Doing a Shopping Smack-Down

It's the little victories that cheer us the most sometimes, isn't it? And after being raised in modest circumstances and living on as many as four minimum wage jobs at one time during and just after college, I can proudly stretch a dollar until it screams for mercy. If there was a 1992 Olympic event in Shopping on Double Coupon Days, I would have easily medalled.

I give Urban Dad credit -- sometimes he begs me to go buy myself something pretty. But frankly, I don't need much. And the kids are always growing, a result of me breaking down to their demand of being fed every. single. day. So it's easier for me to end up getting stuff for them. Don't get me wrong -- it's usually stuff from Target or Children's Place (caution: avoid the jeans at CP -- you get what you pay for). I let the MIL spring for the Nordstrom gift card and then mostly use it for a really good pair of Merrill's for each kid.

Well, I had a shopping victory this weekend at Gap. It was a 3-day sale where they took another 30-percent off of the price if you got four sale items. Then I broke down and got the credit card for an additional 15-percent off, for a total of 45-percent off the sale price. And it's one of those things that you come home bursting to share about it! And while U-Dad is appreciative and all, the fact is that he's a guy. So he smiles and nods and answers correctly when I ask, "Who has the greatest wife in the world?!" But he'll never be as excited as another chick. (or perhaps george and jeff, my token male readers -- hi george and jeff!)

And so, my conquests!


I've been looking for a new "Mom Bag." U-Kid 2 is starting to potty train, and U-Kid 1 has recently developed the appetite of a 12-year-old boy. So I need something big enough to lug stuff around without getting the gigantic white Grandma bag.


This originally retailed for $58. I know. $58 for that?? But for $17.25.... well, now we can do some business!







I also needed a bag for lugging around books. I take Urban Kid 2 to a branch of our gym for a little class she does -- they call it Mighty Movers; I call it Mighty Movin' Ass-Kickers. I don't know why except that I just enjoy saying it. (not in front of the U-Kids, of course) U-Kid 1 and I go to the lobby of the gym and do math, handwriting and reading. I then drop her off at the kiddie-care place too and enjoy about 30-45 minutes of reading, chatting on the phone with another adult, whatever. The bag I was carrying was a ratty old thing with a broken snap and junk in the bottom that I did not even want to try to identify anymore. I would post a "before" picture of that, but it is now in a dumpster, where it should have gone a while back. But this is it's replacement:


Originally retailed at $39.50. U-Mom gleefully picked it up for $8.92!

And finally, something for the U-Kids. Well, U-Kid 1 anyway. So eventually, U-Kid 2 since Gap stuff tends to wear well enough to easily hand down at least once.

That cute white top was originally $24.50. I nabbed it for $11.89. The shorts started out at $19.50. But not for me! On a very chilly afternoon, I took them off of Gap's hands for $8.32.

That's $141.50 worth of stuff for a whopping total of $46.38.

Note to parents: never pay retail at Gap. Wait three weeks for it to go on sale. And those days when you find something lovely and the price ends in a "7?" Those are good days!

Another thing about bragging loudly about these victories to the U-Dad? When it comes time for laser eye surgery , he's quite amenable. Yeah, he probably would be anyway, but repeated episodes of this kind of thing only greases the wheels. And we all know that I'm now working on getting Botox. Or maybe now a MacBook. I'm sort of torn. But that's another post.

Off to fill my new Mom Bag with pull-ups, wipes, snacks, plus the pens that will sink to the bottom and not be seen again until I get a new Mom Bag sometime in the future!