Win a $50 gift card to AJ Wright

A couple years ago I wrote this post:

I’m not entirely sure when it happened, but somewhere within the last six years I’ve made a transition from wanting brand new things directly from the department store, to enjoying the search for something used at a second hand store.

It’s kind of like a scavenger hunt, and when I find a pair of designer jeans that slip on like they were made for me, then look at the price tag and see that it’s a fraction of what they’d cost on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, I can’t help but do a silent cheer.

I remember when Zoe was just a toddler and every other word out of my mouth was Baby Lulu. I could not walk past a children’s resale shop without going inside and quicking scouring the racks in search of a anything Baby Lulu. (Those Baby Lulu moms are willing to pay top dollar on eBay for any shirt, dress, leggings and/or hat in order to complete an outfit.) One day, I hit the jackpot and found a coveted pair of discontinued Lulu leggings, mint condition, for only $2.75. I grinned the entire way up to the cash register, hoping that the clerk would not look at my purchase and realize that I was getting gold for mere pennies. The next week I sold them on eBay for $32.

When we moved into our new house last July, we had to switch grocery stores. Our new grocery store is right next door to Marshalls Home Goods, and I must admit that I had never really spent all that much time in Marshalls before. However, now I can’t seem to stay away. Ralph Lauren Polo cargo shorts, a fancy plate for my plate collection (the one that I decided that I’m going to start), a bamboo cutting board, etc…..  Oh my gosh, the deals are endless!

But, if you go just a couple miles further down the street, you’ll find my new favorite favorite FAVORITE place of all! Once Again Consignment Boutique. I walked in on Saturday and felt like I had found it. It. The place where I know I’ll be scouring the racks every chance I get in the search of the my own traveling pants, or the perfect purse.

What am I specifically looking for? Just like any good scavenger hunt, when I find it, I’ll know.

Keeping that post in mind, you’ll never guess what where I got to go. I was invited to a sneak peak of the newest AJWright store in Racine, WI (which is a retailer in the TJX family of stores)! How could I resist?

I couldn’t. The fact is that I can’t resist a Marshall’s or a TJ Maxx to save my life. This was be my first visit to AJWright, and as I expected, I was overwhelmed by being first to see all of the brand new merchandise, as well as the incredible value.

My sneak peak came with a challenge too: How well can I budget a $100 gift card? 

I didn’t even know where to begin with that. Spend $100? On whatever I want? Oh gosh. That is going to be quite the challenge. Handbag? Shoes? Yoga pants?

I was a quivering puddle of goo by the end of the night.

You’ll be happy to know that even though I tried very very VERY hard to break the bank on my shopping challenge, I came out $.02 short of spending the entire $100.00.

$.02!

That’s TWO CENTS!! As in TWO PENNIES!

This is unheard of behavior for me.

Yet it’s true.

So what did I buy?

• 2 Liz Claiborne purses (1 beaded wristlet and 1 gorgeous handbag)
• pj’s for Zoe
• tights for Zoe
• yoga pants
• shirt for me
• long sleeved yoga shirt
• Liz Claiborne zippered hoodie
• stainless steel strainer
• cast iron wok
• hanging shoe organizer
• decorative glass vase
• kitchen gadgets

And all of that totalled $95.50 so I went to the impulse buy section and grabbed a bag of gourmet cookies and a huge box of Milk Duds to total:

Here is my new gorgeous RED purse. Can you believe I bought a red purse?

And it was only $16.99!

Here are some of my purchases as I’m checking out:

When I totalled up the suggested prices on the tags it came to $265.49! What a bargain!

And on top of everything else, I was able to meet other Wisconsin bloggers too: Maureen, Colleen, Rc and Kat. We were all given a goody bag filled with a notepad, pen, calculator, and a Sony Webbie HD Camera to snap pictures with. I’m too embarrassed to admit that I wasn’t able to figure out how to use the Sony Webbie, so I’ll just say that Rc couldn’t figure out how to use it to save her life. Poor thing.