There are few things in life that I’m willing to pay retail for: The perfect pair of jeans. A little black dress, makeup, perfume and handbags. Maybe, maybe, an amazing pair of shoes. But that’s pretty much it. One thing I am never, ever willing to pay full price for? Clothes for my darling children. While I go gah-gah in expensive baby boutiques, I would never dream of dropping 60+ dollars on a shirt when Marshall’s, H&M and Target are filled with gems for a fraction of the price. And have you seen Old Navy lately? Jeff picked up the cutest sundresses for $9.00.
Anyway, I was flipping though the Chasing Fireflies catalog today, pondering why on earth anyone would pay $168 for a child’s dress, when I stumbled upon this. It’s a personalized bottle of “fairy” dust selling for $68. Now, sure, it’s a glass bottle and there are some sparkles thrown in, but it’s a bottle of… dust. For almost 70 dollars. Helllooooo? Are there really people who are willing to drop that kind of money on such a thing? These days? I mean, even if I had a billion dollars, I could never buy dust.
I did find myself lusting over a $300 dinosaur for Ben, but snapped out of it quickly and returned to my senses. I’m sure I’ll find some fabulous dinosaur goodies for a tenth of the price, and he’ll be thrilled. I’ve learned that my kids don’t need expensive things– their clothes just get trashed and they don’t know the difference between designer and discount anyway. And they’re just as happy playing with pots & pans and boxes as they are pricey toys. Ben spent an hour today hiding in a hamper and Evan thinks a colander is the best invention ever. Plus, the less money I spend on them, the more I have to spend on me, and my quest for the perfect jeans and most complimentary shade of lip gloss.
Oh, and if anyone is interested, I’ll be willing to bottle up some magic dust from under my couch for the bargain price of $29.99. And I’ll even thrown the personalization in for free.
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{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
I hear ya! I’m amazed at how much people spend on useless things…especially when it’s for kids stuff. Wanna go in together on this bottled dust thing? It’d force me to dust AND make a profit. Two birds with one stone, right?
I’m with you. Good jeans are priceless. Oh, how I hate to shop for them!
Childless, I’ve learned through observation that kids do not see expensive as better, well most do not. We learn that as we grow up and it isn’t true in most situations.
I love second hand store shopping!
Did mention that you are the coolest for helping me? Well, you are! :)
I am completely with you on this. Some things out there are so ridiculously priced. I can’t believe someone was trying to pawn of a jar of dust and a little glitter for that much.
Hmmm….maybe I should start doing that.
I’ll do it for $19.99. Hand delivered!
I’m a bargain shopper, too. I buy all my kids’ clothes out of season for about 75% off the regular price. Now, that doesn’t stop me from dropping a ridiculous amount of money on some pieces for my daughter. But, I waited 7 years for her after 2 boys. :)
I'll admit that every once in a while I fall in love with something in Janie & Jack that I must have for Eleanor – but I can usually wait until it goes on sale. I'm fine with Target clothes for the kids these days. They just destroy everything anyway.
I love Chasing Fireflies for the eye candy – but I agree that the price tags are better suited to people who think nothing of stocking stuffers at Hermes.
By the way – I posted some images of their fairy wings a few weeks ago and looked up the link to their site. Chasingfireflies.com? IS NOT the right web address (as you know – it's Chasing-fireflies.com). Just an FYI. In case you are ever typing fast. Don't forget the dash. BIG DIFFERENCE.
haha. Ditto, ditto, ditto. And seriously, where in the world is that perfect little black dress. I still haven’t found one.
Love the ON dress! I’ve seen a dino like that – or similar to it – at Toys R Us. It is sooo cool but I still wouldn’t buy it. My dog would eat it or something, I am sure.
Oh my heavens no I don’t pay retail, especially not for my son’s clothes. Luckily for me he gets loads of fancy designer hand me downs from his very fashionable older cousin. When I buy stuff for him, clearance rank. Just as cute and at least half off.
For myself though, it’s definitely got to be the right pair of jeans to break my no full sale price vow.
Yeah I hear that. But when it comes to paying tons o money, rather, buckets o money for high thread count sheets, I’m afraid I’m a whimp. I pay crazy amounts for some of the softest sheets around. I need to sleep like a baby in my high-thread count cocoon.
I would never pay that much for fairy dust. We can make that stuff at home! lol
You have got to be shitting me.
The sad thing is, there are people who wouldn’t blink an eye at dropping $68 for a bottle of dust. And we’re supposed to be in an effin’ recession.
That seriously makes me want to vomit. I’m pretty sure I could MAKE one of those for less than $10 at Michael’s.
Oh, oh, oh! I am REALLY good at personalizing things! I’ll bring my masking tape and markers along.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
I love the visual of Ben hiding in the hamper.
are they crazy? dust? that’s so insulting! And I’m so with you on the kids clothes. oliver has grown so fast I refuse to go anywhere but old navy. I’m sorry, but they have the cutest kids clothes and he’s a baby. If there was a target in nyc i’d go there too.
I’m totally with you. Considering the speed my 9 year-old rips her jeans I prefer to shop at Target, possibly in the sale rack, because every 3 months or so we go there and get 3 more pairs.
I can’t see myself spending $60 on a single item for them, let alone $160!! A coat? $45 tops.
Amen!
After Christmas we went to lunch with some friends. I brought several of Avery’s new toys with us to keep her entertained. Did she play with them? No – she was more facinated with the straw and spoon. We could have saved some money :)
LOL! My friend and I were JUST thumbing thru this magazine laughing at the outrageous prices. Cute stuff, sure but not worth the prices EVER. It’s insane and I agree with a previous poster insulting!
I often wonder the same thing. But I am going to one up you and collect some dust from my Entertainment center and sell it for $19.95, including personalization! ;)
If I buy something for more than $15/20…I think that’s pushing it for my child. I just bought 25 item today from Old Navy for $150shipping and tax included.
Now….I will drop $200 for a handbag in a heartbeat. I have to control myself! :)
I have enough dust, so i don’t need to bring it in the house.
I wonder if I could sell a dog hair sweater?
Amen! I refuse to spend a boat load of money on my kids. They either lose it, trash it or don’t freakin like it. Heck I don’t even spend that kind of money on myself. I love finding a bargain!
That customer’s name is Katie Holmes…have you seen the clothes Suri is decked out in?!
I can’t even bring myself to look at that stuff. Fairy Dust!?! I can get a pretty bottle over at Flower Factory for a quarter and probably find some paint under the washing machine for a name. What the…?
Kelly is spot on – Katie Holmes and the like.
Man aint that right? It is amazing what a person can spend money on.
However, I did promise my best friend this weekend that when I lose the weight I am trying to lose, I will splurge on the True Religion jeans she swears I need, even if I have to pay $350 for them. And by God, I will deserve it if I lost that much
YES, YES, AND YES! I completely agree with you!
Well my dust all over my house isn’t so magical…but maybe yours is. I’ll think on it.
that happens to be one of my most FAV magazines – but I never buy anything in for my kids- only a gifts for other people kids!!!!! (I have three kids and all my friends have one – so I have to makeup the difference)
I am right there with you. I will totally throw down some cash on makeup and great jeans.
But a dress that my daughter will grow out of in 2.2 seconds. No thanks.
But it is so pretty isn’t it????
Isn’t it crazy how people will speend bookoo’s of money on simple stuff that you can make at home???? And I am a bargain shopper, will not buy unless it’s on sale except for the one time I splurged on a pair of Lucky jeans… they are by far my favorite pair and one day will splurge on more…
I have learned over the years to quickly divide the price by the amount of usage I think the item will get. My bed. I use it every single day just about for 5-8 (ha) hrs. One day I realized this and asked myself why the hell was I not willing to kick down for a good one. Fixed that.
My children have all grown up with hand me downs. I usually only buy them an outfit for their birthday.
However, the area I live in is LOADED. Like “What recession?” loaded. I can’t believe the things I see here. I noticed this funky stroller showing up all over the place, looked it up online only to see it is a $1,200 stroller. TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. I don’t get it. Not even a little bit.
I need help finding a way to get some of that $$ funneled to ME.
Chasing Fireflies… I’ve never heard of them, but I am thinking that it is a website I need to check out so I can drool over all the overpriced stuff and then drown myself in a bottle of wine because I could never afford it!! It’s so much fun to dream though!
I heard once that someone took the contents of their lint trap, displayed it nicely, and sold it on ebay for $60. Or how ’bout when people sell potato chips because they have a special “shape”? Some consumers are so gullible.
HA! I was looking at the same catalogue the other day and thinking the same thing. Just because I’m Hanna Andersson’s best customer every other overpriced store sends me their catalogue’s now. I can accept buying Hanna’s because they are sized so well and get more than one year of use out of them (I rarely pay full price), but hell if I’m going to spend almost $200 on a dress…although there are some in Wooden Soldier catalogues that I really drool over.