AndreaInNC

The coupons that come in their monthly rebate booklet you might not be able to stack. It depends on the cashier. Those coupons state on them "cannot combine with other offers". The coupons in the weekly flyer don't have that statement on them.

They will put it right back on your credit card. For a debit card they issue you a gift card.

Release date for HSM2 is also 12/11/07.

Release date for Harry Potter 5, 12/11/07.

I love that Kohls has no time limit on returns. I've returned stuff over a year after I've bought it, with the tags and the receipt and have no problems returning it. Belks is the same way.

Yes, last year I even took over my mothers tradition (she passed away last May) and did the traditional Christmas letter. But I kept the bragging to a minimum and it didn't come across as -- oohh our life is so perfect -- like some letters do. I sent it to friends I hadn't corresponded with for years and they loved being brought up to date on me and my kids! I just normally wait really late to send them out. Cards were bought last year at 90% off ... gotta get moving on that letter!

If you still have your receipt, you can take the receipt and the coupons back into the store and they will give you credit for them. If you don't do it the same day they will return the item and resell it to you with the coupons. No need to bring in the item, just the receipt. I did this 2 days ago.

TV Box sets are usually a given for BF. I am hoping to start my DD16 Charmed collection. I know I picked up My Name Is Earl and The Office last year on BF for less than $10.00 each. I know I normally get Family Guy, Simpsons, and Smallville sets each BF. I know I pm'd almost all of those sets at Walmart last year except for Target. Target didn't open until much later (I want to say 6am) and I couldn't get the PM cause it wasn't that late. I think I was checking out of Walmart at like 5:45am. The great thing about Target is most of their DVD/CDs they run on special for BF weekend - they really don't have doorbusters like the other stores - is that they most of the time give you a raincheck if they run out. I know I got rainchecks for some GBA games last year. You also have to look at what is being put out right before BF. The last POC movie isn't coming out until early December, so I doubt the newest Harry Potter will be out by Turkey Day. If you really want Transformers (my kids do) get it the week it comes out and put it away. Most stores will have it on sale for the first week. If it comes out cheaper on BF, then most stores will let you return stuff within 90 days of purchase, so you can just return the one you bought when it was released. That's what I plan on. Oh the scheming and planning begins already!!!! I can't wait for more!

I ended up picking up a 22" LCD monitor from PCConnections last year for under $100.00 after rebates. Getting the rebate back took about 5 months, but it was worth the effort.

Is it still under warranty or if you paid by credit card, that might have extended the warranty period. Might be worth looking into. If you have the receipt, you might even try and returning it to Walmart.

I don't know about shooting games .. but he might like Guitar Hero - it comes out at the end of October.

Well if you want to do something different, pack it all up and drive it down to my house in NC! You do great work!

You didn't say how old your kids are. Have you thought about letting them have a Christmas Eve party for their friends? Keeps them at your house! Or maybe Midnight Mass? I know that our church (Catholic) starts mass at like 4pm on Christmas Eve. I know to get a seat for midnight mass, you have to be there at like 10:00pm and carols normally start around 11pm. If you want to make it a family only night - how about board game marathons and pizza delivery? For those of you who do the drive around and look at the lights - don't forget to get 3-D glasses for the best twinkly effect! The holidays are getting harder on me as my family is shrinking and moving farther away. If their dad wasn't so close by - I'd be tempted to take them on a cruise or to Disney.

In my married life, I had a fiber optic angel with wings that moved - I love it - but it stayed with the ex. Right now on my tree I have a snow man's face with a Santa hat. I might have to kidnap my angel back.

I let them open one gift on Christmas Eve, a tradition that I carried on from my childhood. On Christmas morning, if my kids are with me, I let them go through their stockings if they wake up before I do. But since I now have 2 teenagers I normally get up before they do. We went to my step-mom's one year for Christmas and their house rule was no gifts until after the LUNCH dishes were done. My DD was 4 at the time and she was dying!!! We do have the tradition of only one gift being opened at a time. Another one I brought in from my childhood. Since my kids gets lots of small gifts, our gift opening normally lasts all day. We take breaks for food and visits to other folks houses.

cookies and a Pepsi

I normally wait until about the 2nd weekend in December cause we get a real tree. We participate in 2 local Christmas parades which take up our first two weekends. Every year I say I'm gonna start earlier cause I always seem to run out of time. Maybe I should start Thanksgiving weekend and just not put up the tree. I got one of those huge blow up thingies for the yard after Christmas last year and I can't wait to put it up!

I will never admit to my kids about Santa. They know that once they voice to me that they no longer believe the Santa gifts will no longer be under the tree. Since Santa normally brings them stuff they know I won't buy, they have yet to tell me they stopped believing. They are 16 and 13. My DD13 has hinted that she no longer believes, I give her the speech about no more Santa gifts and that normally stops it. I remember my mom telling me and I was crushed. I think I was like 12.

Finally my school supplies went 75% .. odd they skipped the 50% - but worked for me as my kids told me they will only use mechanical pencils from here on out. I shouldn't have to buy any more mechanical pencils for the rest of the school year today. Went to look at the portable a/c at my local Target and my store only has them at 30% off while another Target already had them at 50% this weekend. Some of the College 07 stuff was 75% off as well, but not the sheets and towels. That's 50% right now. Odd. My SuperTarget has started putting clearance items in the regular aisle and not on the endcaps recently in certain departments. It makes it harder now to spot the bargains! I love the online Target returns as they usually hit the sales floor at least at 50% off, sometimes 75%. I picked up a cute pair of IM silk pants last night 75% off for $9.xx.

My annual ritual is to stock up on pillows from KMart on Turkey Day. Have been doing this for at least 4 years now. I normally pick up the CD they have on special as well. I do it early in the morning and I always tell my cashier that I am thankful that they showed up to work that day. :)

I would think that Canadians would be heading down in droves since the US dollar is so weak right now. Electronics and media (DVDs and CDs) are so much more expensive in Canada too.

I've never had a problem. I do the gift card, so I just get a postcard in the mail notifing me of how much they've put back on the card. I'm getting ready to send mine in today for September!

Yep

Went to 3 Targets in my Raleigh NC area this weekend and our school supplies are still only 30% off .. what's up with that? Backpacks finally made it to 75%, but the college stuff is only 30% too. Air conditioners finally made it to 50% off - but the on I'm looking at would still be $199.00. I'm still thinking about that.

how true! We always stop at Cracker Barrel and load up on Razzles and other old-timey candy when we travel.