Bargoons Galore

Who doesn't love a bargain ?

Raise your hand.

Thank you for coming.

You are excused.........

Now to the rest of you, who like me, get a big kick out of finding the best places to pay as little as possible for the things you love, we will call the meeting to order. [sound of the gavel]

Exhibit #1 New Jammies. [with a side trip to "T-shirts at a great price"]

I had been into the store just after New Year's. I was looking for a few long-sleeved t-shirts to add to my wardrobe. I happened into the store for their 70% off sale. I had a budget of 25$. As I was browsing through the racks of shirts, I came across the cutest pair of jammies. They were a soft and wintery-warm two-piece set, with a t-shirt and snowflaked patterned bottoms. SOOOO CUTE!!! SO WARM. And yet, if I bought them I would be over my limit. Reluctantly, I put them back. I comforted myself with the knowledge that I had scored three t-shirts for under 25$.

Fast-forward a couple of weeks. I checked back in the store. Big sign : Take an additional 20% off the lowest ticketed price. My bargain senses were tingling. I looked at the jammies again, but I didn't have the money, so I left the store with a plan to return later that day. Unfortunately, my plan to return didn't materialize. But I kept dreaming about them. A full week later, I had another go. To my immense delight, the sign had been replaced with another: "TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 30% off the Lowest Ticketed Price.". The store was practically paying me to buy the jammies. I caved. I bought them, and had to talk myself out of speeding to get home and put them on. I LOVE THEM! And even more, since I had the temerity to wait and watch for a better price.

Exhibit #2 Fireplace.

I had looked longingly at an electric fireplace which we couldn't afford. Every time I walked in the door, I passed by, and ran my hand over the wood. I showed it to my friends and relatives when I was with them. "This is the fireplace I would like to get". My husband looked too, and although he liked it, we disagreed on the style. [There were two styles. I liked the bigger version, and he liked the ones with the lines that were more squared off.] We went home and mapped out where the fireplace would go 'when we got it', without giving it much more thought. More time passed. I went down to the States one day with a good friend, and we stopped off to look at the American style. Then we went home again. Close to Christmas, our family received some Christmas money. So my husband and I went back to the store, and looked at the fireplaces. They were on a deep discount. But there was only one left - the one my husband liked. We asked if there was any discount they could offer since it was the last one, and we would have to take the demo model with scratches and no remote (scratches? well, they were barely visible, and a remote?? really, who needs a remote?! but we didn't tell them that). We were offered a 20% discount. So we wheeled it over to the cash register. The manager marked off the discount and then rang it up with the other discount added on top of it! Yahooo! We went out of the store practically skipping with joy!

Exhibit #3 Stereo shelf. [not exactly as shown]

I had been browsing Craigslist, as a past time. I like to read the ads. Especially the spelling misteaks. I find it highly amusing :

"This item is a steel. It is 7inches hight". or:

"Wood heather for sale. Good shape".

Or even better, are the untold stories of why people are selling things:

"Bought from PEOPLE's
has 3 diamonds on each side of the main diamond set.

never been worn, has been sitting in the box for a couple years.
was a "un-wanted" gift from a friend... who refused to take it back... so i am selling it !! as it would make some girl extremely happy because it really is a beautiful ring."

Anywhoo, I was keeping my eyes open for items which might be good and cheap. One day, someone was advertising a TV stand and stereo shelf for sale. They wanted 20$ or two, or 15$ for one. I didn't need the TV stand, but the shelf looked like it might fit the space my husband had designed in the living room. I asked for details, and made arrangements to go and look at them. In the meantime, she sent me an email which I didn't get. She had taken another look at the set and realized it wasn't in 'as good shape' as she had thought, but if I still wanted it, I could have it for free. She told me this in person, when I showed up at the door. FREE?!! FREE?!! I'm in! I loaded it into the van and brought it home. Turns out, the stereo shelf fits perfectly. And my husband took the TV stand apart and repurposed it to make a shelf for my daughter's cupboard nd saved the rest of the wood for another project, yet to be discovered.. YAY! Fun for less than a buck. I plan to paint the stereo shelf in the spring, and no one will know how little I paid for it. Except for you, fellow bargain hunters.