Yes, you know I'm a math teacher. Specifically I teach Algebra I. I tell my students often that most everything boils down to equations. Christmas shopping is no different.
I'm also the world's greatest procrastinator when it comes to Christmas shopping. My kids think I do this because I enjoy it. Actually, it's hard for me to get serious about shopping until after the semester is done at school. I assure you - I don't like shopping, and I certainly don't like shopping when all the other procrastinators are in the stores.
I've been especially frustrated lately because of a trend I see in stores more than ever before. Unfortunately this has started taking place more at one particular store, which is the place I do most of my clothes shopping at throughout the year. These stores are promoting sales where you can buy 1 item at regular price and get 2 or 3 of a comparably priced item for free. I'm sure many people hear this and think it's a great deal. However this isn't really the case. Let me show you why.
Let's say I go to my favorite clothing store, only needing one pair of pants. I don't need 2, 3 or 4 pairs, only one. But their sale is buy one, get 2 free. This actually happened to me back in August when I was shopping for school clothes. Now usually this store offers a discount on pants, maybe 20% or so, during the year. But with the current offer, you have to pay regular price for one pair of pants. This could easily run about $60.
So, if I buy 1, get 2 free, I end up paying about $20 per pair. If I needed 3 pair, this is a pretty good deal. But I don't need 3 pair. So the store is making me spend $60 to get more pants than I need. And they know I'm not about to just buy one pair for $60 and leave the 2 free pairs behind.
If you think about this spiritually, I believe this sale is a temptation to me in terms of stewardship. God has called me to be a good manager of His resources in all things. Back in August, when the sale at the clothing store was buy 2, get 3 free, I did buy the pants that time, even though I didn't need 5 pairs of pants. I just realized that I still have 2 pairs of pants from that purchase that are still in the original bag. I'll be taking these back to the store next week to hopefully exchange them for something else I need more right now. I want to manage my resources as an act of worship to God. That means I need to be a wise shopper and think and pray well over these matters.
Ok, I guess I can climb off my soapbox for now. But I guess, as a math teacher and a believer who wants to give God control of everything in my life, I am retail's greatest nightmare. Although they will probably make enough money this Christmas that they aren't really worried much about me.
Mr. B.
