Shopping At Target and Running The Gauntlet

Is getting to be quite a chore navigating through the multitude of people wanting money outside the store. For years now Target has always run solicitors off and you never had to deal with anyone wanting a signature on a petition or a donation to whatever cause they want you to donate to. No kids were ever allowed to try and get you to buy the incredibly overpriced but yes it's for a good cause Boy Scout popcorn or the also incredibly overpriced but again for a good cause Girl Scout cookies. It just wasn't a thing you had to deal with when shopping at Target. Unlike Walmart where it seems there is always someone asking for something right outside the door.

Something changed in the past few months, though, and now every day right at 8 am when the store opens, both doors have a person sitting there with their little table and lockbox asking for donations for some homeless charity or something. I shop a lot at Target and really dislike having to pass by these people every single time I go in there. Can you tell them that you gave at the office even if you don't have an office?

Why do I feel so guilty when I shake my head no or just simply ignore them? I guess that is the whole purpose of having them stand outside the door in what is considered to be the richer side of town, to make all of use 'haves' feel guilty about the 'have nots' and stick some money in that box. I have no idea if the money actually goes to help the homeless, sometimes you wonder, but I really don't need a guilt trip every time I go to buy toilet paper. Yes, I am fortunate that I can AFFORD toilet paper, at least most of the time, but still.

I'm seriously considering shopping somewhere else, but Target still has that lure of good prices and fun merchandise and it's just around the corner from the house. So, either I need to keep some change in my pocket to put in the donation box or just get over my guilt and keep shaking my head no.

It was quite festive in Target today, though, what with all the Christmas stuff going out on the shelves, they even have specially packaged Christmas cat treats. No, I didn't buy any because the cats don't know from Christmas and really don't care what kind of packaging their treats come in, but I WAS tempted to buy one of the holiday cat toys.

I did buy a package of the white fudge covered Oreo cookies that only come out at Christmas time. If you've never tried them, DO, because they are absolutely delicious!