Bought a Thing

Ooooh!  Aaaah!  Isn't it a beauty?  Yes, we bought our first thing of the year: a toaster oven.  Isn't life great? 

I had a feeling this was going to be our first purchase, because I've been wavering about getting one for a long time.  Practical me wanted one, because I know they save energy, but every time we got close to buying one, I'd tell myself we already had an oven (in the stove), so why clutter up the kitchen with another appliance?  Ah, there's that aesthetic thing creeping in.

And what about wants vs. needs?  Do we really need a toaster oven?  In a strict sense, no.  We have the oven in the stove for reheating pizza or making toasty buns.  But what if we want to use less energy?  Yes, for that we need a toaster oven.  Ordinarily, I don't have much patience for people who are constantly spending money to save money or spending money to be more green, but this seemed like a sensible move for us, considering how often we will use it.

Of course, the No-Thing New project says we must try to find the things we need for free or buy them secondhand.  I started watching Freecycle and craigslist and mentioning my quest to friends and family, hoping one would turn up.  I wasn't having much luck, so when I saw small appliances were on sale at the thrift shop for half off, I made my move.  Unfortunately, the only oven on the shelves was a bit of wreck, and Gerry didn't think he could clean it up.  Instead of giving up, I summoned my nerve and asked one of the shop's employees if there were any others in the back room and a few minutes later, she emerged with this one! 

Price, including tax: $7.95