Going Insane at Sam's Club

It happened again today – as it does every time I enter into a store to pick up just “a few things.” It turns out to be more than just a few things and ends up costing me. This morning it was Sam’s Club.

I didn’t really want to go out at all, but had to visit the doctor to have some routine blood work done. So once I left there I decided it was a good time to go purchase the gift for the baby shower I’m attending on Sunday. So I drive to Babies R Us, except it’s 9:30 and Babies R Us doesn’t open until 10:00. And guess what’s nearby? That’s right. Sam’s Club.

Now being that I am an esteemed business member (or at least my church is, and I have the card since I buy all the cleaning supplies), I’m allowed to grace the hallowed halls of this warehouse haven prior to the 10:00 opening time (when all the commoners are allowed in). So I figured I’d just go hang out at Sam’s Club for a half an hour. Besides, I reasoned, I do need some laundry detergent. And, say, Sam’s does have those jumbo bags of pretzel chips that I like so much.

But that is all I would buy  -- I swore. So I sauntered into the store, armed with a shopping cart only because the laundry detergent would be too heavy to carry. I certainly didn’t get a cart because I was planning to leave with anything other than the intended two items – laundry detergent and pretzels.

But somehow, it never works out that way. There’s always other crap that you have to have. Oooh, a three-pack of Soft Scrub – should I get the lemon or the Soft Scrub with bleach? (I really prefer the lemon but the stuff with the bleach is the only thing that will get my white porcelain kitchen sink looking decent.) I can’t decide. So I get both.

Oh, gotta have soft drinks – my kids practically inhale them. And at Sam’s Club, you can get the cans 32 to the case. Coke is a must. Buy hey, what about me? Get some Diet Coke too. The logic continues as I continue to pour products into my cart – paper towels, dry Swiffers, frozen sausage biscuits, a five-pound block of cheese, and a 24-can case of V-8 (low sodium) for when I finally knuckle down and start adding more vegetables to my diet.

In my defense, none of this is stuff that will go to waste (except maybe the V-8, depending on how good or how bad I am). But that’s not the point. I guess I’m just vulnerable. Though I was determined as steel to come out of there with just the two items, I fell short of my goal. To be honest, though, it’s not just Sam’s Club that brings me down. It happens at the regular grocery store too – where a few items quickly turns into a lot.

I suspect that I’m not the only one that suffers this weakness. Maybe it’s just in our nature to succumb to the temptations of excess. And what could be more excessive than Sam’s Club? They deal in mass quantities, for goodness sake!

As for this morning, I spent $127. It could have been worse, I suppose. Perhaps I can blame my friend, the expectant mother. After all, if Babies R Us had been open I probably wouldn’t have gone to Sam’s Club this morning. Or maybe I can blame the church – it was the business membership that got me in the door. No, it was the doctor’s office for scheduling the blood work so early.

It was their fault. After all, I certainly can’t be to blame.

But just to be safe, next time I need a baby gift, maybe I’ll just head to Target down the street (yikes, no. Might spend there too.). Or the mall? Well, better not. Send my husband out to do it? Okay, not happening.

I suppose I should just be resigned to the fact that on occasion I’m going to overspend. But at least it’s on stuff I use – food and toilet paper and such.  The first time I come home with a big fancy, useless thingamabob…well, then all hope is lost.