For years, the Big Guy and I took turns shaking our heads and rolling our eyes at the television commercials for products “only seen on TV.” How good could something be that can only be bought sight unseen from a TV commercial?

Then one day, along came the “Snuggie.” You remember Snuggies, don’t you? The one-size-fits-all, blanket with arms, fleece concoctions were advertised as appropriate attire for everything from lounging around the house to attending a university football game.

For years, the Big Guy and I took turns shaking our heads and rolling our eyes at the television commercials for products “only seen on TV.” How good could something be that can only be bought sight unseen from a TV commercial?

Then one day, along came the “Snuggie.” You remember Snuggies, don’t you? The one-size-fits-all, blanket with arms, fleece concoctions were advertised as appropriate attire for everything from lounging around the house to attending a university football game.

Since cold spots are a way of life when you live in a 100-year-old house, the Big Guy succumbed to all the slick talk and ordered one for me as part of my Christmas three years ago.

But wait — he didn’t get just one Snuggie. Because he ordered when he did, he got a second Snuggie free. All he had to pay was additional processing and handling.

The Snuggie was a popular item that Christmas. In fact, ours didn’t arrive until well into spring when I was actually looking for one of those cold spots in the house.

Because of its tent shape and one-size-fits-all proportions, my Snuggie turned out to be a tripping hazard and eventually was used like any other blanket enlisted for afternoon snuggling.

The second Snuggie went to my sister, who eventually used it as a throw over the part of the couch the dog liked to sleep on.

I thought that one experience would be the end of “as seen on TV” bargains at our house and, we did pretty good over the next three years, until the expandable hose came along. You know the one: It’s lightweight and shrinks up to nearly nothing when it isn’t being used. It doesn’t kink or split or tangle.

Along with cold spots, our house has only one outside water spigot, which is on the back deck. To get water to the front yard, like to wash down the front porch or water the lawn, the Big Guy needs at least 75 feet of hose.

I can’t tell you how many colorful phrases I’ve learned through the years as he pulled, stretched, repaired and untangled the lengths of hose needed to bring water to the front yard.

I figured, if the expandable hose worked, it would be a great gift for his birthday. If it didn’t work, I reckoned we’d wrap it in the old Snuggie and give them both a proper burial.

Like the Snuggie, the expandable hose was a popular item last fall and didn’t come until two days before Christmas.

One day in January, it was warm enough to hook the new hose up and take it for a test squirt. I considered it extraordinary good luck that the thing worked just like they said it would on TV. I say extraordinary because, you guessed it, I got a second hose just for paying additional processing and handling.

Of course, by the time I paid processing and handling twice, I had some pretty expensive hoses — way more expensive than we’d have ever paid in a store — and it’s kind of hard to get real excited about something we probably won’t use for another 6 to 8 weeks. But, they’re stored in their flower pots — an advertised feature — and ready to grow to full size hoses whenever we’re ready.

Lately I’ve been seeing commercials for something called Aqua Rug, which is touted to be a carpet for your shower. It’s made from anti-microbial poly fibers that dry immediately, are stain resistant and lie right over the drain while keeping your feet clean and soft.

I must really have a knack for shopping because right now I can get two Aqua Rugs for the price of one when I pay additional processing and handling.

It must be my lucky day.

Linda Brown is Herald marketing director. Email her at lbrown@ottawaherald.com