Gator Pam

I look for clearance items at Target throughout the year, and if I see something that strikes me as perfect for a certain teacher, I get it and put it away in 'the gift closet.' The most I've ever wanted to spend was $12.94 on Eddie Bauer picnic basket sets that retailed for $49.99.

I'm a bit far from Massachusetts, but I would love more guests than just the four of us.

Does Sam's Club offer any really good prices on turkeys on BF? Or would that be an after Chr-stmas clearance item?

Does anyone know if you can order the JCP catalog to be delivered to your home online? Not items from the catalog, but the catalog itself?

Thanks, ordered mine as well! Does anyone know if we can order the JCPenneys catalog online?

IDK if The One Spot/See Spot Save is done via corporate like the seasonal markdowns. I do know that occasionally, for the departmental markdowns, that the markdown team at my Target can get as much as two days behind if softlines has a lot of items for them to mark down. So Hardware, for example, may not get marked down on Friday, but on Sunday. Perhaps the markdown team at your store was a day behind that week? Or did the clearance signs say it was going to be marked down further on a Friday?

Welcome. :) No, I think you misunderstood me. I have only ever seen The One Spot change clearance percentage on Thursdays, so I'm thinking it will go either 30% or 50% next Thursday, and then go down to the next markdown the folloing Thursdays...

Maybe next Thursday then. Posters on the AOL board are already asking for a Hallowe'en clearance schedule, so I c&p the Traditional Holiday Clearance Schedule from the Newbie Guide and projected dates from it. Please remember this is just conjecture based on the past... If Target follows the regular seasonal schedule they have in the past, Hallowe'en clearance should be as follows: Traditional Holiday clearance schedule 50% off day after holiday for three days - November 1st-3rd 75% off fourth day after holiday for three days - November 4th-6th 90% off seventh day after holiday for 1-2 days. November 7th (and possibly 8th) YMMV

See my menu post on the The Main Event - Thankgiving Dinner!! We had deep fried turkey every year for at least a decade. I always used Emeril's recipe, but am looking forward to seeing Alton Brown's Thanksgiving special this year, since he's covering deep fried turkey as well.

Generally, the easiest clearance to find is the stuff that is marked an placed on the end caps. But it is also usually the first to go. Part of the rush of perimeter perusing is finding a 'hidden deal,' and being the first to post about it on the message boards. The way to do this is to follow rule one of the ~*~*~Newbie Guide~*~*~, SCAN EVERYTHING and ANYTHING you are interested in. The best deals are the ones in their normal spot on the shelf with no red tags or any indication of being on clearance. Some of the tricks I use to find deals are: Any toys tied into a movie, especially a movie series like Pirates of the Carribean. If the movie has left the theaters, start scanning those items about a month later. If a movie themed item is popular, for instance some of the Harry Potter lego sets, it may remain full price until the next movie in the series is released. Stalk seasonal items in departments that aren't part of the main seasonal line. For instance, every year Target puts out a summer line of merchandise they name along the lines of I Scream for Summer or Red, Hot & Cool, or some such. These we know from previous experience will start being clearanced around Independence Day. But, there were these terrific picnic basket sets by Eddie Bauer in the Sporting Goods department over the summer. They were not part of the main summer seasonal line. At my Target, they started going clearance around Labor Day, but they were not red tagged. But, I was given a heads up on them going clearance on message boards like this, and I started stalking them. Unfortunately, since I wanted to buy 12 of them at 75% off for end-of-the-year school gifts for Beorn's school, I missed out on them because whomever my competition for clearance deals at my Target is decided to buy them out at 50% off. Ah well... Also, some items in certain departments seem to go clearance at the same time every year. This is something I'm just learning. But Domestics seems to put sheets and such on clearance twice a year, around March and October. Lawn and Garden seems to clear out bar-be-cues (at least at my Target here in Florida) in March. However, patio sets and fire bowls, as well as some bar-be-cues, also seem to start clearancing around Independence Day. Hardware appears to clearance out hand tools in September. This next year I want to do a better job of recording which department goes clearance when. Speaking of schedules, did anyone check out the items in The One Spot or See Spot Save department yesterday? Have they gone 50% off yet?

Wow, no way! I sure do wish Florida would do that.

<--- Grew up and still visits the Hollywood, FL area quite often

Precisely! Especially since the other one was buried down three pages back. No reason to stop posting, that's for sure!

OK, so I've been thinking about our menu this year. I always prepare a Brie with Hot Pecan Caramel Sauce that I serve with apple slices, grapes, and toasted baguette slices earlier in the day, and go from there. Here is my menu from 2004. I didn't type one up last year, but other than using AB's oven roasted turkey recipe instead of deep frying the turkey, it pretty much reamined the same. Thanksgiving Menu 2004 Appetizer: Brie with Hot Pecan Caramel Sauce Soup Course: Squash Soup Salad Course: Field Greens with Craisins and Goat Cheese and Sweet Dressing Entrée: Deep Fried Turkey Side Dishes: Vanilla Glazed Sweet Potatoes Slow Cooker Stuffing Asparagus in Balsamic Butter Sauce Green Bean Casserole Broccoli and Artichoke Casserole Corn Pudding Carrot Souffle Mashed Potatoes Home made Gravy Cranberry Jello-O Salad Ocean Spray Cranberry Orange Relish for Chicken Bread: Home made French baguette and butter Dessert: Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle Beverages: Sodas Spring Water Coffee with Dessert

Usually there's only four of us, but we love thanksgiving leftovers. I posted about it over in The Main Event-Thanksgiving Dinner!!.

Oh! I didn't really introduce myself for the new posters. I'm Pam, 46, and I live in Gator Town, FL. That's what I call Gainesville, since it's also the home of the University of Florida Fightin' Gators. We normally visit my FIL who lives in a retirement community outside of Lake Wales, FL during Thanksgiving weekend. Because I don't want to drive too far, I've been limited pretty much to only shopping at Wal-Mart in the past. B'H for their price matching policy! However, it looks like this year we may stay home, and all sorts of possibilites of stores to visit are opening up. :gdevillaugh: But, because of the price matching policy, I'll probably still begin at Wal-Mart. Anyone else in Gator Town who may want to be a shopping buddy?

Here's my post from last season on this very subject. Lots of overnight French toast recipes in that post. Re: Chr-stmas brunch recipes?

The only time all Targets mark down the same item at the same time is when a seasonal department gets marked down. So, hen the Hallowe'en merchandis goes clearance, it should go to 50%-75%90% off at all Targets on the same days. My Target (I only have one nearby, the next closest is 45 miles away) tends to mark other merchandise about two weeks to a month behind the ones that mark it down first. I used to resent that, as I would run out to see if my Target had an item someone posted about. But now that I'm used to it, I love it. I'm given a heads up to watch an item, and may catch it on markdown befoe someone else at my store kno about it.

Welcome and Welcome Back y'all! Yeah! Soon you'll rival the thread I started. Speaking of which, for those who wish to get the BF buzz throughout the year, come on over to the GD Offline Hot Deals forums and read the Perimeter Perusing at Target thread for year round deals and finds. ITA with Crissy and SuperMommy. GottaDeal.com is the place to be year round!!!

Welcome! How nice that you chose this thread for your first post!

IIRC, the One Spot, or See Spot Save, usually goes down in price on the Thursday of the week it goes down...

Do they like waffles? Another thing I like to do on occasion is make up regular French toast, but instead of pan frying I cook it in a waffle iron.

I don't know the See Spot Save schedule, but one of our posters, I'm pretty sure it's either firemansgirl or Rockfordmom, figured out The One Spot goes on a six week scehdule. The last mark down for The One Spot was around Labor Day, I think. If the See Spot Save area follows the same schedule, it should be pretty soon. Besides, I know they'll want to clearance out all of the fall themed items, and set winter items there soon.

Great finds, all of you!!