I honestly get kind of mad when I have to pay full price for stuff.  It makes my heart hurt and kills a little piece of my soul.

Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic.

But only a little.

You know how you see/hear people or friends say “I need some retail therapy” and they proceed to go to Norstrom and drop like $500 without batting an eyelash?

Let me preface by saying, I’m not knocking people who have the ability, financially, to do that nor am I knocking Nordstrom’s (because I do love ya, Nordstrom, I promise); that’s just not my jam.

When I say, “I need some retail therapy”, I mean; Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, TARGET! (Shocker, I know), Kohl’s, HomeGoods, etc.  This is also not to say that I have never shopped in department stores or that I’ve never bought things that have a hefty price tag; I have, it’s just not common for me.  I do shop at Macy’s most frequently when it comes to “department store shopping” and even that is really only a few times of the year, most likely.  I love walking around higher-end stores and department stores, I just don’t often buy a ton from them.

When I say “I want to go shopping” or do some “retail therapy” it should be read more as “what kind of amazing deals can I get when I go out today?”  I’m totally the woman that brags about how little I paid for something when you compliment me on it.

Like this jacket:

I have gotten so many compliments on it, particularly the color, because it really is a pretty mustard color.  I got it at Target like….4 years ago and it was like $20 on clearance.  It’s a staple in my closet and has been since I got it; I wear it pretty consistently throughout the entirety of fall and some throughout the winter as long as it’s not frigid outside. I’ve worn the hell out of it for $20 and it still looks brand new.

Similarly, I’ve had this Michael Kors light trench coat for about 2 or 3 years that I got on clearance at Marshall’s for like $15.

So many compliments on it all the time. (Feel free to ignore the fact that it’s a little wrinkled, though, I need to iron it before the spring.)

And it’s not just clothes, I’m like this for everything.  When I Bought my new car recently, I went for every deal and discount I could get on it.  When I go grocery shopping or shopping at Target, I use coupons and the Cartwheel app (which is pretty much my bff forever and always). I am happily that crazy lady that holds up the line because she has a stack of coupons in her hand to be scanned.  I totally apologize if you’re behind me, but I’m all about the coupons, your looks of disdain will not deter me.

I’m also the lady you will see snapping pictures of items when she’s putting them into her trunk in the parking lot because I love cash back apps like Ibotta, Checkout 51, and MobiSave.  I know they can be kind of a pain sometimes to go through and scan things and upload receipts but the cash back can add up pretty quickly.  I’ve gotten quite a few PayPal payouts and Target gift cards from doing this over the years that make it worth it.

Back in another life, I actually had a coupon/deal blog because it just excited me so much that I felt like I had to share deals with as many other people as I could.  And I loved running it, but as quickly as some deals happen (especially online ones), it felt like that blog was a full-time job and I just wound up burnt out from it and I wound up stepping away.  I’m not against writing about it sometimes here, but I couldn’t do a full frugal blog again, I just don’t have the time to dedicate to it.

I do still read other coupon and deals blogs, though.  Because while I think I still get every email from every store under the sun, it’s nice to have sites that kind of figure out some deals for you and how to utilize sales and promotions so you really get the best bang for your buck.  Hip2Save Is my absolute favorite site for deals.  Collin (the site owner) is like a coupon powerhouse.  She and her team blog every time they have a new deal or a hot deal or a new way to use a coupon and get great savings from it.  She’s really turned her deal blog into her own business and it’s really the best blog for finding deals.  She even, sometimes, does shopping videos where she goes into stores, like Target, and shows you how to get the best deals, which is great if you’re a more visual learner like me.  Plus, she’s just fun and funny to watch, so her videos are great.

So, I guess the point I was going for here, is to say that not only am I super excited to go to Bubbles Salon and get my hair done tomorrow (because like I’ve said, I need it SO BAD) but I’m also going to do some “retail therapy” tomorrow, too.  The salon is in a mall, so I might stop at H&M and see if they have any good sales happening, walk through Macy’s (it’s actually the one Devon used to work at back in the day so I’ll see if any familiar faces are around) and a peek though Nordstrom Rack.  Plus, there is a HomeGoods, Marshall’s, AND TJ Maxx like a mile away that I don’t get to often so I’m eager to check them out.

ANNNNNNNNND my favorite Target store is over there, right next to Marshall’s.  It’s about as close as Maryland gets to a Super Target (which I would do ANYTHING for one here) and it’s amazing!  Plus, I watched Collin’s new Target shopping video this week so I’m all about grabbing some $5 Mossimo tees and try to score a good deal on some of my skin care products with a gift card deal Target currently has going on.

I am super excited for tomorrow. It’s a day I don’t get to do that often, especially with everything that’s going on now, so hopefully I’ll get some really good deals on my shopping list and have really pretty hair at the end of the day.   I might even Instastory or Instagram my day, so if you aren’t following me there yet, you can click the little IG icon on the right side bar or search “domesticeducator” on the Instagram app.

Have a great day! And don’t fall on the ice if you’re in the Northeast like me….because that almos thappened this morning.  But we don’t need to talk about that….