A Day Too Late

Have you ever had money burning a hole in your pocket?  My grandsons sure do, but even their Nana does once in a while especially when I have a coupon.  Well..............I had a coupon!  A $10 off on a purchase of $10 or more.


So I put a reminder on my phone every hour on the hour last Sunday so that I don't miss the last day of the offer.  Finally after putting it off for three hours, off to the store I go..........feeling all giddy about finding something for nothing.  I even called my daughter on the way to see if she might join me, but alas.........she had other things to do...........can you believe she had better things to do?


Oh, I'm so happy, this is exciting..........shopping knowing my purchase would be free.  I had been in the store about 15 minutes when I realized I left the coupon in the car.  No biggie.  I will just make my selection, set it aside and run to the car to get it.  So I search...........but that watch is too much.  I look at the earrings, but do I really need another pair of earring?  Off to the clothes.........nothing that fit the price.  Let me explain what runs through my mind when I search for the perfect point between price and value.  You see, I don't want to spend more than $25 because there's also a $10 off a $25 purchase.  Using that coupon would mean I would still have the $10 off $10.  Not a good choice.........so I continue looking for that ideal purchase, trying to stay as close as $10 as possible.


Gosh, after 30 minutes in the store my mind begins to scramble.  What am I going to get?   And there is a chance I am a cheap snob, because nothing in that store was tempting me at any price.  Still I look....at the shoes...20 minutes in the men's department....in the boys aisle..........FINALLY after one solid hour, I find something.........not spectacular, but a little top for my granddaughter.......AND without her mother along to give me any advice.


So off I go, depositing my desired item on the counter explaining to the clerk I needed to get my coupon in the car.  Back to the clerk I went and we began our transaction.  AND THEN I SEE IT, right there on her computer.  COUPON REJECTED.  WHA??????  I spare her and ask her if the top was omitted from the coupon.  "No", she said, "it's out of date."  "Is today not the 28th"? I ask.  "No", she said.  Oh........................  I slink out of the store without a thing. 


That coupon was burning a hole in my pocket..........a day TOO late.


I love you.