The way we work, the way we love, the way we live, everything is different now in Reiwa. Experts in various fields will answer the "new money hacks" behind the countless changes. The respondent this time is FP (Financial Planner) Harumi Maruyama.
The useful life of household appliances is 10 years! What is the point of choosing a product for replacement?
When one home appliance breaks down, for some reason other home appliances in the same home also break down in a chain reaction. That's because all home appliances are purchased at about the same time (timing of moving, etc.).
In general, it is said that the useful life of home appliances is 10 years. After that, it can break at any time, so if you have a home appliance that you have been using for more than 10 years, prepare money to replace it. Especially with TVs, the longer you use them, the shorter the life of the panels, so be careful. Just by not leaving the TV on all the time, you not only save electricity, but also extend the life of the panel.
The amount of money you should save will change depending on how much performance you will buy next. For example , the market price for a washing machine is 50,000 to 60,000 yen for a vertical type, and 200,000 to 300,000 yen for a drum type with a drying function . It depends on the manufacturer and the timing of purchase, but basically, the higher the grade of the home appliance, the higher the price.
So , the important thing is where to put the "sticking point" . Do you just want to be able to wash your clothes? Do you want a drying function? Do you want something that won't damage your clothes? Based on your current lifestyle, think about what kind of home appliance you should buy next.
Either way, there is no doubt that it will be a big expense, so let's save as soon as possible so that you don't have to worry if multiple home appliances break down at once.
If you can't prepare the money in time, it is also recommended to use a home appliance subscription . You can rent home appliances that interest you for around 1,000 to 5,000 yen per month, and in some cases you can buy them if you like them. There are also subscriptions that allow you to use high-end home appliances from famous brands, such as Dyson vacuum cleaners and Balmuda toasters.
February or September is the time to buy the home appliances you want!
Panasonic has announced that it will raise the price of home appliances from April this year. Not only this, but in recent years there is a tendency for home appliances from all manufacturers to rise in price . It seems that there are backgrounds such as overseas production not catching up due to the influence of corona, soaring raw material prices, and rising labor costs.
However, as a consumer, you want to buy home appliances as cheaply as possible. The best time to buy is said to be February and September.
First of all, February is cold, so fewer people go out, and many people spend too much money during the year-end and New Year holidays. Furthermore , since there are fewer days in February, it is also a time when it is easier to negotiate prices in order to achieve quotas. In addition, February and March are the closing months for consumer electronics mass retailers, so it tends to be easier to negotiate price cuts for home appliances that want to reduce inventory and increase sales.
September is also the time when home appliances become cheaper. New white goods such as refrigerators and washing machines are released in October and November in line with the winter bonus sales season, but in September the previous main model will be out of shape and cheaper . If it is a high-end washing machine, the price may be reduced by about 100,000 yen.
Some people may think that the performance is not good because it is not the latest model, but it is said that there are many errors when the latest model first comes out. We will continue to improve it while fixing it, but the old model that will be cheaper in September has almost completed the correction, so it is said that it is a stable product and is very durable.
Other than February and September, the first sale in January is also a target . Popular fukubukuro are sold by lottery, but on the other hand, there are also cases where there are clearly unnecessary items, such as unsold items. When you buy a lucky bag, choose one that allows you to see the contents as much as possible.
There was more! Tips for buying home appliances
Finally, here are some tips to help you buy home appliances as cheaply as possible, regardless of when you bought them.
price negotiation techniques
When negotiating the price at a consumer electronics retailer, it is recommended to negotiate in bulk, such as saying, "I'm going to buy a range and a refrigerator in addition to the washing machine, so please give me a discount . "
Or, show Kakaku.com or flyers from other stores and negotiate, saying, "This price is on sale elsewhere..." . Then, the mass retailer may cut the price, saying, "We can't do it at that price, but we can do it at a similar price."
Home appliance mass retailers vs online shopping
Recently, I think that more and more people are buying home appliances online. With Kakaku.com, you can buy home appliances at a very low price, and at first glance it's a good deal.
However, online shopping can be inconvenient, such as not installing home appliances or picking up unwanted home appliances, or paying only by bank transfer. Even if a large home appliance arrives at your house, it's especially difficult for women who live alone if they just put it in the front door and they don't install it.
Therefore, I buy large home appliances from mass retailers who will even install them for me, and buy home appliances that I can install myself online .
Use your points!
If you live in Tokyo and want to buy air conditioners, refrigerators, and water heaters with high energy-saving performance, we recommend using "Tokyo Zero Emi Points" . If you purchase products that meet the conditions and apply, you can receive discount coupons and gift certificates worth 10,000 to 22,000 yen. The application period has been extended to the end of March 2023.
Not only in Tokyo, but also in other local governments, there are similar subsidies for the purchase of equipment with high energy-saving performance, so please check it out. Please note that these programs have a budget, so if the budget runs out, it will end even in the middle of the fiscal year.