We Love a Good Deal

My life has been overwhelmed with work lately but I've finally found some time to sit and type. I am still working at Target but quit at Barnes and Noble due to schedule conflicts and an unprofessional work environment. I loved the job itself but that particular location wasn't run well. The only example I will give is that after I asked about transferring (and was told I couldn't for a year) the store manager asked why. When I started to explain the hour drive wasn't working she started shouting "Cry me a river!" on the sales floor and saying that this manager and that manager had long drives too. I didn't get a chance to explain that I was trying to make two part-time jobs work and those managers were probably getting more hours and better pay. I kept my mouth shut though. I had an interview last Friday and one at another place tomorrow. Brandt has an interview on Monday!

I aged another year recently. After college, it's been hard to keep track of how old I am or tell time relative to other events in the past. So this birthday feels much the same as the past five years or so. I had an overwhelming outpouring of birthday well-wishers on Facebook. It was nice to feel the love from so far away and was a reminder that Brandt and I aren't out here without support. I rarely splurge, especially not on myself, so I took the opportunity to buy some things we needed with my birthday money (and take us out to half-price dinner!).

I love getting a great deal or finding something awesome on sale. I've used my 10% Target discount, plus coupons, plus Cartwheel to save $20 each of the last two trips to Target to get things we desperately needed! Brandt has been cutting coupons like crazy and getting things like laundry detergent for $1. I don't buy something just because it's a deal if I don't need it though. That kind of defeats the purpose of pinching pennies if I spend all my savings on things we don't need.

We have desperately needed new sheets, comforter, and bed-skirt for more than a year. Cedric had a problem of ripping things apart when he was a puppy. He'd run into the bedroom and rip the sheets or tear a hole in the comforter. He even did it while Brandt was sleeping in the bed. Cedric did the same in our spare bedroom but we threw out those sheets and comforter when we moved. Here are some pictures of Cedric's work with my attempt at sewing things back together.

He ripped this hole open more than once.

This sheet lost part of the side, which we never found. I think he ate it.

This was a hole in one of the pillows.
It wasn't so comfy on your face when you're trying to fall asleep.

I have kept my eye out for new bedding since we moved and hadn't seen anything I liked. What I did like was much too expensive or came with 8 pieces. We don't need decorative pillows, especially since we don't even use the shams that come with the comforters so I was unwilling to drop $100 - $200 on things I didn't want.

I looked at Target, JCP, and Amazon, then decided to give Macy's a try. I'd never been in a Macy's since there aren't any in KS any longer and I never visited the one that was in Topeka. They were having a huge sale last weekend and I happened upon an awesome deal! I found the perfect comforter set with only one extra pillow. I also splurged and got new sheets. The total coast was about $55! I was quite proud of myself. Brandt was less impressed when he saw that the sheets I picked out were purple. When I told him that I almost bought the purple comforter, the dirty look left his face. So here is our new pretty bed, with Ellie as a model. Because any time we get something new, Ellie must sit on it if she can.

So thanks for the birthday money, dear family! You helped make our home look a little less sad and much more put-together.