unpleasant tenants

so, i thought i should post this quick... amber, you'll appreciate this, i think! we still have mice. for some stupid reason, i had hoped that while we were gone and there was no food or anything in the house, they'd get hungry and leave. this is not the case, apparently, so i've come to these amazing conclusions:
* mice get take-out too. i'm guessing there are several miniscule chains devoted to fast-food and delivery, mousey-style. i'd like to see one of those...
* there are 'motivational squeakers' that come and give presentations on personal empowerment... judging by the fact that there was one rooting around not 10 feet from me (but just out of sight, in the basement), it works.
* they are NOT good housekeepers. i mean, they leave poo in plain sight. gross.
which leaves me to wonder, do those electronic rodent repellents really work? you can find one in almost any price range, so i'd guess that the cheap ones are more for decoration, or to make you think you're humanely getting rid of the furry little buggers, while in reality they sit from some unseen perch and giggle at your futile attempts. but, if you shell out $30+ for one, does it actually do the job? i know that cats are usually a good bet at getting rid of mice, but since we live in town, any outdoor cat will automatically win a one-way ticket to the pound (or more likely, have an unpleasant little run-in with a big, round rubber object), so that's out. and the traps? we've tried them in the past- we were successful once. must've been the dimwitted cousin from the hills that wandered into that little mess, since the rest seem to have no problem avoiding them. and of course poisons aren't an option, for obvious reasons... and for the simple fact that if they happen to get into the pellets and don't wait till they get outside to kick the bucket, we will have one smelly house. so- if anyone knows if those plug-in thingies work, please let me know! i'd just ask them to leave, but for being so smart, they just can't take a hint...