Diamond in the Rough

You know how there are some stores you go to, where even if you have a list of only 3 things and you walk straight to the section(s) where those 3 items can be found, you still leave the store having purchased not 3 things, but 82 things...yeah. I'm quite familiar with those places.

I feel like the standard ones are Wal-mart and Target. You go to get some shampoo and maybe some Honey Nut Scooters (store brand Honey Nut Cheerios), and you walk out with a movie, some running socks, a new flavor of Zone bar, some printer ink, a picture frame, some candy, and some paper plates in the shape of a cupcake for whoever's birthday is next, and a couple other random things. The plates are too awesome to not get though. And at Target, the jewelry, clothes, and shoe sections are terrible! I always always find something super cute that I don't need and really wasn't in the budget, but come on...The deals are too good to pass up.

Anyways, it's not easy. I don't even really like shopping though is the funny thing. Except for sometimes.

It's. So. Hard. I feel like I have to walk into these places with my eyes closed until I get to the right aisle or I'll start snagging things I don't need...like a klepto...a klepto who pays for things though. I think this is why I don't like shopping. Cause I don't like spending money. Unless I get to buy something for someone else.

I feel like everyone has a store that they feel this way about. Usually the stores that are my downfall are bargain stores like the ones I've listed and Marshalls and TJ Maxx and what not, so it's not sooooooo bad. But then because each item is a deal, you keep picking up more things because the don't cost that much. Until you get the register and for whatever reason, they add all the costs together and you get one gigantic cost. Uh. Oh. I hate that feeling. But I can't ever decide which item to put back because they are all so fabulous and ALL such good deals. Sigh. Talk about a dilemma. I am not good at decisions, so that just makes it that much worse.

I think the deals are what make it so difficult. Because nothing costs that much, you just keep piling stuff on your arm. And of course you didn't get a buggy. You don't ever get a buggy. Because your list only ever has 3 things.

Case in point: Kate and I went to Marshall's the other night because I wanted to look for a couple sports bras. I knew exactly what brand. Exactly what model. Exactly how many. I TRIED to walk straight to women's activewear section, and I just got caught in the middle of the tops and jeans and pants and skirts and dresses (cause I need another dress right?). The tough thing about this is that every time you decide you're going to walk away and not look at anything else, the most gorgeous color or pattern pops out of the rack. Even catching a glance of the a tiny piece of the fabric, and you are drawn to start rummaging through. They're like magnets. Seriously. Every time Kate would call my name, I'd walk towards her and be stopped by some other material that would probably feel so amazing on my skin. So I finally made it to the sports bras, and I was already holding some workout tights, a dress, two cute tops, a long sleeved T, and a bunch of other stuff I forced myself to put down.

Wouldn't you know? They didn't even have the sports bras I wanted. Instead I found two other awesome ones. Score. But then I started mentally adding the numbers on the tags in my arms. This just was not going to work. Somehow I made it out of there with only 1 sports bra (unfortunately) and 2 cute tops. And somehow Katie walked out without anything...whaaaat? And I justified the sports bra as my original motivation for going shopping in the first place and the fact that I wear them every single day for some rough and tough workouts. And I justified the tops by my job and their versatility. I wear real-live-adult clothes to work everyday, and they could easily transition from work to dinner to out. What's two tops? Not much.

Of course, when I talked to Casey on the way home (he was in Raleigh...interesting how I go shopping when he's out of town, huh?) and tell him about my sports bra finds. Woohoo. Somehow, I forgot to mention the other two purchases...until he got home yesterday. I strategically and slowly told him that there was something I hadn't told him. (Tip: if you work it so that whatever you are going to say sounds terrible, when you actually tell them you only bought 2 tops, it doesn't sound so bad...so they are actually relieved! Jk Jk. I really did feel bad. But I waited because I wasn't sure I was going to keep them.) I proceeded to tell him I bought 2 tops BUT he would love them and they are so pretty and I would use my own personal allowance. He's the best and said I should be able to get something cause he knows I don't usually buy a whole lot...Have I mentioned yet that he's the best and sweetest??

So, I kept the sports bra AND my two tops! Heee-eeey.

I'm not obsessed. I just like a good deal. And fun stuff every once in a while. At least I don't have this problem at high-end haunts like Nordstroms or with crazy expensive shoes like Christian Louboutins or something. That makes me a rational shopper and really quite a bit more controlled than I felt. And I'm calmed by the fact that I can make responsible shopping decisions. While my arms at one point looked like coat hangers, I only walked out with 3 items. I gave myself a pat on the back. Sometimes its all about finding the diamond in the rough.

(Although, I admittedly am still thinking about one of the items I put back on the shelf...does it count if you go back and make a separate purchase?)