For the longest time, when my mother couldn’t sleep she would shop in the middle of the night. Not at the mall, but from the privacy of her own television. And, she was a really good customer, most often buying those things that caught her fancy in threes – one for herself, one for my sister and one for me. I still have the grilled cheese contraption she bought for us somewhere in a closet in my basement.

Apples don’t fall far from trees they say. So it will come as no surprise that over the years I have been drawn to the occasional infomercial. When I was in my twenties, I bought more hair gadgets and makeup than I can begin to describe sucked in by television promotions. Then came the kitchen gadgets. I have this really great slicer for making all things potato.

Last summer I ordered a Chillow which sounded like a great idea at the time but I am still trying to figure out when it will arrive. And just this past weekend while I was on the treadmill at the gym watching, guess what, an infomercial – I found a new hair gadget to straighten curly hair. My husband, who was with me at the gym, just shook his head.

Are you an infomercial buyer?