Sheldon wrote:
> I shop with a list and I rarely impulse buy... it has to be something
> I regularly use, at a good price, and I'm reminded that I'm running
> low but neglected to put it on my list.
>
> With the price of fuel these days shopping multiple stores defeats the
> purpose of bargain hunting. Most sale items are things people don't
> actually need anyway so it's best to not buy them at all, ever... and
> it's just plain dumb to drive clear accross town just because they
> have bacon for 50 cents less a pound than the usual price... no one
> needs bacon to live and burning up even one extra gallon of gas more
> than wipes out the 50 cents on many pounds of bacon... wait until next
> week and your regular store will have bacon on sale, it's the same
> with all items, stores take turns placing items on sale because they
> know that many shoppers feel OMG, if I don't snap it up right now I
> will never ever get such an opportunity again in my lifetime... these
> are sick puppies... marketing people know all the shopoholic
> psychologies, that's why they invented the debit card, legalized
> pickpocketing. When I make up my shopping list I put an estimated
> price next to each item rounded up to the full dime. That's how much
> grocery shopping cash I bring with me and that is all I will spend...
> grocery shopping with plastic is one of the best ways to guarantee
> living in perpetual debt, owning nothing, not even the food you eat.
>
I agree with much of that--and I thought I was the only one who
did that jotting down of estimated prices etc. I also have NEVER
paid with a credit or debit card--or a check for that matter.

--
Jean B.