Why it pays off to have long-term shopping list

I have a small spreadsheet which consists of things I need to buy, dating back to October of last year. Mainly household items, such as a lamp, a kitchen timer, beer glasses, and things like that. Some people have the "ten second rule" where they evaluate purchases for ten seconds before they make them, but I have the "ten month rule", I guess. This is not due to having more self-control, mind you, but simply because I am too lazy to actually go out and buy anything.

All of these are very inexpensive (like $20 or less), kind of waiting for a rainy day. Well, I've been in the process of planning a trip to Bed, Bath, & Beyond in a few weeks, where I intend to purchase a few items totaling $20. I received a mailer from Bed, Bath, & Beyond's direct marketing program which has a coupon for "$10 off any purchase over $30". Well, since I was planning to go anyways and spend $20, I can find another item on my long-term list - something I actually want, and have been thinking about for ten months - basically for free as long as it costs $10.

Funny how things work out .. I think I will pick up a cutting board which I think cost around $5-$6, and also maybe a jar of black pepper for $4-$5 if they carry that.

Also good to have in case you get something like a gift card which somebody may send you, you immediately know what to buy. Especially useful if it expires, and you need to act quickly (by my standards, 3-6 months) to make your decision about what to purchase with your windfall.