Monday, November 15, 2010

The Most Expensive Milk

My grocery challenge went really well! Like, really REALLY well! Trying to keep in the spirit, I have been dowdnsizing what I buy DRASTICALLY and paying cash for groceries.


The other day, I needed to run in the store to get milk. Milk is about $2.99 a gallon. I had just picked up Isaac and thought to myself it wouldn't be worth trying to wrangle him into the cart just for milk. He could walk with me. Big mistake. BIG BIG mistake.


He did really well walking up to the dairy case. He even stood there while I opened it to get the milk out. Then he noticed the promotional red mylar balloons surrounded a table promoting a new coupon program. He is OBSESSED with balloons (among other things). I spent a good 5 minutes chasing him around the table and finally coralled him toward the express checkout lane.


This is where it got ugly.


Not only did I have to pick him up (try making a 22 month old boy stand in line patiently), but have you ever seen grocery checkout lines? Usually there are many balloons of a vast variety. Plus there were more promotion balloons. By the time I was paying for  my milk, Isaac was incredibly unhappy, thrashing, and screaming. Not just screaming to be put down, but screaming for a balloon.


Sigh. So I gave in. I asked the checkout girl what the cheapest balloon was. It turns out the least expensive was the promotional red mylar, ringing in at $4.99. As soon as it was in his hands, Isaac was all smiles.


Do I condone what I did? Nope. But a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do.


I learned my lesson. That galloon of milk ended up costing me over $8.00 by the time tax was figured into the cost. And I don't want Isaac to think that behaving that way is ok.


Oh, and the balloon is still floating and providing him amusement. As well as my cats.

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