Seven Cents

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Today I set out to accomplish the serious task of spending seven cents.

I know, I know. You are thinking "How on earth can spending seven cents be a serious task?"

I tell you it is. It took me nearly an hour and a half to do so.

The problem all began several months ago when I signed up for a Macy's credit card so that I could save 20% on a wedding gift I was purchasing.

A month later when it came time to pay the bill, (what with my change in residence) I had neither my credit card nor my statement and the customer service representative couldn't tell me how much I owed.

So I had to guess.

And I paid seven cents more than I owed.

I never intended to keep my Macy's credit card. I wasn't even going to activate it. But month after month I got the notice that I had a seven cent credit to my name.

I'm not one to enjoy contributing to paper waste, so I knew it was time to spend those seven cents.

There is a reason I never intended on activating my credit card. I can't even afford their 50% off clearance items.

Really, if it weren't for my concern for the environment and my distaste in leaving loose ends, I would have left Macy's and let them send me statements of seven cents for the rest of my life.

But all was not utterly hopeless, there was a clearance table in the sock section, and I found one item that I thought worth it's discounted price.

The cashier rang it up and commented on what a good buy it was, an 80% savings coming to $2.27.

I nearly told her "You have no idea" because after all, I didn't even need to whip out a piece of scratch paper to make sure I knew what my new bill would be!

Even though I fully intend to cancel my Macy's card now, I do have this to say for them: When I stopped on my way out at another cash register and asked to make a payment on my bill... the saleswoman said not a word when I pulled out two dollar bills and two dimes.

She nearly started laughing, but she didn't say a word.

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