I guess after 20+ years of marriage and always having one kind of pet or another, it feels like warfare keeping the house clean at times.

Before heading out to your local retail store to plop down several hundred $1's on that brand spankin' new Dyson, consider the alternative; buying a reconditioned Dyson vacuum online. I did 3+ years ago and here's why I think you should too.

Question 1: Ask yourself "Do I have an extra $200 to $300 to burn or could I think of a better use for that money?"

Purchasing a refurbished Dyson (read below what definition)can save you several hundreds of dollars off retail. Go to your local Sears or Best Buy and I'm guessing for a DC14 Animal, you're going to pay around $550 to $600 for a new vacuum. And that doesn't include tax so add another $35 to $40.

Total: $580 - $640.

Now compare that to a Factory-Reconditioned Dyson DC14 Animal that can be purchased online and you're looking at a price, I'll bet, that's in the the $300s range! And most times purchasing online means NO TAX and FREE SHIPPING.... BaddaBing BaddaBoom, you just saved enough to have a heckuva nice romantic getaway for a night maybe two my friend. Read on.

Question 2: Ask yourself "Do I have to have a brand new Dyson?"

Here's a simply definition of a remanufactured Dyson vacuum - "factory reconditioned to new condition (a few cosmetic blemishes may exist) backed by a factory warranty".

Bottom line - for all intents and purposes, you're getting a brand new vacuum that may have a few cosmetic blemishes on it. Mine didn't and neither did two other friends who bought reconditioned units either. Dyson even puts a full 6 month warranty on all their remanufactured units to give you piece of mind.

Question 3: Ask yourself "Do I take pride in finding the best deal?"

Everytime I look at my Dyson Animal, I get a kick out of how much I saved going the reconditioned route vs. retail. You may be like-minded or you may not. But the fact is, after 3+ years of ownership, I can't, and neither can anyone else, tell 1 bit of difference between my reconditioned Dyson and a new one.

If you want all the benefits - Dyson vacuums have incredibly positive reviews and are known for their exceptional suction. Among the cool features are a 17-foot telescoping wand, permanent HEPA filters and 150,000 Gs of cyclonic force - while saving a boat load of money, I encourage your to check out a remanufactured Dyson vacuum instead of a brand new one. In a couple days, after delivery, I think you'll be glad you did.