MY OWN BLUE CHIP STAMP STORY!

I got this for completely FREE! No shipping and handling, no tax, no surcharge.....FREE!

It is in caviar...a pretty black sparkly color! I have wanted one for a long time. I even asked for it for Christmas, but it wasn't really in our budget this year so I crossed it off.

I remember hearing stories of old of items people got with their "blue chip stamps". I specifically remember a Brady Bunch episode where the family saved enough "stamps" to purchase something at the special blue chip stamp store only to get to the store and the boys wanting one item and girls wanting a sewing machine...the children fighting...and then if I remember correctly the family held a card house game against Greg and Marsha. Whoever won, got to pick their choice! Marsha won, if I am still remembering the episode correctly {which I should...I grew up watching re-run after re-run}. They got to the store right when they were closing and the store clerk remembered them well and was not thrilled they were there. When they got home from their shopping spree the showed the prize and it wasn't a sewing machine...but a new TV for the whole family to enjoy!

I personally have never experienced a blue chip stamp moment (too young), but I do remember walking through the grocery store with my mother and oowing and awwing over the dishes that you could choose should you earn enough points with grocery store receipts! I dreamt of the day I would pick my set of dishes for my very own kitchen!

Well I really have wanted a Kitchenaid mixer for awhile now. I have never loved the price tag though. I did get one for my first wedding, but my ex-husband insisted on returning it for a VCR player instead. I was bummed, but agreed that we would get more use at the time from a VCR player. He got the VCR player in the divorce, actually he got everything...I wanted a clean, fresh start.

So I had crossed off the mixer from my Christmas list when I realized that it was not going to be allowed in the budget. I really wanted to get Dave his "want" item...he works so hard for our family and I wanted that special item under the tree for him. I used our budget for that gift and decided to wait until next year for mine. Imagine my surprise when I checked an email for our "thank you rewards points" attached to our debit card. I knew it was there...but hadn't checked it in over a year. I had 50,000 reward points. I quickly looked up the mixer...it was 43,500 points!! Woohoo...I called Dave, ran it by him....and "clicked" purchased it for FREE!

It came a few days after Christmas. It was so exciting. I went around telling everyone my "blue chip stamp story". Now I just have to get the guts to use it. For some reason it intimidates me. I think I need a real life demonstration at my home....anyone interested?!