Shopping Routes

Have you ever walked around one of your favorite stores and realized that every time you wander the aisles, you have established your own shopping route? I know I have. When noticing this, I found myself mentally tracing my steps in several stores. It's true... I have sub-consciously created a route for all my favorite places. I would like to share an example of my normal route in a store I frequent very often:



-From my house, it only takes me about 5 minutes to get to Target. The store is located in a shopping center with several retail stores and restaurants, including Borders, Lowe's, Best Buy, Old Navy, and Bath and Body Works. It's actually a Super Target, which means there is a retail side and a grocery side. I usually park on the retail side, which is to the East.

-Once I enter the store, I go to the "deals" section straight ahead. You know, the section with hundreds of items that range from $1 to $2.50. I have invested quite a bit of money in this section; I have purchased framed pictures, toys, books, office supplies, socks, stocking stuffers, gift wrap, batteries, and many other things from this part of the store. You never know what you are going to find, and that's part of the excitement!

-Then, I go to the fun section: Movies, Music, and Books. This should not be a surprise to anyone that I make this one of my first destinations, especially since I spend the most time browsing movies. I'll look at the new releases and look for the movies on sale each week. I'll look at the $5 movie section and see if any new films have been moved there. Last week, I made a new discovery... a $2 movie section. Yes, these are basically "D" List movies, but sometimes you can find a decent one. They had a lot of horror movies during my last visit. I'll glance at some of the cds, looking for any recent releases that may be on sale for $8. Then I head over to the books. I'll look for my usual authors and see if they have any new works or if they have a paperback version.

-Time to search for clearance end caps!!! There are four areas in the store that normally has these, and two of them are right by the entertainment/seasonal section of the store. When I'm done scavenging the end caps, I head to the seasonal section. Right now, it's all about Halloween, but a few aisles already have Christmas items ready to sell. Personally, I don't even want to look at or think about Christmas until after my birthday, but in the world of retail... I have no choice but to see it. Oh well, moving on.

-If Truman is shopping with me, this would be the time that we head over to toys, followed by his clothing section.

-Next, I browse the shoe section. I make myself do this since I don't have the love for shoes like most women.

-I walk along the bath and bedding area of Target next, and end up in the furniture section. Usually I just dream of the things I would like to have in my own place. Then I head to the storage/kitchenware/home decor section, where they have several clearance end caps. I like these end caps because I have found gum, shampoo, perfume, over the counter meds, pull ups (when Truman was still using them), and deodorant.

-Ah, clothing! There is something about the clothing selection at Target that appeals to me a lot. Some of that has to do with the clearance clothing (have you noticed a pattern... I love clearance). I have found, and purchased, a lot of dressy and cute tops here. Most of them have cost me less than five dollars. It's one of those things where when you first realize how much you are saving, and you keep coming back for more.

-My sweet tooth usually kicks in about now, so I head to the candy section. If I end up purchasing something here, most likely it will be gum.

-If I need groceries, this is the time where I shop for them. Usually I don't get groceries at Target but I like to shake things up sometimes.

-Last stop before going to the checkout counter or leaving the store: socks, hosiery, purses and belts. I have recently purchased a few purses here.... especially since they cost me less than 10 bucks. And they were cute!!!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I shop at Target!