Back to the third generation!

Remember my dear sweet hubby replacing the screen on his old ipod so I could use it? Well, it's finally ready for use!
It turns out that once you open these suckers they don't really like to fit back together. So we did what anyone would do: smeared epoxy in the seams and clothes-pinned the pieces together until the glue set. I'm hoping this has created a water-resistant seal. It definitely isn't pretty.

If you look closely you can see an errant smear of epoxy.

I had to buy a new armband, since the third generation is square and my first generation was rectangular, and I got this Griffin model for under $4, shipping included. It was new in box WITH a pair of ear buds! Yay Ebay! Unfortunately, it's pink. I know I am a girl and therefore obligated by the contract I signed with our culture in utero to adore pink, but the truth is, there are very few shades of pink I like. Hot pink is distinctly not one of them. However, as you might have noticed, I care more about being cheap than looking good, so pink it is!

So...how much did this repair job cost?
1 replacement screen: $27
1 tool to open ipod, which we didn't use: $6 - but we returned this as we were able to use other tools to get the job done.
1 tube of epoxy: $5 - but we already owned this.
1 new armband: $3.65
13 man-hours of labor at my asking price, to pry apart the front and back pieces*: $702

So there you have it. A new ipod costs a $160. This one cost $743.65.

*I think Apple should make our troops' body armor.

New Nano

Thank you everyone for birthday congrats and comments on my loan payments. I hope I inspired some of you to pay off early??? Or take out less???
By the way, in case you can't tell, I am righteously terrified of poverty. Growing up poor does that to you. I refuse to owe any man anything, so I carry no debt. However, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. We do use credit cards - religiously, in fact. That's because my Amex gets 5% back on drugstore and grocery purchases and 3% on everything else. Since I work for, and get a discount at, a drugstore, most of our purchases fall into the 5% category. Free money, dude. We just don't go overboard. I treat my credit card like it's a debit - coming straight out of my paycheck - because really, it is. We pay off all our cards every month, of course, but by using credit cards for cash we earn major cash back. Plus our credit score likes it when we use the cards!
And we do still owe on the hubby's student loans. He is ancient and old, so when he went to school the rates were just 1.88%. We're less aggrieved about a rate that beats inflation!
We also still owe a little on the hubby's car, which he bought in April. My car buying philosophy is to either pay cash or put down as much cash as you can as a down payment and pay off in under 3 years. It's WAY too easy to get upside-down on a car note.
And I forgot to mention that we rent. Yep, we rent! Despite great mortgage rates and the tax shelter a home would provide, it is smarter for us to rent right now. I love my beautiful apartment, and our rent is less than half what we'd pay in JUST INSURANCE AND PROPERTY TAXES to live in this area. This is a unique situation, and for many couples buying is smarter (not everyone, though. Lots of people buy when they should rent). Our lack of mortgage helped us pay off the loans faster.
Also if I feel like we are spending too much money I force the hubby to sit on the street corner and beg for change. Just kidding. But if someone gave him any change I would keep it.

So, after discussing frugality, allow me to make myself a liar and tell you that the hubby got me a new Nano for my birthday.
I'm considering returning it, of course.
I have an ipod that I use just for running, but in the past month the earphone plug has gone bad. First it was crackly and spotty, then I lost the left ear entirely. Then I had to only plug it in facing one direction. Then I had to pull it halfway out. This week I lost all sound. But then a couple of miles in a few notes did reach my ear. Hubby claims this cannot be repaired and I will be really sorry if I try to run a marathon without an ipod. My question for you...is this repairable? Will Apple fix ipods, and if so, will it be ready in time for October 2nd? Is four years "old" for an ipod? Should I suck it up and keep the new one, despite nightmares about how much it cost?