Cost Conscious in CT

Sorry for the week-long absence, oh ye faithful blog-followers. I was away on vacation. A cheapskate’s vacation, of course. I opted to spend the 4th of July with my sister in her new Maine abode. My sister Anne and I drove up to Marjie and Bob’s condo in Belfast (north of Camden) anticipating a long, sunny weekend after weeks of rain. Unfortunately we were looking at the forecasts for Milford (me) and Boston (Anne). The sunshine hadn’t quite made it to Belfast, ME. We managed to sneak in a few hours of outdoor activities during breaks in the rain on Thursday and Saturday, but the rest of the time we devoted to playing games (Scrabble, Boggle, Rummy, Pictionary, and Charades) and that other vacation past-time, shopping.

“Shopping?” you ask, Marie?

It all started when I visited the Belfast thrift shop looking for a pair of jeans (I’d packed only shorts—silly me—and the temps hovered in the low 60’s). The jeans cost $3.99, and had an elastic waist—perfect for that other vacation pastime, eating.

“We’re having a special,” the checkout clerk told me. “Fill a bag for $5.00.”

“Marjie? Annie? We have a mission.”

We filled our bag quite full, and were very pleased with out purchases. Except that I realized I had no tops to go with my new pants. We were forced to visit GW’s, which since it rained the next also was no hardship. Scored quite well there, too. Next, Annie wanted to visit Remy’s, “the Maine Department Store”.

Not exactly Macy’s—but a bargain-hunter’s dream. I found the sleeveless, gauzy, long, white Indian dress I’d been looking three yeas for. Cost? $19.99. Not bad, for retail.

Our last stop was Ocean State Job Lot, which just happened to have a lot of tops and pants from a famous maker, which happens to be one of my favorites (to buy second-hand—never new from the shop). Pants $10; tops $8.

I came home from my vacation with several hundred dollars worth of new clothes, yet I’d spent less than one hundred. Not bad.

Sunday dawned beautifully sunny, and we spent the day indulging in another cost-conscious pleasure. Sight-seeing. The vista from the top of Camden Hill State Park is incredible, and the town of Camden was fun to stroll through. Made a big purchase there, too. Two postcards.