Day 233: Returns, Chocolate Milk, the Dentist, and a Strapless Bra

Posted on | April 21, 2008 |

Total Spent Today: $ 44.95
Net Spent Today: ($ 12.50)

Dentist — $0.00
I started the day with an early appointment at the dentist’s to have my teeth cleaned.  Sleeping with my CPAP mask tends to make the calcium buildup on my teeth happen faster so this is a 4-month appointment instead of a 6-month.  That means that under normal circumstances I would have had to pay out-of-pocket for the appointment.  However, due to an insurance snafu last year we actually had a credit at the dentist’s office so this cleaning will be applied to that credit amount.  So, no out-of-pocket expense this time.  And the next 4-month cleaning will be covered by the insurance.  Life is good but my mouth is a tad sore.

Lowe’s — $13.98
I believe this is an absolute first for me — I’ve walked out of a home improvement store without buying anything and I’ve walked out buying a bunch of stuff but I don’t believe that I’ve ever walked out having purchased only one item.  And that single item was a $12 doorbell button.  Now we have a functioning doorbell again.  Oh, and it’s lighted too.  Pretty cool.  I went with a very simple oil-rubbed bronze plaque and a simple round button with a light ring.  I’m all about the understated elegance 

Tuesday Morning — ($12.90)
I returned the lampshade I bought the other day.

Target — $11.88
The Daughter had to exchange the bra she bought the other day because she grabbed the right size but the wrong style.  Now she has the necessary strapless she’ll need to wear to the school dance next month.  The strapless model was more expensive than the regular bra she bought the other day so I paid the $4.00 difference.

The other item purchased was a black chiffon ribbon that The Daughter will use in her hair for the dance; the black will tie in with the black in her new shoes since there’s no black in the dress.

The Home Depot — ($44.55)

I returned all of the Rubbermaid FastTrack items I purchased last week.  It wasn’t easy but I think it was the right decision.

Target — $19.09
While standing in line to return the bra The Daughter went into an empassioned 16-yo justification for a new smaller schoolbag.  I listed, though not terribly patiently, and then reminded her that she’s allowed to do whatever she wants with her clothing allowance — except exceed her current balance.  Her eyes lit up and I saw the gears start to grind  :-p

However, she walked out of the store on our first visit today without purchasing a new bag.  She’d looked but wasn’t ready to buy.  By the time we were done in The Home Depot, though, she’d decided that the black bag she’d seen was what she wanted.  At first I was annoyed that we had to go back to Target (it was on our way, though).  Then I remembered that we were out of chocolate milk! 

So she picked out her bag ($9.99) and I picked up two 1/2-gallon cartons of Horizon chocolate milk ($3.99/ea.)

Related Posts for Further Reading

• Day 102: Co-pay, Quicksilver, and iTunes
• $$: Chocolate Milk, Chocolate Candy & Snow Pants, etc.
• Day 126: Gas, Flannel PJs, Mouse Traps, and Ground Beef
• $$: Coyote Sighting Edition
• $$: Just Another Sunday in the ‘Burbs
• $$: Food & Clothes

Comments