Thursday, June 24, 2010

$$$$$$

Anyone who has read a few of my posts knows that I am cheap thrifty. I have had two eye-opening experiences in the last few days.


I recently sought a lavender handbag. I have a pair of lavender pants and found some shoes that were a few shades darker than the pants. I have no handbag that matches the shoes and pants. I looked in my usual stores--Walmart, Target, J. C. Penney, and Sears. I even tried K-Mart and several specialty stores in the mall. I couldn’t find one. They were either too pinkish, too purply, too small, too gaudy, or  too ugly. Mr. Fixit suggested that we go into one of the “better” stores (that means you have to pay double or even triple sometimes for similar items elsewhere). There right before my eyes was the bag of my dreams--just the right shade of lavender, the right size, and it was nice looking. My heart fluttered! Then I looked at the price tag--$238! I said to Mr. Fixit, “Even if you had won the lottery yesterday, I would not pay $238 for a purse. Who buys this stuff?” The cheapest one I saw was $99. Later we were having lunch at Chez Macdonald’s (see how thrifty I am?) and a lady came in with one of the purses I had seen that was over $200.00. She was also having lunch with Ronald. She probably could only afford a cheeseburger after paying so much for her accessory. I didn’t spend that much money; therefore, we were having Big Mac’s.

Incidentally, I did find a nice leather bag that was big enough to carry all my necessities and it is designed in a sort of patchwork pattern with different colored leather pieces, one of which is the perfect shade of lavender to match my pants. It was $50.

Earlier this week I was shopping for sheets for the double bed. I had decided to get  better ones than I usually buy at the discount store thinking that better quality sheets would last longer. I went into Penney’s and decided to get the 400 count sheets. They are plain white sheets with the flat, the fitted and two pillowcases in the package. I cringed when I saw the price was $44.99. I thought “What the heck? Maybe they’ll be the last sheets I ever have to buy.” I took the package which had Cindy Crawford’s picture on it to the service area to pay. While the lady was ringing up my purchase, I admit that I was thinking about something else. All I remember is swiping my debit card and leaving the store.

When I arrived home I put the package on the bed to wait until I washed the new sheets, the comforter, and the quilt on the bed. This afternoon I picked up the package and saw the price tag. At that point, I almost had a stroke. I know my blood pressure jumped several points. The price marked was $90.00! Did I actually pay $90 for two sheets and two pillow cases. Did I look at the wrong price? I started to hyperventilate. I frantically searched for the sales slip, but couldn’t find it anywhere. I rushed to the computer to pull up my checking account. Thank heaven for online banking. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found the debit entry for $48 to pay for the sheets.

I realize that lots of people pay even more for sheets and handbags, but it’s just not in my nature. If we were rich, I would probably buy very expensive shoes. If my feet hurt, I hurt all over. I think good shoes are worth every cent you pay for them. But paying over $200 for a handbag or $100 for sheets? Not in this lifetime, not even if we were stinkin’ rich.

2 comments:

Betty said...

I agree. I wouldn't pay that for a purse, either. I get too tired of my handbags and want to change them too often. I have a friend who thinks nothing of plunking down $300.00+ for a handbag, and when she tires of it in a couple of years, she buys another one.

Kay Dennison said...

Frugal is my middle name. I refuse to pay that sort of money for anything.