Impulsive

I’ve been examining my shopping habits as part of my goal to emerge from this pandemic as a better person. One recurring theme in my purchase history is the conflict between my desire to save a buck over the reality that if I made better investments, I wouldn’t be wasting money and adding to garbage dumps by having to replace badly made things in the first place.

My dentist recommended that I use an electric toothbrush to prevent gum damage and cavities (my teeth are very tightly packed. I bought a battery powered Peppa Pig toothbrush because it was on sale. The battery started to leak green goo and it essentially became an oversized and expensive disposable toothbrush.

When we were lining up for our COVID-19 vaccines, we spent an hour waiting in the oral care aisle of the pharmacy. I had plenty of time to examine electric toothbrush options. I liked the colours and design of these Phillips units. Plus they came with replaceable heads so that they weren’t as throwaway as old Peppa. The longer we waited in line, the more convinced I became that I had to have them.

In an effort to prevent myself from making impulse buys, I left them on the shelf. But two weeks later when I returned to the drugstore, I bought a new brush and some replacement heads. It was four times the price of Peppa, but so far I’m pleased with the results. The action is nice and buzzy which makes my teeth feel cleaner. There’s a two-minute timer to make sure you spend enough effort brushing. And the head is small enough to reach to the very backs of my wisdom teeth.

Will it prove to be a wise purchase? Or should I have put my money where my mouth is on a more deluxe system? Time will tell.