Jellies & Outlet Shopping

GIFTS FROM MY MOM!

(The above pair of Jellies can be purchased from http://www.shoebuy.com/nina-dazzy/371325/793040 for around $30)

There are trends that we all participate in and some day we fear the photo evidence ~ uh hum ~ parachute pants, pleather black pants, or those punky brewster shoes with non-matching socks ~ not that I would know!!

Here's the thing; we didn't have much "stuff" and didn't really get much via name brand items. We (my family) had a LOT of other things that "those kids" didn't though. Um like, my very own earth worm pit, and subsequent earth worm races! We had starched pants off the clothes line that stood up by themselves and our fruit trees. More pears than we could ever can, eat, cook or preserve and other creations from which I stear clear of if at all possible. Oh, did I mention, we got a golf cart while all the other kids were getting go carts!! But our dad made that golf cart speed!!

The point I was making got lost, but I'll get back on track.

We got much more "stuff" second-hand (third-hand for me) or from the Outlet Stores rather than the department stores like those "other kids". Interesting as it is OUTLET when I was younger was not the place where Northerners go to grab some deals ~ OH NO!!! This was the ACTUAL manufacturer defect drop off store that sold the items for nothing to get rid of them but still turn a penny. This was the IRREGULAR Store. Oh - I am very serious. We had to try on EVERYTHING. It could have flaws that you would never notice if you didn't put it on. The largest problem was typically that it wasn't sewn to be the size the tag said it was. However, in each trip to a large shopping trip was a funny irregular item. Not so funny when your mom suggest you wear it anyway and it's pocket is in the wrong place or the tag is ripped off.

The other half of our purchased material possessions came from cheap-o stores. You know, the Dollar General where things may not be a dollar because they are a "look a like" to the name brand counter-part!  Well, look-a-like may be a stretch.

This is where my mom always bought my "jelly shoes" aka "jellies". I loved them. I thought this idea was the best thing since fake lures. These little shoes were the crocs of my childhood. Apparently, they are still sold for a rather expensive price tag. (listed above) I was so in love with being barefoot that this was just as wonderful and helped make cute little marks on my feet with the dirt! (OK I may not relate to every child, but I was really cute when someone brushed my hair!)

A few years of wearing them out, then getting new cheap-o fake jellies and I was addicted. One year one of my relatives bought me a pair of nice new soft jellies. I don't remember which gift exchange this would have been but I do remember the moment when I didn't like them. Can you guess why??

The only thought that sticks out amoung the tears in my memory is the idea, "they don't crunch" ~ there is no crunchy plastic! All of my new pairs of shoes had to be worn in, give me very sore blisters in the meantime and I had grown used to this way of life.

I WAS RUINED . . . BY JUNK KNOCK OFFS!

I love to find a deal even to this day but I really do not like trying clothes on. I still have small flash backs of dressing room nightmares in outlet stores and of my mother putting clothes over the clothes we had on when there was no dressing room!

You can teach a child any thing without trying. Especially when the lesson involves shopping. The lack of explanation can sometimes open doors of understanding that can not be taught anywhere else. ~ When you never get new stuff, but you get trendy-ish shoes 2 times a year, even if they are crap, you will begin to believe that the crap is the Lexus of all the items in your closet. ~

I try really hard to budget our clothing allowance, to take my children to the thrift store, to appreciate the handed down clothes of relatives but to also value all of the items in their closet. While we do our share of shopping big sales in actually department stores. (My children don't notice that most of the times we never buy anything! It's about making it fun not putting ourselves down.)

DISCLAIMER: No children were injured in this memory & The views expressed here are meant to make us think WHILE we enjoy saving money & shopping!