ilikefree

I've become very disciplined about this...we put $20 into a Christmas club every week. I've also been cleaning and purging my house. Before taking things to donate to the thrift store, I try selling them on several Facebook garage sale sites. It's surprising how much money you can make from things you were going to donate anyway. If they don't sell, then they go to the thrift store. All that money goes into an envelope and gets saved for Christmas shopping. The last way I've been saving money, and I admit this is a hard one to do, is from a way I've read in a magazine. Starting in January, each week you put away money...1st week $1, 2nd week $2, 3rd week $3 and so on, up to the 52nd week. I've found it easier to start with the $52 and work my way backwards.

Thank you Racerfan, everything you chose was just perfect...seriously! It's like you've known me for years! I hope you have a very Happy New Year!

And the surprises keep coming! I received a box from my Secret Santa last week and posted here about it. When I got home from work today there was a box from Amazon waiting for me. I thought I'd received everything I ordered so I was confused as to what it was. I opened it and it was a guardian angel car charm! It's beautiful...I just love it! Thank you, again, Secret Santa! You're the best!

With a crazy, busy schedule the last few weeks, I haven't been able to ship mine out yet. Everything is ready to go, just have to get to the post office. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be getting you the tracking number. On another note...THANK YOU to my Secret Santa! I received my package today and just love it!! My favorite candy (a huge box!) and the cutest salt and pepper shaker!

I have a couple things bought but still have to find more to put in. The deadline will be here before I know it!

Aww man! I had such high hopes with this contest. I've won this one the past several years and was hoping to get in on the winner's list this year too! Maybe the next one! Congrats to all the winners!

I don't know where it was, but I heard on the radio this morning that there is someone out at a Best Buy already.

All of my stuff is coming from Walmart... 55" Philips Smart TV $298 A few of the $1.96 dvds 7 @ $1.96 = $13.72 A few of the $3.96 dvds 4 @ $3.96 = $15.84 A few of the TV series dvds 4 @ $6.96 = $27.84 iPad Mini 2 $199 hp laptop $199 Men's Wrangler jeans 6 @ $10 = $60 Men's Dickies Socks 3 @ $4 = $12 Mainstays 3 pc Trashcans $18.97 Fireplace TV Stand $155 Total $999.37

I agree with you, Khobbs1. Black Friday used to be a day, I thought, that you could find some very good deals...lots of variety & great prices. The last couple years, though, have been, what seems to me, basically the same ads at discounted, but not great prices.

I admit I didn't read the article yet, but if BF was dead, we wouldn't be fighting over all the stuff we do on that day!

I always wait for Walmart (I don't know why, seems like they always have the same things year after year), Meijer and Menards. Maybe it's just me, but I never even look at the Kohls ad. I just don't see what all the hype is about that store. I went there with my sister one year for their big towels and stood in line FOREVER! Never again!

I read your question and thought, "That's easy!" But the more I thought about it, everyone is getting harder and harder to buy for. My first thought was my husband and my dad. Those 2 men don't need anything and I always get him the same things, snacks, scratch-off lottery tickets, socks & underwear. But then I remembered that our kids and my niece and nephews are getting older and more difficult to buy for. The only fun one to buy for is my 4 year old nephew. He's still excited and trilled with anything he receives. My niece and nephews are at the ages where I don't know what to buy anymore. Their parents (my sister and her husband) buy them name-brand everything so anything that isn't name-brand doesn't fly with them. I can't afford to buy my own kids name-brand stuff, let alone anyone else. So I usually end up getting them snacks and gift cards so they can buy what they want. Boring, I know, but it works for me!

#1 Hey! Hey! Hey! There's a line-cutter right over there! #2 It's none of your business what I'm doing with all these Nerf guns! Just stay out of my way and no cutting in front of me and you won't get hurt in the next line I'm in! #3 Mom, PLEASE don't tell me those Victoria's Secret bags are filled with stuff for you and Dad! And stop smiling like that, you're grossing me out! Ewwww!! I don't even wanna think about it!

This was always a tough one for me as well. My sister is a teacher and she gets all kinds of mugs that she doesn't use. I know a lot of teachers can't do the scented candles that you see so many of on BF. Shutterfly will have codes a lot of times for a free wall calendar. If there is any way you could get pictures of the kids in the class (by volunteering in the classroom maybe?), maybe make him/her a calendar. All you pay is shipping and maybe tax. My sister really likes stuff for her classroom so she doesn't have to pay out of her own pocket. Things like dry erase markers are big on her list as well as extra pencils, crayons, really any kind of supplies. Maybe get a variety of things and put them in a cute basket. Hope some of these ideas help.

I'd love to see them come out earlier so I can focus on those instead of all the negative TV & radio ads and the news.

Came here for ideas as well. It seems like I'm always doing the same things year after year...jerky, candy, scratch off lottery tickets, toothbrush/paste...

I'm the same way. I used to LOVE the time from Thanksgiving up till the new year, but the past few years I just haven't been feeling it. My favorite time of the year has always been Black Friday and Christmas day, but my mom died 2 1/2 years ago and was sick a couple years before that and it just hasn't been the same. I still go BF shopping with my sister and we do have a great time every year even if we don't particularly need anything, but nothing feels the same. My husband and sons don't get as excited as I ever did. Can you believe my boys (23 & 17 now) have ALWAYS had to be woken up on Christmas morning! When we were kids, we were awake and ready to get up at 4 in the morning on Christmas day only to be told to go back to bed, but I've always had to wake them up! I still tease them about that! Anyway, there isn't much Christmas spirit in our house so I figure, why bother? I do decorate just to it feels Christmas-y to me. There is word that my husband might get laid off this week from his job that he's worked at for 22 years. I do know what you're saying about BF and I'll get through it, just not as excited as I used to be.

What a great contest! Thanks for all the opportunities and good luck to everyone!

I have the BEST Secret Santa!! Loved everything I got in the mail today!!!! But I can't figure out how to attach a picture to my post.

Mailed mine on Saturday. Hope she likes it!

Awesome!

Time to find out the winner is getting closer and closer!

I've never gotten these before, how much is the bag with the stuff in it?

I agree. It seems like they have the same things in the ads every year. Either that, or I just don't know what I want to buy yet for this year, but so far nothing has jumped out of the ads and screamed my name.

Best Buy Toshiba 49" LED TV $149.99 Dell Touchscreen laptop $299.99 Sandisk 128GB flash drive $19.99 Sams Club Canon EOS T5 2 lens bundle $399 Kohl's Canon Powershot $89.99 Meijer 2 Bungee Chairs @ $19.99 each...$39.98 Total $998.94