starbeck96

I also use different paper for everyone. It is just easier to know whose is whose and I don't have to put tags on them..lol. I make a list of whose paper is whose and hide it in my drawer. I usually get paper from Walmart for my 3 kids stuff. I usually buy one huge roll or two or three smaller rolls for them. I usually use what I have left from the previous year for everyone else. I try to buy wrapping paper after Christmas for the next year, but I don't always have the money. I usually buy at least 6 rolls per year.

I lived in Orange Park when I was about 5 (about 22 years ago) and then moved to Middleburg and lived there for a few years. Now I am in AL, but I miss Florida..

I shop in several towns since I live in such a small town and the only major retailer is Walmart. So I start in Roanoke, AL. then drive 45 minutes to Newnan, Ga and then drive another 45 minutes to Fayetteville, Ga. We only go to fayetteville if TRU has a good sale or we need to go to Guitar Center.

Yay! Thank you!!! Congratulations to everyone that won a tshirt!

trampoline or maybe a basketball goal. I agree with Kim 3498 that Playmobile sets are perfect. My boys loved them. Or maybe even legos sets. I still have all of the boys legos that they had when they were younger and my daughter plays with them now.. What kind of things is he interested in?

Half price books-October 10

I agree! My daughter will be 5 Monday and I am thinking about getting her a DS. Her other big gift will probably be a trampoline. I want to encourage her to be outside. My boys are 13 and they have the PS2. They still make a lot of games for the PS2 and it would be a little bit cheaper system. I would save some of the big stuff for later though. My daughter is also getting several Littlest Pet shop toys, Strawberry Shortcake, and Lalaloopsy. I think it is important at this age to take full advantage of the cheaper toys...lol.

My kids don't even have a clue about this website and I have a password to get on my computer that they don't know, so I am safe...lol.

This is the same thing I do...lol. no one can wrap like mom..lol. I wrap everything and tape it really really well...So if anyone gets into it I will definitely know. Last year I decided to keep a list of everything wrapped and kind of marked a few of them. This way I could keep up with what they needed to open Christmas Eve. This year I think I am going to put a small number on the bottom of the gift and then write it down in my notebook (or probably keep it on my computer) so I will know what each gift is.

Yeah we bought one of my husbands guitars from there one year. We usually end up going to Guitar Center though. Their prices are usually about the same as musicians friend. At one time they were owned by the same company, not sure if that is still the case. The cheapest electric drum set we saw last year was 299.99 new. That is something I'm not sure if we would buy used or not. It would have to be a really great price.

My boys are 13 and my daughter will be 5 next week. Since there is such a difference in their ages I generally do not go by either. I spend the same amount on the boys (usually around 400 each) and then I just buy my daughter things she has asked for and that I know she will play with. My daughter usually has way more things under the tree. Her first Christmas I did not get her very much. I think I spent around 100.00, she was only a little over two months old though. This year I will probably spend more on her than I ever have. She is really wanting a trampoline so I am really hoping for a great deal. She also wants the Lalaloopsy tree house and the Strawberry shortcake cafe. One of the boys is wanting an electric drum set so that will be at least 350.00! So that will nearly all he gets. When the boys were younger everything they got was pretty much for both of them. That is the big advantage of having same sex twins!!! So they were able to get a lot more since they were sharing everything. My budget from year to year varies, but I usually know how much I can spend a few weeks before BF. That is when I get really serious about what I am planning on buying.

Cool! Thanks!

I don't understand why they don't want it posted either. Most true hardcore Black Friday shoppers do their shopping very early. I go to Walmart every year since it is the only major retail store in our town. But if I lived in a bigger city they probably would not make my list either since they are so late putting it out.

Well, I know that they love their PS2 but they are kind of wanting a PS3. But I know I can't get one unless the price is right. We live in such a small town that Craigslist is really out of the question unless they are willing to ship. I am kind of weary of Craigslist also, since there is not any rating system (at least there wasn't the last time I looked). I have posted on our local areas online yard sale that I am looking for a PS3 but so far no luck. I am just going to hold out and see what the prices are for the PS3. I have it in my budget for 350.00 for system and games. So if it is around 250-300 w/gc then that will still be ok, bc I use the gc to pay for a game.

We still do our Thanksgiving that day. We do Thanksgiving with my parents, usually, the Saturday before. We do Thanksgiving with my in-laws on Thanksgiving Day. I try to prepare as much as I can the day before Thanksgiving. All I usually have to do by Thanksgiving is put the dressing in the oven and put the turkey in the crockpot. I also fix some of my vegetables that morning. That way, I have time to grab me a quick night before heading out to Walmart...

There is one about an hour from me, but I don't really ever get a chance to go in there. I will just wait and see who has them for sale on BF.

Yeah I figured that they were being discontinued, but I am hoping that they are going to try to get rid of all of them Black Friday..lol. Wishful thinking maybe...

I went to our local Walmart store yesterday and noticed that all of the Nintendo DS Lites were gone. I just checked online and beside the DS lites it just says pricing varies by store. I wonder if they are getting ready for Black Friday and saving what inventory they have left. I hope that is what they are doing because I was really hoping for a cheap DS Lite. I was hoping that I would not have to give over 70.00 for one! If the DSi is what they will have for sale this year BF I don't see them being less than 90.00.

First I make detailed lists of what I want from each store and price, what time each store has what on sale, and any other information I may think necessary. I usually dress in a short sleeved shirt (we live in AL not usually awful cold), then put a long sleeved shirt over it (if I am planning on standing outside), and a jacket. Once inside the store I use the jacket to keep my stuff covered so no one can steal things out of my buggy..I had that happen year before last. I make sure I have my debit card (leave it in the car..lol). I always use cash bc this helps me know how much I'm spending. I do separate it into envelopes and I put it in my back pocket. I leave the ones I am not using hidden in my car with the doors locked. Our group always takes cell phones in so that we can call each other when we find something the other one needs. That way we can separate and have a better chance of getting everything we want. I always get a cart (especially in Walmart) because I usually have more than I could carry. This year I am hoping for a TV but DH is going with me so he will probably take care of that while I take care of other stuff. Take others with you if at all possible!!!! THis is very important..lol. HAVE FUN!! I am looking for great deals this day, but most of all I am looking at having fun and enjoying the day shopping!!!

I hope I win one this year. I've tried for the past two years with no luck..lol. Maybe this year :)

That is what I may be looking for also. It is really going to depend on the price. It will be either a PS3 or another PS2. We need another game system so my boys will each have one in their room..

Our Walmart also does the maps and it was a HUGE help! Our Walmart was fairly decent. The only real complaint was where they put the toys. There was no room at all to move around once everyone started walking around. I did not need any big ticket items last year so that was not a big deal. We got there around 10:30 and nearly everything we wanted. The only thing I didn't get was the cheap coffeemaker. This year I need big ticket items so I am planning on taking my husband and boys (they are 13) to stand in line. We also live in a small town and we pretty much know everyone so there is no worries about being trampled or anything like that. The worse thing that happened last year was one lady tried to start a fight over the Leapster..lol. There were two or three police officers walking around nearly the entire night and the fight was put out before it started (the woman was escorted out of Walmart..lol). All in all it was a good experience. They had everything that was supposed to go on sale at 5 taped up so no one could get in it.

My daughter has one of the Lalaloopsy dolls and she plays with it quite often. In fact, I just went and ordered her a Lalaloopsy bday cake. She has alreday said she wants some of the Lalaloospy stuff, so I may need to go put some of them on layaway before they are gone. She has also said she wants the Lite Sprites but I doubt that I will get her those.

Last year's memories.... My friend and I got to our local Walmart around 10:30 pm. At around 1 AM we left and went to a town 45 minutes away and went to their Walmart (alot bigger than ours and an hour ahead). We got some of the stuff we wanted and then went to Target. I got the keyboard they had on sale and some DVD's and games. Then we left and went to another town (another 40 minutes away) and went to TRU. Then we went back to the other town and went to Old Navy and other stores. Yes, we do alot of driving on BF, but that is the downside to living in a small town. Oh yeah, we did stop and eat before we went to TRU. We always have such a good time when we go. There are no kids distracting us and we can have some great converstaions.

This is the first year I've tried to do this. I didn't start until a couple of months ago though. I have 15.00 in Target gift cards. I had 20 in walmart gc but I used it to buy a christmas present that was on clearance. I also had 25.00 in gc to amazon. I used 16.00 of it for my daughters bday. I am hoping to have at least another 25.00 in gift cards for Amazon by BF. I am expecting my school check to come in soon and I am planning on getting some gc with it. I leave mine gc's in my change jar (also for christmas) and I don't take them out..