We all have our own weaknesses. Some are tempted by sweets or chocolate. Others find it hard to resist the latest techno gadgets, the year's newest model of car or a fancy name-brand line of shoes or purses.
I love to shop, but don't worry so much about name brands. When I am in a store, there is something calling out much more loudly to me - the clearance rack.
As I walk through a mall or super center, I am constantly engaged in a maneuver that I call "the C-scan." I walk up and down and across the aisles looking for the eye-catching signs announcing, "Sale" or "Clearance." The red and yellow words beckon to me enticingly: "Good deal here. Come closer...."
Half-price Christmas candy after the holidays, dollar flip flops in September, March mitten deals, hockey skates in July - all are fair game for a clearance rack queen. Capitalizing on bargains requires luck, flexibility, tenacity and perseverance. That, and the ability to enjoy a pumpkin-scented candle after Thanksgiving.
This year alone I probably saved my family hundreds and hundreds of dollars through clearance rack purchases. There was the time three months prior to Father's Day when I found the waterproof pen set. Handy - very handy - for all those times when you are underwater and need to write something down. Dads spend lots of time in or near the water, so I knew this would make an excellent gift.
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But, waterproof pens are sort of luxury items. And there's much more to be found on clearance besides luxuries. I hate to divulge too many of my secrets, but if you know where to look, local superstores have been known to drastically mark down necessities - like clothes. I'll never forget the time I stumbled on yoga pants for a dollar (yes, you read that right - one dollar). Since I've always wanted to take up yoga, I took this as a sign. The yoga pants had been put in front of me. It was time to buy.
I left the store with six or seven pairs. Hey, they were a dollar! I still haven't taken up yoga. But when I do, I have a lifetime supply of pants to support my new hobby. It never hurts to be prepared.
To compound on my retail therapy clearance habits, I am one of those annoying people who feels the need to disclose the cost (a.k.a. "good deal") of every treasure I find. Friends who know me will probably cringe when they see me approaching with a new coat or pair of boots, because there is always a story to go along with the garment. Just a few weeks ago, I found yarn for a dollar (yes, another dollar deal; can you believe my luck?). I passed on this information not only to friends, but strangers who admired my newly knit scarf because somehow, in my eyes, there is inherent joy in a bargain. And joy is best when shared.
I guess it's sort of like a fisherman relating the story of the big catch or a golfer providing details about the impressive hole-in-one.
For a clearance rack aficionado, it's all about the hunt, the purchase and living to tell the tale afterward. Right now I've got a couple of preferred items in my scope. I'm looking for waterproof paper and yoga T-shirts. If you see them, you might want to drop me a line. I'll owe you one.
Jill Pertler is a freelance writer working with graphic designer Nikki Willgohs to provide writing, design and other marketing services to businesses and individuals. She writes for the Pine Journal the first week of each month and can be reached at pertmn@qwest.net .
