Hell Yeah, HomeGoods!

I'm really cheap.

(Cheap like frugal, not cheap like skanky.) 

Whenever I need something for the house, I always check out HomeGoods first.  And usually, I can find what I'm looking for for a fraction of the cost of the exact item in a department store.  (If this sounds like a commercial, it's because I'm pushing HomeGoods.  But I am sincere about how much I love the place, too.)  I love HomeGoods not only because of the amazing deals (a set of king-sized 600-thread count sheets for $40!  a dutch oven for $24!  birthday cake scented candles for $6!), but also because of some of the hilarious weird stuff that I'll find.  Last year about this time I stopped in a HomeGoods and later posted about that visit.

Anyway, you can imagine my excitement when I got a complimentary $25 gift card in the mail from HomeGoods.  The idea was that I would buy gifts for other people (and then talk about it on the internet).  But here's the thing: I'd already completed my Christmas shopping.  So I decided that this gift card would be for Matt and me and our pretty little kitchen.  Here's what I picked up (all for $25!).

Awesome new box grater that grates right into a container. 

 This one was for Matt, who often gets stuck with the job of grating cheese (usually parmesan), and was growing tired of our little IKEA oval ones. 

A giant ice cream scoop. 

Why didn't I have one of these already?  I was planning on using it when we went to Hugh and Cassie's for Thanksgiving--you know, when I was supposed to make Mandy's Famous Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream.  But I forgot to bring the ice cream maker.  I did not, however, forget to bring this giant ice cream scoop. 

And, finally, I got his new whisk.  I already have a whisk exactly like this but orange, so I was a little reluctant to buy this one.  While I was shopping, I had it in my hands, fawning over the pretty periwinkle color.  I was talking to Matt on the phone, asking him if it was really excessive for me to buy another whisk exactly like my favorite orange one (apparently I never had this conversation with him while I was on my "different-colored enamel colanders" kick), and he assured me that since I'd received the gift card for free, that, no, it was not excessive and that I should buy what I want. 

I love it when Matt encourages me to be frivilous.  I also love it when he grates the parmesan cheese.

What about you?  Are you a HomeGoods shopper, or does it stress you out?