, for every dol
lar that retailers take in, they re
port spending only 4 to 15 cents
on service. (The average health in
surance policy provides 65 cents
for every premium dollar.) Some
salespeople get a commission on
both the product sale and any ad-
(Continued from Pago B 3)
make change happen and make it
better.”
Of farming. Sands said, “It is
possible to survive only if you run
a tight ship. There is no room for a
casual approach, especially when
it comes to the economics of farm
ing. If you are determined, crea
tive. use good common seise, and
are willing to work, you can
always succeed. Put that combina
tion together and it works every
time.”
When Coatsville area develop
ment began cnroaching on Ids
farmland. Sands said, “I saw
change coming. I wanted to be part
of it and make it the way I wanted it
to be.”
Sands said that he is pleased
with the way the community has
changed. “I think it’s for the better.
It’s upgraded in many ways. Job
opportunities are here that didn’t
exist 10 years ago.”
He continues to farm 102 acres,
which he refers to as his retirement
Wl
ditional income garnered through
extra warranties or service con
tracts.
The smartest thing you can do
as a consumer is to research pro
ducts before you purchase them
and to take advantage of the offers
that the manufacturers make.
Most problems with the equip
ment will be discovered during
that time period. Also many major
credit card companies offer an ex-
Change It’s
playground. He also gardens col
orful perennials that bloomed so
profusely this summer that many
cars stopped along the road to
admire the flowers.
Of all his assets, Sands said that
his greatest is his wife. “She’s
always been a sweet little helper
who’s backed me in everything
I’ve tried,” he paused and smiled at
her and then added, “almost every
thing.” She vehemently shook her
head in agreement and they both
burst into laughter.
Helen enjoys traveling with her
husband and quilting. She makes
quilts that she donates to charitable
organizations. Recendy one of her
quilts brough $l,OOO at a sale.
One married son farms and
owns Four-Seasons Crop Care in
the Chambersburg area. Two other
children are in full-time mission
work with their families.
This holiday season reminds the
Sands of a special evergreen tree
that they dubbed “our miracle
Christmas tree.”
'*• (OH
MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA MILK
PRODUCERS COOPERATIVE
ASSOCIATION, INC.
1985 Isaac Newton Square
Reston, VA 22092
703-742-6800
Pairylea
Cooperative Inc O
PO. Box 4844, Syracuse, NY 13221
m m MUk
W Marketing
Inc „ ,
A dory formtr-owned cooperative and rood company
8257 Dow Circle
Strongsville, Ohio 44136-9717
1.800.837.6776
The tree was one of a row of
1-900-654-8838
tendec warranty on items pur
chased using their cards. Make
sure you know the protection you
already have!
Finally, get in the habit of put
ting aside a little bit of money
every month to cover the unex
pected repairs that you may need
to make on items due to normal
wear and tear. Make a set payment
to a savings account for this pur
pose.
What
stately evergreens that attract
thieves during the Christmas sea
son each year.
Thieves chopped down the last
one in the row 20 years ago. but to
the Sand’s amazement, another
tree sprouted and grew in it’s
stead. A few years later, the Sands
cut it down for personal use.
Another pine tree grew up from the
stump.
“We did this I don’t know how
many times, and another one keeps
growing. It’s an example of what
the devil tries to destroy, the Lord
can restore,” Sands said.
Sands doesn’t sit around and
wait for God to take care of things
every time. One year. Sands asked
a neighbor who trapped skunks to
have the skunk deposit some of its
perfume on a lone evergreen in an
area where all the others had been
stolen. After the spray was applied,
signs showed that thieves intended
to chop down the tree, but were
deterred by the smell and left the
tree intact
adc
Atlantic Dairy Cooperative
, 1225 Industrail Hwy
Southampton, PA 189f>b
215-322-0200
fc i MID AMERICA
DAIRYMEN, INC
600 Liberty Road. Sykesville, MD 21784
800-735-2025
, _ Mount Joy
653-5431 Over 60 years
Hi/ of service