I Got One for Free!
As I pulled my newly purchased supply of vitamins out, I showed my husband the deal I’d gotten. “Look! I got one for free! If you bought one, you got one for free so since I was already paying $24 for one bottle, I just grabbed the second one!” It was the four second pause that made me catch the echo of the words reverberating into space with absolutely no reaction from him whatsoever. That pause helped me understand the truth of the matter. “You could have probably bought just one for twelve bucks somewhere else,” he mumbled. And by all accounts, I knew he was correct as his expression gave way that I’d once again fed into the “deal of the day” sort of thing.
It reminded me of the time I’d gotten sidetracked on a grocery run when I noticed a man with a new set of knives demonstrating to-beat-sixty right there in the store aisle. I did not need a new knife but it was the slightly bent potato peeler with a screw on the end of it that got me. I was dazzled by the way he could just place it in the end of a potato and twirl it just so—so it came out in one long curly peel. Not only was I hooked, but I began to ask questions and ended up purchasing the whole pile of stuff.
And then there was the time when we were in a big city mall and a window washer stood right there—for real—and washed both sides of the window at once. The magnetic device that held the squeegee left an incredible streak free shine upon the glass. Not only was I sold, but on this occasion, so was my husband. In the town far away, we caved and bought the deal. Once home, I’m not sure we ever did used it and never did admit to one another we’d probably been hoodwinked a dime or two.
Still another time I called on the phone to get the deal of the day I’d seen advertised on TV. The dialing for deals began just as soon as the recording on the other end—began. Little did I know that once you bought one, they would offer two and when you bought two on they would go offering you another wonderful gadget or two or three. I can’t remember the product but pretty sure they were pillows which we had to fluff up in the dryer in order for them to expand. Well, we did, and they got so big we never could use em for much other than to shove them into a pillow case and let guests use them because they were the only extra pillows we had. Come to think of it, it’s no wonder we get so few guests.
Not to mention the big cash give away you can participate in without even having to purchase a magazine in order to win. In my mind, whenever the overstuffed envelope arrived by mail, I made up the rule that I’d have a better chance of winning if I did buy one or two or three— and always spent a little extra just in case—hoping those in charge would notice and be nice back and let me win. I no longer hold my breath and no longer order up the items sold. Instead I spend my time tossing out the offer rather than figuring out where to put the star or name or my special number in the correct spot on the envelope.
Matthew 10:16 says, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
I’ve never liked that analogy, but I’m not the boss. Being wise as a serpent never did appeal to me—especially since the Garden of Eden and all. However, if we take to heart that we need be watchful over all we say and all we do and all we spend and how we spend it—well then, it’s just smart advice from the Advice Giver. He desires we not stumble and fall. He also desires we not be taken advantage of—especially when it comes to money which should be spent wisely as unto the Lord.
Yes, deals are fun and they are tempting, but wisdom also is a prudent concept to live by. May I learn from past endeavors wisely in not only how I spend money, but how I spend my time trying to save it. Amen.
