The great HDTV saga of 09

Ever since the holiday sales of 2008 (probably even earlier), I’ve been waiting and waiting to get a new LCD HDTV for our house.  About that time we were tackling the last of our debt and it was clear that making such a substantial purchase was not going to be the right thing for us as a family.  We also knew that just repaying our debt wasn’t the only thing to think about; completing Baby Step #3 (3-6 month emergency fund) was the next big priority on our list.

Fast forward to November 2009. We’ve completed our goal, and we recently decided that this purchase was something we could seriously be researching.  We (Julie left it to me to find a good deal) eventually decided on a new model from Samsung.  Specifically, it’s the Samsung LN40B500, an economical version of the rest of the 500 series.  They’ve basically removed a couple HDMI ports and lowered the contrast ratio (most people won’t notice this).  The result is an excellent TV at an equally great price.

Samsung LN40B500 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV, Black

Samsung, Electronics, $597.99

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New TV, big deal, right?  Well, this was particularly fun because we had been planning and patient for such a long time.  To be able to walk into Best Buy knowing that the money we were about to spend had been specifically designated was a really freeing experience.  It was a far cry from other major tech purchases I’ve made before where the only thing I was feeling walking out of the store was guilt because I knew I really couldn’t afford the item I’d purchased.  For a technology fan like me, this was a great day.

Next up… Blu-Ray?  Nah, hopefully we’ll add a Roku