Friday, December 11, 2009

Why I Like To Shop Alone

I knew I should have said no.

I should have just said no.

But I didn’t.

When Tom offered to take me to the grocery store, I said yes.

Well, okay, at first I said that it wasn’t necessary. But Tom was worried because of the snow drifts.

“You might get stuck,” he said. He saw my hesitation and went, “Come on, maybe I want to spend time with you. I want to spend all the time I can with you since I’m going to Korea for a year.”

How do I argue with that? (And oh my God, I hope he’s joking. I love him, but I don’t need to spend every waking moment with him before he leaves in August. I still need my space.)

So we all bundled into Tom’s truck and headed for the grocery store.

Right away I was reminded on why I didn’t like shopping with Tom.

For starters, he’d walk off with the cart when my arms were full of food. It’s like, hello, where is the chivalry? When you see your wife struggling with a bunch of stuff in her arms, you stop the cart and say, “Oh, here let me get those for you.” You don’t keep walking.

“Tom!” I called out.

He kept walking. He really needs to clean out his ears.

“Hey, butthead!” I tried again and he turned around. (Tee hee he answered to butthead.)

This old lady who was buying four cans of peas looked scandalized. Her mouth kept opening and closing, opening and closing.

“It’s a term of endearment, really,” I assured her as I walked past.

Then Tom wanted cereal. He picked Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

“I don’t have a coupon for that,” I said, pulling out my trusty coupon book.

“And?” Tom looked utterly perplexed.

“I’m not about to pay $3.46 for one tiny box of cereal,” I explained. Why wasn’t he comprehending this? Who would fork over nearly four dollars for a box of cereal? I only buy the ones that are $2.50 or less.

“But I want Cinnamon Toast Crunch,” Tom pouted, hugging the box to his chest. Honestly, sometimes he acts like a child.

“How about some Cocoa Puffs? They’re on sale this week,” I said, waving the box in the air.

“No way! Cinnamon Toast Crunch!”

“For the love of—fine. Get it!”

Then Tom would hurry down the aisles while I’d try to look at things. He wanted to get the shopping over with as quickly as possible.

“You’re going too fast. For the love of God, YOU’RE GOING TOO FAST!” I finally lost my cool. I’m sorry, but I can’t just run down an aisle and grab what I need. I walk at a reasonable pace so I can get a good look at products and prices.

Oh, and when I said I forgot something a few aisles back, you’d have thought that I told Tom that I was going to wear a polka dotted thong on my head. He was all, “How could you forget something?” Gee, I don’t know, maybe because you were practically RUNNING DOWN THE AISLES!

When we checked out, I was so irritated that I forgot to hand the cashier a coupon. I didn’t realize it until we had paid.

“I had a coupon for a dollar off!” I wailed.

“So?” Tom did not understand.

“A dollar OFF!” I hollered.

“Calm down. Geez. If it bothers you so much, have this.” And Tom pulled out his wallet and handed me a dollar.

“It’s not the same,” I fumed. But I still pocketed the dollar because hello, large sweet tea from McDonalds.

That’ll definitely make up for the horrendous shopping experience.

I really am quite easy to please, you see.

44 comments:

  1. I learned quick not to take the boyfriend shopping with me. He lets me take my time, but while I'M looking, HE'S looking, too. My turkey lunch meat and a loaf of bread ran me $90 last time.

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  2. You should threaten to put him on a leash when you go shopping because if he can't stay by you, why would the kids, and if they don't, you'd get a nice little child leash for them. LOL... just a thought.

    We got Nathan one of those leash things, with the puppy that wraps around the body... he hates it, so we don't use it much.

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  3. OMG . . . McD's finally started carrying Sweet Tea over here . . . It is utterly heaven in a cup. :)

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  4. Paul and I grocery shop together. I give him his own cart and a list of bulk items. He gets the heavy stuff and I get the fresh vegetables and meat. Don't ask me why that area of expertise eludes him.

    It works like a charm he goes gang busters down the aisles, picks out his own munchies and "I" do the actual shopping in peace. (Hugs)Indigo

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  5. I wish I was more serious to use coupons like you... sometimes I will clip them, but then I always forget them at home. Or if I actually do remember them I will forget about them being in my purse when I check out. :(

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  6. I hate shopping with my husband too. They just don't get the whole coupon thing, or checking out what other sales might be in an aisle that weren't in the sale paper. Worse than kids.

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  7. I'm thinking Tom is your husband, in which case I agree wholeheartedly. I just posted about the exact same thing except we were Christmas shopping. You really must hop over for a visit so we can share the camaraderie. :)
    Have a great weekend,
    Lori

    P.S. Here's the link:
    http://whatsafter29.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-shopping-and-wine.html

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  8. Yeah, I can be bought with an iced tea too. But unsweetened. I may live in the south, but I can't do sweet. Ah ha

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  9. This is exactly why I ditch the kids and the hubs when i go to the store..Ill be damned if they are going to make me forget to use a coupon!!

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  10. Who would have thought, that at almost 36, shopping in a grocery store alone is how I would define bliss.

    Sad, sad state of affairs, really.

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  11. The generic Cinnamon Toast Crunch - I think it's from Malt-O-Meal, it comes in a bag anyway - is just as tasty. :)

    Although Tom can taste the difference in brownie brands so I'm not sure he'd agree ...

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  12. At my house hubby and I go separately, no kidding, either he goes or I go but very rarely together. Works very well for us Lol!

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  13. Ugh, I hate shopping with my hubby too. I buy the big store brand of "Cinnamon Toast Crunch" that is in a huge bag w/out the box.

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  14. What's a coupon?


    :)

    Seriously, some cereals seem to be really pricy. I eat generic - I'm not fussy.

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  15. What's a coupon?


    :)

    Seriously, some cereals seem to be really pricy. I eat generic - I'm not fussy.

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  16. I agree. I won't pay more than $2.50 a box either!

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  17. Oops, I didn't mean to hit publish yet. The only reason I like to go shopping with my husband is because he'll pay for everything instead of it coming out of the household budget! ;)

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  18. We are not good shoppers..meaning, we go to the store multiple times a week sometimes even 5 times and buy enough food obviously for one meal. LOL.

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  19. My husband does the regular shopping (and cooking). When I go along, I'm the one who's off-task, looking at things I'd like to eat that he never cooks. Most of the time he's okay with that, but he does like to keep moving. It makes me crazy when he says, "pick out a few apples and some oranges" and by the time I do, he and the cart are long gone. Still, go back to that first sentence: he does the shopping and the cooking. Yes, I KNOW I've got a good deal going!

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  20. Haha, that sounds like me and my hubby. He is always taking off with the cart, but he doesn't stay in the same aisle, he vanishes. And I he is always in such a hurry to leave at check out too. I once forgot to give the cashier FIVE DOLLARS worth of coupons and made him stand in line at the service desk to get my slip adjusted.;)

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  21. Yeah, I can remember my Mom never wanting my Dad to go to the store with us because he'd want a lot of extra stuff she would not let us usually get. I'd like to pay anyone to go to the store for me now.

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  22. I can completely relate. I hate shopping with my boyfriend. He doesn't park in the right place, pushes the cart all wrong, and yes, he doesn't get the whole coupon thing at all.

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  23. Too funny...I can so relate. Only, with us, DH is the one armed with coupons.

    Happy SITS Day!

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  24. Oh man! Men, hunh? Ha ha ha. Happy Saturday! I hope he lets you go by yourself next time :) xo, KA

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  25. You are so funny! You can describe an everyday occurrence so well, throwing in your drops of humor! I always am anxious to read your posts!

    Love the endearing name of "Butthead!" Even funnier that Tom turned around when he heard it!

    My husband and I always go grocery shopping together. There are time that he drives me crazy, though. I like to push the cart. He follows THISCLOSE behind me, so if I stop suddenly, he walks right into me. Why does he have to be so close to me? Sometimes he'll be in a mood, and question everything I buy. You might ask why he goes with me shopping. Well, we have a 1 1/2 ton truck, which I drive, no problem. But to lug the groceries up into it is a big deal and he's good for carrying the groceries. :)

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  26. I could have written this post!! I also get store brand cereal, the big value bags Walmart has, and my husband complains "it's not the same!". Nope, it's not, but it's saving his money so he better deal with it. lol

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  27. AAAck!!! So true!!
    If I have to bring my boys to the store::shudder:: I give the older one a piece of the shopping list and make sure the younger one has a book! and Daddy? No way. NEH-VURR.

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  28. I have exactly the same problem with my husband! And why do they argue about how much time you are taking when they wanted to go in the first place?

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  29. When I forget to use my coupons I take it right to customer service and get cash for them!

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  30. When I was younger, my mom would go shopping with me but she would never go with my dad. I couldn't figure this out.

    Then, I got to go with both of them once. It was one of the most stressful experiences of my life.

    So, now I go with her, I go with my dad but they never go together. I think this is the secret to happiness.

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  31. I went shopping with the husband, the MIL and the kid today...

    I so want to go alone next time.

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  32. Oh my god you just described shopping with Marmot. I felt myself getting all irritated at Marmot while reading this, and decided now was the time to snap at him, Next time we need groceries, I'm going by myself! Hah! lol

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  33. Can't shop with my mate either -- the man spends like money's water and then brags about the grand total. Insanity. He used to buy $8 friggin' tomato sauce before I took hold of the reins. Craziness.

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  34. I cannot shop with Corey either. He races through the aisles, sighs when I look too long and asks me dumb questions about what I am buying. Can't they just push the cart and look pretty?

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  35. Good Morning. Thank you so much for your comment.
    I strongly believe that men should not go shopping. Mine is very hard to take with me. He also sighs, clears his throat and will not stay in the place where I tell him to wait. I have lost him in the mall many times. Even had to page him..I think it is a lost cause...

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  36. I made my way to a blog that I already love.
    I love shopping because there is no hubby!!Thanks for putting a smile on my face.
    Stopped by to wish you and your family Merry Xmas and a very HAPPY New Year!!
    xx

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  37. I can't stand to shop with my husband. He wanders off to get one item and leave me with a heaping cart and both kids. Ugh.

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  38. I can't grocery shop, oh wait make that shopping of any sort with anyone else. I get so annoyed that either we have to look at every single thing or nothing, depending on who I'm with. Hell, I took the big kids shopping for winter coats today and wanted to kill them by the time we were ready to check out....Maybe I've got some issues......

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  39. It's easier to go by yourself, I agree. My wife just parks herself in the magazine aisle and refuses to move until she's pored over every. single. trashy. mag.

    It's time that I'm never getting back, I tell you....

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  40. I learned on the first week my hubby and I were married, and the honeymoon was over, that he can't go with me. I'm a coupon, compare store ad's and product compare freak. He gets so mad, but then he realizes after I show him the savings that I know what i'm doing! And I would have pocketed that dollar as well...McD's Sweet Tea is the best ever!

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  41. Shopping with Tom is not unlike shopping with a naughty toddler, is it? Too funny!

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  42. LOL!! Sounds like the man and I...he knows that if we're going shopping together that we're going up and down every. single. aisle!

    ~WM

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