I have to tell you the whole story just because that is me, I am like that!
Saturday night and Sunday morning, I worked on getting coupons together for almost 5 hours (remembering that I have 3 kids so those 5 hours were not consecutive) to work out my deals and to know where I needed to head. Big Sister J helped me out a lot with this and enjoyed doing so.
I pulled my ads: CVS, Target, Kroger and Martin's and then started going through each of the ads and working the deals and matching the coupons. I decided that I was going to save over $100 Sunday, because I was so tired of spending so much money. Yes, I coupon every week, but never to the entirety that I did this time!
Anyways, I matched everything and said I would not spend over $115. With 5 people in the house, we normally spend well almost to $200. So with each store I went in with a piece of paper with what I needed and with the coupons in hand. I told the girls (minus Baby B she is way to young to understand) before we even started at any of the stores, that I was not buying anything additional, I was going into each store with exactly what we needed. Much to quick do my husband and I make impulse buys and and seriously, I told him I want to save even more money than we have been. Anyway, not that I have to justify why I told the girls we were not buying anything additional, it was just that!
NOTE: Before I started, I knew that Sister E had not taken a nap and I wasn't sure how that was going to go! DH said she could stay, but I knew that he needed to put new brakes on my car, so with her there, he couldn't do that.
The first store we hit was CVS and really since I knew what I wanted, I walked in to get what I needed and was heading to the front of the store. Sister E spotted in the middle aisle (DANG CVS for doing this) the Zhu Zhu Pets accessories. Yes Sister E knows what these are because she played with them at someone else's house and had a blast. I explained to her that I wasn't buying them! And let me tell you, this accessory was $24.99 (so not in the budget) and guess what it didn't even include the pet. She flipped out, right there in the middle of CVS. I calmly explained to her that we were not buying it and was trying to move on paying for the items and doing the coupons. Standing in line, she was screaming and this nice woman at the cashier next to us said, Oh mama I understand, I remember when my two used to do this, in the midst of Sister E still screaming standing in the middle of the aisle. Me, I was fine with this and planned on finishing up and then getting in the truck and going on. She would have forgotten about it...Well, this nice lady walked down the aisle and picked up the accessory Sister E had been screaming about and asked her if that was what she was crying about? She said in between sobs...yes. The nice lady looked at big Sister J who has been looking at the silly bandz and told her to grab 3 of them. At this point, I was so confused as to what was happening and then she handed it to the cashier. I said, "Oh Ma'am, please you don't have to do that, they really don't need these items." The nice lady said, "Oh, I know, but God is out there watching you and wants to bless these children. I don't want your children, I just want to see them happy!" I tried to get the "yes, but" in there, but was seriously just so confused as to what was happening she wouldn't let me. Sister E gave her a hug and Big Sister J told her a big thank you! And the lady told me "God Bless!" This woman explained, I have had 2 kids and now have a 5 year old grandson and had this happened to me once in my lifetime and it was just a neat experience.
So, I left there thinking wow, I am 32 years old and that has never happened before in my life. While in the truck I explained to both of the girls how very nice this lady was and how she was about other people and not selfish. Both girls were of course very happy and thanked the very nice lady.
I must tell you though, as I sit here and write this today as to what happened Sunday, I am still really confused as to why this happened. I just continue to think it was just a blessing. I'm not sure how else to look at this and just continue to feel very thankful. It calmed Sister E down the rest of the other trips. I was surely very thankful and am still very thankful. I will tell you though it will be one of those for me, "Pay it forward" and give this opportunity to someone else when that time arises in the future.
So, that was my neat experience, besides how I did shopping wise.
Here is the stores that I went to, my goals, how I did and what I saved:
Anyway, tell me what you think! Has this ever happened to you? How did you handle it?
5 comments:
That is SOO sweet!! This is why I tend to believe that people are inherently good. I always get nervous about going out in public with my 2 tiny tots, but I only ever get big smiles, "oh they are so cute" and "can I take them home with me"! I always expect scowls and eye rolling but most people really are understanding and merciful. How sweet of that woman. I have never had a stranger selflessly go out of their way THAT much, but I have definitely added a few strangers to my prayers for their extra kindness :) What a cool story!!
Oh!! And I forgot to say NICELY DONE!!! You stayed WELL below your goal. It's so awesome to see it all on paper when you're done, huh??
Thanks Lisa, it was definitly not something I thought would happen. Of course I had Baby B and she was just sitting in her carseat looking around not paying attention to anything.
I need to start doing this everyweek, making a goal and staying at that goal!
Thanks again!
Tat was so nice of her! It has only happened to me once. It was around Christmas time and we were out shopping for family I had my daughter with me, she was 6 at the time. We were coming ut of a store and she said "Mommy, can I please have $5 to buy something?" I told her "No, we have certain things to get and I only had enough money on me for those things". Well this nice man came up to her and said Here ya go, sweetheart. Santa says Hi and be a good girl" he winked and walked off. It was the nicest thing. :) I try to do what I can when I can, just to do good.
That was very nice of her. Not happened to me, but people have shared crackers in church and so forth, and we are always embarrassed (the booklets always say dont bring anything in -- so we don't.. sigh).. but I have shared things with other people's kids. Not bought, but we went to a parade recently and went to store afterwards, my daughter had 2 strings of mardi gras beads, and a little boy (who obviously hadn't gone) pointed at them, so I took one off of my daughter and put it on his neck. I'm not sure if the mom was pleased or upset, but it was really an honest 'be nice' gesture.. sigh.
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