When I was 5 years old. I begged my parents to buy me a toy that I saw advertised on TV. I soon discovered that the toy was a disappointment. It was nothing like the ad made it seem to be.

I never forgot that experience. Ever since, I have been aware and wary of advertisements. I don't just pay attention to what they say; I also pay attention to what they don't say. Many of the tricks used to make a product seem better than it actually is are quite transparent.

As much as possible, I buy items I need from yard sales. The items are not promoted by professional marketers.