For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for March 20, 2025

Panel 1 and Panel 4 both have a kid in the exact same stance (hand in mouth), staring at Elly and John, and yet with different clothes. So creepy.

I’m sure Elizabeth will love it.

Elly, you probably could have got it for half that, if you had bargained a little with the seller.

If you aren’t going to wear them…….why buy them, Elly?

Now, you know why these places are called “tourist raps”.

You have to buy souvineers for friends or family members back home.

aaaand, once again Elly demonstrates her airheadedness

If you don’t wear silver, then why did you buy the stuff Ellie?

I try to get a little memento from each place I visit – whether it’s a pair of earrings, a t-shirt, or a postcard. It’s nice to remember those experiences, each time I come across one of those items.

Might not be silver—might be just base metal.

I like to buy Christmas ornaments from the places we visit. Almost need a second tree for them all!

Hmm, yeah, when this comic was drawn, gold was around USD 280 per ounce and silver was USD 4.00 per ounce. Today, it’s about 10x as much. I don’t know about anyone else, but my salary sure hasn’t risen 10x what it was 30 years ago…

I guarantee it’s not silver. While on a cruise my girlfriend bought a silver necklace for $15 in Ensenada, Mexico. It turned green.

Today is the first day of Spring (as noted in other comics). So, what’s the first thing to turn green in the Spring?

(Answer: Christmas jewelry.)

Oh goody, a cheap present for Liz

This is when you just nod your head and keep on walking.

For the girls.

Like John said, El’s on a buying spree. Not necessarily for herself or even for someone else. She’s just buying ‘cause it’s so cheap.

I think this is an example of “girl math”.

John: “Elly, you don’t wear silver, why are you buy this stuff?”

Elly: “Because it’s so inexpensive and I’m saving so much money!”

When my parents took a trip to Mexico, my dad came back crowing about all the bargains he’d gotten on gold and silver jewelry. After he passed, we inherited it. When we took it to have it appraised, literally none of it was actually gold or silver.

You don’t need to go to stores, the venders make their way around the beaches every 10 minutes

Gifts for Elizabeth and April, maybe? I’m sure they would appreciate and wear them.

I remember buying silver gifts in the 90’s at “Service Merchandise” that had inexpensive plated crap. Worth nothing then – worth nothing now

She found her treasure!

“A man will pay $2 for a $1 item that he wants. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t want, but IT’S ON SALE!!!” Don’t know who said that but I liked it.

And the jewelry will turn green after wearing it a couple times.

On to the Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce—sold in a plain brown wrapper

Don’t try to wear it…..it will leave black marks and corrode before you know it.

These 2 really are kind of a trip, at least we’re out of the obnoxious time share storyline! The finest silver and all kinds of cool jewelry come of a town called Taxco in the mountains on the way to Acapulco, which I’m guess is where they are. Lots o nice turquoise and many other semi precious stones as well.

THEN WHAT ARE YOU BUYING IT FOR, ELLY!?

How stupid is someone who buys jewelry she’ll never wear just because it’s a bargain!?

A man will spend $20 on a $10 he needs and a woman will spend $10 on a $20 item she doesn’t need.

My former next-door neighbor and her late husband were in Aruba. She admired an emerald and white-gold tennis bracelet. Ray thought it was too expensive. The merchant asked what was the occasion for the visit to the island; it was their 44th wedding anniversary. Merchand did some quick math, looked Ray in the eyes and said “Your wife is not worth $.10 for every day you’ve been married?” Joan is still wearing the bracelet to this day.

I have never figured out why some people buy things they know they won’t, or can’t, ever use. It’s like my dogs. They always want each other’s toys, even though they have an identical one. As Garfield put it, “It’s not the having; it’s the getting!”

I know you’re not buying it just to look at it.