It started out innocent enough. I was just going to go to the bead store to get string for a necklace that had broke. But I had paid for 2 hours of street parking, and as everyone in Seattle knows, that’s not cheap.
‘I’ll go to Bauhaus (Coffee) and then Le Frock’, I told myself. 2 of my favourite Cap Hill haunts, along with Melrose Market. This is how justification happens.
In line at Bauhaus and …. travel mugs! 1/2 off, only $10. Yes please. ….also a coffee mug! “I need a new coffee mug, old one busted few weeks back’ I said to myself.
So I got that too. Coffee mug, travel mug…but with my beloved Bauhaus logo on them, how could I go wrong? Been going there for 20 years, it’s about time. Plus Bauhaus doesn’t know if they are coming back to new building.
So my emotions and sentimentalism took over (not for the first time) and out the door and $22 later I went.
Walked the 100 feet or so to Le Frock, where I have also been going for 20 years . I was safe at Le Frock. Nothing for me that day.
‘Well, I still have an hour and a half on the parking so I’ll hit Madison Valley on my way back’.
So there I am in Madison Valley. I park. I walk towards Fury.
But on my way Vian Hunter happened to me. They were having a Sale. Sale!
And next thing you know, I am walking out the door with a gorgeous grey silk blouse that drapes in the front in a most flattering way (Vanity strikes again).
I was on a high now, having scored the Bauhaus merch and the new top.
Next Up: Fury. I knew I was wading into dangerous waters on this one, but I thought well, it’s pretty hit and miss, so today likely will be a miss too.
WRONG.
‘The tags with 1 hole punch are 30% off. The tags with 2 hole punches are 50% off’, said the Sales Associate. Ayyyy…another Sale!
I then 1/2 wanted to find something, and 1/2 didn’t.
But against my will I found the Most Awesome Skirt I Have Ever Seen In My Life.
‘The rep for that line was in here yesterday to drop that off. It has never been worn’. Well, that made it even better.
So I try it on. The stars came out. The birds started singing. The squirrels were dancing with the racoons.
Yes, I bought it too!
I then decided ok that’s it it is time to leave now and end this excursion!
That and my parking sticker was at time.
But it’s a rush, isn’t it? You sometimes start out looking for one item and before you know it you get caught up in The Moment.
It definitey is a high when you find items that are absolutely you and you won’t regret long term, but for the short term you hadn’t quite planned on buying.
It wouldn’t be anything but a blip for this month but…you have noticed what month it is, right? The absolute Budget Buster Of The Year, in that I already have spent lots of money buying lots of things for those dear to me and my husband.
So this tale is meant to be part humour and part encouragement: Even us Financial Planners sometimes succumb to the same temptations, Dear Reader.