(Mostly) Guilt Free Shopping Trip

Around 11:30 this morning I said "screw it, I'm getting out of the office." Normally I am a little hermit, I scurry into the office in the morning around 8:30 or so and don't leave again, even for lunch, until 4pm.

BUT, I had a rebate card that was about to expire at Staples, and a cash card (I'm not sure where that one came from) for Staples, and needed to get stamps for work (none of those new-fangled in-office postage meters for us!), plus make a bank deposit that had been sitting around for a few more days than it should have.

AND I needed to swing by the library to return some about to be overdue books (and pick up some new ones), and had one of those free panty/$10 off a bra offers that come in the mail and another offer that came in via email for a free lip gloss with bra fitting offer from Victoria's Secret. The panty offer was about to expire, and who would turn down a free pair of those, and a free lip gloss? Not me!

It just so happens that I could work my errands into the office errands in the following order: work/personal/work/personal/work. Seriously, that's how conveniently the Post Office, library, stores and bank are located. Add in the dual entrances to the subdivision and I made a complete loop without any odd side trips. (Maybe I'm weird but I love when I can make a loop and don't have a pipe shaped trip. Or maybe there's a little OCD in me?)

As a trip, it was very successful. Sure, there were issues, including a more screwed up than usual system at the Post Office and Staples not putting inventory where I think it should be; but there also wasn't a line at the library and the sales people at Vickie's actually knew what they were doing and were helpful.*

Because I was combining errands, I didn't feel guilty about not getting back to the office exactly "on time" so I wasn't frustrated with any of the issues like I would be if I had attempted to run both personal errands during one normal lunch hour. I figure if I'm running company errands in my personal vehicle, all time I spend on the road is applied to the company and it's only the time I spend on personal shopping that counts towards the hour, and between the library and Vickie's I just about used it up.

*I haven't bought a bra at Vickie's for a long time because those two properties were lacking - also because they didn't carry my size in the store. It was nice to find all three reasons for not shopping there have changed (at least for today's visit) and I found a bra which might become my next favorite style for every day wear (Body By Victoria - Full Coverage). (I have to brag, I got a free pair of panties, a free lip gloss, and $10 off a bra - which means I spent about $32 for $59 worth of merchandise. Sweet! So no guilt there either.)