Couple of days back I got a gift card for Victoria's Secret (No, I am not linking. If you don't know what that is, google is your friend) It was for $10. Now, I did not need anything from VS technically, but I could not resist the urge to get something for free. Also, I had to do some Christmas shopping and so braved the mall which I usually avoid like the plague. I pick up a small $10 of perfume which I didn't really need and walk to the counter. The total came up to $10.70 and I gave my $10 gift card. The lady at the counter said that I cannot use it since the total before tax needs to be $10.01 for me to use the card. I think she made up the rule just then. And then she gave me an excellent suggestion. I could spend $10 more on stuff I do not need and use my gift card to get the 10 bucks off. What a truly ground breaking idea!! I never thought of that before!!! I said thank you very much, but no and gracefully walked out.
I think I would rather tear up the card than spend $0.71 there.
So, here I stand. I refuse to be manipulated by a store which sends you a gift card for $10 and not allow you to use it on a $10 product. I guess they were irritated that I did not come with a $10 gift card and leave with $50 on my credit card.
Enjoy with me and have a frugal little Christmas and do not forget that the best gift in the world (and the reason for this season) is free.
4 comments:
I'll admit that this isn't totally a frugal Christmas. (For example, Steven is getting a Wii from my parents, so I bought him a game he wants, plus extra controllers so I or a friend can play with him.) We tend to spoil each other a bit at Christmas and birthdays because we deny ourselves a lot throughout the year.
But I do try to save as much money as possible. I buy everything I can on sale.
I find it frustrating, too, when stores send those $10 gift cards, and you have to buy something that costs $10 minimum, and it can't cost $9.99. They want you to feel like you're getting an amazing deal, but they still require you to spend some money.
Coupons such as these drive me nuts. Bath & Body Works sent out a coupon for a free product worth $11.50 or less with any purchase. When I went to the store, what should I find but nearly every product in the eligible product lines to be $12.50. I left more than a little frustrated. :o(
If you ever visit the cosmetic department for a gift with purchase event, be sure to notice the "with purchase of $19.50 or more" requirement. Nealy *all* of the products are $17.50 or $18.50, so, unless they carry a pencil sharpener or compact, you wind up needing to spend quite a bit more. Ah, the wonders of marketing. ;o)
I am been pretty convicted lately to the fact that I always fall prey to this type of advertising. I will go into the store for a pair of $35 black pants for work. But then oh wait. I have a coupon for $30 off of my $75 purchase. So I grab a shirt that I don't really need but that I might as well get so that I can use the coupon. The pants are buy one get one half off so I grab another pair of pants in a random color. When I hand over my coupon I am told that my total has to be $75 before tax and after tax I just spent $74.99. So then I have to find something off of the conviently placed jewelry display and those just happen to be buy one get one half off. So I pick up a necklace for me and one for my sister. Now my total is $90 and with my coupon I save $30. I went to spend $35 but spent $60 and just purchased four items I don't need. Really?? Why do I fall for that everytime.
I now keeep these so called savings in my desk drawer and only use them if I need to purchse more than one item. It seems now that every store is running this same racket. Even the Gap and Banana Republic have started.
That is so evil.
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