This column appeared in the December 19, 2018 edition.
I still remember how excited we Rooks kids were when the Sears Roebuck catalog arrived in the mail. We’d start scanning the pages, and deciding what we’d ask Santa to bring. Those ideas would usually change by the time our mother was ready to place her order. It’s sad to hear that Sears might be on the down side now. Sigh. And yes, I actually saw a worn and ragged Sears catalog in the outhouse at my grandparents’ rental home!
Years later, I recall when we were all amazed the first time we saw a credit card. My mother-in-law had brought her Rich’s card to church and we were in awe as she explained how she could actually make a purchase without a check or cash. What? Of course by then I was living in McDonough and we did most of our shopping on the Square. I felt like I’d gone back in time this week as I made a few purchases from local merchants in honor of Shopping Local Day! And yes, I used a credit card both times. Actually it’s a BP gas card, which if I make enough other purchases on it, I get a considerable reduction on my next purchase of fuel for the Camry. Last time the card deducted 63 cents a gallon! I’m still a penny-pincher and that made me really smile.
Another shopping memory goes back to the seventies when Southlake Mall opened. Off I drove with my three sons giving me directions on how to get on the interstate, and then when to get in the right lane to reach Southlake. I loved strolling through ALL the stores, J. C. Penny, a Disney store, and of course the awesome food court, plus lots of other shops. I still didn’t have a credit card back then, so I just used cash.
I grew up catching the Greyhound bus to Macon in my teens as Jackson only had one shoe store and the shop where my mom worked, The New York Store. So it made me happy when Henry County had several malls open up, just off I-75. Loved Belk, Target, and lots more. It’s a great place to go Christmas shopping and appreciate the Salvation Army volunteers ringing their bells to remind us to drop some cash in their big red containers. Our next excitement was finding a Dollar Tree, Walmart, more fun places to shop. I remember shopping on Moreland Avenue for my pre-teens’ Easter clothes in the seventies, because the garment stores in McDonough were adults only.
The next excitement for this penny pincher was being able to shop online. Some of the stores would give free shipping if the dollar amount was high enough. I saved a lot of money that way, and didn’t have to move my vehicle. Since I had begun working from home, on my laptop, I would be here when the Postal Service, UPS and FedEx brought my order. I loved being able to grab my packages from a smiling delivery person.
And then things changed, again. All my ‘grands’ were suddenly young adults. I’m a little afraid to buy clothes for them, and they each have a supply of cell phone and computer equipment. So, what to do? Okay, gift cards. And I don’t have to order those online, instead I can just pick them up in the stores close to home. I always wait until the day before our family Christmas gathering to buy what is needed. I’m not sure Chick-fil-A is going to sell their calendars this year, the ones with a free food item for each month. We’ll see. That always makes my dears smile too. So, I’ve come full circle with shopping. Wonder what’s next?
