Frugal Friday: The cost of disorganization
You know how I always strongly encourage you to buy things when they are on sale and to buy enough to last you until the next sale?Well, that's usually what I do--especially when it comes to medicine since I am often able to pick them up for free with the deals at CVS. And I usually have more than enough to go around.
However, I recently cleaned out our supply and gave a bunch of medicine and household products away to a church who has a ministry to the homeless. I thought I had saved enough back to last us for two months or so but apparently I didn't inventory things well and in my haste, I got rid of all of our new children's medicines.
You know where this is going, don't you?
Kaitlynn has been struggling with teething this week and the only thing we've found to help her is Children's Tylenol. We used up the last of the bottle before bed last night but I was sure I had at least a bottle or two unopened in the cupboard so I didn't think twice about it.
Two hours later, Kaitlynn woke up feverish and crying and writhing in pain. We tried our usual remedies but when those didn't relieve her pain, we went to get her some more Tylenol.
And then it was that we both discovered there wasn't any Tylenol.
None. Nada.
In fact, we turned the medicine cabinet upside down looking for some and there was none to be found.
After an hour of searching and attempting to calm Kaitlynn, we both realized that the only way any of us were going to get sleep was with some Tylenol. So, at 2 am, Jesse made a trip to Walgreens to buy a bottle of Tylenol and a bottle of Motrin (just in case the Tylenol didn't work). I wasn't even thinking clearly enough to send coupons with him so he paid the full price for both bottles--to the tune of $17 dollars total! Folks, that's a whole lotta money to spend on medicine when you are used to buying it for free or more-than-free.
However, at that point, I didn't care; I just wanted Kaitlynn to have some relief. Gratefully, the Tylenol did the trick and she settled down somewhat and we were able to get a semi-restful few more hours of sleep.
But in the morning, it dawned on me that my lack of organization to realize we didn't have any Tylenol left--or to not donate our last unopened bottle in the first place!--would have saved us a lot of trouble, missed sleep, and $17! And Kaitlynn could have gotten relief much sooner.
Moral of this long story? Being organized really does save you money and frustration.
Maybe next time I'll remember that when I'm handing out the last dose of medicine in a bottle or taking inventory of what we have in our medicine cabinet. And maybe my sad little tale can serve as a reminder to you to do the same so you don't have to make a medicine run and pay full price for it at 2 in the morning!
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Labels: Frugal Friday
posted by Crystal Paine at 10:37 PM
44 Comments:
So true about being organised!
However, perhaps you could look at this situation as God allowing you to feel empathy for the people who don't have the money to run to the shop and get medicine, even when they need it. Even though it caused you some inconvenience, I hope you'll be encouraged to know how much of a blessing the medicine you gave away will be to someone else!
(True sacrifice lets you feel the sting of loss!).
Thanks for sharing about this!
Jess xx
Oh gosh how I hate it when that happens. So glad you had a store open 24 hours that you could go to. We don't have any such thing here so I'd really have been in trouble.
I know exactly how you feel. So often when we go away for a weekend or a family holiday, the children tend to get sick and we have to locate medication that we pay top dollar for. So frustrating when you know you've got bottles at home !!! Now whenever we go away, even for one night, I pack a full first-aid kit with everything (including thermometer) and it has come in handy so many times.
Tonia
Awww, I feel so bad for you Crystal! I did this too a few months back when Mucinex was on sale, I decided we didn't "need" it. What do you know? A few days later (after the sale, of course) Hubby gets sick and gets up at 3 am to run to Walgreen's to buy it for $15 or something like that! Thanks for reminding us the VALUE of staying on top of our home supplies!
We've been in a similar situation before. It really stinks! It stinks so bad that I've never let it happen again. I bet you won't either, lol. Glad your baby is better.
TrentTribe
I have done this many times before in my zealousness to declutter! It always seems as soon as you get rid of it, you need it!? Oh well! I am glad to hear Kaitlynn felt better after the medicine. She sure is having an awful time with those teeth! Poor baby! We will pray for her!
I concur with girlonfire....at least you had the $17 to spend on medicine your child needed. And that the medicine you gave away is being used by someone who doesn't have the $17 to spend.
I have learned very quickly on this problem that I have encountered just recently as well. I have such an abundance that I am helping others and give alot away not thinking or keeping an eye on what our monthly needs are and to my dismay it does cost an arm and leg when you suddenly have no choice but to purchase at full price.
You realize just then how good you have it with the CVS-ing and grocery deals and that my disorganization gets to me with a guilty tune.
Hoping we can all learn from this Crystal. It was nice though for you to share that even a money saving mentor can do mistakes just like the rest of us. We live and learn from one another.
Renee
Mom to four~
Thanks for sharing about this. I have often spent money I didn't need to due to a lack of organization - but it was mostly due to buying something I already had!
Blessings,
Liisa
I just had this happen when doing some organizing in our house.
I found a bunch of coupons that had just expired (I haven't a clue why I'd put them in the place I found them).
Most were for items I had purchased earlier in the month during my "stock up" shopping day... ouch!
Hi Crystal - if your coupons have not expired, I would definitely call and ask to speak to a manager and explain the situation. I have done that when I'm at the store, and forgot to use my coupons and they will usually give me the money back cheerfully. After all, they still get their coupon to apply toward the purchase. If they absolutely won't, if you didn't open the Motrin, take it back and get the money back, and then repurchase with the coupon. That is of course if you are planning a trip in that direction! Otherwise the price of gasoline will negate the savings as you well know.
Wow, so true about organization!!!
There are so many times that I have overbought things because I didn't realize that I had them or had to send the hubs out before dinner to grab something I thought I had.
Great post! I love the saying if you always give you will always have but planning goes a long way to that as well. God has given you a great mind for finding bargains and has enabled you to be able to give of that.
Praise God you had a 24 hr drugstore to run out to! I think you blessed someone else with your donation- so you should not feel bad at all!
Thanks, Crystal!
Great lesson! Do you have any system that you organize your medicine cabinet by?
I know what you mean. I hate when I do stuff like this! I have to pay attention to what my hubby is planning on buying too. If I'm not careful, he'll go out and buy stuff that we already have tons of. I try to get him to tell me before he buys something, so that I can at least send a coupon with him if I don't have what he needs already.
OH NO!!!!!! That's horrible. I have been able to avoid the emergency trip to the store for meds, but I know it's going to happen one of these days.
This is slightly off topic, but have you tried an amber teething necklace (inspiredbyfinn.com) or those hylands' teething tablets. I usually give my daughter teething tablets for nights like those, but since she has been wearing her necklace 24/7, she's not really needed it... even when cutting four teeth at once. The necklace cost me about $12 in a co-op on Diaper Swappers and it's been a total life saver. I saw a difference within 2-3 hours and she's back to Miss Crabby if I forget to put it back on after her bath. The stuff is amazing!
Another option would be to save your husbands receipt for the medicine and see if you can repurchase it on sale in the near future. Then return the new identical medicines with your husband's old receipt.
Very true! Organization is an area I have lots of problems with!
Hehe we don't use children's tylenol as we believe in going as chemical free as possible so therefore haven't tried it lol. The thing that works for our son is the six dollar bottle of Hyland's Homeopathic teething tablets from Wal-Mart. Those things are awesome! If you haven't tried those yet you could. Much cheaper too.
OOPS!! Somehow I got my link on twice...sorry! It's my first time doing this thing and I'm not sure what I did to get a smiley face either...but it just popped up next to my name.
Or you could try the store brand of Tylenol and Motrin. Still pricey but not nearly as pricey as the "real" stuff, and it works just as well.
We have been there with the late night runs to try to find something that will help a child. Not realizing it was your last bottle has, I'm sure happened to all of us at some point too. I hope tonight goes better for you.
I love Fridays. Thanks for hosting this.
Thanks for the reminder of the importance of being organized!
I need to do better in this area.
I know each child is different, but with our son, whenever he would awaken in pain from teething, I would simply nurse him and he would go right back to sleep. Now that our daughter is teething, we do the same with great results. We try to limit the amount of medicines our children get (though we certainly will use them, when necessary), so I much preferred nursing to pain relievers.
Ahh...things just happen sometimes. We've all btdt...more than once! Glad she is feeling better!!!
Lori
Crystal,
I love how humble you truly are. If I ran a blog where I showed how to save money, I'm not sure my pride would let me share my mistakes! You are a true example of a godly woman, and I want to thank you. Like the woman in Proverbs 31, you give me inspiration and a challenge to do better, every day.
Thank you!
-Emily
Ai yi yi I could have written this post! :)
I think the Lord used what you gave for someone that needed it so much more and couldn't get it.
oh no. :( that has happened to me several times! you think you don't need "that much" just to end up paying full price. maybe you can still return the motrin if you didn't use is.
Take your coupons back along with your reciept and Wal-greens should refund you the coupon amount. They have done this for me countless times. Just explain the situation to mgr and he should gladly refund your $$.
Weren't there storebrand or generic versions of these medications on sale for purchase? When I am buying something containing ibuprofen or acetaminaphen I can ALWAYS find a generic version that is MUCH less costly.
Crystal,
About teething, have you tried the Boiron Homeopathic Teething liquid Camilia and/or the Teething gel from Boiron? It is all I have ever used for all our 8 children. It works in about 20 minutes. We have had kids go from grumpy to happy with this stuff!! HTH.
Cindy
Crystal - excellent reminder to us! Conversely, I have found that disorganization causes me to not be able to find things we already have and go out and purchase more/another...
Do you have any objections to store brands of meds? I'd like to hear your thoughts. That would have certainly saved you a few dollars...
Oh so true! I've been there many a time!
Thanks for the reminder. I need to start implementing a regular inventorying of my cabinets so that kind of thing doesn't happen as often as it does in my house.
have a wonderful weekend!
Sheila
Sure hope the little one is feeling better today! Bet that 17 bucks sure hurt too. Ah well at 2 am when your baby's in pain, relief is worth every penny!
One thing that is helping me is I have purchased clear dresser drawers that are about 4 feet high and I have labeled them with each health and beauty type item.
I may be totally off base here, but I've had this thought other times as you've mentioned K's teething pain.
I wonder if, by chance, you (or she) has eaten something high in nitrates a few hours before these screaming episodes? My little Lily absolutely can not tolerate my eating anything like hot dogs, summer sausage, Deli-type lunch meat - even some brands of immitation crab meat. basically, any processed meats (not that we eat them often anyways..)
anyways, it might be something to notice....
ALSO - clove oil works wonders for teething pain ~ have you tried it? just put a dab on a q-tip & being careful not to touch anywhere else, put it on the affected gums. it really has a numbing effect, while also providing some antimicrobial assistance. You can also slightly dilute (4:1) the clove oil with a carrier oil (any oil that's good for your skin)and rub it all around her jaw line and ears (externally) I would probably only do this one at bedtime, though - as you wouldn't want her to end up rubbing it into her eyes... it may numb most things, but it BURNS in the eye!
blessings ~ Tracy
My friend is in the DR and they don't have access to medicine in the middle of the night and it cost them almost 4xs as much as in the states. When I went to Germany with my kids, my friend there reminded me to bring this for the kids because it's expensive and not as accessible.
When I found out that my friend couldn't get tylenol as easily, I contacted my dad - who is a Pharmacist for CVS - and had him ship coupon and employee discounted Tylenol to my friend in Jaraboca for the kids in their school.
It makes me thankful to buy tylenol, otc, anytime...
Agreed about organized, but it was a good cause.
~ Cat
I feel so bad for you Crystal. The samething has happened to me before. I am glad your litte one is feeling better. If you didn't open one of the bottles and still have the reciept maybe you can return it? I don't know just a thought.
We just did this same thing... except for with our goats! It's frustrating because you don't really want to run to the store at 10:30, and after that the stores close!! Thanks for reminding us to be organized!!
Alex
Oh how I hate when that happens! I see others have already commented on "missed coupons", so I'll save my words on that topic. Just an FYI from an older mommy...teething alone never causes fevers. I see from your other blog that your daughter was later diagnosed with an ear infection. Too often teething pain is confused with other illnesses. Thank the Lord your little one was diagnosed and treated.
We learned the hard way with our oldest daughter...the poor girl suffered endlessly with ear infections until I finally decided my mother-in-law was wrong about her fevers being "just teething" and took her in to the doctor. Double ear infection! The doctor explained that fever is the body's way of fighting an infection. Now when we see our 7 month old son spike a fever and cry in obvious discomfort, we immediately consult our pediatrician.
Hope your little girl is feeling better today.
Thanks for all your wonderful posts, by the way!
Super idea. I'm in. I added your meme to the Daily Memes List.
http://heartofwisdom.com/blog/memes-lists/
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