I have a copy of the Twin Cities Blue Sky Guide, the “green” coupon book. The book costs $20 and features coupons for all kinds of local stores. I’m not a big coupon user but recently I sat down and looked through the book and found a lot of great deals. One of the best offered $20 off a purchase of $50 or more at gift and home store Patina. If you ever shop Patina, you know they often have cool stuff and that it’s nothing to drop well over $50 there.
As it happened, I was in the market for a green purse and had seen one I liked at Patina several weeks earlier. Since first seeing it, I’d read all the fashion stories about the “Crayola colors” trend for spring. Purses should be bright yellow, green, blue, pink etc. But all the bags they featured were at least $200 dollars, often more. This is tricky, because I might want the “Crayola” bag this year and next year I’ll be over it.
Anyway, with the coupon from Blue Sky, I got a sweet green leather bag for only $47. For $47 I can use it this spring and summer and not feel too guilty for abandoning it next year. Although, I love green. I’ll probably have it for years.
The sales clerk at Patina seemed happy to see my Blue Sky coupon, which was nice. I don’t know why but I always feel cheap for using a coupon. Mainly this happens at restaurants. There is something about using a coupon to pay for a prepared meal that makes me feel sad. I mean, I can get over it, but the feeling lingers. I guess what always freaks me out are those HUGE coupon books kids often sell through their schools – the Entertainment Guides. Those books have these little coupons printed on cheap paper, something you’d feel guilty handing to your server in a nicer eating establishment and explaining that you’re there to get two entrees for the price of one. The worst is when people use those coupons and then act as if they don’t need to tip for the service to two people, only tipping on the price of one entree. Isn’t that wrong?
Anyway, the clerk pointed out that the coupon for $20 off paid for the price of the guide. She was right.
Here is a picture of my new bag
Check out Patina for great purses and totes in a variety of colors. Or, here are some links to green bags that are fairly inexpensive:
A great patent leather bag from Newport-News that comes in bright green (or yellow).
OK, not in green but comes in aqua or sunshine and looks big enough to carry all the essentials plus a few library books.
Ha, silly me. When you first wrote ‘green’ I thought you meant ‘environmentally-friendly’/green. I’m such an dork. Cute bag, though! I know what you mean about coupons/discounts. I love getting a great deal but I feel pretty sheepish about using my MPR member card for nice dinners. At least I tip for the cost of the whole meal!