All I need is a movie...and this sweater...and this necklace...

Good morning!

Pick up a movie.  Pay a bill.  That's it.  That's all we have to do today.

So yesterday Hubby and I ran out to do some errands.  We deposited his check, we went to get the best old world oatmeal on the planet at the Steaming Cup, we were going to pick up a DVD copy of "Breaking Dawn."  (That was really the only reason I had to leave the house yesterday.  I'm too old to go to the midnight release/costume party...although I haven't shaved my legs in a while, so i could probably have gone as a werewolf.)

And, while we were out, I wanted to pay down my Kohl's bill.

For those of you who don't know, Kohl's is a Wisconsin based retailer who is taking the country over with their ridiculous discounts, their sensible clothing, their big name designers, and their most delicious clearance racks.  Kohl's is so huge on making sure you know you're getting a good deal, they announce how much you've "saved" at the end of your transaction.  Oh, and if you use your Kohl's card, you get 15-30% off every transaction.  Hence, my Kohl's bill, while not out of control, does have a bit of a balance.  2012, I'm paying off a couple credit cards if it kills me.

Clearly, the Kohl's card is not going to be one of them.

All I needed was a cream colored mock turtle neck.  Hubby was paying the bill, I was going to run to the men's department and get one because men's mock necks are warmer, better made, and usually less expensive.

Hubby saw a sign for suit coats on clearance.  Now he doesn't wear a suit to work...he doesn't wear them to church.  I'm not sure why he wanted to try them on, but hey, I had to use the restroom, so I left him to his own devices.

That's where I went wrong.

Not with leaving Hubby...with using the bathroom.  My issues with public restrooms is well documented, but I will use Kohl's bathrooms because I  know they are clean and since I used to work at a Kohls' it feels more like an office bathroom than a public one.

For those of you who dwell in wintry zones, you know that your coat and purse can get cumbersome.  The stores are hot, and the coat is heavy.   I got out of the restroom, and didn't want to lug my coat around.  So I went to the front of the store to get a cart.  Then I headed back to where Hubby was.  My path took my right past the women's department.

I wasn't going to shop.  In fact, I've sworn to myself that I wouldn't buy any new clothes until I crossed a weight loss goal.  Well, there's something bigger than a weight loss goal, and that's cuddly sweaters discounted by 80 and 85%.  

And then my favorite pants were marked down and since I'm down a size in those I picked up a new pair.

And I still needed a cream colored mock neck...but they didn't have those, so I picked up a really pretty cream colored top.  And of course I had to get a top to go under one of the sweaters and wouldn't you know it?  Those tops were on sale for 70% off.  PLUS, it was early, so it was Power Hours, and we would save even more! 

By the time I found, or rather tripped over, hubby on my way to accessories.  He was loaded down with two suit coats and a plethora of other things, all from the 80% rack.  We then spent some time picking out necklaces  (I need to "Girl up" my wardrobe a bit.  I wear a man's wedding ring, I have short hair and a fat face, and I spend a lot of time in men's sweaters and mock necks.  I can't wear bracelets because of the thumb braces, which look like sparring gloves.  I need something girlie around my neck!) 

By the time we got to the check out, we were playing the "over under" game that we play.  Usually it's "Are we over/under $100" and we play it at the grocery store.  Yesterday it was $200.  Hubby said under, I said over.  Then I said, "But we'll have "saved" $600.

I won on both counts.  The bill was $205, but, thanks in part to the clerk who gave us 20% off everything even though we didn't bring in the coupon,  we "saved" over $700.  (Great marketing ploy, this savings thing, but if you're paying full price at Kohl's, you're just not trying.  They never charge full price.)

So we about broke even on the credit card bill...and I put the receipt on the fridge.  (My kids don't bring me artwork anymore, so I have to put something up there.)    The really good news is that I never buy anything that trendy  (mostly because they don't make trendy clothes for fluffy girls.)  and what I got was meant to be worn loosely.  Which means I'll be wearing these clothes right through my weight loss.  (I'm down another pound this week.  Still re losing the six pounds I initially lost last year as part of my 24 pound loss, but I'm going in the right direction.)