Saving money makes Christmas shopping soooo much better!

Mattsmom277

Active Member
I'm feeling so super sleuthy lol. And kind of proud of myself. I not only saved enough money to add in a couple extra gifts to go under the tree, it will STILL leave money in my pocket I had budgeted. Simply from taking some time and being cautious on who gets my ill afforded money!

I purchased S/O a gorgeous Invictus watch online. Free shipping and after taxes it was $72.25. Original price was $395.00!!! THis was a Canadian offer for a Black Friday special (which I'd never known even existed for canada!)

Today I for once actually used 2 different stores "price match gaurantee". Searched all kinds of Canadian websites in order to find lowest prices on a few things possible. i was able to not stress the high cost of shipping had I ordered through those sites, and just focus on the lowest actual sale price. I printed out the offers with the web links and brought them with me.

I picked up Beatles Rock Band Limited Edition for easy child for $120 taxes included. The cheapest I could find it for was $169 for this particular version and required shipping at my cost at a price that was far more than I'd pay since it is such a massive big box it would have cost a fortune to ship. The less costly bundle was STILL more than $120 and didn't have the same instruments and other features.

I also got her Wacom Tablet for only $79.99 when the model I purchased for her was selling from $149-$169 in town here. I have to wait 3-4 days for the store to get it shipped from their warehouse, but I can handle that. They had me pay and then placed the order to confirm availability and delivery date.

I found a deal for Zhu Zhu pets. Paid $9 for a pet and received my choice of 3 available "play sets" for them priced at $16.00.

I have found advertisements that the sony readers are down to $98 at walmart, so going to print that from the walmart website and go to a local store where I'll get it for 10% less, which almost covers our taxes. On Nov. 2 split on one as a gift for my cousins son. It was $169. Walmart sold out the first day at the $98 price point and said they won't likely have them in stock in time to catch the sale price before the sale ends (not surprising). But I can still get the deal and sweeten it simply by printing the offer with the current date on it.

I really can't believe those price match gaurantees work for the big stores!

One guy who was speaking to me while ringing up my purchases told me they are all being pushed at his store to undercut any prices customers mention, simply to get the business and hopefully bring return business. He said they company told them that it is abuyers market in this economy this year and that most major companies are willing to switch prices to make themselves more attractive to buyers right now even if a product causes them a initial loss. Another place said the same thing, even saying their company has NEVEr allowed "haggling" but they are now being trained through the holidays to openly barter if they believe a customer would buy based on lowering purchase prices.

Hope some of you are getting such awesome deals!
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
I got my kiddo a pair of those Wii wheels for 1.99 (shipping cost only!) on 1saleaday. Past experience says I may wait a while to actually see them. I also love woot.com and their various deals like kid.woot.com and such.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Oh, I have to agree totally!! I've been working triple hard to squeeze pennies until they scream this season.

I am offically done xmas shopping for the grands, including santa gifts for katies kids....except need to get an outfit at the thrift store for Evan. And I actually had money left over........and did not have to break into my emergency stash of cash.:happyguy: And even managed to find Alex's next to impossible to find thing he wanted most from santa.......the bat cave playset.

Kayla's huge savings : 3 Gymaberie (can't spell the darn name) sweaters which orginally cost 70-90.00 each 3 really pretty ones never worn for 2 bucks at our thrift store. A sweater from Children's Place also never worn for 2 bucks.

Alex's huge savings: a suit jacket, dress pants, dress shirt each for 2 bucks, brand new pair of bugle boy jeans 2 bucks, children's place sweater never worn 2 bucks Batcave and 6 figures never out of the packages Ebay 30 bucks. Electronic GI Joe action figure retails for about 50.00 bought at Odd Lots for 25.00

Evan's huge savings: My Friends Tigger and Pooh playhouse set plus figures like new 2nd hand store 10.00, Little Tykes semi and cars like new 5.00

Darrin's huge savings: same GI Joe figure as Alex, just a different guy lol

Brandon's: Fisher Price dump truck 5.00 cheaper than retail at Odd Lots

Aubreys: really pretty baby doll for about 12.00 at Odd Lots

Conners is the only one that wasn't on sale and it still was cheap. lol

This isn't all katie's kids got.............. I also bought them each a stocking because they don't have one for 1.00 and the everything is a dollar store : Tinkerbell for kayla, Toy Story for Alex, and Mickey Mouse for Evan.....got a few more stocking stuffers there for just a dollar each too.

Makes me feel better when we just found out husband's unemployment runs out next week.........until they pass a new extension.

Grown ups are getting crocheted scarfs and hats. :elf::santa:
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Oh..........forgot to add that I bought Kayla's xmas outfit at the 2nd hand shop too...........a pretty wine color velvet dress, one of those short while dressy sweaters, and a pair of gold shiney dress shoes with bows on the toes. All for under 8.00! Poor kid wants a xmas dress so bad. And since we dress up for xmas day........all of katie's kids now have a nice outfit to wear.
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
Wow Hound! That is a impressive feat you accomplished (Insert major applause!!!). Your grands are going to have a wonderful Christmas :) I hope you post some pics in their dressy outfits. Nothing melts me more than kids dressed up for holidays. Does something to my mommy heart!!!

My list above pretty much sums up my purchases except for Matt who needs one more gift and it looks like it will be a dvd player for his room, $25 at Walmart. Love Christmas sales!!!!

A couple members of extended family sent $ to into the pot for the kids gifts, so they each get 2 great gifts this year! No "filler" presents, really we backed out of the plan, too costly and usually they end up barely used up anyhow. mother in law sent $ for kids and for S/O and I and we combined to get a "family" gift, the Kinect for $139. So both kids have personal things they will get a ton of use out of, 2 things each plus stocking to open.S/O gets the watch and I already found out accidentally that I'm getting a 4 piece set of china teacups (I'm a tea freak who drinks them out of coffee mugs lol). THe kinect will be the gift that we all can enjoy together as a group. So not a pile of gifts going under that tree but boy are my kiddos going to love what they do get.

I was thrilled when mother in law and the 2 out of town cousins asked if they could opt out of shipping gifts (costly) and contribute a cash amount to the shopping kitty.

I realized I forgot to buy wrapping paper today, and I realized I have no place at all to hide that rock band box. easy child hasn't seen it since she's at her dads for the night, but gosh it's got to be wrapped or hidden tomorrow lol.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
You guys did better than me! I spent a small fortune and still need to get Hailie a few more things...lol. Keyana is so easy to shop for because I have her all the time and know her so well. Mikey is fairly easy because he is a boy and obviously I know boys well...lol. Hailie is just harder because well...she isnt Keyana and she is harder on things and doesnt really like the same types of stuff plus she has so MUCH stuff just all over the place up there. All the stuff I got her last year didnt even get played with and just basically got lost and never used so I dont want to get anything really expensive.

So far I have got her a HUGE box of make up because Jamie said she is very into that right now. He said that would make her happier than anything else. I also got her 2 barbie dolls and a barbie doll car, a mommy and me doll with a crown on it, a doll house that makes noises and I am gonna get her another doll that sings cheers. Oh and I got her a snow globe with the year on it.

I got Mikey a race car thingy, a work bench thingy, another baby toy that he presses and it plays music and something else...cant remember. I guess I need to get him another thing too.

Thankfully, the kids wont be together on Xmas...lol.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
I'm picturing what lil Hallie is gonna do with that HUGE box of make up :rofl: :rofl:

Mattsmom you did pretty darn awesome yourself. I'm just fortunate that we've got a good thrift store down here in the area and the children's 2nd hand store that is really good up in dayton/cincy both. Nichole, easy child, and Travis all went on the hunt for the batcave and figures lol or else I'd most likely would never have found them. And Travis is currently bidding on a Little Tykes Dollhouse for Kayla off ebay that has no shipping fee.....or else I wouldn't even consider it as the thing is huge! I told him not to be too eager as she's doing fine on gifts and odds are I can pick her up one this summer at a yard sale for her birthday.

Those 2nd hand stores saved my fanny! And I won't complain because each thing I bought is like new.

Katie's kids got more presents than the deals I listed.........but if it weren't for those deals, presents would've been more than a bit skimpy.

For Darrin, Aubrey, Brandon and Conner.........Nana is crocheting sweaters as a 2nd gift.........and all the kids will get knitted scarfs and hats. I'm a crocheting/knitting fool right now.........and it's not costing me anything as I'm using up yarn I've had stored in huge rubbermaid tubs for years. lol
 
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