GottaDEAL 2020 Black Friday Prize Club Posting Thread

[Gator Pam]

Not for me, but thought I would inform others of it...

 

No, You're Not Dreaming: Dole Whip Beer Is Real, and It's Made With Actual Pineapples

[speeddiva]

Do any GDers work for AT&T wireless?

 

I’m getting really frustrated trying to get information. I just need a couple of questions answered to make a decision on a wireless plan switch. This should not be this difficult in the digital age.

Edited August 18, 2020 by speeddiva

[len_mullen]

How T-Mobile Became the Second-Largest U.S. Carrier

 

https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/08/13/how-t-mobile-became-the-second-largest-us-carrier

 

 

T-Mobile is the network of Consumer Cellular

  *   Unlimited data
  *   No contracts
  *   Advertised price includes all taxes and fees
  *   'Best network' (whatever that means)
  *   T-Mobile Tuesdays
  *   5G not happening for anyone in the next two years
  *   With two or more lines on an eligible plan, you can enjoy Netflix on Us

 

Best phone carriers of 2020

https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-phone-carrier

 

 

When it comes to the best mix of data plans, coverage and perks, T-Mobile is the phone carrier to beat. The Uncarrier has spent years upending the wireless business, forcing its rivals to follow suit on generously priced unlimited data plans and aggressive promotions. But T-Mobile always seems to be one step ahead of the competition.

 

T-Mobile offers the best unlimited data plan in the business, with its $70 Magenta plan that bakes taxes and fees into the cost of the plan and also lets you use your data when you're overseas (albeit at slower speeds). Hearty discounts as you add lines also make Magenta the best family cell phone plan. And if you don't need all that data, T-Mobile's 2GB and 5GB prepaid plans are among the cheapest you'll find. 

 

In our network testing, we found T-Mobile's LTE download speeds were fast, even if Verizon and AT&T both finished ahead of the Uncarrier. Third-party testing firm OpenSignal says that T-Mobile has the best upload speeds in its most recent report. As for 5G, T-Mobile was the first carrier to offer nationwide coverage, with service now reaching more than 7,500 cities. T-Mobile's 5G speeds have been only a little bit faster than LTE in our testing, but that's changing as the carrier works to incorporate Sprint's 5G network into its own.

 

What really sets T-Mobile apart is the perks it extends to customers. Weekly T-Mobile Tuesday giveaways include prizes and benefits like free trial subscriptions to Tidal Premium and Google Stadia Pro. T-Mobile's Team of Experts program also provides excellent customer service to subscribers. To deal with the scourge of robocalling, T-Mobile is adding a free Scam Shield service that offers call blocking and enhanced caller ID that identifies verified numbers; you can also get a second proxy number to weed out robocalls and keep your real phone number private.

https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/deals-hub

Edited August 18, 2020 by len_mullen

[Gator Pam]

I finally had the follow up with the surgeon regarding the results from the procedure I had last month. Both areas came back cancer free (yay!), however a plan has been put in place to watch my bladder, as it had positive markers of potential future concern. But for now, unless the symptoms which started this whole process occur again, which they haven't since I started pursuing this, I need not worry about it until next year.

 

Thank you all for your well wishes, healing love, white light, and prayers.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַגּוֹמֵל לְחַיָּבִים טוֹבוֹת שֶׁגְּמָלַנִי כָּל טוֹב

 

Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the world, who rewards the undeserving with goodness, and who has rewarded me with goodness.

Edited August 22, 2020 by Gator Pam

[laddhorn]

Happy August all! 

 

I guess we find out next month what kind of Black Friday we will have this year.

[momlori]

Had to reschedule our Europe trip but now we are doing a road trip. Hope we can finally get out

[Brad]

A couple "housekeeping" updates for the prize club:

 

1. I will start collecting addresses to send you your pins next month. Look for an announcement when you post in here during September. As with last year, you'll be on the honor system to post during the last month as you should have your prize before then.

 

2. Everyone who qualifies will now receive 2 pins instead of 1. I had to order a minimum of 100 and there are only 41 of you right now, so everyone gets 2

[len_mullen]

Another Amazon delivery, another disaster for me.  
 

 
This is THEIR picture.  Both boxes were unsealed.  The bottom one was clearly damaged on the lower left corner.  Obviously gently handled.  That box happened to contain body wash -- bottles floating around in the box with no seal over the cover you press down to open the bottle.  There were a total of six 'bubbles' of packaging -- one busted.
 
I consider myself fortunate that only the seltzer, tide pods, and other bottles of Axe were spilled on.  And that is ONLY because I noticed the boxes a half hour after delivery.  
 

 
Still excited about Black Friday being mostly online?

Edited August 24, 2020 by len_mullen

[Kanyon71]

Another Amazon delivery, another disaster for me.

 

 

This is THEIR picture. Both boxes were unsealed. The bottom one was clearly damaged on the lower left corner. Obviously gently handled. That box happened to contain body wash -- bottles floating around in the box with no seal over the cover you press down to open the bottle. There were a total of six 'bubbles' of packaging -- one busted.

 

I consider myself fortunate that only the seltzer, tide pods, and other bottles of Axe were spilled on. And that is ONLY because I noticed the boxes a half hour after delivery.

 

 

Still excited about Black Friday being mostly online?

I really wish I could lay a whooping on some of these delivery people. We send out a lot of laser etched glasses to people and the delivery companies have broken so many of them.

 

One of our customers and I talk often and he told me he had the last one that was delivered and broken on his ring doorbell. The delivery driver literally dropped the box from waist level to the ground despite the many FRAGILE stickers we have been putting on boxes. Then to make it worse they make us jump through so many hoops that’s it not worth a claim. This is a side business so money isn’t just flooding in.

[bluebear]

So I've made 15 blankets since April. "Those will make great Christmas gifts for everyone" she said.

I have 3 still here ready to be gifted. Me and my kids are so impatient (5 of them went to kids' friends for birthdays, housewarming, and moving away gifts).

 

Luckily I found lots of yarn on clearance, so I still have enough to make about 24 more blankets, and I only have 8 family members to gift to (husband and kids and grandson already have their's), so I should still be in good shape. If I don't continue to give them all away!

[len_mullen]

I really wish I could lay a whooping on some of these delivery people. We send out a lot of laser etched glasses to people and the delivery companies have broken so many of them.

 

One of our customers and I talk often and he told me he had the last one that was delivered and broken on his ring doorbell. The delivery driver literally dropped the box from waist level to the ground despite the many FRAGILE stickers we have been putting on boxes. Then to make it worse they make us jump through so many hoops that’s it not worth a claim. This is a side business so money isn’t just flooding in.

 

It looks to me like they toss the boxes off the truck.  Every single week more of my dollars are spent at local retailers.  It turns out I am a much more conscience delivery channel than any of the pros.

[colemandawn4905]

I have a decent amount of Christmas shopping done. Lol trying to get this jump start. Hope you all are having a great August

[HanShotFirst]

Anyone here in the path of Hurricane Laura, take care!  Weather nerds are using words like “Unsurvivable” for some places from the storm surge predicted.  We are due some heavy heavy rain here in central Arkansas from the remnants.  The street department and fire department are out today pre-positioning barricades for flood-prone streets.  

[magickallight]

Anyone here in the path of Hurricane Laura, take care!  Weather nerds are using words like “Unsurvivable” for some places from the storm surge predicted.  We are due some heavy heavy rain here in central Arkansas from the remnants.  The street department and fire department are out today pre-positioning barricades for flood-prone streets.  

 

Yes, I hope and pray that all of our GottaDeal family stays safe. This thing looks like a MONSTER! We are seeing slight bands all the way on the Gulf Coast of Alabama!

[Gator Pam]

Yesterday I had a six month diabetes follow up visit with my primary care physician. My PCP of five years retired in December. I go to a clinic which trains resident MDs, and had new residents every two years, due to them finishing their training and moving on with their careers. Finally, I was turned over to a long term nurse practitioner in my practice, who was wonderful! He was my PCP for the last five years, and was the one who sent me for testing for my chronic myeloid leukemia, which no one else had picked up on.

 

Unfortunately, he retired in December, so I had my first visit with my new primary in December. Because of doing dirty/lazy keto, my A1C came back at 5.2, and had been steadily dropping for a good year prior to that. I was on 500 MG of metformin twice a day, as well as a dose of glibizide. I asked my former PCP if the dose could be titrated back, or even eliminated, but he was of the mind set of, "It's working for you. If it's not broke, let's not fix it."

 

When I saw the new PCP in February, who was also supposed to be a long term MD, and not a resident, he was open to taking me off the medication and retesting me to see how well my eating controlled my diabetes.

 

Well, my eating hasn't gone back to being totally carb laden, but I haven't been as strict as I should. My endocrinologist recently changed my levothyroxine dosage, and between my eating habits, the metabolism change caused by the change in the levothyroxine, and my own very sedentary habits, especially since the pandemic hit, I have put on 10 lbs. I honestly expected my A1C to come back in the high 6 to 7 range, and to be put back on metformin, if not both metformin and glibizide.

 

It came back at 5.8. Woo-hoo! Still higher than a non-diabetic, but definitely acceptable for a Type II diabetic. My PCP left the clinic to serve COVID patients, and I'm back with a new to me resident. However, she and I decided to see if I can regain control of my eating, lose more weight, and get my A1C numbers to drop back down without reintroducing the medication. We'll see how I'm doing at my next follow up.

Edited August 27, 2020 by Gator Pam

[Doresia]

Checking in.  hope everyone is safe, healthy and ready for a digital black friday

[laddhorn]

Stay safe!  Prayers for those who suffered Laura's wrath!

 

I'm curious if they will forgo the "Black Friday" name and just switch to "Cyber Week".  Especially this year.

[len_mullen]

Stay safe!  Prayers for those who suffered Laura's wrath!

 

I'm curious if they will forgo the "Black Friday" name and just switch to "Cyber Week".  Especially this year.

 

Black Friday is the day retailers go from being in the red to being profitable.  The name won't change (the date may).  I would like to go back to Christmas Shopping Season if it is OK with everyone else...

 

http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2013/11/23/11364869/1.jpg

Edited August 28, 2020 by len_mullen

[stationchief]

Everyone suffering the wrath of Laura please stay safe

[snowpup]

checking in. still smoky here in Northern California

[speeddiva]

I started Christmas shopping today! I have exactly one present bought LOL

[jesusluvu]

I started Christmas shopping today! I have exactly one present bought LOL

I started last month. Just 2 bought, well 3 but one is for me 

[tyreejames]

I started Christmas shopping today! I have exactly one present bought LOL

I haven’t even started a list yet, lol. I do have some ideas that I need to get written down so I can start looking for deals.

[Gator Pam]

I bought one Christmas and one Hanukkah gift back in March, when Misen had a "sale" on their three piece knife set. They're for the same young man who has been out on his own a few years, but doesn't have any decent knives for his kitchen, yet.

[gatorburg]

I hope everyone is doing well still

[bossy1]

Finished Christmas shopping for all 5 grands back in march...only have "kids" left ,2 in college and 2 with spouses.. already have request from one of the couples and the others are pretty easy. So basically I was done 9 months early..lol 

[len_mullen]

http://quotesideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/31643-Hello-September1.jpg

 

September 1st.  Traditionally, this is the first day of my Christmas season.    

 

 

Making my list, checking it twice, and all that.  This is when I start paying attention to the Black Friday forums.  The list is shorter this year.  I no longer have any idea what my kids want.  

 

 

I'm going to dial the way back machine to 1980.  Ten years before the World Wide Web.  Fourteen years before Amazon.

 

http://www.npointercos.jp/images/Moscow2009ssIMG_5428.jpg

 

This year, I'm going to venture into malls and look for really awesome things I may never have considered. 

 

 

I'm going to eat out... 

 

 

and snack on the run.

 

 

 

Anyone care to join me?  

[magickallight]

 

Looking forward to some cooler days - not sure when they will come - but it sure would be nice to go outside without getting heat stroke!

 

 

Unlike Len, ALL of my shopping will be done online this year. (No choice).

 

 

It will be an odd Christmas to say the least!

[bossy1]

Wow!! September already...in some ways this year is flying....Going car shopping today so wish me luck..first new car in 15 years...I fell like it's Christmas morning.

[alirwin1985]

Happy September!