Alright so summer hits hard right? And my kids suddenly decide our pool looks boring. They’re begging for floaties and water guns like yesterday. My wallet’s already crying from AC bills so fancy pool toys? Nah. Gotta find cheap options nearby, no delivery wait.
The Price Shock
First stop? Big box store downtown. Walked in all hopeful. Bam! Nearly choked. That giant flamingo float? $80! Pack of three noodle things? $25. Even the lousy plastic rings were like $15. My brain went “Nope. Absolutely not.” Turned around and walked out faster than I came in. Felt like robbery.
The Bargain Hunt
Okay, plan B. Hit the road hunting for deals. Remembered that kinda sketchy looking dollar store near the old laundromat. Figured, what’s the worst? It’s all garbage anyway. Walked in, aisles stuffed with random junk. Took a minute pushing past beach towels and weird garden gnomes. Then… bingo! Back corner was swimming pool stuff. Mostly.
- Pool noodles: $1.25 each. Felt flimsy but hey, it’s foam.
- Basic dive rings set: 99 cents. Plastic? Probably. Functional? Maybe.
- Mini squirt guns, 2 pack: $1.50. Kids wouldn’t care if they broke.
Scored a big pack of water balloons too for $2. Threw it all in a basket. Still under $10. Breathing easier now.
The Unexpected Score
Leaving the dollar store, saw the drugstore across the street. Usually pricey, but worth a peek? Wandered in, headed straight for the seasonal section. It was chaos – sunscreen, bug spray, flip flops. Dug around at the bottom of a messy bin. And there? A slightly dusty but perfectly good inflatable beach ball. Marked down to $2.99. Yes! Tossed that in too.
Mission Complete (Mostly)
Final haul? Noodles, rings, squirt guns, water balloons, one beach ball. Total damage: $12 and change plus gas. Kids were thrilled just seeing the bags. Only hiccup? The cheap floaties weren’t at the dollar store. Big dragon one would’ve been cool. But later, hit up a discount outlet on the edge of town. Found a basic kid’s arm floaty chair thing for $8. Good enough. Summer crisis averted. Learned my lesson: Skip the fancy stores first. Dig deep in the weird dollar spots and dusty drugstore corners. The deals are hiding.