Why I Shop at Target...

Yes, I know shopping at Target costs more. Yes, I'm aware that it's not as close to my house as Wal-Mart and therefor spend more in gas to get to Target. Yes, I'm also aware that Target's merchandise is specifically geared toward my demographic and therefor cannot resist its temptations and therefor spend more money. However, shopping at Target really is worth the extra money I spend and here's why:

As anyone who knows me would tell you, I'm not the most patient person in the world. It's one of my many faults. I'm working on it. Anyway, back to school shopping reared its ugly head again this year and, in Georgia, we have a tax-free holiday so parents can save some cash on those every day things kids need in the classroom.

I don't usually shop at Wal-Mart and, in fact, I try to avoid going at all costs. However, I had a few Wal-Mart gift cards left over from Christmas of last year, so I decided that I would go there first for any back to school items on Mason's mile-long list. I waited until later in the evening, around 9:30, to brave my personal hell that is Wal-Mart. I really have to get into the Wal-Mart zone, mentally, before I go...and I was ready!

List in hand. Check. I grabbed a cart on the way in – knowing there wouldn't be any inside the doors where they should be. Check. I headed directly for the back to school aisle...it was easy to spot: lots of parents holding lists and wandering around like lost sheep with mouths agape. I was soon to be one of them.

The aisles looked as though a tornado had just hit: folders everywhere, notebooks on the floors, bins and bins of pencils and pens, glue sticks a-plenty and nary a Wal-Mart associate to be found. We're on our own, folks. Good luck finding what you need!

Luckily, most everything on the list was $5 or less. I do have to admit that I LOVE Wal-Mart prices. Shhh. Don't tell anyone. Since I had saved so much money on supplies and was able to pick up most of the things on the required list, I was also able to get Mason a new lunchbox, drink and food thermos and the bubble bath I had promised him (not on the list *wink*).

Mission accomplished. Checkout time. Again, I have to be in a certain mindset when I'm at Wal-Mart. Even after an hour and a half of shopping through the disaster that is Wal-Mart back to school, I was ready to endure the long checkout lines. No problem.

I finally reach the front of the line – YES! I put all of my things onto the conveyor belt and plop my reusable Wal-Mart shopping bags up for the checkout girl. She rolls her eyes and proceeds to put everything on top of the bag dispenser. Okay, so I apparently have to bag my own stuff if I want to be environmentally friendly. No problem. I am Zen.

Of course, I grab the lunch bag with no tag on it. Again, I get the eye roll from the checkout girl. "Do you know the price on this," she asks. Um...no, of course I don't. Another eye roll. Awesome. She then types in the barcode number located on the inside tag. Ding! Yay, it's only $6.94!

Finally, all of my items have been rung up and I'm ready to pay. I get out my gift cards and swipe them through the self-pay machine. I swear I lose 15 IQ points every time I use those darn things. Anyway, my first gift card didn't swipe through. I hand it to the checkout girl. Eye roll, of course. I try and swipe the second gift card and, wouldn'tcha know it...it doesn't swipe either. Eye roll. I swipe my third gift card (are you seeing a pattern here?) and it doesn't go through. Eye roll. Woops, my bad. That one was a JCPenney card. Eye roll.

Saturday mornings, Mason has Taekwondo. Luckily, there is a Target right next to the Do Jang and I was able to finish up what I wasn't able to get at Wal-Mart the night before. I headed to the back to school aisles first thing. There were 4 Target associates working the back to school aisles! Again, I'm wandering around like a lost sheep and one of the associates approaches me and asks me, "Can I help you find anything?" Yes! Yes you can! He then proceeds to help me find the 3 remaining items on the list. Guess what? It was his first week working there. Awesome. I make sure to sing his praises to his boss – who was also working the back to school aisles. Love it.

I get to the checkout line and there is only one other family in front of me. Refreshing. The checkout lady was polite and asked me if I found everything that I needed today. No eye rolling here. Also refreshing. She commended me for remembering my reusable bags and even packed them for me. No eye rolling. AH! She thanked me and EVEN said, "Have a great afternoon!" Wow.

Shopping at Target, for me, is just a more enjoyable experience. There are no children running amuck through the aisles, the associates are friendly and helpful and the store is actually clean. I may have to cut coupons to shop there, but dangit, my sanity is worth the extra price! 'Nuff said!