One thing that has arisen in the past few years is the fact that I bulk purchase more often now - and I’m not even referring to the occasional Costco run. It seems like I have a built-in tolerance threshold when it comes to everyday items like shoes, towels, clothing, etc. - I just never noticed it before because I would purchase whenever I came across something I liked. Having taken a large salary hit has changed that behavior (and the new influx of money coming from the second job I picked up right before Christmas, while reassuring, still hasn’t caused me to rebound to my old spending ways - which is a good thing).

All that said, it seems like the stars seem to have aligned for this month because I’ve been a shopping fiend - although it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds as I didn’t pay full retail for any of my purchases (indeed, two pairs of shoes were free due to a generous offer from an industry acquaintance). So while I’m a little concerned that my spending money budget went ballistic this month, I try to remember that I’ve been badly overdue for about half of what I got and find solace in the extra $300 I’m depositing tonight from Job No. 2.

Industry wheeling & dealing is certainly a great fringe-benefit of the outdoor industry (and being the pro-deal person at your company just helps out that much more, I have to confess). I was floored a while ago when a very-appreciative acquaintance gave me two virtual vouchers for a free pair of shoes from her company, one pair arrived right away, while the sweetest pair of flip-flops I’ve ever seen (nevermind the most expensive) took the slow-boat. Pardon the pun, but on the heels of those arriving, I also swung a deal with Keen, a cool little shoe company right down the road in Alameda - one more super-comfortable pair to add to the list.

Last weekend I picked up the Arc’teryx jacket for which I’ve been waiting 5 years - regularly $250, managed to get it on closeout from REI in the color I wanted for $107 out the door. Saturday also saw some not-nearly as fun purchases of sheet sets and towels with pretty good savings as well. My mother, my shopping partner, was incredibly invaluable in sniffing out the values there (as moms usually are), and she wound up with a pair of Maui Jims at the end of the evening - but considering my windfall(s), I can continue to wait for my pair…