shopping mom Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Does anyone else have this problem. I work 9-5 weekdays and have church on Sunday( not worth the drive time to go on Sundays) My youngest DD is 5 and she goes to bed at 8:00 so by the time I get home (30 min drive) and cook dinner, and spend time with her, there is not time to go to the stores before they close. That leaves Saturday, but I always and I do mean always have DD with me. She says that is our day together and if I plan something without her she gets her feelings hurt. I have tried to sneak stuff past her but that does not work. I hate to pay shipping and enjoy to BM shop. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msdarkness Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 I used to go with my mom shopping for us as she was a single mom she just used to hide things in the cart and put her coat over it bless her heart..what about amazon? that way you dont have to pay shipping or even store you can get free shipping site to store that way you can just go in and pick it up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3cuties4me Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 I pretty much do all of my shopping online after the kids are in bed :) I am a SAHM but I have 4 children ages 5 and under and anytime I go shopping they are all always with me... so I totally understand that. I LOVE shopping online though! LOL! After I get the kids to bed, finish up some laundry, spend some time with dh... I shop online... lol! In early December dh and I will plan a "date day" and leave the kids with my mom and dad and go finish up any shopping. But by then I usually have pretty much everything done. Last year I just had to pick up some stocking stuffers and finish up my sil's. We ended up going out to eat and to see a movie... lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haley28 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 I do about 90% of my kids Christmas online at Amazon. If you order $25 or more you can get the free super saver shipping. I know it's not as fun as going to the store, but it actually can be cheaper if you don't have to pay tax, and they don't see you buy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfordmom Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Can you plan a special play date for your daughter on a Saturday for a couple of hours and drop her off at a friends or relatives house? Tell her how much fun she is going to have and how lucky she is that she gets to play at ___'s house... and talk it up and get her excited about it. Or have your husband (if you have one) take her to the movies or do something special with her. Or go before or after church on Sunday. Or run out at 8pm when she goes to bed for a couple of hours, again if you have a husband or someone else at home, or have someone come over one night at 8 so you could go out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancglady Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Maybe you could take a day off of work and plan your shopping trip so you stay organized. Drop her off to school and have someone else pick her up, have dinner ready go in the fridge and shop shop shop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdigman6 Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Oh my gosh that is wild I feel like I read my own life in orginal post! We have 4 kids-12,9,6,and soon to be 3. the 9 and 6 year old ALWAYs want to go with me, I have to sneek out or they get upset. I have resorted to saying ok here is the deal... I am going shopping to do X,Y and Z this is my alone time ( SAHM myself). However I will take you shopping when I get back to a store close by on the condition you help dad around here and stop with the fits etc etc. Seems to have worked... if I know i can not take them then i tell them I will bring a treat back for them once and while... I usually bring back a lip gloss something like that. they think that is fun too, they wonder what it may be while I am gone. If you have no one at home then I would check about setting up a play day with a friend and you and the other mom take turns then you both get your shopping done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaInNC Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Can you squeeze any shopping in during your lunch hour? You'd also be surprised just how late stores stay open from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. I know Target stays open until 11pm and Best Buy has later hours too. Are you a single parent? Or can you make a trip after you put your little one down for the night? You just need to be organized and keep a list with you at all times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassgurlie04 Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 you just need to be organized and keep a list with you at all times! that is probally this single most best answer i have read in a post yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdigman6 Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 I know that no matter how much you carry that list.... if they are with you as much as it sounds like ....your still going to struggle to get anything done with out the distraction. save yourself the fustration get a sitter or something and go out. Like I said my kids have been bummed out but you know what~ they will get over it. sometimes i bring something back for them sometimes i don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shopping mom Posted September 18, 2008 Author Share Posted September 18, 2008 Thanks for all the ideas. I have a small memo notebook in my purse and have ideas written down. I think I am going to order the dollhouse online. Maybe I will find some of the other stuff with the online deal forum here. I think I will ask for a day off here and there or at least a half of day. (I just hate to lose the pay) I also like the suggestion of scheduling a play day with one of her friends. Thanks everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kandy Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Ordering online through amazon with the free shipping would be a great idea. Another option if you have the time on lunch to pick up quick items you may have on a list ie stocking stuffers and things you know you want, you know they have etc. I work 8-5 but I get an hour lunch and I'm only about 5 minutes from Walmart and 3 minutes for the dollar store. I'd arrange a playdate with a friend at their house for a couple hours, then maybe let the friend come home with you guys for a sleep over to pay back for the time she has spent at her friends house. This should also give you time you can shop alone. I've had to do this in the past when I was a single mom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BabyBear24kGold Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 it has gotten harder for me to go out and shop so other than bf i do most of mine online and amazon and you get alot better deals sometimes and it comes to you instead of you having to go and shop for the item Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vsa3janes Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 When dd was young I shopped at lunchtime. I was able to get a lot done that way. I Christmas shop all year long so usually the only person I needed to shop for "in secret" was dd. What about a day with a family member? Could she spend some time with a family member and do something special, like lunch, the show or a play? I take my granddaughter for the afternoon/evening for Grandma & Me time so my dd and sil can shop for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elena_398 Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 I feel lucky as Im a SAHM, but both my children are school age- 14 and 8. So I go when they are in school Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebecca7675 Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 I agree with the Amazon idea. I did a lot of that during the big sale last year and my neighbor and I ship our stuff to the others house and take turns delivering when kiddos are in bed. That way if they get noisy with the boxes when can open it and say this is not yours. Will she look or do you have a neighbor you can ship it to and have her bring it by when she is in bed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller205 Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 IIn early December dh and I will plan a "date day" and leave the kids with my mom and dad and go finish up any shopping. But by then I usually have pretty much everything done. Last year I just had to pick up some stocking stuffers and finish up my sil's. We ended up going out to eat and to see a movie... lol!My Dh and I do this too. It is our time, usually the second weekend of December. Now that our girls are older (14 and 18) I do most of the stuff for them before this (he enjoys shopping for the "fun" stuff) but try to save most of the shopping for our son (3) until that day so that Daddy can have fun picking out toys. This little outing always includes dinner, we usually end up shopping for my FIL a little bit as well, and sometimes a movie (although if there is a good Christmas movie out we take a day as a whole family to see that). Then DH always has to take a day or 2 to shop on his own (DD13 gets very miffed if he does not take her along at least once) and he ALWAYS picks up something totally inappropriate for the kids (last year it was a GIANT stuffed horse for DS). It is nice to have that time together and makes him feel included in the gift buying. Ofc, Black Friday is just for me!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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