Value

Here's a little lesson on value vs use.

I am a VALUE girl. I use coupons. I go to flea markets. When it warms up (but not too warm) I hit garage sales on Saturday's. When we build this new house you won't catch me at Ethan Allen. I'll be hitting up Craigslist. This is just how I'm built. My maternal parents lived and breathed this way and I'm pretty sure it's hereditary.

Recently I started watching more Rachael Ray. I find her recipes a little involved AND she uses a million ingredients. Who has time for that? But she also uses the NICEST dishes. I fell in love with these, after watching her programs. This is the Rachel Ray Bubble and Brown Set. $39.99 at most places and believe me I searched EVERYWHERE to see what the best deal was.

During said research I came upon something that spun my world off it's axis. I found out QVC sells Rachel Ray too ... and you can get this 7 piece set for $50.00

YES, $10 more and you get 5 more pieces. I ... didn't know what to do. My friend Lori keeps QVC in business so I emailed her.  She gave me some interesting information - sometimes QVC makes special pieces. MAYBE I wouldn't even find this set in the stores (and frankly I haven't been able to). So ... wow for $10 more I could get something sort of custom.

Well ... there's a problem. The Bubble and Brown set are 1 and 1.5 Qt. Perfect for Conrad and I. The 7 piece set have 4 and 4.5 Qt pieces along with 4 small ramekins. More for the money, yeah, totally. BUT I don't know that I would ever use it. I mean for 4 Qt we'd have to have us, and Conrad's sisters entire 4 person family over for dinner. I don't think I'd get any use out of it. I really don't. So - then that means NO value, right? If I never use it, then the extra $10 for all that stuff doesn't mean a thing. This is a HARD lesson. Every fiber of my being wants to have MORE for my money.

Also, those ramekins are freakin' CUTE. Look at these. Oh .... SWOON. They are $25 for the set. AND I already have ramekins. Like, three different sizes of ramekins. They aren't this cute though. :(

So, I've decided I am going with the original set I loved and I'll use for $39.99 - and I will put on my birthday, Christmas or Ebay list (keeping my eye out for a deal) the cute ramekins. I can live with that, I'm happy with that ... and this is like a ONE MONTH LONG lesson. Today I going to buy the ones I want. I suppose it was worth the month long wait ... I mean I'm glad I did the research. I just wish I was a little loser with the money. I mean, really? A month long agnoizing decision? Over pottery? Really? Well ... surely Conrad is grateful. Not to mention it's not costing us a dime. I'm using my Christmas money. Yep, February and I still have my Christmas money. Proof positive I am a freak!

Karyn