I’m Saving a Bundle!

I have a new love. Before you get your knickers in a knot I haven’t said I got rid of the old one. It’s just that like all new loves this one is kind of exciting right now. And it suits me to a tee, fits like a glove, even makes me a little giddy at times. I met my new love some time ago but we’ve gotten to know each other much better of late. As a matter of fact my new love and I are pretty much meeting on a daily basis right about now. The truth of the matter is we’re becoming so close that I’m afraid there’s no turning back. Because each and every day as another package gets delivered to my door I realize just how much I have come to rely on my new love. Online shopping. And while I am pretty sure that in this one paragraph I have already reached the cliche limit for the entire post, I have to admit that this is a match made in heaven.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Didn’t she tell us that some of her best friends are made at the store check-out counter?” “Is she so fickle that she can substitute a rather impersonal, virtual experience for a meaningful and genuine human interaction?” Need I remind you that I am the shallow gal so the answer to both the questions that are apparently swirling around in your head, causing you no end of cognitive dissonance, is “Yes and Yes I can.” The truth is that what appeared to be a budding relationship between me and my “new best friend” sales associate never really panned out primarily because, although as promising as it seemed at the time, I never actually saw her again. Or if I did, I didn’t recognize her which is not one bit surprising given I once walked past my own little Bro’ on the street, all the while wondering why a fellow much younger than I was paying so much attention to me. But again, that’s a story for another day.

Today’s story is about online shopping so let me start at the beginning. Up until now I may have neglected to mention that I’m a pretty savvy shopper. It’s not something I do all the time but when I do I’ve been known to snag myself a deal or two. As a matter of fact I probably can’t recall a time that I have paid full price for, well just about anything. So take my advice. The key to bargain shopping is to keep your eye on the ball and in this case, the ball is not how much something costs. This ball is all about savings. A good bargain shopper knows that the more you save the better the buy. And I have to tell you that lately, I’ve been saving a bundle. Which is really only one of the reasons I have fallen in love.

You see there are so many great things about online shopping I could elucidate for some time but don’t worry, I won’t. Let me just summarize by saying that no longer do I have to stand in lines to grab a door crasher on Boxing Day. Or join the crowds with my friends to the south on Black Friday. Or listen to some guy at the back of the line complain because I am taking too long at the till. There’s no more prowling the parking lot for that perfect spot only to discover that, just because I don’t happen to have a baby, I can’t park in it. No worries about emerging from the dressing room in what can best be described as a “mistake” and have some over zealous sales person wax poetic about how the colour brings out my eyes. Nope. Now I can score all of my deals from the comfort of my chair and in almost no time they miraculously appear at my door. It’s like a birthday everyday.

Now for those of you who are not yet quite as shallow as I, it’s possible that you will feel a tinge of guilt as the boxes start to pile up. So I have a suggestion I think could work well, particularly at this time of the year. Here’s what you do. Instead of ripping open those packages as soon as they arrive, wrap them up in an assortment of pretty Christmas paper. Next, get yourself some of those little cards with the elves or snowmen or other mythical characters on them, and put your name in the “To” slot and Santa in the “From”. Place these packages under your tree. This is where the magic happens. On Christmas morning you’re going to open these gifts with your family and friends. Of course you’ll love each and every one of them and because of that, people will be falling over themselves claiming to be your Secret Santa, none the wiser that you actually bought them all for yourself. I can’t say for sure but I think this is going to make you feel a whole lot better about saving all that money.