It's official ~ You are my people, This is my home...

**sabrelvssammy** · 01-07-2012, 11:28 AM

One of my girlfriends called a little while ago and asked me to ride into the big city with her (don't get excited, we live in a very small town and the closest shopping (other than Dollar General & WalMart) is about an hour away -she needs to make some returns.

Anyway, I said only if she will stop at my stores. She said sure.

"Where are we going?" I asked...

"Dilliards & Macy's" she replied...

"Where do you want to go?" was the question...

"Dollar Tree & Bigs Lots & maybe Goodwill????" I asked tentatively....

"Girl, you really are a nutcase" was her response...

**Uniwolf** · 01-07-2012, 11:55 AM

I learned years ago, that I either go shopping by myself, or with my girls, most people do not share my thoughts on shopping. Most all want to shop high $ stores, and I refuse to spend that kind of money on things.

**nuisance26** · 01-07-2012, 12:32 PM

~That's one reason I stopped shopping with my sister. She likes bargains at regular stores and I like picking through bins at thrifts. We're both fine with each other's choices, but it's kinda boring for me to see the latest, pointless over-priced trends at the stores and it's kinda boring for her to see me elbow deep in $1 racks.
My mother is my favorite shopping buddy. Thrifts, antiques, junk shops and yard sales are all just as fun for her as they are for me.~

**pollypurebred39** · 01-07-2012, 12:51 PM

Oh that's too funny! That's my kind of shopping too.

When I was a kid my Dad kind of got me burnt out on thrift and yard sales. But it sure didn't take long for me to see the value of a dollar when I got out on my own.

Years ago I used to go thrift/yard sale shopping with my Sister. She is SO GOOD at finding clothing deals, and I'm good at the other deals. We made a great team.

I have on occasion gone shopping with my cousin, and she swears I'm the best person to take along. I don't get swayed, I can go to 15 yard sales and walk away with nothing. She says I keep her spending in check.

**Wendy99** · 01-07-2012, 01:18 PM

I have a friend like that, then she complains she has no money

**Momto5RN** · 01-07-2012, 04:04 PM

sometimes i can get some better deals at macys clearance racks than i can at goodwills around here . a true bargain hunter doesnt just look to the obvious places for deals ( although i doubt your friend is a true bargain hunter ) but if someone told me i was going to be broke because i shopped at macys i would probably laugh,

have no idea what a dillards prices are like.

**hmcart** · 01-07-2012, 05:12 PM

I just got one of my friends on board with the Goodwill! She goes on her own now also!

**frugalfranny** · 01-07-2012, 05:20 PM

Oh that is tooooooo funny SS.......loved it. I have done that too.

And HAVE to hit those stores when I go to Boise or any other town that has them...........another one is Grocery Outlet!!
They are soooooo different in each town!!

But gotta say.........I do like some of Macy's sales so be ready to dig.............also liked Dillards when I went to AZ to visit. They both can have some great sales.

**sabrelvssammy** · 01-07-2012, 07:34 PM

Ok, I have survived the big shopping trip and am safely back home in my humble abode. What a day.

Macy's & Dilliards were just as I expected (it's not like I have never been in either and that I just climbed out from under a rock)...I have spent my less-frugal years perusing such haunts in the past. But that was the past (way past) and we just have to let sleeping demons lie.

My girlfriend was a bit of a case at first trying to get me to buy stuff at the 1st store. She was dragging me around saying:

"Here, look at this. Buy this, it's on sale....Look, 50% off, you love sales. Or how about this, or this....maybe this...we have to find something for you today...OMG- would you look at this!!!!"

OMG was right as I stared down upon the $120 sweater she was swinging around in my face ~ lol

"But it's on SALE" she's screaming....

I gently pried the overpriced fabric from her tiny hands and placed it once again upon the rack where some other unsuspecting customer can come along and make it their very own.

"Come on- let me show you how the real people shop" I said as I yanked her by the hair out the door and to the waiting vehicle.

Next stop, BIG LOTS. Now apparently she has been the one living under the rock as she had not been in one of these stores for years. Her eyes flew open wide - her wallet even wider.

"Think we did good?" I asked her as we left the store. "Oh yes, that was great" she said changing the position of her ever bulging bags. "Then you are gonna love the next one", I smiled ever so sweetly at her.

Dollar Tree- where everything is $1...

"Now, when you walk in this store remember everything in here is just one dollar, everything". "Do you want a cart?" I asked her as we entered the store. "No, I don't think I will need one" she replied. We got as far as the entrance and then she was gone, just like that. I ran into her about aisle 4 and she was struggling under all the weight of everything she was trying to carry in her arms and hands. "Find a little something, did you?" I asked smartly - (haha) as she sped by me wildly. The next time we met up was at the registers as she was being handed her 5 bags of purchases.

"Welcome to my world sister" I said sweetly as we made our way to the car with smiles on our faces and money left in our wallets....

All in all - I spent $2 at Big Lots & $10 at the Dollar Tree. After a stop at the Fresh Food Market for a pound of fresh peanut butter ($3.08) - I would say I had a pretty good shopping day....

**Sumacaroni** · 01-07-2012, 08:11 PM

My bestie and I are great shopping together! We went shopping the week after Christmas to the *big* city about 45 mins from her. I splurged on the fuel to take us both

We made the rounds and stopped at two different St. Vinnies stores, a big Goodwill, Vanity Fair (where new jeans are less than $5), JoAnn Fabrics, TJ Maxx, and Burlington Coat Factory (the last two got none of our $$ but it was okay just browsing around and chuckling at the supposedly *discount* prices).

For lunch we used a coupon and got two burgers B1G1 then used a restaurant {dot} com $25 certificate (I earned it for free) to get two authentic Mexican dinners (flaming fajitas and chimichangas) complete with soft drinks and deep fried cheesecake for less than $8 each including tip!

I love shopping days with her.

We plan to do one every month if we can. We have so much fun finding true bargains.

**hmcart** · 01-07-2012, 08:33 PM

glad you made it back and had a little fun!

**NikoSan999** · 01-07-2012, 08:42 PM

Curious...what did she get excited about enough to buy? Sounds like you had a really good time.

**sabrelvssammy** · 01-07-2012, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by NikoSan999

Curious...what did she get excited about enough to buy? Sounds like you had a really good time.

Let's see...bags of chips, pretzels, animal crackers, salsa, napkins, cat food...- that's all I could see in the bags 'coz she was hoarding them ~ lol

**dancemommy** · 01-07-2012, 10:16 PM

This is a great time of year to hit the malls if you are frugal. Print coupons ahead of time and just shop the clearance racks. I took my teen to the mall today and bought him a pair of khaki chino pants, 4 shirts and 2 sweaters for under $45. Honestly, at Goodwill I would have spent about the same amount.

**oheoh's momma** · 01-07-2012, 10:39 PM

that is neat.. There are no thrift stores here our goodwill and sally are just nasty. The ones in Huntington, Lexington, and Pikeville are great but I do not want to drive 30 mins to 2 hours to go thrifting. SO sales, clearance, and coupons are the way to go here. But i do miss a good thrift store.....