As shocking as it is to admit, I am not Julia Roberts.
I am not her character in Pretty Woman, either.
I have never walked into any store, of any kind, and been treated as openly cruelly as that character was on Rodeo Drive as she visited for the first time.
Nor have I ever burst into flames setting foot in a store that was "out of my price range."
Something happens to us when we go broke. I think it starts because we are trying to be frugal, trying to find the best deals. Cleaning supplies at the dollar store. Furniture at Goodwill and Salvation Army. Groceries at warehouse stores, scratch and dent stores. Clothes at Wal-Mart and Goodwill. We justify our purchases, we brag about how inexpensive our purchases were.
Just last month I proclaimed "Why would ANYONE spend over $3 on Velveeta brand mac and cheese? The value brand is great and I never spend over 30 cents a box!" Completely disregarding, in the process, that for 25 years of my life I was a mac and cheese snob and yes, yes there IS a difference.
There's a clue there. We know when we're broke. We know when its time to start shopping around, time to start avoiding our favorite stores where we always walk out with three new outfits or eight new books or some knick-knack.
Unfortunately, there is no green light that says "hey, go shop at the mall." There is no signal that if you really want a new top, you can go look for the one top you really want, and not run into Walmart and buy what you want.
There are loads of places I still avoid, simply because I think of them as places I can't afford.
What's funny, though, is that I am finding, as we slowly start browsing these nicer stores, is that I can usually find things just as inexpensively as the "cheap" stores.
I signed up for Eddie Bauer's rewards, and I get emails daily with 50 to 80% off various departments. We stopped in the Bass outlet store, and men's shoes and pants were both "Buy one, get two free." More and more stores have a bargain bin or a reward program that you will never know about unless you go in and sign up.
It seems like an easy thing.....being comfortable shopping at nice stores. After so many years avoiding them, though, it takes the occasional reminder that I, in fact, not Julia Roberts.
It is funny that you mention that you can get good deals at the more expensive stores, because, I, as a bargain hunter, am often trying to convince people of that. I am not a high end store shopper, but I also find that Walmart can be pricier than some of the middle line stores (and rarely things are marked way down at Walmart). I think it's all about being a smart shopper who is willing to spend the time waiting for the right sale, looking for coupons (which you can often find online now) and searching through clearance racks. Have fun discovering the thrill of being able to say you spent less than you saved when you go shopping!
ReplyDeleteExactly! I think you hit a great key, as well, to say "have fun!" You're not being punished to be seeking out the bargains and best deals, you're on a mission and an adventure!
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