Seen on TV, Now Seen at Home

Everyone recognizes the blue screen with yellow lettering on TV. Every time you see those infomercials, about a thousand things go through your head simultaneously.

“Whoever thought of that is a genius!”

“Do they really make a living out of these things?”

“Who would buy that?”

“I want on

e, but does it really work?”

“That guy is so annoying.”

That is just some of what is going through your head. We, smart consumers, are always skeptical about the products. “It’s too good to be true.” It usually is, but I have a handful of products with the red “As Seen on TV” label and they work pretty well. Not all infomercial products are scams.

Billy Mays, pitchman for OxiClean, said “[I] never endorse a product [I] didn't believe in. “

I never call the 800 number listed on TV. I’ve read testimonies online complaining about the operators hustling additional services and offers until the advertised $19.99 became $69.99. I buy my products either at a brick-and-mortar As Seen on TV store or Walgreens. Then, I’d have my product in hand for the advertised price, even though I don’t have the extra set they promised “if you call within the next 10 minutes.”

A friend got me a version of the Snuggie Fleece Blanket for Christmas. I should’ve gotten a patent for this. I’m always reading on the couch and I’m always cold. It’s such a hassle to turn the page and then adjust the blanket again and again every 2 minutes. Before I got this, I usually have a fleece blanket and safety pin two corners around my neck so I’m actually wearing the blanket and have another one covering my legs.

I bought the Iron Gym at Bed, Bath & Beyond so I can keep up with my upper body conditioning. I used to do gymnastics and play tennis on a regular basis, where I get all my upper body strength. I’ve used it a few times but is now just sitting on my closet door frame. I’m afraid I’m going to break my door frame.

Space Bags was also a gift and this is my second favorite infomercial product. I found these puffy jackets that I want to donate, but I have to wait until the Christmas season to donate them to the coat drives. They are taking up so much space so I stuffed them all in an extra-large space bag and vacuumed out the air. Voila! They’re so flat; I slipped it between some boxes under my bed. I don’t like using suitcases and I don’t have enough duffle bags to put all my clothes in. I hope my clothes won’t be too wrinkled when I take them out of the Space Bag.

My recent purchase is Smooth Away I bought at Walgreens. Honestly, I’m too lazy to shave. Even during skirt season in Stockton. I probably shave only 3 times a year and only during the months of July and August. Sometimes I try to get away not shaving by lathering my legs with lotion. I’m too cheap to buy replacement blades and shaving cream. I’m too lazy to take the time to shave so I try to do it in the shower, but even then I’m still too lazy. With Smooth Away, I just take out the pad and “gently buff the area in circular motions with slight pressure” while I watch TV. Again, I’m too lazy to shave so I haven’t used it yet.