Buying Yarn and Supplies Online

When we are short of time, shopping online for yarn and supplies is so convenient. Surf, shop, and ship. So easy; so simple. But is it simple? I often forget, as I almost did today, to figure the shipping/handling into the price and compare with local shops.

Today, I had to back out of the transaction before I completed it. The shipping and handling would have been more than the merchandise itself.

I understand that some items are worth that extra money. Some things I just cannot get locally. But what I planned to order today is available at several of my local Wal-Mart, Michaels, and Jo-Ann stores. They are close enough that gas would not amount to a gallon's worth, even if our old van got as low as 8 mpg.

There are times when I have the extra money, times when an extra $10 does not matter. Right now, it surely does matter. I will order from that online shop later, for sure, because it is one of my favorites and they always have a really big selection of colors, weights, and other considerations to choose from.

Until then, I must take a deep breath and work an extra half hour or forty-five minutes into a shopping trip to pick it up. I must also have a 2nd and 3rd color choice in mind in case the local shop(s) are limited (they usually are).

The main thing is - most times, I really do have a choice. I might not always like that choice, but it's there.