I don't get a chance to go to Joann's very often because it's in town and I live out in the boonies. I do work in town though, and pass by one Joann's on the way to and from work. But I never want to get off the freeway and stop, and besides I might do some impulse shopping. I have plenty of yarn in my stash to keep me busy for oh, the next five years worth of projects, and that's if I could retire. At the rate I'm going, my stash could last me the next twenty years.
On Christmas Eve I went into Joann's. I know, kind of a rough day to be in Joann's but I cloaked myself in my protective bubble and pretended I wasn't surrounded with people like sardines packed in a can. I was there on a mission. I was burning with desire to knit a pair of pockets for my new brown sweater that dh bought me recently. It's one of those long ones. I didn't think I'd like it, but once again his good taste came through for both of us and it is a really nice sweater. Except it needs pockets! I must have spent 45 minutes walking around and around the yarn section, comparing brown yarns to my sweater. None of them matched. There were browns that were too green, too grey, too brown, too dark, too light. None that even came close to being a match for my sweater.
I was tightly clutching the coupon I'd received in the mail. 10% off my total purchase. I kept looking and looking. I was going to at least buy some brown thread (knowing full well I have brown thread at home in my sewing cabinet). The buttons on the sweater are so loose I'm afraid to button them for fear they will pop right off.
But then, I realized why was I buying thread when I had some at home? I wasn't going to rush out to the car, produce a needle and start sewing the buttons on. I *was* going to wait until I got home to resew the buttons. In fact, I still haven't resewed the buttons.
After I left the store as I got belted into my car I glanced at the coupon and discovered it wasn't valid until December 31st! The coupon that WAS valid, was 40% off. I'm glad I didn't see that while in the store for I'd have probably spent more time trying to find SOMETHING, ANYTHING to buy.
The next time I went to Joann's, and walked out empty handed was on New Year's Eve. This time AJ was at an electronics store looking around their notebooks and cameras to stay current on the latest and greatest… I tired quickly of that store, no bargains there that I could see, and walked over to Joann's.
Maybe I could find something on clearance from Christmas, I thought to myself. I wandered around and around and around, and I found some really pretty yarn on sale (see above reference to yarn stash) but I don't have time to knit anything right now.
It was actually kind of depressing to realize I really didn't want anything. I ended up going and sitting in the car and waiting for AJ to get out of the store.
I did wish that a Big Lots was close by so I could have gone in there and wandered around trying to find something I wanted since I got a $25 gift card at Christmas to Big Lots.
What about you? Have you left any stores recently without buying anything?
I do that sometimes. I have a bad habit of just going into a store because I am bored. Luckily I’ve started curbing that habit!
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Mrs. Accountability Reply:
January 25th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Mrs. Money: Good for you, good habit to establish!
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Our JoAnn’s, the one I’ve been shopping at my entire life, is closing. I went in there a couple of days ago just to see what was left. I, too, am on a “get out of debt” journey – eating from my pantry this month (no fast food for 10 days now, a new personal best!), selling everything I own, sewing again to make extra money – but curiosity got the better of me and I stopped in. All that was left were those bags “made in china” of cheap crap – jewelry supplies, stamping stuff, scrapbooking stickers, that kind of thing.
I bought a card of very tiny pearl buttons to finish off the baptism dress I’m working on (cost of buttons = $1) and nothing else.
Very bittersweet. I will miss that place but I really didn’t go there all that much anymore. And it’s so easy to buy online and find better deals. And I’m not spending money that doesn’t need to be spent, I’m on a strict budget, and I have thousands in debt to pay off because I closed my business long before I intended to. I feel their pain – no one was shopping at my store either, at least not enough to make it profitable and stay open.
So, goodbye, Joann’s. It’s been a wonderful run. I will miss mindlessly blowing money inside your doors. 🙁
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Mrs. Accountability Reply:
January 25th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Mary: Oh, I would be so sad!! Even if I weren’t shopping there much, stores aren’t supposed to go away, especially when they have so many memories. Good luck on getting out of debt, I hope you are still on your “no fast food” eating kick, that’s a good one to commit to! Have a great day! Mrs. A
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