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What's something that you used to consider “cheap” that you can’t afford now? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 week ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
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Or refuse to buy

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[–] 15 points 6 days ago (3 children)

This only works if you don't live in the middle of fucking nowhere. Buying directly from a local seller for me means Walmart or Dollar General. After a 25-minute one-way drive, I can choose from a few more big chain stores. If I'm lucky, there's a private business that sells what I need 9a-4p, Mon-Fri for 1.5x the price anywhere else IF it's in stock.

Recently, I needed a network switch. Walmart didn't have any in stock, but I could order ome online and have it in 5-7 business days and pay $15 for shipping. Best Buy said they could order one and have it for me in 7-10 business days, then I could make the 50-minute round trip to pick it up. There are no other stores within a two-hour drive that might even have one in stock. Amazon had it for $10 less than WM and BB and had free shipping in 2-3 days without Prime.

I needed a switch. I can't build one. I can't do my job without it. I can't afford to wait for one to appear on Craigslist. I don't want to support any of those companies; they're all union busters and Trump donors. What's a person to do in that situation?

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  • [–] 2 points 6 days ago

    Even if you live somewhere dense, there's so many niche things, no brick and mortar place stocks it. For my own router, I had to find one recommended by forum users a decade ago for a specific disconnect issue within the Xbox One's internal 360 emulator. BB and WM didn't have the known-good options. In my recent case here, it was hobby stuff that my local craft store doesn't have at all, despite carrying similar items. And I mean my classic example is I used to dabble in LEDs before everyone was just buying mains bulbs and 12v strips. The price of a single blue 5mm LED in the hobby electronic store was the same as 100 on ebay.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 days ago (1 child)

    newegg or something other than Amazon / Walmart. at least that's what I try to do. find a company whose leadership is furthest away from being oligarchic shitheads (even if that's what they aspire to be)

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