Friday, July 8, 2011

Adrien: Sale Math

Okay, kids, I was never good at math in school but thanks to constant schooling by my friend Nina I am now really good at shopping math. Obnoxious, even. Which is why I'm going to share some of it with you right now even though I know this story makes me sound like a crazy person. Hey, everyone needs a hobby, right? Right.

Okay, so remember this trench?



Original price: $228. I bought it online with a 40% off coupon so it was $136ish. It was still expensive, but I thought I loved it. Then I got it and posted a yay/nay on the blog because I wasn't sure I loved it $136 worth. And it ends up I didn't so I returned it. Then a few weeks later it went on sale, plus 40% off, bringing it down to about $100. Huh, maybe I loved it $100 worth? It was sold out on the website so I called the 800 number and the sales associate (who was not the brightest or friendliest lady) located one for me in northern Virginia. It would be shipped to me, but might take a week or so for the order to go through.

I heard nothing for nearly a month and then out of nowhere got a shipment notification. By then I was COMPLETELY OVER IT. I didn't want anything to do with that damn coat, but it arrived anyway so I returned it to my local store without even trying it on again.

Then it went on sale some more and Nina bought it. Yep, she bought the one I returned. By then it was $90 with an additional 25% off so she paid $68 for it. She kept it for a while, decided it wasn't quite for her, then one day we both went to Ann Taylor together to check out the never-ending freaking sale and she returned it. They put it out on the floor immediately and Nina was all, "You realize this coat is now $52, right? If you don't buy it I will punch you in the face."

I tried it on and she declared it adorable and basically forced me to buy it. For $52. And now it is mine (um, again), hanging in my closet and waiting for fall when I'll wear it with a red leopard scarf and dark jeans. Hooray!  So, just to recap:

$228 -> $136 -> $100 -> $68 -> $52

know. It's basically a full time job but if you really persevere and keep an eye on sales (and have a Nina to threaten with bodily harm) you can make out like a bandit.

7 comments:

  1. It is a full-time job, and I do it ALL the time. It has become a disease/sickness with me. No.... more like a competition. Or maybe both. I'm so determined. I persevere and spend so much of my time trying to buy an item at the lowest possible price. It involves countless google searches scanning the internet for the lowest price, and then doing those searches on a daily/weekly basis. It involves buying, returning, and then re-buying. And going to stores multiple times for the same item. I need help!

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  2. You are my favorite kind of crazy, you know?

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  3. This is hilarious! So great that you got it for that price but I could NOT do this on a regular basis. This sounds like one of those meant to be situations. I still love that coat! Was kinda upset you took it back but not anymore!

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  4. I saved you so much money! You totally owe me a pony. Or lunch.

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  5. That is incredible. And inspiring!!

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  6. My mom is the EXACT same way...its the thrill of the chase...
    I don't have the patience...but kudos to you for hanging in there...lets face it ...you got the coat in the end for a fraction of the price...
    I am not saying I don't love a good deal...I just don't wanna sweat trying to make it happen, lol.
    j/k

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  7. Well, in this case it sort of happened *to* me, I don't know that I meant to go through all that!

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