I frustrate myself so. I read about a book that sounded very good (When the Emperor was Divine). I decide I should read it. I have a gift card right here from Barnes and Noble. I will finally use it after it has sat here for almost a year. I go to bn.com. I find the book. Oh, and there is another book a friend says I must read (Secret Life of Bees). I click on it, too. Okay, now, I'm not quite up to the $25 of my gift card and if I get to $25 I don't have to pay shipping, which would be nice. I find 1776 which I have heard is very good and I know Mark would read it, being non-fiction. I click on it. Hmmm, not the total is over $40 so I'm going to need another credit card to complete the order and I'm thinking how broke I am right now and do I really need these things? I know the the Secret Life of Bees is right up the street at Half Price for just a few dollars and I check half.com and yes, I could get it there for just a few dollars, too. And yes, the other books are also at half.com for a lot less and I'm sure they are probably just up the street at Half Price, too. So I cancel the order and I continue without the books I want to read and without using the gift card.
I have a Borders gift card that has been here six months (or is a year and six months? I got it for a birthday), too. I am just not a gift card user. Since these are for nice bookstores, I should use them for the whole bookstore experience and go and browse and find something unexpected and wonderful. Or just go use them to drink coffee sometime. There are options, I just don't ever think of them at a time when I should. Frustrating.