Save Big

. . . money at Menards! 

I told you we were going to spend Flag Day traveling in our RED truck listening to patriotic music, and that's exactly what we did. When we weren't traveling to and from Marquette (the location of the nearest Menards), we were actually IN Menards - standing and walking around on the concrete floors. We were in the store for 8 hours! Yikes! No wonder our bodies ached!

We took off very early on Saturday morning.

OK, it wasn't quite that early! Steve has a habit of never changing the clocks in our vehicles (his one tiny flaw). I hadn't been a passenger in the pickup truck for a long time, so the time on the display wasn't accurate. If you know me, I can't just leave it that way; it has to be correct. So, before we were too far down the road, the clock was changed.

Whew, now I could concentrate on our trip! The trip to Marquette is usually a pretty nice drive. Even though there was a possibility of rain in the forecast at some points during the day, the weather was fine as we headed toward Houghton.

 

We crossed the bridge between Hancock & Houghton. . .

and pointed the truck toward Baraga.

 

We always have to stop at The Pines to get cheap gas. . .

and we had to stop in L'Anse to get breakfast.

The Hilltop makes fantastic giant cinnamon rolls, but we didn't want to take the time to eat inside, as they're too messy to eat in the vehicle. Steve opted for a big doughnut and I chose a big Rice Krispies bar (gluten free). We brought along a thermos of our own coffee (the top secret Hamilton blend), so we ate on the road as we drove the rest of the way to Marquette.

I was still finalizing our lengthy shopping list when we pulled into Menards, so I didn't get my typical parking lot and store shot. I didn't bring the camera into the store either. That's unfortunate, as I could have gotten some interesting photos while we were in there for those 8 HOURS!

One of the purposes in making the trip was to return extra construction items that had been accumulating since last fall - boxes of siding, heating ducts, plumbing pipes and fittings, etc. - some big items and many, many, many little items. That was a long, tedious process for all involved, and that's what actually took so much of the time that day, but all the employees had a great attitude and made the long process as pleasant as possible. In addition to that, we had to purchase a bunch of electrical items - a panel box, wire, junction boxes - all the necessary electrical stuff that sits behind the walls and ceilings. 

The best part of the day? All our purchases didn't total up to be as much as our returns, so we left with more money in our pockets than when we arrived! Plus, it was 11% rebate time again, so more Menards money is on the way in the mail. Once again, a little pre-planning = lots of bang for the buck!

We stopped for a quick bite to eat in the truck on the way home, got more cheap gas at The Pines (4¢ cheaper/gallon than it was in the morning). . . 

and we made it to Houghton in good time.

 

 

 

 

We crossed the bridge, drove through Hancock, headed up Quincy hill. . .

 

 

and made it back to Calumet shortly before 9:00 p.m. Steve dropped me off at the house and drove up to the property to unload the truck. We got through the entire day without hitting any rain until the truck was unloaded. What a huge blessing!

All is well in the Keweenaw.