Just recently, A very good question was posted on the Feel Free to Prosper Network.
 
I thought this was an excellent subject to share with you as I have no doubt that with the current climate that has most people concerned, this subject is probably on the minds of many who desire to maintain a prosperity consciousness when outer appearances suggest the opposite.
 

The Question:
 
"I consider myself a good shopper: use coupons, wait for sales, buy generic, etc. But are these smart shopper "actions" sending a bad signal to my subconscious? After all, the message I want to send is "I can afford anything (at any price)." How about it, do we have to be as careful with our actions as we are with our words?"
 

My Answer:
 
Here are my thoughts relating to prosperity consciousness vs. bargain consciousness...
 
On the subject of sales and bargains, there is something magical that happens when you acquire a prosperity mindset.
 
Have I ever mentioned to you that one of the great perks of acquiring a prosperity consciousness is that savings and discounts of all kinds will follow YOU on the path. When we are connected to our Universal Source, suddenly it seems like the Universe becomes your personal shopper whose goal is to provide you with the best for your needs at the very best price. You no longer have to shop to seek the best prices - no comparison shopping, no bargain hunting. Discounts and savings seek you and appear before you magically as if you are the elite member of a private wholesale club. Except that the savings you attract are often far below wholesale!
 
This is not to be confused with a kind of "bargain" thinking that is based on lack and the consciousness and fear of not having enough. The spontaneous manifesting of savings - the real bargains - come when we accept prosperity as natural to us and know that the Universe is providing for all our needs. It's a joyful experience. We really do feel guided. We attract bargains at the highest possible level. We are spontaneously led to the right place at the right time.
 
I recall a couple of my many experiences over the years of being guided specially in this way to 'Universal' size bargains. :-)
 

I have always loved beautiful and very fine quality handbags. I also love touches of leopard in my wardrobe and accessories (not real fur, of course).
 
Well, one year I walked into Nordstrom's and found an absolutely gorgeous black leather and leopard handbag. It was extremely expensive looking, but I didn't recognize the designer name. The attached tag showed the price of $135 - not at all unreasonable for such a beautiful bag. I had to have it. It was the only one in the department. I gave it to the saleswoman and she looked at the tag and told me she couldn't sell it to me. She said this designer's bags sold for at least $500-600 and this had to be mislabeled. Although the label was attached, she refused to sell it to me. She believed she was justified. The manager wouldn't be in until the next day. We arranged for the saleswoman to put the bag on hold and have the manager call me that next day to give me the correct price.

The next day, the department manager called me, told me the bag was $600 or so, but that since there was an attached tag that read $135, she told me that by law (or store policy, I don't remember which), she had to sell me the bag for the displayed price. She told me to come pick up my bag for $135. :-)
 
I still have that beautiful bag after many years and it still looks brand new. I have found that expensive bags do seem to stay new looking for years.
 
Another year I found an elegant Donna Karan Couture clutch handbag in a department store. It was $900 - way beyond the price I would choose to spend. But I had a "hunch" to ask the saleswoman if the bag might go on sale at some point. For some unknown reason, she looked over the bag very carefully and found an imperceptible teeny flaw hidden in a fold that no one would ever see. I certainly would not have found it. But she said that since it had that teeny flaw, she would be able to sell it to me at half price! Now remember, I never asked for this. She offered. Another beautiful bag I still have that receives many compliments.
 
One of my most striking experiences happened when I acquired a complete collection of Villory & Boch dinnerware a couple of years ago. I didn't set out to buy a collection - I thought I would buy a few place settings of the gorgeous Plantation and Tropical Switch Collection, which I saw were on sale in the department catalogue that came in the mail.  Well, when I called to order, the store didn't have any.  By "coincidence," I found out that that particular pattern had just been discontinued. Without ever leaving my telephone, I was able to manifest the entire collection from various Bloomingdale's and Villory & Boch stores around the nation. The retail cost of the whole collection: $7,000. The price I paid for everything: Under $1,500!! That included not only all the dinnerware (10 settings) and accent pieces and accessories, but all the bakeware and three different styles of flatware. And a few extra duplicate pieces I use as planters.
 
A couple of years ago I was shopping for some specific sleepwear items. I didn't intend to buy anything else. But I was irresistibly drawn to the sale rack. On that rack were two Ralph Lauren pieces - top and bottom - in my favorite shade of red. They were the only two pieces, both my size and fit perfectly. They were marked down half price - $19.50 each - but I loved the outfit so much I would have paid full price. When the items were rung up at the register, the saleswoman informed me that they scanned at $6.52 each!!!!

I won't get into the long details, but a major coup was when the Universe literally handed me my beautiful new car a few years ago - a Mercury Grand Marquis in 'toreador' red - and I was able to purchase it new for about $10,000 less than retail. I am the kind of person who needs a roomy, quiet, cushy, cruising ride - no sexy road cars for me. I love my car - I feel like I'm driving a mattress.

Do I look for bargains? No. Do I love a bargain? Yes!

The Universe is my personal shopper :-)
 
  

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Marilyn Jenett, an accomplished business owner in the corporate arena, founded the Feel Free to Prosper program to mentor and teach others to become aligned with Universal laws and accept their right to prosper. For more information, visit www.FeelFreetoProsper.com