We are always learning lessons. In fact, that’s what we like to share and pass on to you in our many, many posts here on our site. We share tips, tricks, and lessons learned along the way.
What’s funny is that most of the lessons, tips and tricks we share are a result of things we did wrong. So basically passing on our mistakes and then what we did to rectify the situation.
Well…batteries are now our next lesson. I know…peculiar.
But we went through a time period where we learned that being frugal does not mean being cheap. In fact, in many cases, being cheap ends up costing more over time, creates inconveniences, both minor and major, and causes you to deeply consider what true frugality means.
Let me explain: So one year, we found batteries at the dollar store. I mean $1 for 4 batteries is a great deal, right? Batteries are batteries.
I stocked up as I knew it would save us a ton of money. The holidays were approaching and batteries are always in high need at holiday time.
Before I even begin to tell you our experience, I am sure you can already imagine without me having to elaborate – but we all like a good story at the expense of someone else, right? So read on….
Yes, we had quite a bundle of value batteries. Anytime someone needed batteries I could just pull out my bundle o’ batteries and load up the contraption. They went into everything.
First up was a fantastic road trip down south. I am street savvy enough to have a DIY emergency kit in the car, but apparently not savvy enough to have the necessary kit supplies to be effective. We had an issue – after the sun went down. Yep, you guessed it! A flat tire. We pulled out the supplies to fix the flat fast and I was the flashlight and tool holder. I flipped on the flashlight…which wasn’t all that bright in the first place. After a few minutes, it became much dimmer and then a short while later – out! Out of light! I used the cell phone flashlight, but this sucks battery from your phone like nothing else. We made it through, barely. But it was a royal pain. I just thought something was wrong with the flashlight.
So Christmas morning arrives and filled with the normal joy and excitement – and no, I hadn’t forgot the batteries. I had my trusty value battery bundle.
We filled toys with batteries and let the kids play. We barely started into the day and just finished unwrapping presents when our son said his toy wasn’t working anymore. I was miffed thinking I had purchased a lemon. However, the first thing you always do is replace the batteries when something isn’t working.
We replaced them. A short time later, the toy died again.
I had told Alex that I was going to exchange the toy as soon as I could. Alex suggested it was the cheap batteries I bought. I really didn’t think much of that. Needless to say, that wasn’t the only toy that died that day…several had. His just died the quickest because it was the most demanding.
Our kids were frustrated, we were frustrated and the Christmas surprises were Christmas disappointments. After a handful of non-functioning toys, I concluded that perhaps it really was the cheap battery purchases I did make.
This began to remind us of a series of cheap, thrifty options we have purchased over the years. A few years ago, on Black Friday, one store had a off-brand video MP3 Players for $15. It was a killer deal. We purchased three of them. They were the worst MP3 players on the planet. There was nothing that could be done with them. They had no storage, they couldn’t hold battery power, they couldn’t sync with anything. In the end, we wasted $45.
Another time, we bought cordless phones (landline) with a charging base. They were the value brand, the cheapest for the cordless phone options. We set them up and even though the box said that you can travel 50 feet from the base and be fine. These phones were the worst. If we walked more than 3 or 4 feet from the base, the phone lost reception. It was annoying and irritating when trying to cook dinner, care for kids and answer the phone at the same time. Later, we read reviews of the phone on Amazon (which we always do now) and the reviews were terrible and most people were having the issues we had.
It’s experiences like this that have taught us that being frugal does not mean being cheap. We’ve also learned that the most expensive or “top of the line” isn’t the best value either as it comes with many more bells and whistles that are often very unnecessary and you are paying for way more than you need.
Over the years, we have found that the best value has been often in the middle of the road. We bought new phones that were more than the value, but less than the top – the perfect range and we bought these phones over seven years ago and they still work perfectly today. That’s why we love our frugal, luxury mattress options, that’s why we love our cordless phones we bought almost eight years ago… Should I go on?
And so when were out next and looking for batteries, we decided to give RAYOVAC® Alkaline batteries a try as they are a good brand with a consistent reputation for high quality, long-lasting batteries but very reasonably priced. Basically hardworking solutions at a fair price. And they haven’t failed our expectations! NO – they are fantastic! I have loved the ability to pull out a flashlight, a toy, an electronic device and have it last and last for very long iterations between changes. In fact, I don’t even know how long they have lasted because I am not sure if I remember the last time we changed any batteries. And the biggest and most important battery spot in the house – the smoke detectors.
We bought the RAYOVAC® FUSION™ Alkaline Batteries which have a 12-year power guarantee (in storage) which means that you can store then in your cupboard for quite a while and still get adequate power! 12-years! RAYOVAC® also has their Premium Alkaline for a very reasonable price with a 10-year guarantee. It’s been the one thing that is a sure thing in our crazy, busy life that runs on batteries! You can get them pretty much anywhere like Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s and even the grocery store! The link above also gives you coupons for extra money off your purchases.
In the end, we have learned that these batteries provide the best value for the price. We will be watching for great deals through the holidays to stock up and load up on RAYOVAC® Alkaline batteries are guaranteed to be long lasting, without our pocket books knowing.
So there are ways to get them for even less – with coupons! Use this coupon to save even more on durable, long-lasting batteries from RAYOVAC® .
But…we have a treat for you! You can win a Prize Pack from RAYOVAC® to help you have a pleasant Christmas morning with happy kids! Would you like some FREE durable, long-lasting batteries?
Here’s what we’re giving away:
- Electric Wine Opener
- Rayovac stemless wineglass
- Fusion AA 30 pack of alkaline batteries
- 1X Portable Phone Charger
- Spot to Flood Flashlight
It’s very easy to enter….just leave a comment.
Maybe you can comment on one of these topics (to get the party started!)
- Have you had a time when batteries have failed you and you wished you had durable and long-lasting batteries instead?
- Have you tried RAYOVAC® Alkaline batteries?
- You can see videos on YouTube about some of their cool products beyond Alkaline Batteries, like this personal safety alarm!
- What lessons have you learned regarding the difference between being frugal and being cheap?
This giveaway will run through Wednesday, November 23rd at 11:59 pm MST. The winner will be selected randomly and will be notified via email. Must be 18+ to enter and reside in the United States. The information collected is utilized for entry into this giveaway only.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of RAYOVAC® The opinions and text are all mine.
Kiz
I can totally identify with the Christmas morning thing. I will never again buy the cheap batteries…they end up costing me more money! Sheesh!
Linda Salvo
Definitely worth to spend a little extra money on Rayovac batteries so you won’t be disappointed!
BarbaraMae
I had a similar situation with cheap batteries in our TV remote. It is SO frustrating when the remote is “malfunctioning” when I know I just changed the batteries. Ugh.
Audra Eckes
LOVE Ray Oracle batteries!
Sharon Hatcher
When our Beverly-Rose was tiny… the little portable swing was the only way she’d fall asleep.. of course the larger one you plugged in was … yeah.. a no go. ha. I did the same I picked up a bunch of cheap batteries to last me thru the wk (we only have the one car so once my husband is at work.. i’m not picking up anything we can’t walk to ) half way thru the wk they were all dead… my love was pissed.. I was frazzled and ended up calling a friend frantically to get her to pick up batteries for me… good lesson. no more cheap batteries at our place!
latanya
Yes, being cheap batteries for Christmas toys. Cheap batteries do not last very long and having an upset child with no batteries left is not fun.
Cindy Eberle
batteries…my husband always forgets to get extra batteries…it wouldn’t be Christmas without scrounging for batteries in the kitchen drawer lol.
Nancy
We keep all our batteries in the refrigerator. It makes them match a lot longer=less trips to the store when you run out at that most inconvenient time!!!!!!!
sara
I love this post and can totally relate! Being thrifty is not being cheap on so many levels! Thanks for the post and giveaway.
Amy Orvin
I have never tried RAYOVAC® Alkaline batteries before. I would love to see if they are as good as Energizer. Thanks for the giveaway!
camilla wilson
My mouse for my laptop eats batteries!
sharon
You hit the nail on the head with your comparison of frugal and cheap. If the cost in things besides money is high, what have you really saved (and a non-working flashlight in a road side situation is a big cost). That being said, I laughed when I read your post about the dollar store because I have done the same thing and learned my lesson just like you. RayoVacs are the best and that’s what we buy.
Richard Brandt
I hate missing the perfect shot be ausevmy camera’s batteries choose that moment to run down.
Carmen L
My solar lights went out and my husband said we needed rechargeable batteries. He didn’t bother to tell me solar powered rechargeable, so I wasted money buying regular rechargeables that ended up rusting being in the outside elements. Oops!
Elena
I have not tried RAYOVAC® Alkaline batteries yet, but would love to try them
Candice
I have bought cheaper batteries in the past, and they always last for much less time. I have learned it is worth it to spend more on quality products.
Amanda
Thanks for this giveaway! we are constantly replacing batteries in the kids toys; looks like I will need to invest in RAYOVAC!
Ashley
We used an off brand of batteries because they were inexpensive for our son’s bouncer. They didn’t even last an hour. I’m definitely going to try Rayovac now because Duracell and Energizer work well but are expensive.
Paula
I bought off brand batteries for my grandchildren. They died so quickly and the grandkids were so disappointed. The batteries came from “Santa” and that made it even worse. Duracell are so expensive. I use Rayovac in my Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Alarms. So, basically, I trust my life with them. Santa won’t make the same mistake twice.
Angela
We always I mean always need batteries especially with the holidays coming up.
JoeyfromSC
I haven’t tried the Rayovac alkaline batteries yet, but would love to! Thanks for the chance! You can never have too many batteries lol
Joey
Jamie
We realized the need for good batteries when our smoke detectors did the “low battery” beep in the middle of the night one time-waking EVERYONE up.
Sherri
Cheap batteries die very quickly in the Wii remotes!
jmh
We used to keep our batteries in the refrigerator but found out that doesn’t necessarily make them last any longer. Besides, we now go through batteries faster than we used to anyway!
Carey Hodge
During Christmas I am always pinching pennies. I saw a awesome deal on batteries where is was like 50 for $10.00. I felt like the smartest mom in the world. I have two boys and everything they own eats batteries like candy. Those were the worst batteries. Did not last long. They were exploding in they toys. I went from being smart mom to horrible mom. Never again will I do that. I now have learned rechargeable batteries have saved me a ton of money. Buy them on sale. Buy a name brand and just rotate those puppies. My boys know how to use the charger and will even tell me if they know we need to charge a bunch at once (like when family comes over to play games). For once I am prepared!
Jessika
It’s so true, you pay for quality with batteries!! I usually purchase the Kirkland brand from Costco, but I don’t think they last quite as long as name brands. I was actually really excited to see this giveaway in my inbox today, because we just ran out of AA batteries and I needed some last night for a game! We’re trying not to spend money unless we REALLY need to right now though, so buying batteries is low on my priorities list, among our other needs. Thanks for doing this giveaway! Even if I don’t win, I’m glad to have the opportunity!
Jodi Wresh
Mine happened on friday november 18th. The first snowstorm/blizzard happened and had 36 mile an hour winds, well a tree fell on a power line and power went out. i had my flashlight and turned it on, and not more than 15 min later the batteries were fading very fast. i had bought dollar store bargain ones & found out that they really are not worth it. I would rather have reliable ones like rayovac anytime!
LINDA COLLINS
I love being practical as well as being thrifty.
Great post
Shannon
Living cheap often means that you will have to replace things more often. It often works against living frugal.
Gail
Yes, yes, yes. I never believed my husband when he said the batteries were the problem until I saw the pattern.
Now I buy Rayovac or Duracell batteries to ensure we always working batteries in hand.
Karen
I rely on Rayovac batteries to power my flashlight when I take my dog for his nightly walk. I would never trust those cheap batteries!
Tracey ODonnell
I’m really glad I stopped to read this article and that your unofficial study is now my go to resource for my future purchases. I am guilty as charged, we live in the middle of nowhere and locally have only a Dollar General store in a reasonable location for the everyday must run to the store items and that includes batteries. We have two coffee cans full of Dollar General batteries but that will END. I vow to never buy DG batteries ever again. Thank you for the valuable information and the awesome giveaway.
Good luck to all who enter!!
Brenda Dahlke
I put dollar store batteries in our motion sensing garbage can & it ruined the sensors. Now we have to press the lid to open. Lesson learned, the hard way!
Paula Mawyer
So I have pulled out the flashlight to have it quit shortly after turning it on.Also have had the Christmas morning without good batteries.To have good batteries would be a blessing on Christmas morning.The kids would love to play with their toys.Thanks blessed cancer survivor
Stacie Babcock
I would love to have some RAYOVAC batteries! My daughter is always needing batteries for her mouse and my mother uses alot of batteries for her blood pressure machine and finger pulse monitor. There have been times where the power goes out and the flashlight batteries are dead. Would love them for our smoke detectors, too! 🙂
Jessica Tartaglia
I would be delighted to win absolutely anything from batteries which are always needed with children toys from winning a flashlight for our latenight movie night to just anything please. Thank you and good luck to everyone and happy holidays!
Kesha
I am always searching for batteries! Especially on Christmas mornings!
mary e adams
I keep a flashlight in my truck.I seldom need it but it would be nice if it worded when I did. I will try these batteries. Thanks
Kim Saitta
It’s been a long time since we’ve had a “battery powered” Christmas as our children have been grown for awhile now but with grandchildren right around the corner, we are looking forward to the child-like wonder of the season again. One thing for certain, we’ll have trustworthy batteries on hand. Thanks for the heads up, we’ll give Rayovac a try.
Amy
Thank you for the information.. We use a lot of batteries.
Ruby Taylor
I, too, have had the very same frustrating experience with buying dollar store batteries. Won’t do it again. While batteries may be pricey at times, the higher quality batteries are worth it!!
Jodie Hodges
I definitely agree I’ve gotten the same bad luck with the dollar batteries leaving my children and myself on the short end of the stick without working items! Rayovak definitely is a better quality but this will have me trying them again because it’s been a while!!! Thank you
Donna B
Learned my lesson about cheap batteries!
Sherri Rochester
I love RayoVac batteries. I have yet to try the Fusion ones though. I will be on the lookout for them. I learned my lesson about batteries a long time ago.
Cristy
Love my Rayovac batteries!!
Carol JLG
We are always looking for batteries for our baby granddaughter’s cradle, her swing etc. as we can not plug them into the outlet as there is a cat in the house that chews on wires. For this reason batteries are so needed in the house. Cheap batteries just do not handle our situation, Rayovac sure does fit the bill.
Sarah
This post and story makes me feel better. I bought
What I thought was a good deal on Rayovac batteries last Thanksgiving. My in laws, who are cheap to The point that it’s hard to enjoy their company,made me feel I hadn’t gotten a good deal after all (their secret…dollar store batteries).
carol w
I Use Rayovac all the time. They last a long time for us. I usually can get them on sale and use coupons. Its a win-win usually. thanks for the chance
stewart gerwig
I have lost a lot of things over the years due to the batteries not just failing to work. But the cheap versions of a lot of batteries will end up leaking and corroding the battery holders themselves. Not worth the money one can save to have to replace them item their being used in.
Alison Marsh
I agree, cheap batteries are terrible!