Thursday, March 02, 2006

$318.79...

.... let me repeat that.

$318.79.

That's how much I spent at Target last night.

Here's what I "stopped by" Target to purchase:
Milk
Sunglasses (lost my prescription sunglasses somewhere. Oops.)
Cute, cheapie shoes I can wear and not worry about ruining.

Okay, so I did buy those three things. Plus a helluva lot more.

What is wrong with me?!?!? I have a problem.

I remember back when I was 20. I was married to my first husband, and we hadn't been married for more than a month or so. He had a job interview for a teaching job, and I had time to kill (we lived in a different city than where he was interviewing).

I had a list. I went to Target. I only bought what was on the list (cleaning supplies, other household needs). I spent $98, and I remember being panicked, because that was sooooo much money. And I was dreading telling the husband (who was and still is a bit frugal- that's a nice word, right?) that I had just spend almost a hundred bucks at Target.

I picked him up after the interview and started to spill the beans. "Ummm, I got all the stuff on our list. It cost a bit more than I expected." He said, "How much?" I said, "Don't get mad." "How MUCH?" "Please, don't get mad!" "HOW MUCH?!?" --with his face getting redder each time. Finally, I told him. I showed him the receipt, so that he didn't think I was a spendthrift.

Please don't get the wrong idea. He is not a bad guy, nor was I ever truly afraid of him. He never gave me a reason to be afraid of him. But money was not a comfortable subject for us. I have a shopping gene. He has a frugal gene. Not a good mix. Fortunately, he learned that it's sometimes necessary to spend a few bucks on cleaning supplies. But, wow, that seemed like a lot of money then!

Fast-forward to last night... shopping with the Farm Boy. I plugged my little check card into Target's Black Hole for credit cards (what is the official term for credit card machines???)... and I only slightly winced at the total. SLIGHTLY. Farm Boy didn't look at it. He didn't even ask. Smiling and joking with the cashier, he was just busy loading up the cart.

Times have sure changed. And while I feel lucky that we can afford to be spendthrifts once in a while, I wonder... maybe I should join a Compulsive Target Shoppers group or something.

Hi, My name is DCMM (aka Grumpy F). I am a compulsive Target shopper. And I don't know if I want to stop. I mean, I'm helping the economy, right?!? ;-)

12 comments:

JulieGong said...

This problem you're having with Target pretty much happens to me in every store I ever enter. At least you only have one store... at the moment anyways...

don't call me MA'AM said...

Julie: Not really... the problems I have with other stores will probably find their way into more posts. Victoria's Secret? Why did they give ME an Angels card?!?! All I do is spend, spend, spend. ;-(

Jaek said...

I have that problem with office supplies. I love paper. Pens. Pencils.Mmmmm...graph paper...12-squares per inch. post-its in a myriad different hues.

I have dozens of partially used legal pads, multiple pencils in various degrees of sharpness, pens...roller ball, gel, waterproof, fadeproof.

Help me.

Paisley said...

Target....target....how I love thee. I have the exact same problem. They have so many cute things it is impossible to pass them up. Plus, there are so many things you NEVER knew you absolutely NEEDED. right?

I am not exaggerating when I say I spent most of my college loan money at Target. Yes, a total waste and I'm stupid, but it was so much fun to go there with my friend and just throw stuff in our cart.

Target Rocks!

don't call me MA'AM said...

jaek: Me, too! Actually, I think I just have a compulsion for ANYTHING new. That is a true shopaholic, no lie.

paisley: well, I guess I must be spending my kids' college money then. They're not there yet... and at this rate... they won't be (unless they get oodles in scholarships!)

Red said...

I have absolutely no doubt that that happened. I think they pump something through the vents at Target that makes you forget your morals and budget.

Gabrielle said...

I HEART Target! HEART!!! Got a griend coming over from the US in a few months but before she comes, I'm jumping on Target.com and getting stuff shipped to her so she can bring it with her. The worst part is, the site doesn't have all the wonderful Target goodness, those little 99cent items that add up to $318.79, but somehow I'll make do.

don't call me MA'AM said...

MPB: I want to spend Oz money, too. I just have to get to Oz first. And I'll never do that if I keep blowing all my money at Target. :-(

Nikki: I can't even go into a Walmart. Maybe it's just a regional thing... but the people who get hired at the Walmarts here can't even spell their own names. It's like talking to a 2 year old. "Where the film processing dept.?" "Duhh, film whaaaaaat?"

red: maybe I should wear a gas mask, and then run in to get what I absolutely need? :-)

Gabrielle: I agree that the website is a little bit of a downer compared to the physical presence of an actual store. But, if I were in Paris, I'd do the same exact thing!!!

Poppy said...

I always get nervous about telling Hay what I spent on things, but he NEVER reacts badly. I just have a guilty conscience and think he's going to be pissed, but he never ever is. The only time he says "maybe we should stop spending" is when Christmas time rolls around and we add everything up to be waaaaaay over what we had planned to spend. But, ya know, even if he did get pissy about what I spent, he just did a reminiscing budget of what was spent in 2005 and he realized he spent a BIG CHUNK of money at Home Depot. So. Yah. :)

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