TGIF!!! Seriously, I’m ready for the weekend. But first, let’s have a lovely cup of coffee (or, tea) together and chat about our lives.
If we were having coffee together, I’d talk about our weather. The other day I saw this headline on our local news: “Cold Front Arriving.” Oh, REALLY? Let’s just look at the forecast:
Now, a high of 79 is a HUGE improvement! And it was cloudy! And windy! You could tell it’s no longer summer. And running this morning when it was 69 degrees felt amazing. But I was still wearing a tank top. I know our perspective gets skewed after living in Florida for a while, but I think we should strive to be a little more accurate with our adjectives. 80 degrees is not a “cold front.”
Moving along. I had a personal triumph this week involving pants. My daughter needed pants for a concert on Wednesday, and Tuesday we discovered that her old ones no longer fit. She had no time to shop, so Tuesday after work I found myself at Macy’s frantically going through the racks. Of all the articles of clothing to buy for another person, pants are the worst. I brought along a pair of her jeans for reference, but there are so many choices. Straight leg? Flare? Does she want pleats? Pockets? Is she going to wear a belt? I finally picked out three pairs, figuring one of them would fit and I could return the other two.
LUCKILY, one of them did fit! The next day I headed back to return the other two, but at the last minutes I noticed one of the tags said “Final Sale.” NOOOOOOO! How did I not see that before? They weren’t expensive, but I figured that was $20 down the drain.
But then… I thought of my ex-boyfriend- let’s call him “Andy.” Andy had ZERO fear of rejection. He had no problem asking for special favors. If there was a sign saying you couldn’t do something, he would ask if they would make a special exception for him. And he couldn’t understand why I didn’t like to do that. So what, he would say- the worst that could happen is they’ll say “no.”
I decided to channel my inner Andy. I was literally cringing inside as I said “I know these say “final sale”, but is there any way I can return them anyway?” The clerk scanned the receipt without saying anything and handed me my refund. I must have looked astonished because she said “You have one day to return “final sale” items.” WELL. Who knew???
I was so elated! I had written off that $20, and now I felt rich. And… guess what store is right across from Macy’s? Bath and Body Works- and they were having s SALE on fall candles!
I had to get it! It was only $10, so I still came out $10 ahead. And it smells sooooo good. I don’t like candles that smell sweet- like I don’t want my house to smell like apple pie. This just has a lovely, fresh, apple smell. Oh, and guess why the fall candles are on sale?
It’s obviously time for Christmas! Unlike some people, I don’t mind seeing Christmas displays in October. Show me all the Christmas! I’m not going to BUY any Christmas items (I’ll wait till November) but I did smell the candles. I like the ones that smell like Christmas trees.
Would you try to return pants that said “final sale?”
Is it too early for a Christmas display?
17 Responses
Andy sounds like my mom–she has no compunctions about asking for discounts and sales at the fanciest places and she frequently gets them.
That candle must smell amazing, Jenny! I hope you enjoy every sniff. Some younger colleagues went to a place where you pour your own candles and made me one–I can’t bring myself to use it because then it’ll be gone. I do use my nice stuff, but this seems different somehow. How do I overcome this mind block?!
That is a dilemma! Because that’s the problem with candles- you use them and then they’re gone. You can always get another one, but not if it’s one that was specially made for you. I might also never light it, ha ha.
I for sure thought you’d tell me to go for it… lol
I think I am going to use it–it’ll lose the scent anyway, and maybe I can turn the jar into a planter or something later.
Best $20 ever! Plus you achieved the first Mission Impossible which was finding pants FOR SOMEONE ELSE on short notice. What a week of winning!
What I’ve noticed is that asking for refunds works, but also it’s not something that I do everyday, so I tend to get lazy and forget that it’s an option. It’s so satisfying when “lost” money comes back to me, though.
Costco started putting out Christmas stuff back in August, and maybe that’s too early but anything after that is just fine. Especially since it means that Halloween and fall stuff is on sale!
Yes- the thing I have to remind myself is that the salesperson- or whoever you’re dealing with- DOESN’T CARE. They don’t care if you buy the pants, return the pants, ask for a refund… it’s just their job, they don’t own the company (usually) and it’s not going to make or break them. I always feel like it’s a personal thing, but it really isn’t.
Hahaha on the cold front! It is actually supposed to be 74 degrees here for the high today, which I am pumped about, and this morning the feels like temp is 56 so I am wearing a long sleeve shirt for the first time during a run this season! But I’m trying to pretend it’s not gonna go back up to the low 90s by next week, sigh.
That candle sounds like it would smell amazing! But I’m not ready for all the Christmas stuff to come out yet, it’s not even Halloween. I’m someone who likes to give Thanksgiving its due so I don’t start listening to Christmas music or decorating until Black Friday!
Ashley, I feel the same way. What ever happened to celebrating Thanksgiving? I wait, but then my Christmas stuff comes out the second Thanksgiving is over.
Oooh, 56. I can’t wait for 50s! If our “cold front” had weather in the 50s, then I would accept that description. 50s is definitely cold for Florida.
I would probably not try to return the pants because I hate any sort of potential conflict or being perceived as breaking a rule but that is pretty silly because like you said, what is the worst that can happen? Phil on the other hand would totally try to return the pants! He is so much better at things like that!
That cold front is funny! You guys would probably roll your eyes at our extreme heat warnings, though. We get those when the heat index is 95+! Although many people in the twin cities don’t have air conditioning so it can be dangerous. So I try not to judge when other regions talk about extreme cold. Although 80 is really not cold by any stretch of the imagination!!
Yes, I always have the feeling that the salesperson is judging me somehow, when the truth is she’s probably just thinking about her lunch break. She doesn’t care if I return the pants or not! Maybe after this experience I’ll get better at things like this.
We have heat index in the 100s all summer long, but EVERYONE has AC. It is different- we’re set up for the heat. People in Minnesota probably aren’t.
Yes to these wins! Pants for a teen that the teen liked! Returning final sale! A perfect candle– love them all.
Our warm is your cold.
Great idea on returning those pants.
I’ll have to try that. I thought final sale meant NO returns.
I would have been like you, not believing that I could return it! with age, I do this kind of things more often than before, less fear of rejection but more like nothing to lose attitude to try it out.
If I was returning the other pair anyway, I might try to return the “final” sale ones — but I would consider it a victory if it worked.
I think it’s too early for Christmas displays. The little napkins United handed out on my flight home yesterday had a Christmas theme — ornaments and gifts.
You don’t like your house to smell like food? Jenny, what?! The reason I bake is mostly so that our house will smell delicious.
Yes, it’s too early for Christmas. It’s not even Halloween yet! One holiday at a time!
OMG Jenny, your question about returns…I will return anything, any time. I don’t think it would have occurred to me to try with something that said Final Sale, but if I were returning something else anyway I might give it a try.
So…when I was 20ish, I had a VW Bug with a broken gas gauge, so I never knew if I was low on gas. Usually I would just put gas in from time to time and everything was OK, but I did run out of gas once. Luckily I was across the street from a gas station. The street that I was crossing had the tiniest incline/decline (hill? barely barely) that I had to cross. So I went over and asked the gas station attendant to help me push my car, and we pushed it up and over just fine, but as it was coming down, I trippeod and lost control of the car. One hand on the wheel, one hand on the door, being drug along by the car. I was probably going about 4 mph, not fast, but I couldn’t get my feet back under me. My car stopped when I ran into another car, and I looked up and it was a classmate from my French class, and all he said was, “Are you ok?” Nice guy. Anyway, when I fell and was drug by the car, my feet were drug behind me and the friction tore holes int the top of my brand new shoes. You know where this is going, right? I RETURNED THEM. I said, “I fell down and this is what happened” and they were so surprised and nice about it. (Also, if you look in the dictionary for ‘white privilege’, you might find this story.)
Now I want to try that candle. I wonder if they will still have any when I am downtown this coming Friday? I’m going to try.
I *love* that you still tried to return the pants AND IT WORKED. I love when little things like that happen – they really boost my spirits, haha. And then you got to get a fall candle/smell the Christmas candles at Bath & Body Works? A win/win for sure!