Am I the only one who is sick and tired of department store “sales?”  Whatever happened to the good old days when they simply told you the price and you paid it?  We now have created a shopping culture featuring the perpetual sale.  When the jewelry is perpetually 50% + 10% off (not 60% ?), then the pertinent question is, off of what?  The sticker says the original price of the $75 sale priced earrings was $240.  Now, we know we would never pay $240 for this crap, and we understand that no one actually does pay the original price.  So, the point is, if everything is always on sale, then, in reality, nothing is ever on sale.  Macy’s is the worst offender.  Macy’s spends untold amounts of money mailing me red cardboard sale coupons.  The front of the card promises 20% off.  The reverse side is covered with microscopic printing detailing exclusions.  Try as I might, I have never found anything Macy’s sells that actually was covered by the coupons.  Certain brands – excluded.  “Specials,” although undefined even if you decipher the micro-printing – excluded.  Anything not already on “sale” – excluded.  Once, they even told me that if the sticker price ends in a “9” – excluded.  Now, Macy’s has gone computer happy.  Consider my last visit.  I pick up two shirts, stand in the line, present my red coupons – surprise!  We don’t use the paper anymore.  We don’t even use the cash register.  Instead, the saleswoman pokes at a cell phone sized device which we are assured will instantly determine our correct discount.  No discount appears.  She then asks the other saleswoman why it didn’t work.  She is told she didn’t poke the device correctly.  More poking, more asking, and 15 minutes later (in addition to the 15 minutes in the line) we are told there is no discount, the shirts are “special.”  What does that mean?  She doesn’t know why they are “special,” they just are.  So here are my suggestions for Macy’s.  Stop telling me you’re having a “One Day Sale” because I actually do remember that your last “One Day Sale” was two days ago.  Save the money you spend on printing coupons.  Take the coupons you already printed and shove them. (Send me an email and I will provide detailed instructions for this step).