hopeky94

I can see where that could be a problem, but... the only stores I price match with at Walmart are ones we don't have (or only have a very small one) in the area where I'll be shopping- like Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc. They're close enough to PM with (about 30 miles away) but I'm not ABOUT to try to fight the huge, crazy crowds to get there! LOL So those ads that I know I'll be PMing with, I don't cut apart-- but I thin it out when possible, keeping just the outside cover pages and the pages with the items I want to PM, all of it stapled together of course. If it's more than one or two places in the ad(s), I slap a sticky note by it in the ad.

Since I rarely want more than a few items from each ad, I prefer not to carry around the entire store ad, even if it's stapled together. Last year, I cut out and taped the items from each ad that I wanted to look for onto sheets in a spiral notebook, with the name of the store and any time info needed (like opening and end of early bird specials). My mom laughed at me, and I'll agree it did remind me of something I'd do as a little kid when I didn't have any paper dolls to play with- LOL- but it was very nice to have everything from a particular store on a minimal number of pages, with pictures so I'd know exactly what to look for! And on the rare chance that two things I wanted were back-to-back in the ad, I printed one of them off of the ad scans here! :) When I got to a store, I tore out that store's pages so I wouldn't have as much to carry. I also wrote the page # from the ad beside each pic, so if I had to get an associate to help, I could grab a regular ad and show them what I'm looking for (they seem to recognize it better in the actual ad than on my paper). Then on the way out the door, I stuck the pages in the bag with my purchases, to compare at home (or in case I wanted to stop by again later in the day). All in all, it was a little time-consuming, but worth it enough that I'll probably do it again this year!

Just a slight clarification on the above post-- Go to shoplocal.com/sales.aspx. (Put in your zip code or city/state, if it asks for it.) On the main page, there's a pull-down list on the far right (across from "Browse your Weekly Ads in...") called "Quick Jump"- find Lowe's in the list and left-click. Wait for this page to fully load, then go to the far right side of the page, past the current ad. There should be a title called "Other Lowe's Circulars." The ad below that title should be the front page of the BF ad (near the top of that page, you should be able to see a red circle with "4 days only- Friday-Monday" written in it). If it isn't that ad, click "Next" find it. Click on that ad to browse it. If you want to see it larger, there's an "enlarge" link below the bottom right corner of the ad page. HTH-- enjoy!! :)

Thanks for the heads up, dswright... thankfully, I do all my pricematching at Lawrenceburg Walmart! I search out the ones I want about an hour or two before the doorbuster sales start, then take my time after grabbing any doorbusters (in case the store I'm PMing with opens later). I had no problems there last year finding all the movies I was looking for!

I really enjoyed BF at HD last year, too... but it's one of the stores that closed this year! There's a Lowe's less than 1 mile from there, but I don't remember seeing anything I wanted there! :(

Last year, my mom and I tried something new and both really enjoyed it: I get up super early and go to the 24 hr Walmart, pick up stuff to price match, then wait around for the early bird stuff that I want. Once I'm done there, I head over to Tractor Supply (the other stores are 20 miles further away). Around 6:00, I call my mom to make sure she's up and getting ready (and remind her to bring warm food- LOL). She meets me at TS about 6:30 with coffee and a quick breakfast sandwich. The two of us continue shopping together there, then down the road to all the other stores we want to hit! Around 1:00 we stop for lunch (last year was hot Subway sandwiches- yum!) then decide whether to shop some more or head home and enjoy the afternoon by sorting thru our treasures... :)

Oh how cool-- thanks PP for the map!! :) I'll start in Lawrenceburg, KY then go to Frankfort, KY. I much prefer this over going to the bigger areas (like Lexington or Louisville), as I'm more familiar with the area and can find basically all the stores I need in these 2 towns. Everything else (basically movies), I price match at Walmart!!

FYI-- cashier at my local McD's told me this morning (yep, I got the dates mixed up too- LOL) that the medium or large drink MUST be a Coke product. She then went on to specifically say, "Tea won't work." This could be a YMMV thing... or maybe Coke is helping to pay for this promo?? HTH!!

Supposedly, if you specifically tell them to add you to their "do not call" list and/or to stop calling you, then if they DO call again, you can take legal action against them. I can't remember all the details about it, but if you look up the national Do Not Call Registry, I'm almost positive I saw something about this on their website. Also, I was getting letters and phone calls about a store credit card debt of my exhusband's a few years ago, saying he'd told them his exwife had that card (um, he has TWO exwives- I just happen to be the 2nd one... and have never lived anywhere NEAR the store! LOL) A friend of mine helped me find the fax number for them and typed up a very official sounding letter telling them to cease and desist (sp?) all contact with me or legal action would be taken. I doubt I ever would have taken legal action (unless they messed up my credit somehow), but the letter was apparently enough to get them to leave me alone! :) HTH!!

Cool-- I missed this thread earlier... my parents are wintering in Florida, so this will be a great surprise gift for them!! Thank you, OP! :)

I saw a post in another thread that said free shipping was supposed to expire 12/26. Sounds like they left it going until sometime yesterday instead... I'm not getting free shipping either. Is anyone else still getting free shipping, or does anyone know of any fs or % off codes for Staples right now?? TIA!!

. . . . . . I'm so sorry this happened to you! I've never experienced this personally, but have had some close scares in years past (forgotten to get out a box of decorations and thought the special ones were lost)... Is it possible another family member (aunt, grandparent, etc.) might have some of these as well and would be willing to share a few with you? If you still have other items they made at other times of the year (or some of their favorite toys when they were little), maybe some of those could be used for decorating for Christmas as well... I remember one of my favorite ornaments as a child was actually one of those little plastic pineapple containers that had the powdered koolaid stuff in it-- it wasn't supposed to be an ornament, but it had a hole in the top so I stuck a hook in it and it went on the tree for many years! And while those particular decorations you lost are irreplaceable, maybe having some new handmade decorations could help ease the pain. If you have some younger children that you see on a regular basis (relatives, neighbors, church, etc.), ask them to make something special for you! Most kids love to make things, especially when they know a grown-up really wants it! I have no children of my own and was away from my nieces and nephews for a couple years when they were young, which was really hard for me. But I still have some of the pictures and cards that my mom's 4 & 5 yr olds class at church made and sent to me back then; it meant so much to know they cared enough to create something special just for me! :) So hang in there and remember-- even if you lost every physical possession tomorrow, no one can take away those special memories you hold in your heart!

Ooo-- this would work good too: use the $10 RR from the OP's scenario to do the Coke 12 pk deal on the current 3 day sale (Coke products- 12 packs 4/$11, get $4 RR)! Final total would be 1.83 OOP, and you'd get 3 Nice & Easy hair colorings, 4 Coke 12 pks, AND a $4 RR for another purchase!

Is it in store only, or is online stuff included? TIA!!

I have been looking for a cheap camera for my mom, who's never used a digital camera. This will be a neat surprise-- they'll be heading to my uncle's in northern Florida on the 27th, so I'm having it shipped to the store closest to him, with my mom as the additional pickup person! I just hope the holidays don't delay it too much, cuz they'll be heading further south right after New Year's and will be there for 3 months! Crossing my fingers it gets there in time!!! :) Thanks so much, OP!

Check out this page on the Walgreens website-- some of this is the same stuff that was in the special ad, but there's some added stuff, plus some that's not in here that was in the special ad.... Holiday Hot Buys: Store Coupons and Savings - Walgreens

I noticed the Coke 12 pk deal on the sign at my Walgreens on the way to work this morning-- awesome deal! That works out to be $1.75 per 12 pk!!

I forgot to look at mine last night but was pretty sure it's a Homedics brand... but I couldn't find one like it on amazon or nextag! But I DID find one exactly like mine on ebay... HoMedics Sound Therapy Machine- White- works great I wonder why none of the newer Homedics ones I see don't have the white noise feature anymore??? HTH! Look around on Amazon- I saw another one (Conair, I think?) that has 10 different sounds, including white noise...

Mine has the white noise sound, which is what I use every night! I'll write myself a note and check to see what brand, model, etc. mine is tonight, then let you know tomorrow (if you haven't found one by then!)... :)

Maybe stop by a sporting goods store for some ideas along the wrestling/basketball/strength training lines. They also might have good recommendations on books related to these...

The only issue I can see with that particular fridge is it's size: (from the website) Product in Inches (L x W x H): 19.81 x 19.72 x 20.31 Seems pretty small, not as big as most dorm-sized fridges I've seen... JMO...

Well, the best quality flashlights I've ever used are the MagLite brand.... Or maybe one of those flashlights that comes with the built-in weather band/ FM radio? Might be something that would come in handy at college if there's a power failure. The mini-fridge sounds neat, but would you be able to get a good one (i.e. able to withstand the wear & tear) in the $50-80 range?

Thanks so much, OP-- I found a nice wicker creel (great for my parents' fishing themed den!) and a metal rack that holds 6 rolls of wrapping paper, for storage AND for using.... Total after shipping and promo code= $22.86!

I have to agree with this. The big feeling I get with a gift whether I am receiving or give it is the special feeling that goes into it. Last Christmas, I was very Grinchlike when I would get suggestions from my nephew about what would like. I wound up getting him a game that I thought he would like, but wasn't on his list. Christmas became special when I opened my gifts from my niece and found a 5.00 puzzle magazine. She told my dh and I that one of her best memories was watching her uncle and I doing the crossword puzzle in the daily paper. That was the best gift I remember receiving due to the thought that went into it. This year I can't wait for people to open the gifts from me. I didn't use lists but bought gifts that I know my neices and nephews will love. Now if I could come up with an idea for my sons. Have a great holiday season all. I agree with this as well, as does my mom... but my brother, sister, and their families have never grasped that concept! As much as I love buying for all of my family, I'm kinda relieved that the adults all drew names this year. I would love to recieve a gift like the PP's $5 puzzle magazine: something given not because they "have to give something" but because they took the time to think of me personally! That's what I try to do for them every year but it's so hard to do when they're all "expecting" a certain level of gift. KWIM? I guess this is a little OT, sorry... but to answer the original question: yes, it's VERY difficult to tell my family what I want for Christmas, especially when the things I'd truly like to have are ones I know they'd never get!

I think mine came from Walmart a few yrs ago, but can't remember when or how much-- sorry! But my advice would be wait till after Christmas (if you can stand it that long, LOL) to see if there's a good clearance sale on alarm clocks and such, as they are usually included with those. Have you considered a fan as a noisemaker? That's what I used for several years, before finding my sound machine...