13. How to Game the System

In the grand tradition of consumer shenanigans, there exists a maneuver as cunning as it is controversial: the ol’ switcheroo. Perhaps a toaster has toasted its last bagel. Mourning? Unnecessary. If the store shelves still cradle it, a solution is at hand.

While it might seem like a clever hack to extend the lifecycle of products in a throwaway culture, it’s a grey area that tests the limits of return policies. A reminder: just because you can, doesn’t always mean you should. The line between savvy saving and questionable ethics is thinner than a receipt’s paper.