My cellphone battery died the other day and I was in a hurry. I went to the local Verizon store only to be told that my two-year old phone was “obsolete”, and they didn’t have any batteries for it. Rushed around to a couple Radio Shacks, and the almost had batteries, at least they looked similar but no deal. The batteries at Radio Shack, by the way were going to be about $50.00 a pop.

Back to Verizon and I bowed to the inevitable, and got a new phone. Since I have a prepaid plan, I paid full price, more the $200, after paying for the phone a 12 volt charger and case. Its an OK phone, it flips…and has a camera.

Back home several days later I went on the Internet to check, and sure enough there was a battery for my old Kyocera phone for $17.95 Cell Power plus $4.95 shipping. It arrived the next day. Moral: You have a lot more control of your budget and impulses before a deadline.