Walking through Target the other night was certainly interesting. For one; I haven’t been in a Target store for probably over a year.  Secondly, I have never been so enticed to the “deals” as I was last night!  I don’t know what the deal was, but I was having a hard time focusing on the real reason we were in the store: to look for a birthday present for my niece.

As I walked the aisles, I couldn’t help but notice many items that I desperately needed, conveniently placed on all the end caps with shiny red stickers proclaiming “75% off!”. I believed it was divine intervention.  Surely I needed some of these things.  After all, they were 75% off.  Why not get them when they are a good deal?  I could use this new plastic cover with rhinestones for my Motorola Razr.  It was only $3.  Great deal!  Into the basket it went.  I saw Clorox Green Works cleaners for 50% off.  As I made a bee line over to the display, Mr. Money touched my shoulder and asked why I was headed over there.

“Because it’s a good deal!  Look at how much money we’ll be saving!  It’s normally $4, and it’s now only $2.” I replied.

He looked at me like I was crazy, and said:

“But you make all of our cleaning products, so why would you need those?”

I stopped, dead in my tracks and realized how stupid I probably came across to him.  He was right.  Why would I buy cleaning products that we don’t use just because they are on sale?  It was at that point I looked in our basket, realized I had thrown things in there I didn’t need, reached down, removed the items and put them back on the shelf.  I was almost embarrassed I put that rhinestone cover in my basket.  I realize now that this is why I hate going in stores.  I’m not immune to the sales, and I’m certainly not exempt from consumerism.  I’m just glad that I didn’t walk out of there with a bunch of “sale” items.  That would have been money thrown down the drain.  Lessons learned, right?

How do you stop yourself from purchasing things you really don’t need?

It’s my niece’s second birthday tomorrow.  While I am having a hard time trying to figure out how that much time has gone by, I’m also stuck with my decision as to what to get her for her birthday.  I went to the store today to buy her some clothes, picked up a few cute outfits, and put them back down.  I had a rush of emotions as questions ran through my head: What if these aren’t the brand her mom likes?  What if she thinks I’m being cheap?  How much should I spend? etc.  I left the store with a birthday card and a decision I’m just going to give her a $20 bill in a card so her mom can buy clothes, put it in a savings account, or do whatever she wants with it.

Now I’m feeling guilty; like I’m trying to get out of putting thought in a present.  That’s not the case.  I know she doesn’t need any toys because she just got a ton for Christmas.  I thought about purchasing a savings bond but I don’t have her social and that’s not exactly the most fun gift when you’re a kid.  I thought about taking her shopping when I’m visiting this weekend for her party, but is she really going to enjoy that?  She’s two.

I’ve decided that Saturday night I am taking her and her brother to Chuck E Cheese and will buy them tokens and play with them.  Some of my best memories of when I was little involve spending time with my family members.  They don’t include what they got me for my birthday, but rather the fact that they were there and that they played with me.  That’s what’s important anyway.  I’m also going to see if her mom will let me try to make and decorate a Dora Cake while I’m up there.  I’m still going to give her $20 in a card, but at least I’m doing some kind of activity with them that they will enjoy and remember.  I’m truly looking forward to it.

Do you think cash is an acceptable gift, or should I do something else?