Money Just Has to Be Spent Sometimes

DD2 and I finally got to Kohl's to look at and buy a couple swim suits. Their selection was not great, and particularly not that great for a 16 year old that while isn't that fashion conscious, has very particular preferences in swim wear. For a tiny girl, she , like her mother, is well endowed on top, so finding petite suits, but with adequate coverage, comfort, and moveability is essential. In our family, swim suits are meant to, well, be used when swimming, not just as summer fashion. Some styles ridiculously forgot that is the chief purpose behind. The one good thing about shopping for suits with her as that as she always gets a two piece, she can buy separates, finding good fitting bottoms in different sizes, and  looks than the top. She manged to find two of both, but oh, could they have been expensive.  Everyone knows no one ever pays retail price at Kohl's. Everything is always on Sale, but just for amusement sake, here is my receipt that shows the original pre-sale prices. 

 Did you gasp, laugh,  or fall over? Her suits would have been $80 for one, and $64 for the other. We spent $36.44, and $24.72, by the time the proportionate amount of savings was applied, a 54% savings. I'm in Sluggy status here!

Besides her trip, as soon as the  the weather is warm, DD2 spends days upon days in swim wear at the cabin, boating with friends, at a friends house who has a pool, vacations and weekend trips. Even with a delicate wash and line dry, they don't make it in good condition beyond a year, though she holds on to the ones from the year before as back-up. I generally am a little less rough on my suits, but due to size, quality of support, I have to invest good money in my annual swim wear purchase, though only buy one per year, and pretty much can't get by, even with sales for under $50. We get by cheap for DH, usually finding pretty basic swim trunks at end of year clearance in decent brands.  Still, even if bought prime time in the spring, his one trunk is half what DD2's little suits will cost. 

I'm hard pressed to think of what DD2 purchased for new school clothes last fall. Perhaps new under garment's, socks, shoes, and perhaps a sweatshirt. Last night she picked out four graphic t-shirts, another pair of shorts, and some Capri khaki's. By layering Kohl's cash from DH's last work shoe purchase, a $10 anniversary coupon for him, a $5.00 points card, and 20% off, two swim suits, four t-shirts, one pair of shorts, and the Capris came to $121.55, with another $20 in Kohl's cash returned to me. Sometimes, it is o.k. to spend money. While the swimsuits were a need, the rest was not, but sometimes it feels good to treat my daughter to something new before she heads out on an adventure.