The Wonderful World of Bargain Shopping

AA Advantage, MyPoints, and Company Discounts, oh my!

It is downright confusing, I tell you, trying to get the best deal. I am not a bargain shopper by nature. You'd think I would be, with a mother who's half Scottish and who supported our family of three on just her salary while my dad chased his dreams for the entire time I lived at home, but you'd be wrong. My mother's philosophy was: If you need it, buy it. If you don't need it, a coupon isn't going to help. It's still money you shouldn't spend.

And she's right, of course. That's not to say she doesn't try to get the best deal--she has charge cards at all her favorite stores because a) she has self-control, unlike me, and b) she saves money at them. She and Nordstrom, in particular, have had a long and loving relationship. (Possibly better than her marriage. Hi, mom!) But she never clipped coupons. She had a deep understanding of the fact that her hourly rate paid her more money than she could save while clipping coupons.

Enter: Me. Hi, guys! I'm a young woman on my own, now, and at 25, my attitudes about money and entitlement are all wrapped up in how my mama raised me and how much money I have and my mama's view of my FATHER'S relationship with money (none too good) and my Scottish background plus my attitude towards electronics and a sense of disdain over saving pennies and yet at the same time a basic OCD approach to life, which would suggest that really, I LOVE details about saving money and coupons and the like. Also throw in: a metalook at What's Important To Me In Life, as in, (hypothetically speaking) should I buy new sheets and a new duvet cover because I have a huge freakin' tear in mine and I'm a Successful Engineer, Dammit, or should I use my mama's hand-me-downs and save my money for not only Tickets to Ghana and Pittsburgh, but also Eurail passes and the like in the future?

(Full Disclosure: I bought the sheets.)

Because, if I can afford both Bedding AND Tickets right now (thank you, Bonus!) then maybe I SHOULD go ahead and buy sheets and a duvet cover and maybe an iPod converter for my car radio, right? Because I'm a Successful Engineer, Dammit, and why the hell should I at THIS point in my life sleep on hand-me-down sheets or listen to our crappy local music stations?

(Full disclosure: I'm still sleeping on a futon and I can't wake up in time to ever remember my iPod anyway.)

Do the right purchases lead to a better lifestyle (better sleep, more time in the morning, more time to enjoy my music)? Or do all purchases simply boost the economy and allow us to chase the dream while simultaneously making sure we never attain the dream?

It's like going to Trader Joe's and maybe, hypothetically, buying $110 worth of stuff so that I wouldn't Waste Money On Lunch at work. Have I, in point of fact, just wasted my money twice because all that will go to waste and I'll end up buying money because I can't wake up on time to make lunch because I'm still sleeping on a futon and will never listen to my iPod?

So since I KNOW that my purchases are really just a feeble attempt to Live the Dream while simultaneously trying to save money to Actually Travel, I might as well try to save money where I can, right?

And here we come around full circle to Bargain Shopping.

If I have a MyPoints account, and I buy things on there and get points back to redeem at other stores (like Starbucks, hooray!), is that better than buying everything through my American Airlines account and earning miles? Or what about buying things through the company discount site and just saving money that I can use at my disposal?

Welcome to my first forays into Bargain Shopping. With no map, no guidance, and a hunger for such stuff as dreams are made on, not to mention a need to quote Shakespeare, I go once more into the breach.

Things I Have Learned, So Far:

1. Most Corporate Discounts suck. My corporate discount at B&N, for example, is 5%. You could get more bang for the buck earning miles instead.

2. So far, my experience with MyPoints has not been great, but it's very little effort to click the links and it takes about three months to earn a $10 Starbucks gift card.

3. Note: It would be faster and better to just get a Starbucks Visa, except that I'm probably not allowed one with my credit.

4. It would be even better to buy stock in Starbucks and get dividends if I like them so much.

5. And if I buy other things through MyPoints in order to get points, then that just encourages me to spend MORE money on consumer stuff I really don't need!

6. Much better to earn miles!

7. So if I'm in MyPoints just for the Starbucks cards, I'm wasting my time.

8. Buy everything from AA Advantage in the future.

The End.