Second, I spent all my cash on a Tarina Tarantino Pink Head enamel ring today (a.k.a. Sample Sale Friday). I only had $28 in bills. I asked "can we do $28?' and the answer was no (worth a try), so I had to resort to using up 8 quarters that I reserved for laundry.
Can I really be blamed for succumbing to temptation? Look at it...isn't it cute? The picture has been shrunken to actual size. I've wanted it for a very long time, but it never went on sale online (retail runs between $80-88). No luck on eBay either. Even at the Tarina Tarantino holiday sale, it was $55. As an aside, if you really like Tarina Tarantino's sparkly goodies, get it from her showroom during sample sales. Lucite bracelets that retail for $30 each(!) elsewhere are sold 3 for $10 or 2 for $10 (depending on styles) during sample sales.This was totally an impulse buy, but the impulse is oxymoronically calculated. I don't even know why I walked into the Tarina Tarantino showroom today, since I've been making my own jewelry and have throughly satisfied my accessory needs. I've been trying to figure out why I had no qualms about buying the ring the moment I saw it and the price tag: there was only 1 left, it's what I've been wanting for over a year, it's limited edition, the price had never been so low, and more importantly, I know I have a sizable check coming in for being a notetaker. The first and the last reasons are particularly insidious. It probably wasn't the only ring in stock, they could have had more in the back. But then again, there were multiple quantities of everything else. Still, this is illustrative of how easy it is for retailers to get you with the "it's the last one" trick, so I'll watch out for that in the future. The last rationale is downright dangerous--the old adage of not counting our chickens before the eggs hatch is so very true. The peril lies in the perpetuation of the "no big deal, I'll get the money soon" attitude. One thing will be bought on that logic, then another, then another...sooner or later the amount spent will exceed the amount received. Fortunately, I'll be too occupied in the next 3 weeks to buy anything other than the necessaries. I've caught my misstep, and the buck stops here.
I guess even the most cautious of pennypinchers make mistakes sometimes, so as long as we learn from them and employ immediate remedial measures, there's no huge net loss. Hope my experience is a cautionary tale to you folks, especially in the face of our current fossil fuel-generated crisis. Gas prices are going through the roof with no end in sight, so it's best to preserve the anticipated influx of cash (such as those forthcoming tax refunds) for times when we really need it.
No comments:
Post a Comment