In the middle of doing a load of laundry, my friend's mother discovered there was no heat in her dryer. Because the machine was over 20 years old, she decided to buy a new one.

The first time she used the new dryer, the same problem occurred. Frustrated, she asked her husband to investigate. He eventually reported that the trouble was a burned-out fuse. It would only cost a few dollars to replace. "A few dollars!" she exclaimed. "That fuse has already cost us $600."