Retail Therapy

It works for me!...and luckily for my husband I am frugal-okay, I'm CHEAP!!! I love a bargain and seem to have a sick talent for finding them. I've been pre-stressing (def. stressing out way before it is even necessary) about the gifts to take to China for officials, SWI directors, etc I've read on other BTDT blogs that this is something that they wished they had not stressed out about before leaving for China because it was so minimal of an event in the big scheme of things in China. The gifts are just placed on a table. They are not opened in front of you and you really have no idea who gets what anyway. The general guidelines for these gifts are that they be made in the USA and not too horribly expensive. I've also heard that items specific to your home state are well-received. So, imagine my surprise to find these Arizona state spoons, thimbles and bells at the car wash today...

Yep, I cleared 'em out. Here's why: The spoons and thimbles were regularly priced at $5.90 each. The bells were $10.50. Wanna guess what I paid for them???................TWENTY FIVE CENTS EACH!!!!!!! So, after some fun with the calculator, here are the official stats. Regular price would have been $167.90 total. I paid $5.75. That's a savings of 97%!!! Now that's what I call a bargain! I plan to take small red gift bags and tissue to China in my suitcase and leave them flat. I'll also pick up some chocolate, hand lotion, etc. and when it's time to leave the hotel with the gifts, we'll just assemble the bags then. Here's a close up of a spoon. Notice the $.25 sticker for proof!

I was feeling a little guilty about paying $17.95 for someone to wash my car for me. The truth is, I don't do it often. I do it myself most weeks but can't reach the top of the Suburban very easily. I figure that if I take it in once a month or so, the top will get cleaned then and I won't worry about it the other times. Needless to say, I think the net financial impact of the errand leans heavily in my favor!!! Now, I'm a bit worried that the fact that I clearance shopped at the car wash and am so excited about it makes me officially WT...