Five questions I’d like answered
Since when did buying light bulbs become so feckin complicated? Didn’t there used to be just two types of bulbs – ones that screwed in and ones that kind of slotted in? Well now it’s all screwed up. I’ve spent the last three weeks trying to find a replacement for a lamp in my sitting room and have been knocked back every time. There is a dazzling array of bulbs in my local supermarkets, most of which look almost, but not quite, identical to the one I need. I’ve taken to carrying the dead bulb in my pocket whenever I go out and am just waiting for the moment it breaks as I’m fumbling for my keys and little slivers of glass tear my hands to pieces.
Why is buying printer cartridges so complicated (and so expensive)? I bought a new printer three months ago, managed to coax it into to printing six pages (okay, it might have been ten) and already the black cartridge is empty and replacements are as hard to find as a poxy light bulb.
Mothercare – why are all the staff so grumpy and unhelpful every time I go in?
What’s the appropriate response when you’re left standing at the till in your local Spar shop, litre of milk in hand, for more than two minutes while the single shop “assistant” texts his buddy with all the speed and dexterity of a blind sheep?
Does anyone ever watch the Afternoon Show?
Yes! I foolishly sprung for a lamp in Habitat sans bulb — we were assured it’d be no problem finding bulbs to fit it.
Needless to say, it is now 2 months later and we still haven’t found a place that sells compatible bulbs. The lamp is sitting forlorn in its box…
Comment by Justin Mason | March 21, 2008 at 9:39 amOn the printer - inkjet ink is alleged to be more expensive than Vintage Champagne - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/07/04/printer_ink_seven_times_more/
Even then though - 10 pages from a printer sounds ridiculous. Either your printer is broken or you were printing 10 pages of 100% black (or you’ve got a really really expensive printer).
On the Spar shop, perhaps you should take the printer with you next time and fling it at the shop assistant to get his attention
Comment by smulcahy | March 21, 2008 at 10:26 amRe bulbs, I feel your pain. Nightmare!
New printers don’t come with full cartridges. They are only a get-you-going cartridge.
Your other questions are too metaphysical for me.
Comment by pookawoowoo | March 21, 2008 at 11:41 amI can’t answer all your other questions but the reason print cartridges are so expensive is thats where the money is made; the printer is usually sold for a loss. As for why there not readily available; the online marketplace is your friend….
Comment by Neil Grogan | March 21, 2008 at 2:05 pmI will buy your bulbs,cartridges,milk. I will even go to mothercare and suffer flashbacks about ugly elasticated maternity clothes if i could be assured that i never have to sit through another Afternoon show.
Comment by niamh | March 21, 2008 at 7:40 pmDon’t know about the other stuff but you’re right about the light bulbs. And it’ll be worse next year when they ban the bulbs we have been using uptil now. I’ve even taking to carrying whole lamps around with me if they have a new fangled dead bulb. EM
Comment by EM | March 21, 2008 at 8:14 pmre:Printer.
Comment by Damien Mulley | March 22, 2008 at 2:10 amLike those cars in America with “emergency only” spare wheels which are thinner than regular ones, you now get cartidges than print sfa pages which come with the printer. You then have to go off and buy a real cartridge once you run out of ink which is as you noticed, almost instant.
Before you buy another printer check the replacement ink cartridges cost, often the cartridge cost more than the printer. Buy a printer with cheap and large volume cartridges small print on the pack in mL. If you do a lot of black and white printing look at a laser printer
Comment by Michael | March 22, 2008 at 8:00 pmjust get the printer cartridge refilled somewhere like cartridge world. It’s normally cheaper than half the cost of a new cartridge.
Comment by Al | March 23, 2008 at 12:19 pmWhen buying a printer, I alway look to see how much i can get compatable cartridges online. Example cannon cartridge €19.99 and i can get compatitable one onllline from england for £2.99, just shows how much we are been Ripped Off in ireland
Comment by Discount Till Rolls Ireland | March 24, 2008 at 2:32 am