They seemed like great hearing aids. With extra tech through a Bluetooth app to adjust them for hearing TV audio, crowded restaurants, etc. The only thing is, they were unreliable. Hisses, feedback, the charger sometimes not working right and the Bluetooth app seldom working well. She took them in for service countless times. The company allegedly even sent them back for replacement. After more than a year and a half my wife had had enough. She demanded her money back and money back to our insurance company as well.

We’re talking lots of money—more than $5,000 for what should have been very high-quality devices. Turns out, the cost included all those office visits after the initial fitting. After all, they might need tweaking or reprogramming—like everything else these days, hearing aids have software and firmware. She persisted. A few days ago, she got a check for the full amount of what we paid. Another check will be going to the insurance company. I can tell you with confidence—don’t mess with my wife with a product that doesn’t work!

Then there’s the new bed—an adjustable one. With a hybrid mattress. Actually, two mattresses—a split king. As we get older, body parts have problems. Like that rotator cuff surgery for her. Or a hernia fix for me. It’s likely more will come in future years. So, get a bed with the ability to rise at the head or the feet—with massage functions too. The hybrid mattresses have innersprings and foam. The one we tried at the store seemed to be just right—a little softer for achy joints than the memory foam one we’d had for ten years. But the one that got delivered seemed quite a bit firmer. We both thought so. I called the store owner, who sold us the set—which cost as much as the hearing aids. No problem, given that over the last decade we had bought:

• The previous bed and mattress
• Ell-office furniture for me
• A futon
• A loveseat
• A powered double-size recliner sofa for the TV room—we needed room for the dog
• Stuffed chairs
• A variety of small tables

That’s what most store owners would call good customers. When you’re a good customer, the boss listens. He ordered two new mattresses and they were delivered in a couple weeks, fresh from the factory. This time they were “ultra plush” instead of plain plush. He hauled away the originals, as well as the old bed and mattress. No additional charges. When you live in a small town, there’s not many places to buy furniture. Buy local is a good mantra. It works well wherever you live, even in a big city. What with the pandemic, supply chain issues and delivery charges for getting items from far away places, it’s a better choice.

So, stand up for yourself and be assertive. Note—that’s insistent, not rude or belligerent. Build up a relationship with business or a store and it will pay off in the end.