Saturday, February 11, 2012

Sale alert and buying ahead

So even though it's February and we're in the middle of winter, stores are stocked with bathing suits, sundresses and shorts. We need snow pants. I had actually given up hope of finding any this season until I stumbled into an OshKosh outlet store today and saw SNOW PANTS.

Full price - $38.00
Sales price - $14.39
Discount of 62%

feb11a

This store had little over half a circular rack full of snow pants. They also had winter coats on sale. We decided to buy size 5 pants, which look huge, so that they can wear them not only next year but the year after that.

Rich found bins of winter hats while I was checking out.

Full price - $16.00
Sales price - $2.49
Discount of 84%

feb11b

I decided to not buy anything else even though I saw other sale items that could have been purchased for next year. I still have mixed feelings on the whole buying ahead thing. It worked well when the girls were babies and growing so fast. But now, pick up an a skirt in size 4 and compare it to a size 5 - there's not much difference. They've been able to wear most items for two years.

Okay, so I was a bit irked with OshKosh and their couponing. I had one of those "15% off your ENTIRE purchase" coupons. Of course, the fine print excludes this and that and this and that. Whatever. I handed it over and asked if I could use it. "No, sorry. It excludes clearance items."

The rack with the snow pants on it had a "take an additional 20% off the lowest price" sign but it didn't say "clearance." The receipt shows that 20% off as "clearance." I can't stand when stores do this. Make. It. Clear. Clearly that 15% off wasn't on my ENTIRE purchase.

4 comments:

MandyE (Twin Trials and Triumphs) said...

Glad to hear you say that your girls have gotten a couple of years' wear out of some things as they've gotten older. That only makes sense to me. I've been buying tops, in particular, so they're a little big, hoping our girls can get two years out of them.

Wendy said...

Man, I wish we had outlets nearby! We got M&L size 5 snowpants for this year- the 4t was too short, but the 5 is HUGE. Sigh. They don't even have adjustable straps. Cruddy Wal-Mart snowpants!

Rebecca said...

I bought a pair of snow bibs and a jacket regularly $80 for $20 through Osh Kosh's website.. and my baby isn't due to May! Couldn't pass it up!

Kelli said...

We had the same issue at Carter's yesterday with a coupon and clearance. Of course the sign didn't say clearance and the woman working there kept pushing us to $40 so we could use our coupon. Apparently all but 2 items were "clearance" so we only saved $2. If I didn't really like the stuff we were buying, I would have put it back..for principal.