There were loads of expensive, licensed items to splurge on at the High School Musical: The Ice Tour show at the Bridgeport Arena.
How many times have your kids begged you for a package of crackers/cereal/you-name-it with a picture of Dora or Shrek on the box? My kids still ask, I still say (and always will say…) “no!” There is so much to be said about brand names and how to bypass this problem of spending too much on items with logos and such. There’s a quick and interesting article, called “Giving Brand Names the Boot,” on this from all places–the Disney website!
I had to deal with this issue a few weeks ago when our family went to the Harbor Arena in Bridgeport to see the High School Musical on Ice Show. The tickets were a Christmas present for the kids, and of course, they cost a pretty penny. I forgot about all the overpriced logo-laden merchandise that vendors would be hawking. My daughter really wanted a t-shirt with the High School Musical cast on it. But, with a price tag of $15-$20-plus a pop, I was not willing to give in. So, my husband and I had the bright idea of going to Kohl’s on the way home and pick up a t-shirt there for her for much less money. Of course the selection was thin after the holiday season, but we managed to find one on sale for $9.99–not as cheap as I would have liked! And, of course, it did not say “High School Musical On Ice Tour” but my daughter did not care at all about what it said on the t-shirt, just as long as it had something about High School Musical.
In the end, we felt better that we did not give in to the pressure to walk out of the Arena with a bag of overpriced merchandise, but, we did end up going to get her a t-shirt for more than I bargained for. I’m hoping we instilled some sort of lesson about not giving into impulse buying. (posted by Marilyn)
Two Frugal Fairfielders 