Sunday, September 16, 2007

Resisting Pampered Chef and Grocery Overload


I reluctantly went to a Pampered Chef party yesterday. I told the hostess I wasn't going to buy anything and she said that was fine, she just wanted more people there. I had looked through the catalog earlier and althought I wanted a lot of things, the prices were just too much. The only thing that I thought I might want were these platic clips that can go in the microwave. I thought that would be handy for my microwave popcorn experiments. They were $5 for a set of 3 but I really didn't "need" them.

So I sat through the party. I thought it would only take an hour and a half maybe two at the most. I finally left a little early, 2 hours and 45 minutes later! There were 2 raffles, one for showing up and one for asking questions about the Pampered Chef business. I decided that I should try to win something so I tried to ask questions. I had 4 raffle tickets for the 4 questions I asked but the lady who only asked one question won. That was ok. The prize was a gadget that holds round items like onions so they can be cut easier. I didn't really want it. But I did win the raffle for attending the party and I got to choose either a paring knife, a citrus zester or one of the plastice microwavable clips that I had been eyeing! I picked the clip even though the paring knife was probably worth the most money. I could have sold the knife on ebay for $5 and bought a set of 3 plastic clips. But I wanted instant gratification. I got my clip and it only cost me 2 hours and 45 minutes of my life :)

They also showed us how to make a quick asian pork and noodle meal. It used my 2 least favorite vegetables- carrots and peppers but I could substitute other vegetables. Then they added cut up pork loin, sesame oil, asian seasoning, and ramen noodles. I don't have any of those ingredients at home except carrots which I only eat raw. If I ever get more adventurous (and spend more money on food) that recipe would be something I could make.

After the party I went out to my RV to drop off some of the non-essential items from my house and to pick up my sheets that need to be washed. I am starting to move my things out of my house since the renters will be here in a week and a half. I don't have a laundry hook up at my RV so I have to plan my laundry carefully. I will have to go 9 days without a washing machine. I can alway wash some things in the sink if I have too. I also have friends who would let me use their machines but I don't like to haul my dirty laundry over to other people's houses.
My last stop was the grocery store. This is where I totally blew my budget. I only wanted ice cream for myself but then I remembered that I needed a few things for the rental house. I usually buy some food and hygeine items for my guest. I went way overboard. $144 over to be exact. I still had $27 from my food budget for September but I just spent more than October's food budget too! Oh well. That will come out of my profit from the rent. It will just take me a little longer to pay off that $1,100 medical bill.

The biggest reason for over-spending at the grocery store was that I didn't take inventory before I left home. I bought coffee and tea, trash bags, soap, detergent, toilet paper, iced tea and pasta, all things that I had already. Then I bought some things that I really didn't need to buy like bisquick, olive oil and olive oil spray, ranch dressing, mayo, bottled water, microwave popcorn, and little trial size tooth paste, Q-tips and a little sewing kit. I don't need to buy that stuff for my guests but I thought they might like it and I got carried away. The good thing is that my guests don't eat a lot of the food that I leave them, although they like the thought. So in April, after the tourist season is over, I will probably be eating this food. Also, I shouldn't have to buy this much for each guest. I will just need to replace an item if it does get eaten.

I think that I felt so good about not spending money at the party that I felt I could splurge a little. And then that little turned in to a lot. This is why I am better off staying away from the store as much as possible.

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