I briefly thought about getting a seasonal job recently. I go into our Old Navy a lot. I literally live 5 minutes from it and am constantly going in to see what’s new, even if I’m only there for a few new cami’s or socks or something. Sometimes I’m not buying anything at all. One of the managers got to recognizing me and I joke around about how I’m there “AGAIN”. She said that now I just needed to work there.  We got chatting about it once. I’ve got a job as a graduate assistant so I don’t NEED a job. But oh, wouldn’t it be fun? So, for the hell of it, I applied and without an interview, she wanted to hire me. The training would have been starting this Friday.

But I decided not to go for it, despite the fact that it would only be for the holidays, oh and think of the discounts! Not only at Old Navy, but at Gap and Banana Republic, too! Even though I’ve vowed not to do any clothes shopping in the near future. I called yesterday to tell them that I decided to not take the job. (Dan is sulking because he wanted the Banana Republic discount like WOAH. He loves trolling the sale racks…) Boo, right? Maybe.  I mean, I was barely going to be able to work at all. Maybe one day a week? Sure, it would have brought in a couple hundred dollars. But it would have been frowned upon  when I went to ask off 9-10 days for our venture to Colorado right around Christmas. When I would be needed the most.  Not to mention that I’d really get started as the semester is winding down and life isn’t easy when semesters wind down. I have lots of projects to get done, etc.

My biggest fear? Disappointing that manager who really wanted me to work there. That’s silly, though. I’ll still go in there all the time…I see things online, then want to inspect them in person, ok? Lol…I shop plenty at Old Navy, by the way, because their clothes are decent and decently priced. If I bought expensive clothes, I wouldn’t be able to afford to replace them regularly.

I have the hardest time just saying, no, not interested. I just see people get all excited and I’m afraid to let them down. It probably didn’t let her down at all. She doesn’t know me personally, and it’s not like I started the job then decided to quit. That’s what I didn’t want to happen. Start the job, hand over the days I need off AND then get too stressed out.

At the same time, I really wanted the job and the discounts… But I also felt guilty for possibly taking a job away from someone who actually NEEDS it. Yes, it would have been nice to have extra Christmas cash on hand. VERY nice actually. But someone out there is more excited about it and needs the opportunity so their kids can have a nice Christmas. I think that will be one of my good deeds for the season — a moment in which I needed to remember that greediness isn’t kosher.

Dan and I aren’t buying each other gifts this year. We’re not doing terribly budgetwise and we’re certainly not poor. But we’ll be spending enough money in Colorado, I am sure. I think we’ll get each other something small, and stocking sized, but that’s about it. It will be a frugal Christmas. A smart Christmas.