I just did something I haven't done in years. I took the weekend and the holiday off. It was wonderful. We had friends over for a barbecue. And I made salsa — from scratch.

I used my absolute favorite kitchen gadget, the Vidalia Chop Wizard, to chop the stuff that needed chopping (tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro). This thing is amazing.

Using the Chop Wizard I was able to chop the tomatoes quickly into uniform slices without launching seeds and pulp across the room or turning the whole tomato into a squishy mess. Then I chopped the other ingredients and mixed them all together with lime juice, salt and pepper. I was done in about 5 minutes. Yum!

I love my Chop Wizard. I look for things to chop just because it's so much fun. I'm a chopping fool! And the results are always so amazing. I even took my Chop Wizard to the office awhile back and held a demonstration for my (tolerant) staff.

I know I run the risk of sounding like a paid Chop Wizard spokesperson. (I'm not, although that might not be such a bad gig, now that I think about it.) It's just that this gadget is such a time saver, and given the fact that it makes me want to make stuff from scratch, it's a money saver, too.

I bought my first Chop Wizard years ago in response to a late-night TV infomercial. Remarkably, it is still being produced and is now available in stores and online for about $20. I can't say that everything I've purchased through an infomercial or PBS special has turned out quite as well. I've been burned a number of times when my compulsive nature met a weak moment head-on. It makes me queasy to think back on all the junk I've bought and all the money I've wasted over the years.

When I say I am compulsive I mean that with a capital C. So how do I deal with compulsiveness when it comes to buying stuff? I have these specific questions written on a flowchart that I keep close by, and I force myself to answer them when I'm thinking about buying something.

—Do I need it?

—Can I afford it?

—Do I already have something that will do?

—Can I wait for a more reasonable alternative?

—Am I certain I have located the best deal?

—Am I willing to submit to a self-imposed cooling-off period to think it over?

You wouldn't believe how many times these simple questions have stopped me short and saved me from making a foolish purchase. But there have been just as many times this exercise gave me the confidence and certainty I needed to make a purchase.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.