I had the day planned from cashing the $300 check I got on Friday to going to the BrandsmartUSA outlet store, buy my new digital camera and a larger monitor for my
computer and then go home and work on/with them. I had the money in my
hand ready to stimulate the economy.

The store is about 30 minutes away and
halfway there it started to rain. I got into the store only to find out
that they didn't carry cameras or monitors , that only their regular
stores sold them. I had torn out an ad from Target for a Kodak digital
camera that was selling for $69, including a 4MB card, originally
costing $139. Though it was on the other side of town I was determined
to get a camera and monitor and having Jill's car for only 1 more day I
decided to head there.

I
went to the salesman and asked him where the camera was, showing him
the ad. He told me to check the small print, which I did, and it said,
"Only at Target.com, free shipping." He said that I was not the first
customer to come in and ask for the camera. I asked him if he had a
particular model monitor that I had made note of but he replied that
they only had one monitor and do I have to add that it was a very
expensive one?

Looking
over my notes I decided to go to Office Depot as there was a possible
camera I had seen the week before that I might buy. Entering the store I
went over to the digital camera section and the cheapest camera I found
was a lot more than I had planned to spend so I went over to the
monitor section. Long story short--the monitor that was $109 was now
$139--seems it was on sale last week. It was a 18.5" monitor and right
next to it was a 21" monitor that was on sale for $129 and I said to
myself, "Why not?"  Well that was answered very quickly because even
though the sale had started yesterday they still hadn't gotten them in.
He could order it for me and would get it in a week to 10 days.

Like
most guys when I want something I want it now! I decided to take a
'raincheck' and if he got it in by Wednesday I would get it then. Now
here's the kicker--while I was waiting for him to get me the raincheck I glanced at the Office Depot weekly flyer and there on the front page was the same digital camera that Target had
on sale for only 99 cents more but without any mention of the 4MB card
nor did it say anything about odering it through the Internet only. Guess what? Yes, that's right--they didn't have any in stock!!

Folks
do you want to know what's wrong with the American economy? Do you want
to know why Office Depot business is way off? How about having a guy
with $300 in his hand and ready to spend it only to return home with the
$300?

Not
to make the day a total loss I did go on the Internet and order the
camera from Target.com--I don't really like to order anything on the
Internet but I was determined to buy something today and no one wanted my money!  LOL

As
I said (boo-hoo) tomorrow will be the last day I have Jill's car and I
am thinking of going to the 2 other Office Depot stores not far from
where I live. In fact one is right next door to the Dollar Tree which
means I'll just have to stop in there, too. Also the other store is on
the way back so maybe, just maybe, one of them will have the monitor I
want that is on sale.

Why oh why didn't
anyone want my money today? I tried, I really tried, to spend it but I
couldn't even talk the managers into subbing another monitor, or camera,
for the same price and value!

Between
the bank being closed Saturday and Sunday and my adventures today this
must be the longest I've held on to money that I wanted to spend!  LOL