bluebear

I have already bought a few things, either things I've been watching and the price dropped, or things with KC or Target GC and a sale. Next is a handmade item, and it's from Poland, so I'll need to get that ordered soon and out of the way. Right now though I'm debating on the tiny Instant pot. I think I figured it will be about $42 right now (I have KC to spend) and I don't think I recall one being under $40 last year. So I may grab it now.

It's the wondrous thingie that makes those adorable little tiny cookies in different shapes that often get decorated with sugar sprinkles. You squeeze the dough through a tube with a disc on the end that makes it into different shape. Think of the play-doh extruders, except it only dispenses the amount for one cookie. Oh, that was a lot of confusing words. Here's a link so you can see. https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Cookie-Stainless-Storage/dp/B00ABH0PYI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539666152&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cookie+press&dpPl=1&dpID=41jQLDZb-2L&ref=plSrch

Yummy! I can't wait until cookie and candy making time! If anyone has a sugar cookie recipe for the cookie press, I would love to hear it. Family doesn't like the normal butter/spritz cookies, but I like using my cookie press. I tried a couple different non-press recipes last year, but they were dry or sticky and didn't play nicely with the press.

I noticed in the toy book Brad posted on the site that it said toys weren't eligible for coupons, and that most of the toys said +extra 15% off beside them, so I guess it's a current promo. I also noticed when I was getting some toys last week, but just figured it was that particular brand. I didn't realize it was all toys forever. Interesting. Thanks for pointing it out. Hopefully they will have some comparable promos and deals for holiday shopping. If not, I either wont buy as many toys (which is probably a good thing!), or I will save those to spend my kohls cash on after Thanksgiving. I always end up with a lot, and nothing to spend it on since I bought everything I wanted during Thanksgiving sale. Husband just had a good point. With TRU gone, they could have more of the market, and toys must not have too high markup or TRU might have been doing better. Also, with TRU gone, that's probably the reason they brought on Legos. Lego needed more places to sell to.

Mine arrived yesterday as well. Hooray! Thanks Brad!

Kohl's throws. I've already bought 2 plush, 3 fleece, and 3 jersey ones this month. And 2 other plush earlier in the year. Today I noticed theyy finally put up new designs, and I saw a few I liked, so maybe I can resist (not likely). Towels from Kohl's. 2 kids don't need them this year, but I'll probably still get them for my daughter. Gel memory foam mattress pads from Kohl's. Need to see if anyone needs one this year. Advent calendar necklace and bracelet set. Xbox live, PlayStation subscription, Google Play cards, and gaming money. Batteries and poinsettias from Home Depot. We line up before 6am for them. Mama insists. Cat litter, pet toys, and dog treats from PetSmart. Mama buys new cat collars every year. I used to stock up on laundry detergent and other household items, but those sales have kinda changed in the last few years.

The bulk of my Thanksgiving week shopping is at Kohl's online. I'm hoping to scale that back this year, as everyone now has gone to college and/or moved out and has bedding, towels, pillows, mattress pads, and small appliances. But we'll see if that actually happens. For the rest of the Christmas shopping between Thanksgiving and Christmas, a lot comes from Amazon. The only two stores I visit anymore on Black Friday are Home Depot (6am) and PetSmart (7am), and then maybe Target or Bath and Body Works in between those openings if needed to kill time.

The Home Depot trees really are the best, aren't they. Friday while I'm out shopping, my husband starts pulling out the decorations. Then after I rest, we start decorating.

I have some hook and loop type strapping that I use for the garland on my stair railings. It comes on a roll, and you cut to size. It's green, so it blends in with the garland.

Not looking not looking not looking... Between yesterday and today I had 7 throws arrive at my house from kohl's. And yes, one for the dog, one for the cat...

Last year we did a big trip instead of a lot of presents. My family of home bodies didn't love it. But, this extra could pay for a couple days of something simple, right? And emergency fund... Hmmm, that's an idea too. Too tempting at Christmas time to spend that though! (no self control here)

Oh! Yay!! Thanks Brad!

Guess what?! I just found out tonight that there is no college tuition payment due in November! Last year's school was July-Oct, then Nov-Feb, so no break in payments. This new school is Dec-Mar. Yay! So that's another $1k I can spend (not that I plan to, but I don't have to stress or worry now). Yay!!

I would really like the ornament bird feeder. I wanted them last year too. The bird seed is a good price as well. But our True Value just isn't very convenient. Maybe this year I'll venture out in that (opposite) direction. Edit Oh. Or not. What I thought was True Value is actually Ace. So looks like I don't have one within a reasonable distance. Guess I'll try shopping online

Oh sadness!! So sorry!

I've not done Swagbucks, but maybe I'll add it to my list for next year. Currently I do MyPoints and Bing Rewards, and have $35 ready to redeem in MyPoints, and about $40 for Bing. I'll most likely get Amazon for both, or maybe Target on one. I'll wait a few more weeks before redeeming for them, or I'll spend it in something else I'm sure! I just do the simple bare minimum in MyPoints, I don't watch the nCrave videos, and very rarely answer surveys. I also do mot of my shopping here through Gotta Deal, as BoPeep mentioned above. And lately I've also gotten lazy with Bing, and just do my daily tasks there and not complete my searches.

Alright guys, so I am suddenly buying all the things. It's like October 1, a switch turned on and said Okay start buying! Which I guess is good so I'm spreading it out, but I can't buy it all at once now either! And most is for my grandson, who isn't going to need this much stuff! At least his birthday is 6 weeks after Christmas, so I can hold off giving him some things, and still use Christmas deals. So far this past week I took advantage of the Michael's 40% off online purchase coupon, Kohl's Columbus Day sale (20%+20%), and then last night, I found the Target Lego promo, $10GC with $50. So I got that in 20 minutes before Target midnight. And I was happy because one of the sets I got, I *almost* bought at Kohl's earlier in the night for more. So yay for that. I have 3 birthdays to buy for this month though, so I need to not buy anymore Christmas until those are done. And until I get my Thirty One order placed for this month. At least I've made some progress though!

The blanket I started making last weekend... I got about 8" in, and I think I hate it and I'm going to take it apart and start over. But, one of the dollhouse sites started a Columbus Day Sale today, so I got a stable kit ordered. First step to being able to build it is to have the kit, so no excuse now for that. And Michael's had a 40% online purchase coupon earlier in the week, so got several dinos and dragons ordered. Making progress, despite having to take the blanket apart.

I'd love a kitchen island as well... And place to put it! Think I can find a deal on space?!

I think you've thought of everything already! Great ideas. Looking forward to seeing what others come up with.

Started knitting the blanket. Already worried it's going to be too short across. I make things so hard and stressful on myself.

October, yay. I'll open my Halloween cats blanket from Kohl's today. And open up the bags of candy corn. I've made a list of all the things I want to knit. It's pretty ambitious. And it includes a blanket for my grandson, so that's a task in itself. I also have decided I want to build him a miniature stable and paint a wooden castle. I better get started on something!

I think an Oculus Rift will probably make it on the wish list. Would love to get that about $300 (25% off). But realistically, I can't imagine it'd go below $350. Probably not even that, but I can hope.

I've been using wireless chargers for my (Windows) phones for a few years. I love them. We have them in a few places throughout the house, and one on my desk at work. They work great. We happened across a special several years ago at the AT&T store on the official Nokia chargers, and bought several then. They still are going great. I believe they have "fast charge" wireless ones now, but I haven't used those. We all obsessively charge our phone here so that's not needed often. And that's easier when you can just lay it down on the charger. Now, with all that said... When I got a new phone in February it didn't have wireless charging, and that was the saddest thing ever.

Just bought the first Christmas present! Well, not counting the thing I pre-ordered from ThinkGeek in June that still doesn't have an actual shipping date. Son wants the Switch Pro controller, but in Splatoon colors, and it's discontinued. I've been watching it fluctuate by more than $20 since May, and tonight it dropped to the lowest I've seen it since I started watching. Yay!