It was a death wish.
But I had no choice.
We had not one roll of toilet paper in the house. Not one, not even that last little square stuck to the brown paper roll in the middle. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
I thought better than of running to Costco, since as you may remember, I cannot get out of that place for less than $139.00. And although the exit fee at Target is not much smaller, it seemed like the lesser of two evils, especially on a Saturday afternoon, where everyone in Northern Monmouth County is at one overcrowded store or the other.
I told my mother, who was watching my kids, that I would “run out and be back quickly,” but that was a lie.
I was alone, as in all alone, in a Target, without children. I was going to take my sweet old time.
I’ve brainwashed myself in recent years into thinking that taking the kids with me to a store like Target would end up costing me 20% more at checkout than if I had been there alone. But that 20% is a 100% mistruth. When I go without my kids, there is always the same upcharge, if not more, because I have time to browse and look at all of the things that I never knew I needed. My storage shelves, purple and orange Champion running bras, maroon hand towels, and sautee pans, along with their unbudgeted bills, tell that story well.
Those marketing people at Target are genius, since you walk right into the clothing section as you enter the store. There was not a chance of my heading left toward toilet paper until I perused the racks of off the shoulder sweatshirts (you know I love that Flashdance look!), tank tops, and newly launched spring dresses. Then, at the back wall of the clothing section, this tee shirt caught my eye…
And I fell in love with it.
The saying on it felt like the story of my life, or at the least, the story of my trying to navigate a very crowded Target on a Saturday afternoon, and I thought it might be fun to have it. And then I realized that I was about 25 years too old to wear a shirt like that, and besides, it was not in my budget.
I resolved to leave the clothing section, but not before I passed a sale rack with
this coat on it.
I think I may have gasped out loud when I saw this coat, and once I picked it up, it was all over. It was so soft, it had a great silhouette, it was my size! And it was $19.99. I grabbed it and ran to the dressing room, or I should say elbowed my way through the thick crowed of shoppers.
Excitedly, I took the coat off the hanger and tossed it on. ..to completely have my perfect coat for $19.99 fantasy ruined by the fact that it looked like an oversized tutu dress on me.
On the hanger, the ruffle looked so cool – but on me, not so much.
Disheartened, I left the dressing room. Even though this mis-match saved me some cash, it’s totally OK in my book to spend $19.99 on “the perfect coat found on a clearance rack.” I was off for toilet paper..but not before passing the bath section, where I realized I needed a new shower curtain for our downstairs bathroom. Shower curtain, check. New shower liner, check. New shower hooks? What the heck?
Finally, I headed toward the checkout line, where I stood for several minutes, until I realized I had forgotten toilet paper.
I ran across the store once more, grabbed the toilet paper and headed back toward the cash registers.
I bought a 12 pack, with the thought that it will keep me out of Target for a while.
Until tomorrow at least?
What store is your downfall?
What was your last impulse buy when you were out to buy a "neccessity item?"
Where else to find me:
