Have you ever went to the grocery store for milk and left with a whole cart full of items? What you thought was going to be a $5 trip becomes $98.23. Or if you go buy a shirt at the mall and leave having bought a coffee, belt and some earrings? (ok I have never bought earrings, but thought I would try to relate to the ladies)
Well this happened to me on my last two trips to the YMCA. My family gets an unbelievable monthly rate, so low I can’t even tell you without getting someone in trouble. We are so grateful to be able to bring our family and foster kids on regular basis to swim and work out. But the last two trips didn’t work out financially for us.
Evening One : The sun was setting as we were leaving and we hurriedly packed the five kids in the van and set out for home. Hardly 300 yards from the parking lot we had the lights flashing behind us that we all hate to see. Yes Mr. LawEnforcement pulled me over. A few minutes and $120 later we were on our way home with a nice ticket for not completely stopping at the stop sign. Argh.
Evening Two : Desperate to have a few minutes of solitude I escaped to the sauna before I was to meet up with my daughter. The sauna was really hot this particular evening and I had my glasses on my face. Hot and plastic don’t go together so I removed them from my face before the nose piece seared to my skin. Not really thinking (yes I know a shock to some of you) I burnt my thumb print into the center of my left lens and rendered my glasses unbearable to wear. So $70 for an eye exam and $174.96 for new glasses slipped right out of my pocket.
I planned on just paying my pennies those evenings when I enter and left spending $364.96. Hate it when that happens. Has this ever happened to you?

Have you just wanted a gallon of milk and left with a cart full?