What the Store Clerk Won't Tell You

I don't know if it is legal to use someone else blog post but I will give credit to the writer she has a blog called Joyful Living and her is her most recent post. I just thought with the Holidays coming up and all of us shop I thought her blog hit home. Please enjoy reading and maybe keeping somethings in mind when we are shopping this holiday season!!!


What the Store Clerk Won't Tell You

A trip to the mall yesterday was a vivid reminder that the busiest shopping season is almost here. Through the mall there were huge signs posted for Christmas "Be the Santa", Christmas music playing and plenty of merchandise being put out. If Thanksgiving had already passed, I would have fallen in the Christmas spirit, but I like to wait until Thanksgiving is over before jumping in to celebrate the season.

Here is a cute reminder to think of the hard working store clerks as they deal with the Christmas rush. Let's spread Christmas joy and good will when we shop by being good customers and bringing a spot of cheer with a smile and kind word.

13 Things Your Salesclerk Won't Tell You


1. The greeters who welcome you to our store aren’t really there to greet you. If we look you in the eye as you’re coming and going, you’re less likely to shoplift.


2. I won’t ask a yes-or-no question like "Can I help you?” Instead, it’s always an open-ended “What can I help you find today?"

3. Many retailers count the shoppers who come in, then calculate the percentage who actually buy something. If I don’t “convert” enough browsers to buyers, I hear from my district manager.

4. New merchandise goes at the front of the store, bargains at the back. The end caps on the back side of aisles at Target, for instance, usually have items 15 to 75 percent off. If you want a deal, try to figure out when your favorite retailer does its markdowns. Some do them on Thursdays or Fridays, others at the end of the month.

5. When you ask me if something looks good on you and I suggest a different style, take the hint.

6. Sure, I’ll put that sweater on hold for you. But most of the time, you don’t come back. So don’t blame me if I sell it to someone else.

7. My pet peeve? Customers who paw through a stack of shirts. Now I’ve got to spend 15 minutes board-folding that whole pile again.

8. Even though most of us don’t work on commission, sometimes we’re given a sales goal for each customer. If we meet it consistently, we’ll get bonuses and, eventually, a promotion. So when I tell you about a pair of earrings that would go perfectly with that sweater, I might have an ulterior motive.

9. Please don’t tell the cashier no one was helping you after I brought you six different sweaters in the fitting room. It’s rude.

10. We do a lot more than unlock fitting rooms. We scrub the bathrooms, Windex the mirrors, dust the shelves, answer the phone, and clean up after our customers. And that includes two-year-olds.

11. And what is it about fitting rooms that brings out the worst in people? You stick gum to the walls and even leave dirty diapers in there.

12. After you buy something, keep your receipt and pay attention. Most mainstream retailers promise a refund if the item goes on sale within a certain number of days after you buy it. Websites like priceprotectr.com track the prices of hundreds of products from retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon, and Sears.

13. With savings clubs, e-mail deals, coupons, Internet discount codes, and other incentives, fewer and fewer people are paying full price.

One year older

Well I hit the 55 year old mark this year in October. A girl at work asked me my age and I said "I am 55 years old today!" and she said " that isn't an age thats a speed limit!".

So here I am a speed limit. A little over half way to a 100. I now can get some SENIOR CITIZEN discounts in some places. This I really don't mind, but I don't even feel close to 55. I mean in my head I am still that 18 year old person who wants to have fun, like sledding...I think if I got down on a sled today I would break a hip or something. I thought of this today as I bought tubes for Beth to have for the snow this year.

I may not be able to sled but I can go tubing!!! I know this because I went last year and had a blast! In my head I can walk the mall for hours shopping, looking in windows, watching people....but now the next day my hips are so sore I have to relax and not do much for the day. The mind is willing but the body is not. Famous words from my father. I now am beginning to understand those words.

I know I push myself to do things because I don't want to admit that I can not do them as well as before. I believe I can do all I used to do but in a more slower relax and careful way. Anyone who knows me well knows I am not careful or slow. I walk with a pace most have a hard time keeping up with, I am so spontaneous it is not funny, I don't look before I leap, I go full speed ahead.

Age is that funny thing that creeps up on you and one day you look in the mirror and wonder who is looking back. I can't be as old as my reflexion shows can I? I have wrinkles where there was none just a few short years ago. I now have white hair, which I do like but it is a age meter to people who I meet. They see the white hair and just assume I am old.

The wisdom I have learned thought the years is such a hind site thing. If I had only known then what I know now. I hope to past this insight on some things to my children.

Well age will come every year and I will get older. I want to live my life best I can, take care of this body I have to enjoy this life with, give wisdom when needed, be able to have a good relationship with my children, make them proud to have me as their mother and be someone they would like to share things with. I do have experiences in life to share.

I would not trade my life so far for any thing, the good and the bad because that is what makes me me. I will grow old, that is the way of life, white hair and all. I want to enjoy my life and not put a number on it because age will keep knocking at my door.

A Contracted Employee Finally!!!!!

Well I am finally an employee of the Christina School District!!!!! It has only taken me 6 and a half years to get to this point but I am there now and that is all that counts.

I got the call on my birthday to see if I would like to accept the position that I am already working in and that I have worked in for the past 4 years. Nothing changes with my duties but a lot will change with this new temporary contract. Don't let the words "temporary contract" scare you, it is just because they offered a contract to me after the start of school.

What will change for me:
1) I GET PAID IN THE SUMMER!!!! Yes I now can have my pay for 26 pays which will enable me to get paid though the summer.

2) I get benefits at little or no cost to me. The state will pay for me to get health, vision, and dental free. I get a stipend allotted to me which covers this. I might be able to cover the family but will be looking into more.

3) I get personal and sick days!!!!! Before if I did not work I did not get paid. This will be nice.

4) I get paid holidays!!!

5) I get a pension!!! I know how much can be put into it since I am 55 years old but something is better then nothing.

6) I get a pay raise!!! Have to find out how much but then again anything is better then what I am getting now.

7) I am thankful to have a job. At this time of year and the way the world is today I am so thankful to have employment and be able to contribute to m,y family and the comforts we are able to have. I also am thankful to be able to help the children I work with. They learn so much and get such a jump on their education. They also teach me a lot so it goes both ways.

The winter is coming and hopefully we don't get a bad one again this year but what ever happens I will be warm in the knowledge that I have a job.