Getting Value for your money
Claudia Gardner,Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
S THE Yuletide season approaches, many of you will, no doubt, be shopping for toys, household items, tools and, of course, appliances. Remember, we all have a responsibility to ensure we make the best decisions so we get the best deals when shopping, especially for appliances, lest our hard-earned cash goes down the drain.
The importance of looking for warranties or guarantees cannot be overemphasised, because these indicate the willingness of business owners to stand behind their goods and services.
When you buy:
The Consumer Affairs Commission advises that consumers look for the following in a warranty or guarantee:
- The full name and address of the person or business responsible for fulfilling the provisions or, in other words, deal with the problems after the goods have been bought.
- What exactly is covered under the warranty or guarantee, whether it is the entire item or a part of it, what the seller will do if there is a problem, whether the item will be replaced free of cost or repaired, or whether there will be a refund.
- Another key question is if the warranty applies only to the first purchaser or covers anyone who buys the product second hand during the time that the warranty is in force.
- Consumers must also determine whether they are entitled to choose between a refund or a replacement if the product is still defective after a reasonable number of attempts to effect repairs.
- Find out whether the seller is entitled to deduct an amount for depreciation, and on what basis, and also the length of the warranty and precisely when the warranty begins.
GOOD TO REMEMBER
The first step to eating healthy is mixing it right. After you have got that step, the next step would be to practise proper portion control. Take these first easy steps:
- Plan and create tasty, balanced and nutritious meals.
- Make smart shopping choices.
- Increase your daily intake of vegetables and fruits.
- Prepare more home-cooked meals.
- Have an eating routine (no skipping meals).
The way to approach this step is to choose one and incorporate into your life, make it consistent and then add another one.