Dollaring Yourself to Death

Alright, this week is really going to suck for me if my mom decides to get online, but these things just have to be said.  The title of today’s post comes from one of my mom’s favorite phrases, “Let’s go dollar ourselves to death.”

This comes from the idea that by spending just a teensy bit, like at a sale or a dollar store, the total ends up being astronomical.  For example, my mom decided to get some thank-you gifts for the bank workers when her company switched to a different one.  She found these great earrings and bracelets from eBay for like a dollar per lot.  However, she got on a mission to find these “great deals!”  And… she spent a little under $70 by the end of it… and there are 36 extra pairs of earring lying around the dining room table.

So today’s post comes in two sections: Sales/Bargains and Dollar Stores.

#1: Sales and Bargains
Have you ever thought about how some of these stores can put something on sale for that much less than what they were selling it for before?  Either they are selling at a loss, which is not likely in many cases, or they had marked up the price just that much.

Take Buy One, Get One 50% Off deals, for example.  How much do those items really cost?  Do you actually need that second item?  How much profit are they still making if they can sell at that price?

Also, be aware that selling is a psychological game for some.

“The psychological factors most involved are being accepted as part of the group, satisfying a self-image/ego need, and emotions. Also sellers will give you a little; perhaps a buy one, get one deal or a sample of product before you purchase to make you feel obligated to buy.” – izettl, Finance Guru

What do sales and bargains do there?  Almost all of the above.  Notice, it says nothing about price or need.  They’re trying to get you to buy more.  Even if you look at the ads, the percentage off is the largest part, with the small, exclusions apply at the bottom.  How likely are you to take something back once you reach the register with it, even if you thought the price was different?  Not very.

#2: Dollar Stores
How do those places even stay in business anyway?  Check out the Dollar Tree.  All their signs say “$1”!  But the little bitty “each” part is hidden, especially since they always show more than one item per picture.  That definitely gives the idea that you are getting more for your money.

Seller buy in bulk, which is a good idea to save money, but what about the quality?  Besides for greeting cards, which I highly recommend you buy at these stores, how good is all that stuff?  Will that colander hold?  Is that figurine still intact in all places?

Just be aware of what you’re buying and think about whether or not you really need it.  And even if you did get 20 packages of candy canes for $20… it’s still $20.  Did you really need all of them?  Think before you act, please.