Swindled by Tea

I swear I was swindled out of $75 today.  For tea.  Do not tell my husband.

I stopped by the lovely Scottsdale outdoor shopping center to return some clothes I had purchased recently from Anthropologie and J. Crew.  I am the return queen, but that is another story.  My 15 year old son, Jackson, was with me so this was an add-on fun factor for him combined with the doctor visit he had just had.  He's had a rough year - I wouldn't recommend moving a kid across the country halfway through 8th grade.  Really, don't do it.

The J. Crew return went seamlessly as did the Anthropologie return.  I walked out empty handed and my credit card was plumped back up to the tune of about $300.  Impulse shopping is expensive and a very bad habit I explained to my son.  As we came upon Teavana, Jackson came to a screeching halt.  "What's this?  What's going on here?  What is this place?  I LOVE TEA!"  Not his exact words, but you know.  He poured a thimble sized plastic cup of the sample of the day and his eyes became spinning bullseyes.  It was a blend of Wild Orange Blossom and Youthberry and probably crack.

Along comes sweet young tea store sales girl, all shy bangs and bohemian skirt.  "Come on over and I'll put some together for you," says Moonchild.  Ok!  "Would you like the small tin for $6 or the large tin for $7?"  This was a no- brainer, give us the large tin!  As she began scooping the tea I noticed  that the price per once was written on the store bin.  OMG!  $12 for 2 ounces!  And I was getting a total of 8 ounces - $48 dollars!  For tea!  I thought the $7 tin included the tea.  Sometimes I just don't put 2 and 2 together.

Meanwhile, we had also decided to purchase a special tea brewing device for the loose tea.  Another $20 gone.  And because the WOB/YB tea was so special, we needed to have German rock sugar to sweeten it with.  $5 down the turlet.

Being a self-conscious person and very uncomfortable with backing out of a deal after the fact, I said nothing.  I started rationalizing in my head, "well it could be Jackson's special gift for graduating from 9th grade and he really loves it and he really doesn't ask for much and he's such a good boy."  None of which is true because technically he did not graduate from 9th grade as he finished the year with two F's.  And he asks for a lot.  But he is a good boy.  I was in deep doo doo and those are the thoughts that got me through the transaction.

Moonchild really knows how to do her job and how to spot a sucker a mile away.   I especially love how she ended the sale - "And, with tax,  the amount you've spent on your Health and Wellness today is only $75.46!"  Only?!  This is b.s. talk only a swindler uses.  My stomach was in knots and I began sweating.  Where could I pass out and not clunk my head on the way down?  Then I remembered that I had made those returns and maybe it wasn't such a bad outcome after all.  I decided to tell my husband the return amount was only $224.54. So I actually didn't spend any money at all!

I've become quite good at fooling myself.

The day's lesson on impulsive shopping appears to have gone unheeded.  By my son and myself.