mgreen

We start out in Banning/Beaumont, CA then migrate to San Bernardino, CA. Sometimes we may even head out to Ontario, CA depending on which stores we are going to.

The changes in hours kind of messed up our schedule as well. My sister and I used to get up and go have breakfast at Denny's then go to Walmart for the 5am sale, then hit up Target, etc. We would be out all day until 5 or 6pm. Now we are about done by noon. Also, with all of the stores trying to compete and open at the same time, you pretty much have to prioritize which stores you are going to go to. By the time you finish your first choice, you almost always miss out on any doorbusters at your second choice. I remember one year we got into Walmart, got done shopping and then got in line at Home Depot and were one of the first 10 in line for their opening! That doesn't happen much anymore.

Usually when you sign up you get the credit card size and the key ring size. I have all of mine on a seperate key ring.

I just sent my payment. Woohoo. I was just on the websiste last night saying "I have got to win a t-shirt this year!" I think this is easier. Thanks.

Last year our WM had roped off lines for each of the big ticket items and a map telling you which numbered line you needed to be in for the item you were trying to purchase. They put a numbered nonremovable armband on your wrist and gave you a ticket. then you were free to wander through the store. You paid for the item and then you had to drive around to the back with your numbered armband and your ticket and receipt to pick up the item. That actually went OK. I got one of the LCD TV's and they even loaded it in the car for me. The pallet thing was a mess. Total chaos. All of the Wii games were gone in like 2 seconds. They finally realized they had more and made everyone get in a line. They took us 1 - 2 at a time. We got to pick our games and then go check out. Then they would take the next couple of people to pick theirs. That worked really well. I got the games I wanted and there was no pushing or shoving. They should do that all of the time. The pallet rush could be/and sometimes is dangerous. A woman acatually fell out on the ground last year. I think she had low blood sugar or something.

Virtual shopping spree at Target - Westinghouse 40" LDC TV - 298 Toy Story 3 13 Grown Ups 13 2-RCA 7" portable DVD players 98 Medal of Honor for PS3 35 Just Dance 2 for Wii 39.99 Total 496.99 Balance of $3.01 - popcorn and a soda at the snack bar

My sister and I cannot think of anything we actually need. We are just going to peruse the ads and if anything strikes our fancy, GO FOR IT!!

I do not celebrate Christmas, I am just shopping for really good bargains. But, I have never had to take my children, thank goodness. It is always freezing cold when we go. I have older children that can watch them. I had them really spread apart (maybe that was intentional), so I have always had a babysitter and then there is my husband too. I would never take him along. He does not do the shopping thing. We have tried taking others on occassion, but they just don't get it. We took my son (now 20) one year and he was a great help, but he doesn't like going. Most people we know just think we are crazy. We have pretty much decided it is us (me and my sister) only.

If I had to wear a costume I would dress up as a really pregnant woman. Maybe I could get some sympathy and the other shoppers would not push and shove me so much! If I pretended to go into labor, or to be having labor pains, the crowd might stand back so my water wouldn't break near them and I could sneak to the front to grab the doorbusters!!!

Photo #1 It's too early to get up! Photo #2 My wife owes me BIG TIME for this one! Photo #3 I don't have any more tickets for the $99 flat screen TV!

Mostly just TOO MUCH stuff!

It's me and my sister - ONLY. No kids, no husbands and no one else. We have had other people go with us over the years and they just can't hang. So we made our rule.

I am with you, I didn't see anything that would have me waiting overnight out in the cold!

I can't get anything either. Maybe it was accidentally posted and they took it down.

Last year we made it through WalMart, checked out and still made it to the Home Depot next door early enough to be one of the first in line to get the flat screen tv they had on sale (they had less than 10 of them). Depending on what they have on sale, we will definitely go back. It is one of my favorite stores. All of the clerks know me.

I can't get to the ads. It keeps telling me the bandwidth limit has been exceeded. Does that mean that too many people are looking at the ad at the same time and I have to wait until some people stop looking at the ad?

My sister and I have three times a year where we get together. The LA Times travel show, day after Christmas shopping and BF shopping! We tried taking someone else with us before, but BF is not for the faint at heart. We decided we would keep this day just for us, no husbands, kids, etc. Just the two of us shop, shop, shopping.

I usually take my sister, cash and cards for shopping (carried in my front pockets), dental floss for after breakfast and lunch, my id and insurance card (in case I get ran over by a mob of angry shoppers), my cell phone for those across the store communications, all of the relevant BF ads with the appropriate markings and a list of the items I plan on purchasing. I hang my car keys from my belt loop on my pants. We have tried taking other people with us, but BF shopping is not for amatuers.

My sister and I have an all day ritual. We talk on the phone the night before. Then we get up at the crack of dawn and meet at Denny's for breakfast. While eating breakfast we go over our lists and make our game plan for which store we are going to first, second, etc. We leave Denny's with both cars. Usually WM is our first stop. After the first stop we hop in one car to go to the next stop. We are usually out from about 3:30am until 6 or 7pm. We usually stop for lunch about noon and then it's back to shopping. We then go back to WM and seperate stuff into the appropriate cars. Then we go our seperate ways to our homes. This is one of the three times a year where we have a standing date to spend time together. :)