When do you break down and buy a new one?

Two of the things that Jimmy and I were in need of when we bought our house were a washer and dryer. Luckily, we got a free washer from Carly, who had got if from Mike and Lindsay Carter, who had got it from the Gower's (for those of you that are thoroughly confused now...Lindsay Carter used to be Lindsay Gower, who yes, is Vanessa's older sister that is married to Jimmy's older brother. If you are thinking fast you will realize, yes- Vanessa's sister and I will be sister-in-laws. Still with me?) when they bought new ones. We got a dryer for $75 on Craigslist and called it a day. After having Evan install some new plumbing and hook up new Hot/Cold water pipes - we were in business and the residents of 5209 W 79th were able to do laundry.

Within the first week, water leaked all over the basement from the washer. We figured out it was from a hose that wasn't tightly fastened. Roger to the rescue (after Jimmy and Brittany attempted- now if you saw that you would really laugh) and problem solved. Next the knob on the washer falls off, but we can work with that and do.

Then comes the dryer issues. The latch thing that locks when you close the dryer door, well at some point that got messed up so the door doesn't latch. If the door isn't closed, the dryer obviously doesn't work. Then comes the cardboard that we shove in there to lock it in. That worked for a while. But at the beginning of the week I was doing my laundry and 60 minutes after I started the dryer and walked back downstairs, to my surprise I found an open dryer door and wet clothes. I figured it was a fluke and tried again. An hour or two later, back to finish up laundry. Still not dry, door popped open. This is obnoxious!! So I ask Jimmy to see if he can fix it. He walks back upstairs and informs me he fixed it. When I walk back down stairs, this is what I see:

Yeah...that whole duct tape thing is just not going to cut it for me. With that going on, I just figure it's a sign we need to buy a new one. Conveniently enough, I just finished paying my TV off that I bought from Best Buy when I moved into my condo with 18 months no interest. Is this the universe's sick way of letting me know that the expenses are never going to stop and that $100/month or so I was paying cannot be stashed into savings but needs to go to a new, energy efficient, front loading washer and dryer? I think so. But really, look how beautiful they are. If I decide to snatch some up this weekend, I just MIGHT start enjoying laundry. Probably not, but you never know!