Losing my pride bit by bit

I am so excited! During our money makeover, somewhere along the way something is changing in us. I could never have imagined how much our thinking would change just by working on our spending habits. This week I have been in a mess. I have been trying to get my box of clothes detergent to last me until mid-February, because I knew that is when my detergent was going to be on sale. Guess what? It did not last long enough. And I was not about to just stop washing clothes for 2 weeks until it went on sale.

So this morning I had a little talk with myself that went something like this:

Self: Bethany, you need detergent...now!
Me: I know, I know but it isn't on sale yet and it will be in two weeks
Self: Well, dear, you know that box of detergent you buy is only $23.99 and lasts you almost 10 months. That's a pretty good bargain.
Me: Yeah, well, that is true. 10 months for $23.99 is a pretty great deal, so I guess I can go ahead and just go buy the detergent today even if it isn't on sale
Self: Yes and then you can have clean clothes to wear,  A pretty good thing that everyone around you will appreciate.
Me: Ok, let's go to Sears.

I am not sure why I had to include that little talk, but humor me here.
So, me and the kids roll up into Sears this morning and I go in to get my box of detergent. I had to move a broken box out of the way so I could get to a non-broken box underneath it. And, thankfully it took me just long enough to do that, that my slow little brain had one of those light bulb moments. DING!

I turned to the sales associate and I said, "Ma'am, if I were to take this broken box, do you think you could give me a discount?"
She kinda lowered her brow, and in a hushed voice told me she didn't think so, because her manager never did that. But, she kindly hustled off to inquire about it.

Isn't it pretty?!

In the meantime, I waited with my angelic, always well behaved in public children insanely hyper from their cheerios children who seemed to be on a mission to destroy the store. We only knocked over a small display of scooters which was a quiet incident that hardly was noticed one of those moments where every single person with in 2 street blocks looks over at the lady with the crying little boy lying underneath the scooter. I could literally hear the "bad mommy" voices screaming in my head. Seriously, one day I am thinking to myself how well behaved they are and am so proud as a mom and then the next, catastrophe. It was funny though.

I was so relieved when the sales lady came back to the register. She had a little smile on her face so I got excited. She said she couldn't believe it but the manager agreed to give me a discount. I was thinking maybe 10% or something. Then she rang it up. . .  score! HALF OFF!

So, again I am reminded to let go of my pride and not be intimidated to ask for a better price. So I got a beat up box of detergent for $12.50 plus tax today that will last me right at 10 months. So that is like $1.25 a month. I can sooo be happy about that! Oh, if you are wondering, I learned a few years back that it only takes 1/2 of the recommended amount of this detergent to clean our clothes. No, it doesn't have a long lasting fabulous scent or anything like that. And honestly, I have used better. But, none of us are allergic to it, and it cleans my clothes for relatively very little money and I don't have to go buy detergent every month. That is just a win win win!

This broke box is teaching me a lesson

And that beat up box? Well, I have the previous box of detergent that was empty and the detergent is actually inside a plastic bag, so obviously the new detergent will be leaving his old beat up home for a less beat up model soon.

To a deliver truck driver somewhere, I say thank you for dropping this and in doing so letting me get a bargain!

Have you had any saving adventures lately? I would love to hear them, as I am looking always for more ways to stretch every dollar. Please share!