Shop Around!

Shirt: Gap Outlet - MI, Jeans: Gap Outlet - OH

When I travel, often there is NOTHING to do in the towns I work in, so I usually have plenty of time to drive to a nicer place for dinner.  (Un)fortunately, there are often places to shop in the areas I drive to.  I have found so many great deals at stores in the Midwest that I never would've found in Boston where everything is ridiculously expensive.

I've also learned something very interesting about chain clothing stores: different locations sell the same merchandise at drastically different prices.  Example: I found this pink sweater I loved at the Gap in Miami, but did not buy it because it was expensive ($60), and not on sale.  The next week I found the same sweater at a Gap in Jackson, Mississippi on sale for only $14.95 (I bought it at this price of course).  The next week I saw the same sweater again in Des Moines, Iowa, on sale for $45.00 (and by the way, in Boston, it's still full price).  Note to self - NEVER buy anything  for full price at the Gap.

Another interesting thing I've learned is that stores with a price matching policy (i.e. Walmart) will only price match for OTHER STORES.  One Walmart will not price match the price from another Walmart. I find it so strange that the same store could sell the same product at a different price.  Non-clothing example: I'm really into Madmen right now and I've been buying the DVD's of each season (since I don't have a TV...).  The first two seasons sell at full price for about $30 each and the second two seasons for about $40 each (at Target, Walmart, and BestBuy).  When I was in Miami, there were two Targets within a few miles of each other.  One Target had the first two seasons on sale for $19.99 each and the other had them at full price (both had the second two seasons at full price).  I then went to BestBuy and found the third season on sale for only $14.  (Unfortunately I have yet to find the 4th season on sale, it must be too new.)  Just to make sure I got a good deal  I went to both Target and BestBuy in Ohio last week and at Target the first two seasons were on sale for $25 each and at BestBuy none were on sale.