Sing it with me..."I always feel like somebody's watching me!"

(Originally posted on my old blog "Work Around Your Wallet" on 1/31/07)


I really felt like singing that song yesterday when I went to the grocery store. As you walk in, there's a room for the buggies and the sale papers before you actually enter the grocery part. As I strolled in, I noticed 2 buggies with clearance items. Woo hoo! I head straight to them. I stood there digging around for about 15 minutes while other people came in and just walked on by. I could see people looking over at me out of the corner of my eye. I felt like a homeless person digging through garbage. LOL Not really, but you would have thought that's what I was and what I was doing. Nobody else stopped to peruse these items and they had some bangin' hair products too. Unfortunately, the conditioners didn't have the matching shampoos and vice versa and that's something I'm a bit anal about. I have to have the same brand and type of each. You will never see me using White Rain Cocunut Tropical Moisturizing Shampoo with Herbal Essences Lavedar Orgasmic Conditioner. I did find some hairspray though.

On into the store I went. I go through the veggies and fruit section, pick up what I need, and when I round the corner there is a one of those big wheely shelf things full of clearance stuff. It's like waving a steak in front of a starving dog. I go right to it and start carefully looking through everything because you know it isn't very organized. I take my time because I'm afraid I'll miss something. I have to squat to view the items on the bottom shelf. I'm there about 15 minutes as well, and yet again, I'm the only one. And yet again, I feel the looks.

Personally, it doesn't bother me because I know how much money I save by doing so. I actually used to be one of those people that would never stop and dig through a clearance buggy or shelf because I might look needy or poor. Guess what? I am better off financially now than I was then. What irony! Now...I'm financially stable but will shop clearance. Then...I was in awful debt but trying not to look like it by bypassing those cheapo clearance products. You could say I'm wealthy now compared to then.

I was confused back then and associated frugal with being cheap. Now I know better and I see so many that don't. Those people are more than likely in the same shoes I was about 6-7 years ago. I had credit card debt up the yin yang. Now, I don't have one except for my bankcard.

So I challenge all of you to dive into those clearance sections. The next time I go to the store, I don't want to see anything but your ass and legs in the air and the other half buried in a buggy full of perfectly great items that just happen to be marked down for quick sale. The stores need the room, so help them out!