That's the last one of THOSE I'll ever buy!

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

I started thinking this when I realized I had only put 3500 miles on my new car in its first year. I’m 57. Unless I start driving a lot more (or simply decide to get a different car), I realized that this car could easily outlast me.

Since then, I’ve occasionally thought that about other purchases. For example, I just bought a couple of new snow shovels to replace the old ones which were easily 20 years old. Heck, by age 77, I could easily imagine living somewhere that I didn’t have to shovel (or global warming may have taken care of that for me! ;))

So many things - from appliances to a new winter coat - could be the last one of those I ever buy. Hell, even these new Wicked Tough wool socks! And I tend to try to buy things that are quality made - made to last.

Wondering if you ever thought that way and, if so, regarding what purchase and at what age?

#2

I’m within spitting distance of 65. Our roof is almost 9 years old, theoretically, it’s a 30-year roof. It’s within the realm of possibilities that I won’t have to replace that roof in my lifetime - if only because we move out of this house.

Beyond that, I see a lot of major purchases before I die - HVAC, most appliances, definitely the car, definitely new carpeting. I sure hope my pension can keep up with all that.

#3

About the same age, actually, wondered if I’ll buy another road bike. Am I really going to be jinking in and out of traffic at 65?

j

#4

I’m 46, and so far, the only things like that which I’ve bought/received and had that thought about are my house and possibly our cookware (we have All-Clad), which will probably outlast us. Otherwise there may be stuff where one glass out of a set might outlast us, or stuff like that.

#5

I have a Coleman Peak 1 Backpacking stove my parent gave me when I was 15. I’m now 50 and that thing still works like a champ. It will easily outlast me, and I plan on living at least another 40 plus years.

#6

Cheap alarm clocks. My previous 2 lasted over 10 years each and the latest one lasted only 6 months before sometimes just not alarming when set (!). I’m going to research good brands and hopefully will be able to find a sub-$100 model that is built to last. Until then, if I really need to get up at a certain time I can use my phone, but I don’t want to always have it in the same room as me just to check the time or wake up.

#7

As I posted a while back, my Tupperware microwave bowls are 50 years old and still going strong.

#8

All of the hand tools I inherited from Pop-pop still work just fine, and will probably outlast me, and the next generation. They were made when Craftsman Tools were actually manufactured to last.

I have a few shovels, axes, and some inexplicable hand tools stamped “WPA” that are so old-school and functional (for something), their utility has outlasted the idea of what they were designed for. Seriously, I’ve been using this one particular bladed tool to clear kudzu and brush from my properties for over twenty years. I have no idea what it’s original purpose was…

Tripler
[Western Drawl]In 15 years, I’m gonna build me a ranch cabin with these tools.[/Drawl]

#9

World Psychiatric Association. What those tools are for, you don’t want to know. :smiley:

#10

Sitting next to me at the moment is the telephone that I bought from a Radio Shack back in 1983. It works just fine. It was the first phone I ever bought and it will probably be the only, and therefore the last, one. (Assuming I count cell phones as a separate item.)

#11

“Built to lobotomize for a lifetime.”

#12

When we switched to LED lights a few years ago, I remember think “these will outlive me.” A sobering thought for those of us who used to change light bulbs every couple of years.

#13

I own lots of Craftsman sockets and ratchets. Most were purchased in the 1980s, and they’re carefully organized in my toolbox. They will certainly outlast me. My only concern is theft.

#14

:smiley:

I think it’s actually issued from the Works Progress Administration. I’ll take and post some pictures when I get a chance.

Tripler
It does look like a lobodomization tool, of sorts (decapitation).

#15

I suspect they are from the '30s, probably owned by the WPA “Work Progress Administration” A big public works agency used for building public buildings, roads etc. Trying to get people employed productively during the depression.

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration

Brandon

#16

There’s an ordinary incandescent bulb in a fixture at the top of my stairs that has lasted 11 years of regular use. Chances are rapidly increasing that it will outlast me (I’m 64).

#17

Pop Pop sounds like he knew how to select tools. The WPA could be from a Works Progress Administration job in the 1930’s. Don’t know a lot about the antique tool market except that it exists

Might be fun to at least find out what the tools are.

As for the last thing? Could be almost anything in the next 5-7 years, don’t.

#18

I bought my last roof a couple years ago (thank God), and my last car (although Mrs R will need a car soon).

#19

This is not a thing I bought. My dog is two years old. I’m 61. My dog may easily live to be 14 or 15. I might not be around. He’ll probably outlive me. He may be the last dog I’ll ever adopt.

#20

Gives new meaning to the phrase: “Clearing out the kudzu”! :smiley:

We’ve had our Tupperware plastic for 30 yrs or so. having lost the odd piece/lid, and general wear, we’ve discussed investing in a new “food storage system”. :rolleyes:

We recently bought a new coffee maker. Before, we had gone through 2-3 of the same make/model, which they no longer make. So as we researched what they offer now, we realized it could be a long - possibly lifelong - decision.

Re: garden tools, we used to buy Craftsman, which had a lifetime guarantee. So I would regularly snap shovel handles doing things no shovel should stand up to, like prying stumps/rocks. Must’ve replaced it 4-5 times. Last time, they said they would give me one with a fiberglass handle, and said that was the last one! :smiley:

Yeah - we recently did some remodeling and got LEDs - at the time, I wondered if we would ever need to replace them. Not needing replacement bulbs opens up some shelf space! :wink:

Just replaced the roof - think they said it was good for something crazy like 50 yrs!

Kinda a neat feeling, to say, “Not gonna need to deal w/ THAT again!”