BF in Iowa

A container of homebaked cookies, a bottle of wine, flowers for the table, a box of chocolates she can eat later or share with guests (that party or some other gathering)... go for something disposible/consumable!

We always gave the teachers at school a pile of coordinated paper plates (holiday design) in two sizes, matching paper napkins, a menu and a gift certificate from a local pizzeria or similar restaurant... in the hectic days around the holidays, what's better than a no-fuss, no-clean-up dinner for the teacher's family? Our kids' teachers always seemed appreciative!

Free totes for 500? About the first 100 people in line at our local Target got one. Then they "ran out." Then around 5:45, people walking into the store for the first time (when the check-out lines were huge from the 5 am opening), received totes from staff handing out totes to newly-arrived shoppers! So much for the remaining people in line who didn't get a tote prior to store opening; we were all stuck in check-out lines by then! Still, I got the other great deals I was after - even if I remain "tote-less!"

First Class air ticket to London and hotel... Okay, I know it is a lean economy and this is just a wish, that's why I started with First Class tickets (since I've never flown up front)......economy class would do!

I just pre-ordered our family copy of HP and Half-Blood Prince online. It got me thinking - what if WalMart is holding back some special price on the newest HP movie because they are trying to pre-sell a record number...then will sell copies in brick-and-morter stores at or after BF for even less (~$7)? Has a retailer ever done such a thing before?

The Tanger mall near us opens at midnight (that's just a minute after Thanksgiving truly ends). My teen daughter went with family friend's last year. She liked that everything at Aeropostale was 1/2 price but said the lines, crowds and craziness wasn't worth it (but, she's never gone with me/Santa at 4 am to stand outside cold, snowy Target, either). She bought just one shirt at Aeropostale. Nothing else! (Yes, she'll have to learn more about shopping for maximum benefit!)

I second the zoo membership, Little People farm or money to college savings account. Believe me, I am so thankful for the $1,000 annually grandparents stashed away for my children. It adds up - and college costs increase faster than anything else (except maybe healthcare). I haven't met a child with too few toys but I know plenty of good teenagers with too few funds for college.

Drawer underneath the pedestal washing machine and dryer, boxes in garage marked "computer manuals" or "dad's high school yearbooks", trunk of my car (it's very spacious and with the mesh net to keep cargo upright, there is a HUGE space back behind that no one thinks about!!), underneath stored patio furniture/cushions, inside luggage.

Restaurants around here post early-closing hours on Christmas Eve. It seems like a nice idea to eat out --- but I feel badly for staff who have to work til closing and then probably clean/prep for the next open day.

2009 ad features women's flannel (night)gowns for $12.99. Last year, they featured these items, too - but after waiting to get in at the store, all they had in stock was flannel PJs. The clerks told me "Oh, we never got those and don't expect to see them." I hope they really do have them this year! I searched their website for specifications on the $79 (model 19106, regularly $99) but couldn't find any mention of it currently. That makes me think it is a basic, junky special item that they do not normally stock. No sale.

I've got a niece who asked for a can of olives (black olives, I think) years ago because when they were added to relish trays, she couldn't eat them fast enough to get all she wanted... ever since then (and she is an adult capable of buying her own now!), she always gets a can of olives from at least one person in the family.

TV News reported Target is also cutting toy prices deeply. Similar to the news of WalMart's 100 toys @ $10 each, I cannot find a complete list of the deals. Have you seen anything?

Snuggies - come one, put your robe on backwards or use a blanket to stay warm in a chilly room while watching TV...but $20 for a fleece blanket with sleeves? Uh-uh. No. Nope. Never! [And for 2009, they are introducing Snuggies for the family dog...!]

I avoid Kohl's at all costs! The check-out lines snaked around the side walls of the store and practically met each other across the back wall in domestics...what a nightmare. I spent nearly 2.5 hours in line there with my teen daughter (her choice of clothing was what kept me in that line...) and NEVER will I do that again. I do not like their inflated/discounted price strategies, their credit card policies (sweeter deals for cardholders and far too many mailings when you do carry their card), the Kohl's cash system, their shortage of parking spaces, etc. I am just NOT a Kohl's shopper.

Significantly less....even if spouse finds a job now, it will take us some time to "make up" the savings we've been raiding. It will be a drab Christmas at our house.

Significantly less; husband is unemployed and we are limping by on my salary alone. Even if he finds a job that pays about what his old job did, we have some territory to make up: delayed dental work, replenish and rebuild savings (in case this happens again!), college expenses around the corner (even application fees and dorm deposits add up), approaching higher utility bills due to winter, the desire to eat a steak dinner again, etc.

If my spouse's streak of unemployment in 2009 isn't resolved soon, it will be a very, very disappointing BF for me, the shopper - and a huge disappointment for our children when they look for wrapped gifts underneath the tree. I know, I know: we can "find the true meaning" of the holidays, give certificates to each other for "a free room cleaning" or "taking out the trash" but, face it, everyone is materialistic to some degree! Isn't that why we are at this site? This year has been awful. On my salary and the unemployment benefit, we can just barely cover our pared-down expenses. I don't know what happens when winter natural gas and utility bills arrive. I can't feed four people a healthy diet with variety on much less than $60/week. We aren't over-extended, we don't have credit card debt (have always paid those off in full each month), we don't live in a mansion, eat out weekly or live extravagantly...yet we do not qualify for so much as reduced-priced lunch for the children at school. I was hopeful the economy would improve but I haven't experience it yet. Very disappointing.

I happened to be at the Coralville, Iowa Super Target on Friday - and the deals were hot, hot, hot! I found nice cotton towels, jersey sheets ($4.98) and assorted bathroom rug collections ($2 - $4.38) all at ridiculously low prices. They had brought in a wheeled bookshelf/bin from the stockroom (this would never normally be seen in the customer area of the store), left it in a towels aisle and the prices were phenomenal. I guess they are expecting entire new lines of bathroom rugs and towels for Spring 2009? I was delighted to buy the "out of style" items. As for Christmas stuff, the best deals were the Hello,Kitty items in the dollar spot at 75% off. Not much left except for wrapping paper. Very few edibles left - no Cadbury cookie assortments At the nearby Super WalMart, I found lots of good deals at 75% off - cosmetic assortments in little purses, teen-themed flannel pants, holiday socks, cosmetic bags, placemats - all good items to tuck away for future gifts.

Iowa - wind chill warning here (about -20 degrees F with the wind factored in); another 5-10" expected over Tuesday and Wednesday...it's not fit outside for humans or animals. The ice and the wind have left a crispy "crust" on top of the snow, which makes shoveling all the more difficult.

Our store is still packed with those Black Friday clothing items. People rushed to the lay-away counter for the GPS, Nintendo and TVs and the clothing just sat...and it is STILL sitting. One reason the girls' PJs might still be sitting is that the Disney motifs were very, very juvenile-oriented for size 12-14 girls (6th graders - junior high age). I think someone goofed on that part.

I would like to let everyone know how wonderful our little Midwest Menard's DIY chain is... this is the first year our Super Menard's store (with appliance, mattress, pet, limited grocery, etc. departments) was open and most shoppers in line did not know what to expect. Around 5:30, an employee came out to distribute maps of the store. Granted, the printing was microscopic and the morning darkness didn't help - but the location of each doorbuster special was marked! He answered everyone's specific questions (especially helpful for those of us over age 40 with less sharp vision!). Items in the aisles and on the endcaps that were doorbusters were marked with helium balloons. The only aspect that was less than stellar was the main aisle, where they once again persisted in lining up carts (separated, not "glued together") such that shoppers could only walk single-file down each edge of the main aisle! In fact, as I blazed a trail for the $1.89 fleece blankets, a gaggle of conversing employees had to step into a side aisle...there was just no room for extra people. I was in and out, paid, picked up the battery rebate form (tidily organized up front) and back to my car by 6:13. Great service, friendly employees - really, a wonderful shopping experience.

11/19 email special today only - $15 off $100 purchase, not including electronics, and it landed in my In basket at 2:38 pm. I guess I'd have to build an order quickly - and it better not include my daughters' most-wished-for (electronic) items. If this is their idea of a "fabulous" special offer, I am not impressed.

How about giant furniture? There is an enormous (11 feet tall, 670 lbs.) walnut rocking chair at the furniture shop in West Amana, Iowa. A family of eight could easily sit on the seat...the footstool is enormous. Visitors are welcome to sit in it and take pictures. Great snap!

There isn't an IKEA within five hours' drive of me. Very sad.

I know there are others like me but few people seem to be mentioning Menard's...but for those of us in the Midwest, this is often a must-do place for Friday morning. Happily pondering what they might have for us this year :)