Gifts that end up costing you...

[2lilsweetfoxes]

We just got a new TV from MIL. However, that means that we have to either mount it on the wall or buy an entertainment center to put it on and tether it to the wall (to prevent little ones pulling it over) and upgrade our direct tv to HD.

We did plan on buying one--next year after our credit cards are paid off. And they are visiting us in a couple months, so not putting it up is not an option.

WWYD? And any other stories about gifts that end up making you spend money on them before you can enjoy/use them?

[just_lily]

Why do you need to upgrade to HD? Can't you just use it as is for now, and upgrade next year when you planned?

I would probably either scrounge something up to use around the house, or check out garage sales/ kijiji / used stores / etc. for something that would work.

My mom keeps talking about shipping me her china. I have no hutch, so it will live in boxes until we can purchase one.

[2lilsweetfoxes]

I don't know if it will work with a non-HD receiver.

[love4bob]

You could just use it to watch movies for now? Or you could get a digital antennae to pick up local stations.

[mommy2maya]

It will work fine, just not hd. We have a HDTV in our bedroom but just regular cable to it, it works just fine.

[2lilsweetfoxes]

There is still the issue of mounting it and all that. We'll come up with something.

[happysmileylady]

An HD tv will absolutely work with a non-HD receiver. In fact, you can have an HD receiver, and still not be getting an HD picture if you do not use the HDMI inputs and outputs to hook it up. I will say though, we bought a big screen HD tv a few years ago with cash and I can't say that I would like to watch it without the HD picture. We did however switch our service from DirecTV to cable, we got a great deal for the switch, $100 for our cable (with HD and free movie channels), and internet AND phone. So if you do decide to go for HD service, call around, see if you can get some sort of deal for making a switch. We also go a $100 credit for switching from satallite.

As far as something to put it on, scour CL, freecycle, and the end of the season garage sales, I am sure you will find something cheap or free. In fact, on Mondays, check the free section of CL, lots of people try to dump their garage sale leftovers for free that way.

[mommy2maya]

if you have an ikea close, they sell a wall mount for something like $20.

[swd12422]

We have never been able to find/agree on an entertainment center for our HDTV, so it sits on the homemade (by my dad) TV cart that was made for a 19" CRT 15 years ago. It's not mounted or anything, we just have a baby gate around it to keep DS far enough away so he can't pull it down. Much easier (and cheaper) to mount the baby gate to the wall (or, as we did, buy a big one with its own gate and literally wrap it around the perimeter of half the room to stabilize it).

[earthmama369]

I don't think you have to get it set up right away just because your ILs are coming to visit you. I would feel comfortable expressing my sincere gratitude for such a great gift and also mentioning this great financial plan you're on and how excited you are to get the wall mounts/entertainment center when you've saved up for them. My parents would be happy to hear that dh and I are being responsible with our money. My ILs would be confused, but they'd go with it.

[Alyantavid]

Wall mounts don't cost that much. I think we got ours at Best Buy for $40. As for upgrading to HD, you don't have to do that, you can watch it with your regular direct tv.

[Ola_]

I agree that you don't need to upgrade your cable. Heck, we don't even have cable and we watch over-the-air channels on our plasma TV.

Our entertainment center is from IKEA as well, I was shocked how expensive they were when I started looking. The other place that often has good prices for stuff like that is Costco - even if you don't have a membership I think you can buy stuff off their website (and shipping is included in the cost, at least on the Canadian site).

Or you could wait till they come, mention that you're still saving up money for an entertainment center, and maybe they will realize their blunder and get one for you?

[SubliminalDarkness]

Wall mounts aren't all that expensive, especially if your tv isn't terribly large.

Check craigslist, people are usually selling them there, too.

And you don't have to upgrade your satellite service.

[TheSavedQuarter]

We have ours on top of a dresser in the living room with earthquake straps holding it down and holding the dresser to the wall. It would take some serious pulling to get it down! We ended up bringing in my dresser from the bedroom so we didn't have to buy new furniture. We also do not have HD and can still watch.

[phathui5]

We've had ours' on top of a dresser and on the floor, at different times. When we finally found the TV cabinet we wanted at 50% off, we bought it, but not before then.

[Amila]

I can empathize, lol. My dad bought my DH a $6,000 trailer for his business a few xmases ago, which he really did need, but we wouldn't have gotten for at least a few more years (um, wow!).

Too bad my husband's F-150 couldn't haul it. He had to get a new truck. Oh, and lets not forget registration and taxes- $400.

[nd_deadhead]

Friends of ours got a "Free" hot tub. They were not in the market for a hot tub, so they were not saving the price of a new one (or even a used one).

They have spent thousands of dollars installing and repairing the "free" hot tub, to say nothing of the cost to heat and maintain it. Yet they still feel like they got a good deal!

[Three~Little~Birds]

Our in-laws were going on a trip to Florida. They graiously offered for us to stay with them for free, so that we could have vacation, too. We used frequent Flyer points to get there, but that 'free' trip cost us 700$ (that we DID NOT have and would never have spent, otherwise!

[marybethorama]

I don't see any need to upgrade to HD. The TV will still work. We haven't upgraded yet.

As for furniture, any piece of furniture can work. I've had TVs on every kind. (All of our furniture is hand me down).

Tethering, you can easily rig yourself.

[Princess ConsuelaB]

Hey if it will save you money on the mounting hardware send it to me I'd be thrilled if someone spent a $1000 on my family