shopping – Susie Strauss

December 6, 2015

Christmas Cookies

Shopping for Christmas cookies is always lots of fun for me. My cart is filled with endless pounds of butter, sugar, and flour, not to mention the sprinkles and candies that we use to decorate the cookies. This year we plan to make sugar cookies, date nut pinwheels, snicker doodles, peanut butter with chocolate chunks, spritz, Lindsor tarts, whoopie pies, snow balls, and a few other that I can’t remember. We decided to go nuts this year if you can’t tell. I think we’re making about ten different types of cookies.

We’re hosting a cookie exchange and giving away a lot of cookies as gifts this year so that’s one of the major reasons we are baking all of the cookies. Our cookie exchange is this weekend so I’ll be baking up a storm every day after work this week and probably right up until we have the party on Sunday afternoon. I’ll use Saturday to finish up anything I don’t get done during the week. I’m excited to see all of the yummy cookies that everyone else brings.

October 12, 2015

Adventures with Food

This week I decided to get out of my rut and give in to my wild side at the grocery store. I took my regular list to Kroger yesterday but made a point of going down all the aisles – every single one, and to buy some new things to try in the kitchen.

I started with the deli and bought some hummus and pita bread. I have never had store bought hummus but have eaten it at restaurants. So at least I know what good hummus is supposed to taste like and I’ll see if this brand is any good.

I looked at the meat counter and the prices for beef are crazy high. Instead of buying a strip steak like I usually do, I decided to try some lamp chops. They were on sale for about half price, and I decided that if I didn’t like them then the dogs would get a nice treat and I would not be out much money, thanks to the sale price. Turns out that on the grill they tasted just as good as the strip steaks I’ve been buying.

In the dairy aisle, I bought a quart container of buttermilk. I have no idea what to do with it, but I know that every once in a while I come across a recipe that calls for buttermilk and I never have any on hand so I skip over that recipe and find something else. Well, now I have it on hand and I will be looking for any recipes that call for using buttermilk as one of the ingredients. It will be fun trying something new.

February 13, 2015

I just couldn’t resist

I have been looking to sort of fix up the place when I realized that I could use a new look myself. I found some great deals online with coupons to places like Old Navy Stores. I don’t know about you but I love Old Navy Stores. They have some great deals and some even better sales too. But what I liked about this site is it’s linked right to Old Navy Stores online and you can use the coupon when you check out.

Shopping online saves you not only with the coupons but you don’t have to run out any of your gas either. If you live out in the boonies like I do, that adds up quick. Do an online coupon search and you’ll be amazed at how many sites there are like shopwiki. That’s one of my favorite sites because you can find just about anything on there.

October 22, 2014

Shop Smart

Whenever making a purchase of an item that I plan to use for a long time, I try to perform what my engineering son likes to call “due diligence.” By that, I mean I will spend quite a bit of time finding out as much as I can about the product. I want to “shop smart” so as to not waste my money on a product that will not perform the way I want it to perform. I will try to find, and Read Full Review material on the product, do some comparison shopping online for it, and even check and see if there have been any complaints or recalls on the item.

In this day and age, I also try to buy American-made products, to support our economy. If we don’t help keep our country working, our taxes will end up going up to support the unemployed! And between you and me, I’d rather not join the ranks of the unemployed, so I always try to keep that in mind as well!

October 12, 2014

Any Big Sales This Weekend?

Sorry to admit this, but the Columbus Day holiday has always seemed the oddest and least celebrated holiday of all the official holidays throughout the year. We all learned a little bit about Christopher Columbus and several other notable world explorers while in school. And there is some controversy about whether Columbus really discovered America or did he land on a Caribbean Island or even Mexico or Central America instead?

But for me and anyone else who works in retail, Columbus Day means one more holiday to have an excuse for a sale and it is the last holiday before the big Christmas rush. I think the Columbus Day holiday has lost some of its shine in modern years and people are no so much interested in any sales during October unless it means they can get an early start on their Christmas shopping.

Do you know of any sales going on this weekend that will be worth going to the mall to save money on something you really need? I can’t think of anything, and I’m not willing to start my Christmas shopping yet, either!

September 24, 2014

Revamping My Closet This Weekend

Now that it is officially fall, the weather has definitely turned chilly. So, it’s that time of year for me to totally revamp my closet. It’s a chore I dread, because I love summer and I don’t want to admit that I cannot wear all my cute shorts and summer dresses anymore. But then again, getting out all my cold weather clothes is exciting. It is like reconnecting with old friends! Hello, Sweater! I haven’t seen you for, what? At LEAST 6 months!

Another upside to revamping my closet this weekend is that I will need to go shopping and buy a few new things to update my wardrobe. Cleaning out the closet makes room for new stuff! I want to get a couple pairs of new jeans, a rain jacket and this year I am looking for a pair of new boots. Shopping will be my reward for getting this chore done over the weekend.

May 29, 2014

Comfy Work Clothes

Some days I wish I had chosen a career that had a uniform. If I wore nursing scrubs to work every day I think my life would be easier. I’d always be in something super comfortable and I could wear tennis shoes to work!

I only mention this because today after I left work I had to go to the grocery store for my weekly trip, pick up the kids, and drop off a few things at the post office. I was wearing a very smart looking tailored suit today along with 4″ heels. Running around town after being at work all day was taking a toll on my feet. I saw a woman in the grocery store as I was picking out a bunch of bananas in the most comfortable looking scrub clothing and cute blue sneakers. She didn’t look miserable from walking around in her “work clothes” like I did.

It was at that moment that it hit me. I bet most people that wear uniforms to work feel a lot better at the end of their day than those that don’t. They don’t have to spend time picking out what to wear or wondering if their shoes match their outfit. At the end of the day they get to go home or run around town in sensible shoes. I know this wouldn’t be true for all jobs but, off the top off my head the only job that comes to mind that might include heels as part of a uniform is a flight attendant. I bet even they have nice flats they can chose to wear.

January 24, 2012

Cutest Puppy Ever Stole My Heart

While walking through the mall today, I stopped by the pet store. I normally go in just to look at all of the animals. Today I saw the cutest puppy ever. It was a baby golden retriever with the prettiest little brown eyes you could ever see. This little guy smiled at me and I just had to hold him. Puppy dog eyes get me every time.

I played with him for about 20 minutes before I realized I was getting really attached… almost too attached. I had the store clerk put him back even though I could have played with him for hours. He looked soo sad when he left my arms and headed back to the little cage he was in. It broke my heart to see him stare back at me as though he was saying, “Why don’t you want me?”

I really wanted to take him home, but I couldn’t bring myself to make a purchase like that without the entire family with me. Well, that and I don’t really want to have to deal with dog fur on everything we own.

December 16, 2011

Gift Shopping

Sometimes I hate shopping for Christmas gifts. It’s the crowds that bother me. I don’t like walking into a store and being surrounded by a million people. It drives me nuts when I can’t move my cart through an isle without having to wait for someone to move theirs.

This year I’m finishing up my holiday shopping online. I love the ease and conveninece of being able to shop at any time, day or night in the comfort of my own home. And, I don’t even have to get dressed up to leave the house. I did my shopping in my pajamas! I got some great deals on Amazon and didn’t have to pay tax. I love that part too! I even saved on the shipping since everything I bought was eligible for the free Super Saver Shipping. I love Amazon for that reason.

I’ve finished just about all of my shopping and an rest easily. Now I just have to worry about wrapping everything.

November 16, 2011

Food Drive

I went grocery shopping tonight with my husband. I sat in one of those motorized shopping carts and pointed to what I wanted him to get. While we were there we purchased a bunch of food to donate to our local food drive. There was really large bin out in front of the store when we walked in that reminded us to give back. I know not everyone is as fortunate as we are. We always try to give back and help our community out whenever we can.