Since I grew up with a daddy who is as frugal as the day is long and a mama who would rather stay inside the house indefinitely than to leave it wearing a Cheap Shirt, I am a unique financial personality: someone who likes good, quality stuff but doesn’t want to spend any money on it.
A salesman’s dream!
You can imagine how fun Christmases could be during my childhood with Mama’s and Daddy’s polar opposite money personalities: Mama would give Daddy an expensive suit that he would in turn vow could be found down at the men’s discount store for a fraction of the price, and he would buy her hubcaps for her car because, well, she needed them.
Mama still hasn’t gotten over Hubcap Christmas, by the way. Even if it was twenty five years ago.
So I don’t think it requires much of a mental leap to realize that growing up with those two people definitely shaped my deep desire to find quality products (Mama) for inexpensive prices (Daddy). And when I do? I’m GIDDY.
A couple of years ago I was in Steinmart shopping for a comforter set for our guest room, and I always think of that particular shopping experience as a highlight of my bargain shopping. I found a Ralph Lauren comforter set that had been $399.99, then marked down to $279.99, then marked down to $189.99, then marked down to $139.99, THEN marked down to $99.99. I practically skipped to the front to buy it.
But wait! There’s more!
When the cashier rang up my purchase? There was an additional discount.
Unadvertised. Which I feel is the most beautiful of all words in regards to sales or specials. Melodic, in fact.
So the comforter set cost me $70.00. Marked down from almost FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS to SEVENTY DOLLARS.
I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure that I heard angels singing.
These days, though, aside from finding a cute jacket on clearance or a having a particularly good run with coupons at Publix, I haven’t had many banner bargains cross my path. And truth be told, I don’t really think about it as much now that Alex is here, because 1) it’s harder to shop when he’s around and 2) if I need baby wash, I just need baby wash, and I don’t find entertainment from running all over town to find the best baby wash price. (But, in case you’re wondering, it’s the lavender Target brand – only $.99 – works just as well as Johnson & Johnson’s – not that I pay attention to that kind of stuff anymore. Or anything.)
ANYWAY, today Alex and I had to make a trip to Walmart. I wasn’t really happy about going, because I wanted to stay home and clean and nest today, but I was out of some of the supplies required for cleaning and nesting. Like, you know, Endust and vacuum bags and detergent and fabric softener and dryer sheets, not that we need to open up that whole laundry quandry again. ;-)
We drove to Walmart, went inside, started making our way through our list, and I spied some items that I thought were certainly mispriced…but upon closer inspection, I realized that no, they weren’t mispriced, it’s just that they’ve gone all cuckoo and bonkers at Walmart and have obviously decided to practically give away the merchandise.
(And now I feel sort of bad, because MY WORD this is a lot of build-up for what I ended up buying, because you’re going to think I found a car for, like, five dollars, and that’s so not what it is, so just remember that I LOVE ME A BARGAIN, especially when it’s a good product.)
So here is what I bought. For Alex. Not for me.
A 24-pack of Rose Art crayons for TEN CENTS. TEN CENTS!
A 150-sheet pack of notebook paper for FIFTY CENTS. FIFTY CENTS!
A 10-pack of Rose Art markers for FIFTY CENTS. FIFTY CENTS!
It’s prices from YE OLDEN DAYS!
For $1.10 (plus tax), I purchased what amounts to Big Art Fun for the young’un.
Aren’t y’all excited for me?
Of course – as is always the pattern in Walmart – I had $59 worth of other random things that were NOT on sale, but still. I’ll take my bargain successes where I can find them.
And I thought, when I got home, that those three items would make both my mama and my daddy happy…Mama because they were “real” brands, not some beige cardboard carton with “MARKER PRODUCT” written on the outside, and Daddy would love them because, well, they cost A DOLLAR AND TEN CENTS.
So I’ll wrap this anti-climactic post up now, because I need to have a little art time with Alex.
And he’d better enjoy it. Dadgummit.
Because we’ve got a dollar and ten cents’ worth of quality merchandise on the line. :-)
You are so hilarious. I found you through inthemidstofit, who I found through lisawhelchel.com, which gets really weird when you consider that I’m an atheist. At any rate, the only greater joy for me than shopping at Target during the month of August (that’s when any and all school-ish supplies get bought) is the YMCA book sale down the street from me IN THE SAME MONTH. On the last day? You BRING YOUR OWN BOX and can fill the entire thing with books for $6. Of course, I’ve already spent the previous 4 days binge-book-buying, but still. I will FIND stuff to fill that box with.
I get an actual, tingly adrenaline rush from a good bargain. Seriously. It’s kind of weird. So I completely relate to your joy. And that comforter deal would’ve had me skipping too!
Oh – I got tingles reading about your bargains!!!!!!!!! I get SOOOO GIDDY when I find an awesome deal.
However, having twin babies right now, along with 3 other young’uns out from school for the summer, I am a bit house-bound and I must say BooMama, that you have given me a wonderful treat by allowing me to live vicariously through your shopping trip! Yippeeeeee! Thank you!
My best shopping thrill? A trip to Zellers (a Canadian store) and my total purchases were well over $60, but their till for some reason seized up and it would only charge me $10.78!!!!!!!!!!! The cashiers worked on it for awhile and ended up just letting me pay $10.78!!!!!! I walked out of there so light on my feet that I swore I lost 30 pounds right there at the till!
OK back to breastfeeding.
Chris
Uhmmm…am I the only one who wonders why Sandy the athiest is reading In The Midst Of It and Lisa Welchel? And is a fan of the YMCA (young men’s Christian association) book sales? Could it be God is working in mysterious ways?
Anyhoo, you rock, Boo. (Just can’t call you BM, I.just.can’t.) I’m with Shannon. When I find a great bargain, big or small, I get light-headed.
I love me a bargain, which is why my husband hates to shop with me. I can’t just walk in a store and buy something that I know for certain costs less at another store. Can’t. do. it. So I feel your joy. And you got out of WalMart for less than a hundred bucks? You’re my hero.
It must be a bargain full moon. I was at Target this afternoon and their “One Spot” is 50% off!!! I bought my daughter a pair of flip flops AND a book about the United States for a whole dollar.
For some SERIOUS bargains check out JCPenney online outlet. Go to JCPenney.com, click on any category, then go to outlet. They may even have some FOXY sweaters on sale!! tee hee
You might be a little out of control. :) But I’m happy for you all the same!
YOU MADE ME GO TO WALMART! Seriously! I read thru half your post — got up and told DH I was goin to Walmart. Came home with 2 packs of Constuction paper, new scissiors, index cards 1 bingo games for the kids, new CLEARANCE Pooh sneakers for the girl (on clearance! and all the other pairs had $7 marked on them – her size was marked $5!)… nevermind the new cd and headphones…
Sarah – D. said the same thing. I bombarded him with my marker news as soon as he walked upstairs today, and he grinned and said, “Um. Good for you! I’m a little scared now.” :-)
My best bargain ever was a pair of shorts for myself at Sam’s Club for $1.25. Now that I think back though, they were a primary color floral pattern with a matching fabric belt, so I’m kinda horrified, but it WAS 1993, so maybe it wasn’t that bad at the time.
I saw in yesterday’s paper that Staples is having a sale with incredible prices on school supplies.
For the life of me I can’t remember if it was 1 cent or 10 cents, but they had notebooks, rulers, 12 packs of pencils, manual sharpeners and folders. On second thought, it would HAVE to be ten cents, right. And some were limited to three per customer, but I MUST go tomorrow and check it out. I can always donate them for UMCOR school supply kits!
I still can’t get over the fact that you got out of Wal-mart and only spent $59! It seems I can never make it out of there or Target without plopping down at least $100.
And only you could make the purchase of $1.10 worth of art supplies, into some good reading!
I just love the bargin find! I would have just died over the comforter!
I can never make it out of wal-mart with out spending at least over 70 bucks.
The art supplies is just about the bestest buy I’ve heard of! I’m excited about it too!!
Rock on Boo! Love me a bargain too! I play a game with my husband called, “Guess how much I paid for it?” He hates it because he usually gets it wrong. Now he says something ridicously low so that I won’t get too excited!!
Just last week at Wal-Mart I got the girls matching kitty night gowns for $2 and $4!! They were 50% the lowest marked price. This is the first time I had seen these sales at Wally World! What a steal…I’m still giddy thinking about it!
I was JUST THERE and I didn’t see that! Congrats… let the angels sing!
Okay, so seriously I did not know my husband and I were your parents!
Only after 20-some odd years, and I do mean odd at times, I’ve become the consumate bargain hunter and even list it among my favorite hobbies!
I do admit to having a love/hate relationship with WalMart though, no way I ever get out under $100 even when I run in for one or two things.
Some of my hubbies favorite sayings regarding my shopping habits.
*Dear, you save me so much money I don’t have any left to spend.
*I know no other women who gleefully folds her laundry reminising over what she paid for each piece!
*Must you tell everyone who ask exactly how little we paid for each and every thing they complement us on? (okay, so I’m getting better at just saying thank you to some folks!)
oh, I could go on but you get the picture.
and I must say, I did see the art supplies but I gave up on them years ago (I know, cruel Mom) except for colored pencils that will erase and after that last photo of the painted family room…I’m sticking with my decision!
Love visiting here. I’m just getting into this blog thing and love it. Come visit and tell me what you think!
obviously I’m very new at this. Not sure how to post my blogspot web address on your comment section. Yikes!
so here it is!
http://www.acrosstheboardandback.com
aahh!
That’s awesome. I am a SUCKER for good deals, too. My husband loves to say: “You are saving us so much money we’re going broke!” :-)
I have to say, whether Sandy believes in God or not, He believes in her. Maybe someday she’ll realize it. And embrace it. We all used to be lost, and found our way back home.
Woo-hoo! A bargain! It seems this morning–the best bargain by far is surfing the web, blog surfing……feeling the joy of your shopping experience–and discovering the knowledge that God DOES work in mysterious ways! The best bargain? Blogging! Bev is so-o-o-o right…….”whether Sandy believes in God or not, He believes in her.” I do believe, the angels are warming up to sing once more!
Diane
Well, I’m wondering why you only got 1 box of markers, 1 pkg of paper, and 1 box of crayons? I think I would have gone overboard in that area. One of my greatest finds is searching at Old Navy for jeans for the boys. They were supposed to be on sale for $10 but rang up $3. And yes, I did run back to see if there were any more!
I’m not a fan of shopping, and so I will spend more than necessary just to end the torture and get out of the store. I buy $7.00 feminine hygeine products at 7-11 because I’m there. If I’m already ::shudder:: at the mall getting a shower gift, I’ll buy socks and undies from the same store.
I’ve still got a whole lotta “Proverbs 31-ing” to do. I’m aware of that. I hope I can do it online in my robe.
I came across you here from Bullfrogsnbutterflies (Theresa). I was laughing all the way through the post. I now realize I have a twin!!!!
Thanks for the laugh and encouragement!!!!
Don’t you just love a good bargain!!
You have a real gift…thanks for sharing your wit and humor with the world…and your bargain finds.
I just realized now I did not finish reading this post yesterday. I got too busy clicking on all your links, which of course led to other links. :)
That was a great deal and I’m sure he’ll have a riot creating wonderful pics for your fridge!
Love your blog, love this topic! For the record, Staples IS having an awesome school supply sale, and some items are 1 penny! Unheard of! In our area the sale ends Saturday the 15th, so hurry out.
And, my most recent bargain was at a local candle store last week. Way in the back, in two large boxes were candle “tarts” for ten cents! Ten cents!!! I racked up and loved every minute of it. Thanks for making us laugh!
that was so NOT anticlimactic! I’m all over that buck and a dime bargain! YEA! almost makes me want to see if MY walmart has that going on!
Nothing beats a good bargin!