Sometimes, you just pay what you need to

I hate being sick. 

I'm sure nobody likes it, but I hate it for so many reasons. I don't like feeling like crap. I get behind in work and since I am the only one that is doing the work being self-employed, it just piles up until I get to it. I let things around the house pile up. And worst of all, I never seem to have the stuff I need already in the house.

I get sick about once a year, a nasty cold usually preceded by the flu. I know it happens sometime in the first three months of the year and yet I seem to always be short of something. This time it was juice and Cold-Ez (swear by zinc when it comes to a cold). 

And since I'm sick, I am not going to be scrounging around for a coupon, or going through the ads to find the best price... 

No, I am going to go to the closest store, even if it's a 7-11, and get what I need. At that point, it doesn't matter what it costs.

While that might sound odd to someone who doesn't believe in paying full price, my philosophy is that I can afford to "splurge" like this once in a while if I spend the rest of the time saving. 

That's my philosophy period, when it comes to saving money. If I didn't allow myself to "splurge" every so often, I would find it hard to continue to do so. It's the same with any type of regime you may find yourself in. You've got to let go once in a while or you could find yourself letting go of the whole regime.

Free money to use is still free money

So tax time is right around the corner and one of the bigger grocery chains has put together a deal that gives you up to 10% more spending power. 

SUPERVALU, whose stores include Acme, Albertsons, bigg’s, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher’s, Jewel-Osco and Shaw’s/Star Market, is putting a bonus amount on grocery gift card purchases. 

Fine print: By purchasing a grocery gift card during this promotion, you can get up to 10% more money on your card. Customers who purchase grocery gift cards in either $250 or $300 increments will get another $20 or $30 added to the card, respectively. The limit is $1,250 per household. There is no need to bring in a tax form or refund check. Simply visit the service counter to purchase your grocery gift card with bonus.

Bonus amounts cannot be used for the purchase of alcohol, fuel, tobacco, lottery tickets, dairy products, prescription drugs or additional gift cards.

This is a great deal in my opinion. They ran a similar deal when the tax rebate checks were doled out last year. I took advantage of $300 but soon realized that I should have done more. I ran out within three months. Jewel-Osco is my closest and therefore most convenient store. 

I'm not sure I can afford to put up $1250 but I think $600 is doable. That's a $60 bonus to spend at a store I go to anyway. And the money never expires. It's as good as cash with no fees attached to it.

If they want to give me free money to shop in their store, I'll take it. It's more money in my pocket.