All of this for $38.00!!!
The title may be a bit misleading, because I don’t think this post will be about drinking or not drinking at all. I shopped at the Hiawassee Dollar General yesterday and I am a changed woman, so that is what I feel compelled to crow about…
First of all, everything isn’t a dollar. That’s a misconception I had from the days when the children were little and we’d go to The Dollar Store in Ponte Vedra and they’d take an hour or two to choose a gun or game or “brand-name” doll that would break in the car on the way home.
I asked several people in Hiawassee where I should shop for gift wrapping and was directed (without exception) to the Dollar General. Hiawassee is remote (and in Georgia), but there are many sophisticated shops and restaurants and a Christmas Year Round store that rivals any I have seen for inventory and expense, so we’re not talking some back woods, Podunk situation here.* I figured the denizens of Hiawassee might be onto something.
I started in the Christmas section – a sort of merchandized pile of red and green felt objects and bedazzled plastic… I bought Christmas wrapping paper and wired ribbon and camouflaged deer antler headbands and gift bags. Everything was insanely cheap.
Then I brached out to the other sections – they sell everything: household goods, pantyhose, cleaning supplies, candy, dented cans of lesser soups and green beans! It was like I was the first person to ever discover the Dollar General. I found myself pointing out good buys to the other customers and harrumphing when something seemed pricy. I went to the counter with a prefab fireplace log and asked the clerk, “Excuse me but is three dollars a good price for these?” as if in order to work behind the counter of the Dollar General you needed to do comparison analyses and keep top-of-mind the price points of other stores.
The clerk said, “I don’t know lady. I don’t use those things.” So I bought two, to preserve my dignity, but I’m still thinking I didn’t get much of a deal…
I resisted buying Christmas presents. And actually, the only thing close to the subject of addiction about this post is that I almost bought a giant “Bic” lighter for Jon Jon, who is a smoker. But I put it back because I figured anything with moving parts or fire involved would probably break on the way home…
Today I’m not drinking, because I am frugal, and wine is expensive…
How come you’re not drinking?
*Although I did ask Jon Jon if I could buy the Xbox game he wants (Death Star Warrior Troglodytes Seven) at Walmart and he was like, “Is that the only place you shop now?” Cheek.
