The Dollar Store

It never fails, whenever I go to Dollar Tree, I always end up seeing something I spent considerably more money on somewhere else, and I end up thinking, "I should have come here first!"

I thought that today because I went grocery shopping, hungry.

I know, I know, you're not supposed to do that, and I usually make sure I don't. I sort of forgot that I was hungry when I got in my car today, but somewhere on the 89 I remembered, but I couldn't turn around and head back to South Royalton. I was committed to get to West Lebanon, and so, onward I went, my stomach growling.

I think that whilst in Price Chopper I exhibited some iron will. I somehow managed to end up in the baking aisle, the aisle I typically just avoid altogether. I looked at brownie and cake mixes, and thought about buying a bag of chocolate chips, and toyed with the idea of buying a dark chocolate bar.

"NO!" I yelled to myself, in my head so nobody in the store would be frightened. "This is the hunger talking, I do not want these things." However, at this point I thought I might starve to death, so I decided I'd at least buy a box of granola bars to take off the edge. Granola! If I'm careful I could ensure I get a good healthy kind, that isn't loaded with unnecessary sugar!

I stood in the next aisle and found myself glaring at the granola bars. I ask you, when did granola bars get so dang expensive?? Even the off store brands were two boxes for six dollars. Boxes that contained a mere six granola bars. I was not only hungry, I was getting irritable. Who is the final arbiter of granola prices? Who was making these things anyway? Where were they getting their ingredients from? I thought I'd get some crackers instead, but, although cheaper, they had a higher fat content.

Well, not only am I on a very strict I'm-about-to-graduate-from-law-school-with-more-debt-than-I-ever-want-to-think-about budget, but my sister is getting married in April, which means wedding pictures. Thus, the twelve extra pounds I gained in France showed up at an inopportune moment, and I am on a time crunch to make sure I lose it all by then.

The light bulb over my head finally clicked on and I thought, "I'll go to Dollar Tree!! I can get a box of six granola bars for a DOLLAR!"

So, pleased with my stroke of genius I purchased my other items, loaded them in my car, and then walked into Dollar Tree. Where I found the aisle full of cough drops and cold medicine and I thought, "I am an idiot."

You see, about two and a half weeks ago I contracted the "super cold." Yes, a cold that is only just now starting to clear up. Two and a half weeks of coughing, sneezing, stuffy-nosed, head pounding, sinus pressuring exhaustion. Needless to say, I bought a lot of cough drops, orange juice, and cold medicine, and went to bed with a bottle of Mentholatum every night (until it melted and got on my sheets. That was somewhat unpleasant.) [P.S. I have discovered the wonder of Cold-EEZ, the minute I started taking it I started to feel better.]

There at the Dollar Tree was an aisle of cough drops and cold medicine. Not just cheap-o unknown cough drops and cold medicine, but Halls, Advil, Tylenol! How could I have forgotten about the Dollar Tree?? I would have spent much less money! Why do I have to be reminded of this over and over again?

I did find granola bars. Six bars a box, one dollar. I bought two boxes, take that Price Chopper and every stupid brand of granola bars on your shelves. Plus these are only 100 calories per box, something relatively few of the granola bars at Price Chopper managed to achieve, and with a lower fat and sugar content.

Remember, always always always check the Dollar Tree first. I said it three times, it's superlative. Do it.

Comments

Madalynn said…
I always go to Dollar Tree first.
:P
Ruth said…
ain't that the truth!!

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