Student beats shopping challenge
Dashing through a mall to buy five gifts under
$100 in only one hour sounds impossible.
Feeling adventurous, I decided to take
the challenge on a Saturday afternoon.
Cynthia Tom
My first stop: South Coast Plaza Mall
in Costa Mesa.
Considering my time and price limit, I
parked at Robinson's-May, which is located near the generally less-expensive
stores in the mall.
First, I went to the Gap, a trendy clothing
store for both men and women. Glancing around, I saw little difference
between the men's and women's apparel, and left feeling confused. I decided
to stick to single-gender clothing stores.
Structure, a men's clothing store, was
my next stop.
"I have $30 to spend on my boyfriend, what
can you show me?" I said to an employee. I quickly settled for a pair of
paraflight pants totaling $26.40. I was out in 12 minutes flat.
Feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of
testosterone as I shopped in Structure, I headed for Victoria's Secret
Fragrance Shop.
With some help from the employees, I purchased
two gift sets containing a variety of lotions for my mom and older sister.
At $15 each, my total came to $32.33.
Three gifts down and two more to go.
Feeling inspired and confident, I headed
into Circuit City.
Once there, I spotted electronic organizers.
Opting for a $19 model for my dad, I paid the $20.47, and was on my way
after five minutes.
My good judgment lapsed momentarily after
my smart buy at Circuit City, and I found myself in the Disney Store, searching
in vain for something that wasn't overpriced in the cramped store. After
wasting two minutes, I left.
The front store window of The Limited Too,
a children's clothing and accessories store, convinced me that my little
sister would love an inflatable ottoman. It was a good buy that also fit
in my price range at $19.93 with tax.
With 87 cents in my wallet and seven minutes
to spare, I felt accomplished.
I decided to try my luck at another mall.
This time I visited the Westminster Mall.
I arrived at 5:08 p.m., and once inside,
I went to the Suncoast Motion Picture Co., a store that has memorabilia
from every movie imaginable. It's a great store with the potential of being
a one-stop Christmas shop as long as you know what everyone likes and has.
I didn't, and was soon on my way to Walden
Books. I spotted a cookbook for my mom totaling $17.23 and continued.
The Structure at Westminster had far more
clearance items as low as $4.99. However, I didn't find anything and moved
on.
Westminster Mall has a seasonal store called
Mrs. Anderson's that sells all types of personalized items.
These gifts are great for younger siblings,
like the $7.99 ornament I would have bought if I had a younger brother.
I added $8.61 to my imaginary tab.
At Victoria's Secret Fragrance Shop I found
a flask of massage oil. If I were a guy, that gift would only set me back
$6.47 for my girlfriend.
Wilson's Suede and Leather was the last
stop on my list.
The cellular phone bag and organizer for
$15 would be perfect for my dad and older cousin.
The final cost for both items: $32.33,
not bad.
So there you have it. Westminster: $64.64
in 40 minutes; and South Coast: $99.13 in 53 minutes. Santa eat your heart
out.
Cynthia Tom is a freshman majoring in
journalism. |
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