HGTV vs. The Conservative Homemaker
by Nikki Willhite
www.allthingsfrugal.com
I have to admit that when I have my television turned on, there
is a good chance I will be viewing one of the programs on the
Home and Garden channel.
There are a lot of interesting programs on this network. I enjoy
watching people when they buy, sell and fix up houses.
These programs can be a great resource when it comes to the
understanding mortgages, home repairs, decorating, and other
aspects of home ownership.
I still remember when we bought our first home. The first time I
even heard the term "closing costs" was when we showed up to sign
papers; and we didn't have them.
My problem with a lot of the shows on the Home and Garden network
is with the way many of the shows put so much importance on
"things", and convey the message that if you don't have these
"things", you are somehow inferior and out-of-date.
It doesn't seem to matter how much money these "things" cost;
only that you have them.
What are the latest "things"? At the present time they are wood
floors and stainless steel appliances. If your floors are
laminate, or your appliances white- you are made to feel that
you should step outside your home and hang your head in shame!
These messages are being sent over and over on several shows. As
a conservative homemaker, who does NOT define herself by her
possessions, I worry about others who might be more vulnerable to
these messages and take on debt.
Young people often haven't learned yet that "things" don't make
you happy. Yet debt ALWAYS makes you miserable.
The truly sad thing is that all this materialism is so misguided.
Most of us live in circumstances that are incredibly comfortable
, especially when you look at housing conditions around the world
or compare our circumstances to generations past.
A lot of these shows treat home improvement like fashion.
Anything over 10 years is hopelessly outdated. What is really
sad is when you see a home where the kitchen was renovated 10
years ago, and now, apparently, it needs it again.
The information that should be coming across on these shows is
that you can make your home very attractive without spending
large amounts of money to replace things like cabinets, flooring,
and appliances.
HGTV- what are you trying to do to us? Stop bombarding us with
messages that there is something wrong with our homes if they
don't have stainless steel appliances or wood floors. How about
showing a little more respect for money?
Do you realize how important it is to save money and not spend
it? That $10,000 spent on a kitchen remodel cost much more than
$10, 000. If it had been put in an investment vehicle for the
last 10 years, at 8 percent interest, it would now be worth
$15,000. What a waste!
Life can be hard. You need to save money for the times when it
is truly needed. This means saving for both long term needs as
well as short term emergencies.
Personally, I'd rather have a monster-sized savings account then
the equivalent in a washer and dryer. Then, if I lose my income,
I will still be able to pay the water bill to wash my clothes.
And what about all the people whose homes have depreciated in
value and they can't sell them. Many of these people have lost
their homes in foreclosure. I wonder how many of them were
trying to pay home equity loans for costly remodeling jobs in
addition to their rising mortgages ?
The final irony to me is the line I’m always hearing when rooms
from a decade or more ago are demolished- "What were they
thinking?"
Obviously, we are still not thinking. Case in point- stainless
steel appliances. I remember the 70’s when stainless steel sinks
were "the rage". They didn’t last. They went out of style.
Stainless steel is not only hard to clean, but shows
fingerprints, and is hard to keep clean. Remember when textured
appliances were popular? At least they served a purpose. You
couldn’t see fingerprints on them.
My prediction- in a few years designers will be ripping stainless
steel appliances out of kitchens like weeds out of a flower bed.
Again the words will be heard: "What were they thinking" as some
newer designer colors are ushered into the empty spaces. Why would
anyone put cold, steely gray against warm wood tones? "What were
they thinking?"
Kudos to the shows on HGTV that show how to make minor fixups to
our homes to make the spaces more pleasant. "Designed to Sell"
is a good example of a show that teaches fiscal restraint. They
makes good use of some of the easiest ways to make your home more
pleasant- like paint, decluttering, and tearing out overgrown
landscaping.
Don’t be fooled. The vast majority of people do NOT follow the
trends, and spend outrageous amounts of money on high end home
appliances or furniture.
Save your money. Be conservative. If you find you can’t handle
the temptation of wanting things you can’t afford, turn off the
television.
You work hard for your money. It represents your time. It
represents the hard work of both you and your spouse.
Respect your time. Respect yourself.
Be wise with your purchases, and don’t fall prey to the advice of
those who define themselves by their possessions.