A rant and some beads

Maybe it's just the craziness of Monday and the dreaded meeting I had to go through yesterday, but I'm peeved today. I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat to find out why, right?

Well, there's a particular phenomenon going on in retail establishments everywhere that is not new, but I guess has been bugging me for a while and my annoyance with it has finally reached blogging level.

What is it? It's the INCESSANT credit card offers at EVERY SINGLE STORE. You know, when you check out and they ask you if you want to "save an extra X% by opening an account with us today?" Translation: "I get in trouble if I don't ask every single customer this stupid question and I do get extra brownie points for every customer I trick into getting themselves deeper into debt they can't afford by making them think that momentarily saving 15% off 1 purchase is worth the years it will take to pay off the balance on the card while in the meantime my company makes huge $$$ off all the interest and penalties."

It was one thing when this was just going on at the department stores like Macy's, but now everyone is doing it so if you go on a major shopping expedition - like I had to do around the time of my dad's funeral to get something to wear to the service and some of the other family events we planned - you can end up getting asked this question a dozen times in one day.

Honestly, I know it's not the fault of the poor, sad, pimply, minimum-wage teenagers who are being forced to ask this question all day repeatedly (and I can poke fun at them because I used to be one - worked for Express during and after college) but I got to the point where I just want to shake them and yell "Don't you watch the news? Do you understand about foreclosures and bankruptcy and the worst economic crisis since the depression? Stop offering people credit cards, dammit!"

Except I know it wouldn't do any good and would very likely result in me getting arrested. And then who would continue to support the economy by spending WAAYYY too much on beads?

But hey, at least I spend cash...and Etsy stores don't ask "would you like to save 15% on today's purchase by opening an account with us?"

Which is why I keep spending my very hard earned money on lovelies like these:

This beautiful solid pewter leaf is from Mamacita Beads on Etsy.

And this is her seaweed pendant.

And a really cute little pewter bird. She also threw in an extra pendant which was awesome. I love when vendors give you a little something "extra." Especially when the alternative is being badgered with credit card offers!

This cute starfish pendant is from Every Heart Crafts on Etsy.

And so is this leaf - which I liked so much that I bought two of them AND the vendor added in a third, smaller leaf as a freebie.

I know, maybe I just need a sticker on my debit card when I hand it over that says "don't ask me about credit cards?" Or better yet - a sign that I can hold up when I get to the register that says "Don't speak - just ring me up."

KJ

P.S. My other favorite part is when they ask at the register "did you find everything you were looking for?" Because 1. if they cared then why didn't they come help me sooner and 2. what are they going to do if I say "no?" I've never yet had a salesperson be able to find something for me after I couldn't find it myself and despite the fact that my mother always insists on asking all salespeople "do you have this in the back?" the answer is ALWAYS "no, everything we have is out on the floor." So again, I wonder why they always ask that question at the register? But at least THAT doesn't cost me interest and penalties!