Advice Etc.;gonzo Shopper

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SHOPPING PHILOSOPHY 102

Since the beginning of time, women have been the gatherers in most cultures. It's fallen to us to maintain home and hearth and the wherewithal contained therein. Translation: We shop.

Many people have come to despise shopping, and that aversion probably exists because shopping has become equated with work. "I have to buy groceries." "We need new sheets and towels." "The kids must have new shoes." Put that way, of course, it's work.

The whole point of gonzo shopping is to get the best value for the least outlay. The pursuit of used goods transforms shopping into a game - and not a trivial one, at that. When you play the game …