And while electrical outlets are wacky looking, those aren’t the kind of outlets I was talking about. I’m talking about shopping outlets, specifically Wrentham, but I’m sure that my astute observations apply to any outlets out there.
The other day the ladies and I drove the 45ish minutes out to the Wrentham Premium Outlets. The stores are normal every day stores, but its like a strange force takes over your body. When you park the car you expect it to be like any other day in the land of retail. But the second you open your car door, something changes. All of a sudden your price reality goes from normal to something resembling a compass in the Bermuda Triangle…wacky. Because you are at the outlets you think every purchase is a “steal.” The sweater that was originally $59.99 marked down to $39.99 but isn’t worth $15.99 on a good day, is all of a sudden the Holy Grail of your day. Now normally when you saw the same sweater on sale in the non-outlet store you wouldn’t even think of paying $39.99 and would consider the price highway robbery. But not today, no siree Bob, you are at the outlets and there is a $20 discount so it is a must add to your Christmas shopping list.
So here is my conspiracy theory (that I don’t believe but helps me justify my overspending), there is an invisible dome over the outlets that holds air with some kind of chemical that shuts off the part of your brain that controls spending urges and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy when you see a good discount on a tag. I’ll admit, I fell for it and I’ll fall for it over and OVER again. After all, the magical chemical made me wait in line at the Coach outlet, spend 45 minutes inside in sweltering heat listening to the incessant buzz of “isn’t this to die for?” in about 15 different languages…but I had a 20% coupon and I’ll be damned if I was going to let it go to waste!
