Kalissa’s house still isn’t done with the remodel. They are going a little stir crazy so I mentioned going shopping.
A gal at work brought in a toy I thought about getting for some of the grandkids and she said they were on sale at Target for $10. I thought that was worth the trip. Eli and Emmett my grandsons love magna tiles. They are tiles that magnet together. I have some here and they play them often. You can find them HERE on Amazon. These are generic and WAY cheaper than the original. They are great though and have lasted for many years at my house.
Anyway…the gal at work said they had a farm set that would go with these for only $10.
I looked them up on Amazon and they were $39.99 for a set there. Yes. Going to Target would be totally worth it. Then I looked more and saw that they had dinosaurs and polar animals and woodland animals. YES! I might get these for other grandkids too.
I also wanted to stop and Hobby Lobby. There was a wooden box I wanted that I saw on floss tube and I wanted to get some cheap craft things for the grandkids.
We ended up going…
Target was a bust. The magna tiles were not on sale. We circled around the store everywhere trying to find them. We finally found them on an end cap and sadly…no sale. At $39.99 each, I’m not going to afford that for 10 grandchildren.
Kalissa didn’t want to drag the boys into another store for groceries so we got groceries there. UGH. I won’t do that again. They had the poorest selection and most expensive groceries. Thankfully I didn’t need a lot…just a couple of things I had to have for dishes I was making and taking somewhere.
From there we went to Hobby Lobby. It was so busy. Kalissa and were looking for the small craft pack things I often buy when I know the grandkids are coming. On our way, we found the custom frames that were miscuts. I found this huge one and was so happy. I could make two or maybe three picture frames with this. The tag said $19 and there was a sign that said 75% off. YES, please!
They didn’t have the wood box I wanted so we headed towards the check out.
The frame was super awkward to manage. Carver wanted to carry it but the store was so busy at the front near the Christmas stuff. I had to try to manage it in my cart.
All that to find out it wasn’t 75% off the ticketed price. The ticketed price was the price. UGH. I didn’t want to pay $19 for a frame I didn’t know what I was going to frame. So I didn’t get it.
I had completely forgotten what it’s like to shop with kids. Oh my. They were really good but so many questions and so many wanting to touch everything. Like I said, they were actually really good…just not what I was used to anymore.
From there we went to Chick-fil-A. It’s the boys’ favorite. They had been good and deserved it.
On the way home I was talking with Kalissa. I told her the whole day reinforced why I hate shopping.
We drove an hour to Waterloo. We shopped and I didn’t get what I wanted at all. I wasted so much time in the store. We ate out. We paid for the gas. We wasted so much time…and money.
I had a great time with Kalissa and the boys, but seriously. We could have had more fun at my house.
This all just reinforced why I hate shopping and when I do, I want it to be online or at the local stores I go to. I was not designed to be a shopper.
Me too…I’m simply not a shopper. I love Amazon ….often finding thing you recommend. Have a great Thanksgiving.
I agree with you on shopping! Thankfully, I can usually hit Walmart early in the morning. Add to cart from my recliner is much better! lol
I’m sorry your shopping trip wasn’t so successful. You need to stick to your thrift stores!! You seem to find things there. I used to do most of my shopping in the evenings but then we moved to a different state and live out of town and I just don’t feel as safe shopping evenings now. So did you miss the sale or was that gal wrong about the price of the magnet blocks?
Picasso Tiles are cheaper than Magna Tiles and are super quality. I buy them for my grandson right from their site. They always have sales. I got him a fire station and emergency room when he broke his femur this past summer. Very happy with Picasso Tiles.
Sorry that you did not like Target for groceries. I am sure it is because you are used getting groceries at Amish stores. Target is my main store for many things. Yes it is not the place to get meat. For me, other prices are very similar to other places.
Have you downloaded the Target app? It’s really handy to check your nearby store for items and prices. I use it to compare prices from Target vs Walmart to see which has the best deal so I know before I go.
I also loathe shopping. Such a waste of time and energy – not to mention petrol/gas! Last Friday we went to look for Christmas decorations and a bit of food for Christmas. Shop 1 – items cost more for those without loyalty cards – we put the few items back and left. Next shop had a few things so we had a little basket, went to the checkout . . . 4 empty tills, no staff in sight. We waited a couple of minutes then left the basket at the checkout and left. Next shop – abysmal decorations – we left. Last shop on the way home, success – not for decorations, but we had the food. Husband was saying what a wasted day it had been. I replied that now we know where NOT to shop ever again!
I also detest shopping in person! I’d much rather shop online – it’s so much easier and less stressful. At least you got to spend time with your grandchildren (I’m trying to look on the bright side!)
I agree about the wasted time. I like seeing and touching things in person prior to purchase…clothes, fabric, needlework supplies. Little is more frustrating than the inability to find what you are looking for…and for me this happens most often at big box stores. Definitely a good idea to check websites for inventory and merchandise locations when heading out to Target and Walmart.
I am not a shopper either but when I take my daughter along I either try and limit my stops or try to arrange for my husband or mom to go along in case she’s getting tired and cranky. It’s much easier to deal with a happy kid playing in the car than a grumpy kid in the store. We only have two grocery stores locally so groceries wouldn’t be an issue at either one unless there was a specific sale item.
I prefer to shop on line. If it wasn’t for online shopping I probably wouldn’t buy a single Christmas present! Our local Target has a pretty small grocery area. I have never been impressed with the prices. However, my daughter’s local Target has a large grocery area. She downloaded the app, combines sale price with circle deals and gets some amazing deals on groceries. She does not shop in the store, uses app and pick up for both Target and Walmart. She’s been doing pick up for at least 4 years and loves it. Allows her to stick to her budget, NO impulse buys.
I love shopping with my daughter, too, but we both agree, it’s always better without her two boys. We also use those as bonding opportunities mainly for specialty store (quilt shop, boutique clothing, home and garden, craft bazaars) shopping where it’s fun to discover new and different things we wouldn’t find online. In between, we text each other with stuff we come across online.