OK, I might be the only one doing this but each time that I go grocery shopping I can't help myself from "converting" the money that I end up spending in stupid groceries into Jcrew items that I could have bought instead. Two gallons of milk, one salad, three tomatoes, some cheddar cheese, a bag of apples = $35. That's insane, especially if you think that all that you put in your shopping cart will last about two days, while a Jcrew cardigan on sale for the same price if not less will last ... well, at least one season. Now, I know that the reasoning of grown-up, responsible people (see my husband) is: because groceries are so expensive, but necessary, you have to save in other unnecessary departements, like clothes. But on me grocery shopping has the opposite effect. Each time that I take out my credit card to pay at the supermarket I think: this is so not worth it compared to all those Jcrew beauties that are on sale now for a third of this.
I'm actaully eating that Michelle cardigan that I left behind for $14.99. So I generally leave the Food Emporium eager to spend the equivalent at Jcrew, especially if there is something that I'm coveting and is on sale. Food Emporium, you are the biggest enabler of all.
What saved me so far is that Jcrew is too far from the supermarket and the bags generally too heavy and by the time that I drop the bags at home, life catches up on me and I make peace with the Food Emporium.
So it's with a mix of excitment and fear that yesterday, as I stepped out of the Food Emporium with my load of $50 groceries, I saw the sign of a new store opening soon on the opposite side of the street. Something in the green colors was very familiar. You have guessed, it's a new Jcrew store, the first Crewcuts store in the city to be exact. And it's opening. Just in front of my Food Emporium. So, I'm bracing myself for some serious damage to come as my daughter, as you know, has just reached the age to wear Crewcuts.
Am I the only one out there thinking like this? Please come out and share (I won't tell your significant other what your secret thoughts are!)
That story is too funny! I do the same (stupid!) thing... groceries or J.Crew?!?! I usually go for the Crew!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the Crewcuts store opening up! Keep in mind that you can (almost) ALWAYS get crewcuts on sale and in the correct size(s)~ well, that's if you're patient enough to wait for them to go on sale!?!
I usually buy my kids' clothes a size or 2 bigger so that they can wear them into the next year/season or hopefully even the next year after that! Little girls can always wear a *top* that is a few sizes "too big" as a *dress* w/ leggings under it and then it's there for the next year to wear as a top as they grow! It's so much easier to get creative w/ kids clothes and that creativity usually looks cuter on them than me anyways!!!
Oh that is so funny! I did stop getting prof pedis as often for the same reason. For my nails I figured I can do a really good job myself-- and the money can go to something that will last and look nice for longer than two weeks!
ReplyDeleteI've never been in a CrewCuts but their clothes are adorable and I've heard they have the best sales.
I totally do this!! Too funny. It killed me to pay for groceries the other day, (about 35 dollars worth) when i really wanted to go out and buy a new jcrew top:) oh well. Gotta eat, right??!!
ReplyDeleteLOL...I shop at that Food Emporium, too, and was so happy to see the CrewCuts sign the other day! It's a "dangerous" 5-block radius for DC shopping! :)
ReplyDeleteI feel exactly the same way - which is why I always try to eat cheap!! I hear groceries are more expensive in NYC this is something I'm not looking forward to when I hopefully move there.
ReplyDeleteMMM, thanks for the advice on CrewCuts. I tend to buy too small.
ReplyDeleteStephanie, I do that too!
Mrs.anketell, I always preferred clothes to food. When I was young I used the money that my parents used to give me to buy lunch at school to buy clothes.
Jessie, you mean DC as in Washington DC? Because my Food Emporium is on Madison Avenue in NYC ...
Summerilla, yes groceries are expensive in NYC. That's the reason why people prefer to go outside for dinner instead of cooking, it can be less expensive...
I just did the mental math...and to buy what you did at our local Safeway or Harris Teeter (in the DC area--Virginia side)...it would cost (at most) 22 to 25 dollars.
ReplyDeleteWow. It is VERY expensive up in NYC. Why? Is it because the rents are expensive so in order to stay above water they charge more for the things they sell?
You have my sympathy. Over the course of a year, the amount extra you have to spend to grocery shop in your city is a lot of J. Crew.
I did a post on my blog that discussed how to get the most value for your crewcuts dollar, if you are interested, btw.
http://mysuperfluities.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-maximize-your-crewcuts-dollar.html
Girl, you gotta find yourself a cheaper grocery store. You live in NYC, right? Have you tried D'Agostino's or the Associated Market?
ReplyDeleteEma at 9:07: I meant "DC" as in "children" (was using Internet lingo). I'm talking about the same Food Emporium and the same Crew Cuts - and all of the other children's stores along Madison Avenue in the 80s and 90s. Happy Shopping! :)
ReplyDeleteha ha ha, too funny. I relocated to the Prairies, and for some reason, food is more expensive here too - not as expensive as in NYC though. I'm always thinking about J.Crew/groceries equivalencies. But I can't begrudge money spent on food - I love eating too much!
ReplyDeleteooooh, food emporium is a necessary evil. I shop there too (at 59th/1st). The store is so expensive that it makes Whole Foods look cheap! What is the address of the crewcuts store? they told me a while ago at the collection store, but I can't remember the address...
ReplyDelete