All About the Benjamins

So I have been having a problem with money lately, in so much as I don't have much of it. A few days ago I decided to do something about this, so I tallied up what my expenses are for necessities, and it came out to be several hundred dollars less than what I make every four weeks. So where does my money go? And what am I buying? The latter question is much easier to answer than the former: I buy toys. Lots and lots of toys. And comics, too, but mostly toys. Justice League Unlimited toys, DC Universe Classics toys, old DC Direct toys, and really any other toys that I can get my hands on that look cool. I like toys. They're pretty awesome.

That still doesn't explain where the money goes, though. As with any good mystery, it's best to look at the possible suspects...

1. Target - I can't get enough of Target. I go there when I need stuff and I go there when I want stuff and I go there when I'm bored and decide I just want to get out of the house. Jennie believes that they pump chemicals into the building that make you spend more money than you ever intended to. I think she might be right. Part of the reason I go to Target so often is because of the aforementioned toys, specifically the Justice League Unlimited series. Those figures are Target exclusive, and they usually go pretty fast when they come in, though the distribution has gotten better and more product has been on the shelves, so I'm less obsessed with going to Target as a result. There was a while where I was going to at least one Target every day. Yipes. Thankfully, those days have passed.

2. The internet - Did you know that you can shop online?! It's amazing! And you don't even have to leave your chair! All you need to do is memorize your credit card number and you don't even need to get your wallet out to do it! The fact that I have my credit card number memorized is both a cause and a symptom of the problem. If I used it less I would not have it memorized, and if I didn't have it memorized I would use it less. Vicious cycle, that. There are several good toy websites from which I can order DC Universe Classics toys, which are increasingly difficult to find in stores. And then there's eBay, for anything else I might want in the world.

3. The Man - The Man takes my money. Simple as that. Give it back, The Man!

So I suppose there aren't that many suspects. What it all really boils down to is that I am horrible about spending my money. But that's all changing, dear reader. Last night I found myself at Big Lots. I was looking for toys (shocking!), and I remembered that I needed maple syrup. I'm not sure why looking for toys reminded me that I needed maple syrup, but it did, so I went with it. I knew that Big Lots carried some grocery products, so I decided to take a look. I walked away from that store with three boxes of name-brand cereal, a bottle of maple syrup, a big box of Pop-Tarts, and a box of granola bars. And for all of this, I spent a mere $12.30. IT WAS AMAZING. They don't carry stuff like bread or milk or orange juice, but canned soups? Cereals? Snack foods? Peanut butter? Jelly? Their cup runneth over, and it's all so cheap! I have thus resolved to do more of my shopping at Big Lots. It really seems to have sparked a money-saving revolution in my brain. We'll just see how long it lasts.

If nothing else, buying cheaper groceries at Big Lots will give me more money with which to buy toys. Sweet, sweet toys.