Sooooo 50% off $120.00 is how much?

It's the end of January.  Even though the weather is still chilly and there's plenty of freezing nights ahead of us still, in the stores, it's time to prepare for the next season.  Simply put, if you're needing gear for next winter, now is the time to buy.

I called my mom, invited her along and off we went, stopping at Fred Meyer first.  Now Fred Meyer can have great sale prices when clearing stuff out but you have to keep in mind that items can start much pricier to start with.  Something of good quality though, just might be worth the higher price, even on sale. 

We came across a lovely coat perfect for Kate.  It was in the woman's section, so no girly pink or purple.  More like a ski jacket, very compact, not bulky in the least with an edgier purple, black and grey plaid fits Kate's maturing style.  The coat hung from a clearly marked rack of 50% off but the original price of $120.00 still kept me grabbing the perfect coat and marching straight to the registers.  My mother being the kind and generous woman she is, offered to put her spare cash in making a payment of $40.00 plus tax more doable for us.

Since there wasn't anything suitable for Ean in the store, off to the checkout we went.  There wasn't a line and we didn't have to wait.  I was fussing with my purse while the coat was rung up and my mom leaned forward and whispered I needed to check the price.  Glancing up to a number rounded up to $78 gave me pause.  I mentioned to the checker that I thought there was a mistake, the coat was clearly on a rack marked 50% off.  She must have been tired because she glanced at the price tag and said "Well it was $120.00."

I stopped a moment.

It's a been a long time since I was in school but I'm pretty sure I can halve $120 and add $4.00 tax and still have less then $78.00

I calmly pointed out the math and the waiting began.  First for a call back from ladies clothes.  Then a gal came up from the back because she had no idea what coat the checker was talking about.  Then she went back again to try to find where it was found. 

In the meantime, the line behind us started stacking up.  A few employees came by to find out why our line was stalled.

I joked at least we hadn't gotten in the express line.

Finally a call to say that the clothing department employee couldn't find where the coat was found, so my mother and I took the coat back to the racks and had to hunt down the woman helping us.  It took maybe five minutes to locate her.

Then there was a call to someone that could look up stock on the computer.  Then a call to someone else and finally a call to the service desk so we could check out with the right price.  In the end, I think mostly to another coat on the rack that was the same brand, same style, we got the 50% off. 

I must say, even with the confusion, I appreciate the obvious effort from the store employees to figure out what was actually going.  It would have been easier to say the price that was rung up, was the proper price.

Kate appreciates her new coat. 

I love when my children show gratitude.