Advance Auto Parts — $3.70
I bought a 2-pack of Sylvania bulbs for The Tanks’ back-up lights (read about my adventure here).

New bulb:  $1.85.

Labor to fix non-functional back-up light:  $0.00

Bonding, learning experience with the son:  Priceless

Best Buy — $38.71
I stopped in to pick up the camera I’d purchased on-line last night.  While there, I learned a few lessons.

One, it’s best not to use a one-time, temporary credit card number for “buy on-line, pickup locally” purchases.  At least not if you’re buying from Best Buy.  Each transaction is tracked by the number on the credit card used to make the purchase and you must show the purchasing credit card along with your ID in order to pick up your purchase.  Since my purchasing credit card number not the number on my actual credit card, it took some deft finagaling of the system by an obviously intelligent cashier to make things work out okay.

Two, I was supposed to add my free 2GB memory card into my cart in order to take advantage of the “free card with purchase” deal.  I don’t know how I missed that one; I’m usually much more on-line shopping cart savvy than that.  But somehow I missed it.  Again, thanks to the abilities of an intelligent cashier and an equally adept supervisor, everything worked out perfectly.  I went to the camera section, found the 2GB PNY SD card, brought it back to the cashier, and she zeroed out the purchase for me.  That was a $39.99 card I got for free!

So if I’d stopped at the camera and the free memory card I could have walked out without spending any money.  But what fun would that have been?  Just kidding.  Truth is that when I picked up the camera, attached to the box was a coupon for 10% off any two or more qualifying accessories.  I knew I wanted an extra battery for the camera and had planned to pick up a camera case as well so I was happy to put the coupon to use.

A helpful Best Buy employee found the right battery without any troubles.  I would have gone for one of the standard camera cases with a shoulder strap, belt loop, zippered compartment, and extra velcroed pocket but I was shopping for The Daughter so I needed to think a little less “practical” and a little more “fashion accessory.”  I picked out a pink quilted case with a drawstring and a cute little round spring clip.  Some time in the next day or two I’ll have to find an opportunity to pull it out from the dark reaches of my closet and see if the pink case will accessorize acceptably with her LL Bean messenger bag

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