Mundane? Check
Pointless? You bet
After the emotionally exhausting day I put in Thursday (see http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=492528, I was desperately in need of some retail therapy! But I’m a cheap bitch, so great deals really cheer me up!
To begin with, I was in Wal Mart, and I saw the new Stephen King book on sale. My hubby had wanted to buy it for me for my birthday (which was last Monday), but it hadn’t been released yet. So I called him on his cell, and told him I was such a good wife, that I would buy him the book to give to me. He laughed, and said fine. Score number one.
Then my travels took me to the Goodwill. I’ve lost about 140lbs over the past couple of years, and have yet to have tummy tuck, etc. so my size is not yet stable. For this reason, I’m hesitant to spend “real” money on new clothes. So, to the Goodwill to try and round out my fall/winter wardrobe. Coldwater Creek (I am pushing 50!) is one of my fave clothing companies, but their stuff is a little spendy (although I’ve warned hubby once my size is stable, I’m definitely filling my wardrobe there!). I found a Coldwater Creek embellished sweater, in great condition, at the Goodwill for three freakin’ bucks! And a pair of 60% wool trousers from The Gap for $6.00! I also got a pair of new jeans and two other sweaters, but the two I’ve already mentioned were my “finds” of the day. Scores number 2 and 3.
Two weeks ago, my 17YO daughter and I were in Gabriel Bros. (a discount department store that sells factory seconds, discontinued styles, etc) and my daughter found a London Fog trench coat with a winter weight lining that she loved, for $40.00. But for a variety of reasons, cash flow was tight that week, so I told her she’d just have to wait until next pay day and hope it was still there. After I left Goodwill, Gabe’s was just up the street, so I decided to go see if they still had the trench. Not only did they have it, but it was on sale for $25.00! We looked it up online, and similar styles in this year’s catalog are going for about $120.00!!! Score number 4! (In retrospect, my entire Goodwill purchase, plus the trench coat at Gabe’s cost about what just my sweater would retail for new at Coldwater Creek!)
All this was made sweeter by the way I screwed with my daughter when she got home from college. I put on my “serious” face and said “I heard Gabe’s winter coats were on sale, so I stopped in to check on your London Fog; but you know they only had two when we were in there”
Her face fell (as I was sure it would) and she said “They sold out, didn’t they?”
I made my face even more and said "Yeah, they sold out. . . because I bought the last one!
At which point, she literally started jumping up and down saying “I love you, I love you! I love you! I hate you! I love you!”
Made even sweeter by the fact that her boyfriend was there to witness the whole thing. . .
All in all, given the day I put in on Thursday, Friday was a much needed holiday of sorts!