By Heather O.
“Do you want me to pick up laundry soap with the milk on my way home?” asked DH.
“No, I have a coupon for Gain at Target. I’m going to be better about using coupons. Might save us some money, huh?”
Yes, my $1 off coupon for a 200oz Gain kept my laundry detergent cheap. But somehow, I neglected to bring coupons for my cosmetics, the Clorox and Windex Wipes, the dollar toy I bought to reward J for being good at the babysitter’s all day, the toothbrushes I decided we desperately needed, the extra toothpaste because it was “on sale”, the flouride rinse that the dentist recommended for my son months ago that somehow he has survived this long without but apparently I feel he needs this minute, the little flossy dealy things that kids like to play with that are good for their teeth, etc, etc.
Can you tell I got sucked into the ever fascinating “Oral Care” aisle? I swear, I felt like I could sit there all day, staring at all the different ways to get your mouth clean. And think it was a good time.
Yeah, I don’t get out much.
And Target is an evil place.
Ok, actually, I love Target, and really am amazed that I got out under $100, as that seems to be an impossible task.
Still, I can’t help wondering if the whole thing is a conspiracy. Have a coupon? Come to our store! Find three thousand other things you never knew you needed at the StuffMart!
I’ll bet if I had asked DH to pick up the laundry detergent when he went for the milk run, we would have saved more in the long run.
In the immortal words of my good friend L’s husband:
We can’t afford to save this much.
But clearly, we’re going to have REALLY clean teeth.
My bishop sells cars, and when his wife tells him she had to buy something because it’s on sale, he tells her he’s buying a new BMW next time they’re on sale.
Every time my wife goes to the redcirclestore I tell her “They really saw you coming this time” … and it’s always true. They must spend a lot of money on researching the shopping habits of women.
Comment #1 by cantinflasMay 30th, 2007 at 1:27 pmTarget is regularly awarded for their store design. Check this article:
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/cla-target-corporation
“Target has made good design look indispensable—as much of a necessity as toothpaste.”
Comment #2 by MelanieMay 30th, 2007 at 2:11 pmMy MBA marketing class has taught me the following ideas:
Comment #3 by TylerMay 30th, 2007 at 2:35 pm-Stores spend big bucks on market research to determine the profiles of their customers. They then design their stores and coupon offerings in order to get more “wallet share” out of each customer.
-They name their customer profiles, usually with a total of 3-7. For example: value shopper; quality shopper. They sometimes get very creative with their naming. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have named one: Mormon Mommy.
Tyler-
Given that yesterday, there were 3 Mormon Mommies in line at Target at the same time (it kinda felt like Relief Society!) such a category wouldn’t be such a bad idea. For them, I mean. Not for us. If they targeted us with any fervor, I’m sure we would all crumble before their brillance and spend every last dime on items we can’t figure out how we possibly lived this long without.
Scary thought.
Comment #4 by Heather O.May 30th, 2007 at 2:38 pmWhenever I say to my husband “But it was such a great sale! I saved so much money!” he always replies “Hon, you don’t save money by spending it.” I hate it when he’s right.
We’ve affectionately started referring to all superstores like Target, WalMart,…as VoldeMart. I think I first heard that on here, and it stuck. Plus, I’m re-reading HP book 6 right now to get ready for #7 (getting it the minute it comes out July 21st from Amazon and am so excited to find out what happens I can hardly stand it), so everything Harry Potter is always on the brain nowadays—what can I say?
Comment #5 by StarababaMay 30th, 2007 at 2:38 pmMy wife does this ALL THE TIME and it DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!
Plus, our Target is about 15 minutes away, or a half hour round trip. She’ll burn 5 dollars worth of gas to save 50 cents.
I try not to harp on it too much, though. The last time I went fishing, the trout fillets I brought home cost us about $35.00 per pound.
Comment #6 by Mark IVMay 30th, 2007 at 2:49 pmWhen I try to explain my shopping purchases and the great deals to my husband he tells me I’m using “girl math” again.
Comment #7 by MiggyMay 30th, 2007 at 4:03 pmI never use a coupon unless it’s a product that I regularly buy. Almost never happens.
I have been sucked into the Target spending vortex. I could spend hours slowly moving up and down the aisles. I buy diapers and wipes there, so I try to buy several months worth at a time. It saves $$ because then I’m not in the store as much.
Comment #8 by Mrs MMay 30th, 2007 at 4:47 pmI grew up in small town, Utah, and they used to have food storage sales. They would, of course, call it a “case lot” sale. They don’t have these sales anywhere else I have lived. I am sure it is clever Mormon Marketing. Of course, since May is Milk product month for our Noah’s Ark food storage thing-a-ma-bob, I keep wishing the local stores here would put the things I need on sale when I need them on sale…like canned milk in May!
Comment #9 by LisaMay 30th, 2007 at 5:48 pmAaargh! Case lot sales are my weakness!! We have them at least 3 times a year at the commissary and they have such good prices….This time I only bought what I regularly use and only walked out $73 dollars lighter. But come one, fruit snacks for under a dollar a box…who could say no?!
Comment #10 by mo mommyMay 30th, 2007 at 5:56 pmI’m lucky Target is so far from our house, things just seem to jump in the cart when I’m there. Good to know it’s not just me
Send your husband with the coupon. Their genes are different.
Comment #11 by The WizMay 30th, 2007 at 8:43 pmNot so much…If I take Thor with me shopping I end up purchasing more “impulse buys” (candy, sugar cerial, ice cream, whatever…he’s 10 evidently).
Comment #12 by s'meeMay 30th, 2007 at 9:21 pmIf anyone is having problems getting sucked into the Target vortex, I will happily loan you my children for your next Targeting expedition. Guaranteed to ruin your entire trip and send you fleeing from the store with an empty cart. Guaranteed!
Comment #13 by Tracy MMay 30th, 2007 at 9:53 pmTracy, I’ve found the answer. In Target at the food bar, you can get a small popcorn and drink for $1. It’s worth it everytime. Miss Magoo knows that she has to sit in the cart and she gets to have a treat and I get to shop, and most of the time I can even browse.
Comment #14 by moddyMay 30th, 2007 at 10:01 pmwe’ve decided you can’t get out of target without spending $100.00. sometimes it’s a little less, but sometimes it’s a little more. every time we go, my husband starts announcing the math: “only $60 to go before target lets us out!”
lisa, i’ve been to case lots in several other states. i just had to buy shampoo for the first time in over four years, thanks to a case lot sale, ha! but could you give us some more info on the noah’s ark food storage thing?
Comment #15 by makakonaMay 31st, 2007 at 1:15 pmI pretty much don’t ever use coupons because they usually aren’t for things I normally buy. I’ve also found that the generic brand of products is usually cheaper than the regular brand with a coupon.
I also just blew way too much money at Target this morning because I was shopping without a list. I have to have my list or else I start thinking that I “need” something. Also, something important to remember about store design is to not get trapped by the special displays at the end of the aisles. They usually have one or two products and a big “sale” sign, but you can often find a better price down the aisle. Like today at Target I needed sunscreen. They had a small display near the front and the prices seemed reasonable. But when I looked around, there was an entire aisle of sunscreen with much more variety and better choices.
Comment #16 by FoxyJMay 31st, 2007 at 1:52 pmI’m with The Wiz. When I have just a few things to pick up at a store (not my major monthly trips) I ALWAYS send my husband. While he usually does come home with about 5 boxes of cereal in addition to whatever I asked for, it’s way less than what I would have picked up.
Comment #17 by SarahMay 31st, 2007 at 9:31 pmI love Target. Here is my long story of one reason why I love Target. Last summer my 4 kids did the library’s summer reading program and each got a coupon for a free admission to a space and science museum in our area. It expired on May 31st so on Wednesday the 30th I rushed my kids up there after school so we could look around for 2 hours before they closed. Since it was only going to cost me the $13 adult admission price I thought what the heck. We marched into the museum and I handed the lady my coupons. Everyone was so happy. Then she looked at the coupons and said, “This says a free child’s admission with the purchase of an adult admission. You have to have a paying adult for each child so you can only use 1 of these coupons.” I quickly do the math and realize that at $9 a child I am now looking at paying $40.00 for 2 hours at this place. I do not want to do this. I look at my happy children and break the bad news. Faces fall and the protests begin. I try to explain that it is too expensive, that if we are going to have to pay this much we should come when we can stay longer, etc. etc., but they are still devastated. I know this sounds terrible, but I break down and use the oldest mother’s trick in the book. I tell them, loud enough for the lady at the desk to hear, “Look, it is going to cost $40 to stay here for 2 hours. We could go to Target and you could each get a toy for $5 and we would be saving $20!” 8 eyes light up at this prospect. 8 legs go dashing back to the van. 1 hour later 5 happy faces emerge from Target with their new toys and assorted household items. My husband comes home and the kids excitedly tell him the whole story. I think to myself, 2 Pokemon plush toys, 1 Tech Deck Dude, 1 pack of Pokemon cards, and assorted household items –$43.57 Having my husband tell the kids, “Wow, your mom is REALLY teaching you guys how to save money!”—priceless.
Comment #18 by Jill MJune 2nd, 2007 at 9:56 pmJill, what a story. Priceless, indeed….
Comment #19 by Heather O.June 2nd, 2007 at 11:33 pm