Smart Marketing, Jacque Pene'!!

This morning, Marilyn, Molly, and I made our way to Memphis, where we will join the Karens for out St. Jude's Marathon Relay.  Tonight we all met up, ate dinner, and headed to the nearest JC Penney store in order to purchase some pink "Ugg-like" boots.  We bought the boots and headed next door to the Dollar Tree to find KB.  While in line, we were holding our JC Penney bag, and the lady behind us asked if we had gotten our "buttons."  When we responded that we had not (and that we had no idea what she was talking about), she proceeded to tell us the deal. 

In case you didn't know, JC Penney is giving out little metal buttons.  On the back of each button is a code which you enter online.  You can either have a winning button or not.  The lady in line had already won two $5 gift cards and two $25 gift cards.  Naturally, as soon as we paid the Dollar Tree lady, we headed back to JC Penney and got our buttons.  On the way back to the hotel, we found that Marilyn had won a $5 gift card and Molly (or me) had won a $10 gift card.  Which we promptly spent the next day at JC Penney.  And also got more buttons.

Why is this genius marketing?  Because normally I don't shop at JC Penney.  It's mostly because there's not one super close, and there are several Targets and Wal-Marts between me and JC.  It's also because I just haven't shopped there in a long time.  But in the past few days I have spent about $50 there and now have gift cards to go back and spend more (the new buttons revealed more $10 cards).  It's one of those things where I don't think so much about what I might be spending, but how much I am saving.  It's a great idea, and I am following it hook, line, and sinker - and getting some Christmas shopping done!

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The Good Stuff From Today:  safe road trip to Memphis; lunch at the Old Country Store with Molly ad Marilyn; dinner with the relay team; JC Penney and Dollar Tree shopping