Parallel Universe

I'm beginning to wonder if I live in a parallel universe to many other people - especially with regards to how much things cost - as I've had a few 'sticker shock' moments lately. 

The first was when I went to buy some padded envelopes.  I get through a lot of padded envelopes of various sizes due to my eBay and Amazon sales, and always buy them from the 99p shop in the high street.  Naturally, all packs cost 99p!!  but the number in each pack varies depending on how large the envelope is.  The smallest size (sort of half an A4 sheet size) has seven for 99p, the next size up has five, and the largest size has three.  Annoyingly, the 99p shop had totally run out of any sized padded envelope and I didn't have any at home either.  Passing WH Smith's I saw they had a 'stationery event' so popped in to have a gander.  Snakes alive, they were charging £3.59 for a pack of five small envelopes exactly the same size as I can get in the 99p shop next door - for a pack of seven!!  And it's not like the Smith's ones are superior quality or anything, the 99p shop ones are fabulous and are even made in the UK (although I suspect they are possibly the only non-food item in the 99p shop that is!!)  Needless to say, I left Smith's without buying any.  Two days later the 99p shop had restocked and I loaded up with eight packs.

Second 'sticker shock' moment came whilst perusing the Boots No.7 counter - not something I do very often but I had a £5.00 off voucher that I thought I might use.  £12.50 for a mascara - what!!!, £25.00 for a weeny pot of fancy pants moisturiser - I know it is nice stuff as I've bought some sample tubes at boot sales before now - but seriously, £25.00!!  I was slightly tempted by a single eyeshadow at £8.00 (would've only cost me £3.00 with my voucher) but then thought about all the lovely boot sale Bourjois eyeshadows I've got at home and changed my mind.  Eventually, I came away with a pack of No.7 cleansing wipes which were £7.00 full price but only cost me £2.00.  At least I know I'll use these.

Add that to some of the charity shop prices that I find totally outrageous (£7.99 for a man's shirt, £5.00 for a plain black long-sleeved T-shirt in a brand I've never heard of etc, etc) and I've come to the conclusion that I've somehow been beamed up into a parallel universe without me even realising!!  Luckily for me, I'm quite happy wandering around in my own little world where spending £25.00 on a moisturiser or £12.50 on a mascara really wouldn't float my boat .

Comments

[Vix]

Pound shops have definitely spoiled us all. Original Source is double the price in Boots!
Superdrug have a great offer on their Maybelline mascara this weekend, 3 for a tenner. I don't use it but I've heard it's brilliant. x

[Mum]

I live in your universe too.
Love from Mum
xx

[Jean Birch-Leonard]

You're quite right about the chazza shops their prices seem to be going up and up. It makes us thrifty types even more determined to dig out a bargain, and only then when we REALLY want or need something.

Jean x

[Loo xx]

I'll join you in your parallel universe if you don't mind. xx

[Caroline]

I find WHSmiths very expensive for EVERYTHING these days - nearly fell through the floor when I saw the price of some pencil leads Will needed for his propelling pencil for school recently! And I had a bit of a giggle to myself in a local charity shop the other day. A brand new Sainsbury's Tu top with its original tags still attached showing the sale price of £4.50 when originally purchased from Sainsburys, was on sale by the charity shop for £7.00!!!!!

[Ponytail]

I used my £5 off vouchers for the Boots No7 brand recently. Even though I was using one nail polish per voucher, they still insisted I couldn't buy all three in the same transaction. Luckily I wasn't about to be shamed into only using one, so I made them process each nail polish separately, and used my loyalty card to collect the points too. The assistant obviously didn't want to have to do the same transaction three times so she pointed out that the special offer that day was three for the price of two, and that I should go for that offer. Hmm, pay £6 for three nail polishes using my vouchers OR pay £14 for three nail polishes using that day's special offer. I still don't think she'd twigged even by the end of the transactions...

[Heather]

Prices are soaring aren't they! I used my £5 boots voucher to buy a no 7 nail polish (£2 spent) to put aside for someones Christmas stocking! Hopefully I will be able to find it again this side of Christmas!