I know most people believe that shopping is a feminine trait, or at least something that only women love to do. Yet, it has been a hobby or pastime of mine since I was first required to gather things on my own.
This was, in ancient times, the duty of the male (probably) who needed to go out and kill a tiger or something for dinner. The woman of the cave would process the kill and make food and clothing out of it while the man continued hunting.
Now I know you’ll think I’m just being a smart ass by bringing all this up, but I get concerned because I love to shop and I cherish my shopping memories in the same way as some people remembered the big hunt.
I usually don’t admit all this stuff for fear of being branded effeminate, but I have been known to go out and peruse the clearances for fun, just to see what’s there.
When I was first married and a father, I had responsibilities. This was probably the first time in my life that I felt responsible for other people. I wanted to get the best stuff I could. Being at first a married student, and then a teacher with an additional part-time job, I realized quite soon that there were better ways to buy what you needed than to purchase the first item that came along. (thus the axiom,” shmucks buy retail”.)
Some things in this world are fair-traded, sold for the same price no mater where you buy it. In the early 60’s there were more. Today, I can only think of Apple and Lulu Lemon products.
There have always been discounts, off-retail places; back doors only open on Saturdays at clothing factories etc. There is often a better way to shop.
An example I use, and not everyone would agree with me, was the tie. When I wore them every day, for most of my working life, I usually ended up at T.J.Maxx (Winner’s in Canada). I had acquired several hundred ties over the years, always (or mostly) bought on clearance, or final clearance, within a $1-$3 range. Not everyone wanted that many ties, and I gave away many as gifts. For one friend, on his fiftieth birthday, I gave him 50 ties!
Some people are happy with several “good” ties, just not me. I never bought bad ties, and in fact I’ve purchased many high quality name brand ties in my $1-$3 range, it’s just a matter of timing.
My boys never quite got the same disease I did, but my oldest son, once he had to buy his own for a few years, developed a great sense of buyer radar. My other sons have never gotten there, and all of them have made fun of some of my purchases.
I do admit to buying things I’ve never worn, and things that never fit, but the deal was just too good for me to pass up. Also, the boys did get a bit too many bargains for themselves from me.
I still own a Ralph Lauren toggle-buttoned duffle coat, a true “boola, boola rah rah” Ivy League winter coat, that sold at that time for $400, that I got for $35. I have only worn it three of four times maybe, but I still have it because it was such a good deal!
I can remember buying my wife a light blue, all wool, long, pleated skirt at a Sear’s Warehouse in Kansas City for $4, that she never wore, but I just couldn’t see returning.
There were an unusual amount of hand me downs for kids, although some of it was nice, I am never fond of used clothes. There were a large number of boy cousins, and one had a father in the clothing business. But these do not make a bargain.
My daughters are great shoppers and I admire their shopping sense. They also look for bargains but they still easily succumb to the need for something and it gets acquired at a full retail price. I do get disturbed but try and hold my tongue. The phrase I hate the most, from my wife and my daughters is, “It’s only …….” Whatever number comes next is usually too high for me!
Yesterday, I was thinking about this as I was out “looking”. This is a pre-buying time, where I can look over what is available and what will become available. Because I wear very large sizes, I am in a better position to look over goods.
People who wear very small or very large sizes have a better chance at clearances, because the “normal” stuff is gone by that time.
At Winner’s yesterday, I found a nice shoe. I have no need for shoes, as they are lying around on shelves in my closet and in the garage etc., and many seldom, if ever, get worn. Unfortunately, that’s a problem I have developed, much to the relief of Value Village, as I am always taking bags of clothing and shoes to charity drops. Winner’s has four pairs of the same leather boots in size 14M, a size I can wear. They are reasonably priced, but I have no need for them. However, there are only so many people who can wear such a ridiculous size, so I will wait. I may miss buying them, of course, as its Christmas and Bigfoot’s Mom may be shopping, but if I don’t, I may wait until they get to clearance and wait a while as they go down in price. Within a month I’ll know if I will buy them or not.
You see, it’s not the item itself that matters so much, it’s the sport of getting it. It is the hunter gatherer spirit that lives on through the generations.
This was, in ancient times, the duty of the male (probably) who needed to go out and kill a tiger or something for dinner. The woman of the cave would process the kill and make food and clothing out of it while the man continued hunting.
Now I know you’ll think I’m just being a smart ass by bringing all this up, but I get concerned because I love to shop and I cherish my shopping memories in the same way as some people remembered the big hunt.
I usually don’t admit all this stuff for fear of being branded effeminate, but I have been known to go out and peruse the clearances for fun, just to see what’s there.
When I was first married and a father, I had responsibilities. This was probably the first time in my life that I felt responsible for other people. I wanted to get the best stuff I could. Being at first a married student, and then a teacher with an additional part-time job, I realized quite soon that there were better ways to buy what you needed than to purchase the first item that came along. (thus the axiom,” shmucks buy retail”.)
Some things in this world are fair-traded, sold for the same price no mater where you buy it. In the early 60’s there were more. Today, I can only think of Apple and Lulu Lemon products.
There have always been discounts, off-retail places; back doors only open on Saturdays at clothing factories etc. There is often a better way to shop.
An example I use, and not everyone would agree with me, was the tie. When I wore them every day, for most of my working life, I usually ended up at T.J.Maxx (Winner’s in Canada). I had acquired several hundred ties over the years, always (or mostly) bought on clearance, or final clearance, within a $1-$3 range. Not everyone wanted that many ties, and I gave away many as gifts. For one friend, on his fiftieth birthday, I gave him 50 ties!
Some people are happy with several “good” ties, just not me. I never bought bad ties, and in fact I’ve purchased many high quality name brand ties in my $1-$3 range, it’s just a matter of timing.
My boys never quite got the same disease I did, but my oldest son, once he had to buy his own for a few years, developed a great sense of buyer radar. My other sons have never gotten there, and all of them have made fun of some of my purchases.
I do admit to buying things I’ve never worn, and things that never fit, but the deal was just too good for me to pass up. Also, the boys did get a bit too many bargains for themselves from me.
I still own a Ralph Lauren toggle-buttoned duffle coat, a true “boola, boola rah rah” Ivy League winter coat, that sold at that time for $400, that I got for $35. I have only worn it three of four times maybe, but I still have it because it was such a good deal!
I can remember buying my wife a light blue, all wool, long, pleated skirt at a Sear’s Warehouse in Kansas City for $4, that she never wore, but I just couldn’t see returning.
There were an unusual amount of hand me downs for kids, although some of it was nice, I am never fond of used clothes. There were a large number of boy cousins, and one had a father in the clothing business. But these do not make a bargain.
My daughters are great shoppers and I admire their shopping sense. They also look for bargains but they still easily succumb to the need for something and it gets acquired at a full retail price. I do get disturbed but try and hold my tongue. The phrase I hate the most, from my wife and my daughters is, “It’s only …….” Whatever number comes next is usually too high for me!
Yesterday, I was thinking about this as I was out “looking”. This is a pre-buying time, where I can look over what is available and what will become available. Because I wear very large sizes, I am in a better position to look over goods.
People who wear very small or very large sizes have a better chance at clearances, because the “normal” stuff is gone by that time.
At Winner’s yesterday, I found a nice shoe. I have no need for shoes, as they are lying around on shelves in my closet and in the garage etc., and many seldom, if ever, get worn. Unfortunately, that’s a problem I have developed, much to the relief of Value Village, as I am always taking bags of clothing and shoes to charity drops. Winner’s has four pairs of the same leather boots in size 14M, a size I can wear. They are reasonably priced, but I have no need for them. However, there are only so many people who can wear such a ridiculous size, so I will wait. I may miss buying them, of course, as its Christmas and Bigfoot’s Mom may be shopping, but if I don’t, I may wait until they get to clearance and wait a while as they go down in price. Within a month I’ll know if I will buy them or not.
You see, it’s not the item itself that matters so much, it’s the sport of getting it. It is the hunter gatherer spirit that lives on through the generations.
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