Layaway for Christmas Anyone? Layaway limitations?

[mrseace711]

Ive always waited until my hubby gets his small holiday bonus at the end of November to start shopping then I have to deal with lines, certain gifts not being in stock, ect the headache! Well with Wal-Marts Holiday Layaway starting Oct 17 it really motivated me! But theres also Toys R Us and K-Mart hmmm... TRU has limitations on what can be put on layaway(no learning electronics) K-Mart has no limitations but their prices are higher here anyways Wal-Marts layaway didnt give me much info on limits?

I want to put 2 LeapPads $99 each, with 2 games, and 2 iPod Touches on layaway together at 1 place. TRU said I can not put LeapPads on layaway, K-Mart doesnt carry iPods. Wal-Mart is my only hope.

Anyone else put a layaway together for Christmas? Pros? Cons? Which Store?

 

[MSSANDRA]

I did wal-mart years ago when my oldest was little. It was more of a way to store the big (size) items rather than the money situation. Putting in on lay-a-way and paying for it was easy, getting it out was a nightmare. There were certain days and times to get the items out and the staff to do it was way too low. They had stored many items on rented trucks in the back and it took forever to get your things. Now they did not store electronics in a non controlled temp setting but you still waited your turn for them to get your stuff. Would not let people call ahead. The lines were backed up way into the store and people were waiting for hours. Now it may be MUCH different now but ask around.

One suggestion: We do not use credit card so take this with a grain of salt, but if you know how much the bonus would be, maybe use your credit card and pay it off when you get the bonus. Do keep in mine too that your choices are all "HOT ITEMS" and will sell out quickly and may be hard to find all in one store anyway!

Good luck and Merry Christmas

 

[DawnM]

I don't do lay aways and never have. We live fairly far from stores to keep join back to pay for it and I detest waiting in a line to make a payment.

However, it seems that when I have heard about lay aways there is an additional charge for them to hold the item for you.....KMart says $5. Is that $5 per item?

Dawn

 

[dawson5]

The KMart layaway is just $5 to put it in layaway for the whole order. If you have 1 item or 20, it's $5 (this is how it used to be at least).

As for Wal-Mart, haven't used that layaway since before they did away with it. What they used to allow for was when you went in to make your payment, you could bring the ads with you for that week and if something was on sale at another store, they would adjust that price (price match). This was under the old layaway rules, I would assume it would still be that way. KMart did this for me also--again, this was years ago (10+).

 

[DawnM]

Do you have to go in and stand in line to make a payment each time?

I don't even like standing in line when I actually pay for something to come home with it. I can't fathom standing in line multiple times to pay, especially because our Christmas lines are crazy long. And then paying them for the "privilege" of doing it?

I go to Walmart once every couple of months and only if I have to......even during school hours that place is crazy busy.

I have my ING Christmas account and will just take out the necessary amount when I need it. Yes, I realize this is personal preference and I am not trying to knock anyone doing it, but it definitely isn't for me.

Dawn

The KMart layaway is just $5 to put it in layaway for the whole order. If you have 1 item or 20, it's $5 (this is how it used to be at least).

As for Wal-Mart, haven't used that layaway since before they did away with it. What they used to allow for was when you went in to make your payment, you could bring the ads with you for that week and if something was on sale at another store, they would adjust that price (price match). This was under the old layaway rules, I would assume it would still be that way. KMart did this for me also--again, this was years ago (10+).

 

[luvmy3]

I don't do lay aways and never have. We live fairly far from stores to keep join back to pay for it and I detest waiting in a line to make a payment.

However, it seems that when I have heard about lay aways there is an additional charge for them to hold the item for you.....KMart says $5. Is that $5 per item?

Dawn

Kmart lets you do layaway payments online so you don't need to go to the store until its time to pick it up. Also you can do a payment at any register so if you are there shopping anyway its not really a hassle. Our kmart is so dead that I never have to wait in a line
I think the $5 is a flat fee, but if you cancel they also charge a fee and it can range so that may depend on how many items you put on. I don't know anything about other's policies.

 

[DawnM]

Well, online helps. The nearest K-Mart is 20 miles each way, so it would only be Walmart if I were to do it.

Dawn

Kmart lets you do layaway payments online so you don't need to go to the store until its time to pick it up. Also you can do a payment at any register so if you are there shopping anyway its not really a hassle. Our kmart is so dead that I never have to wait in a line
I think the $5 is a flat fee, but if you cancel they also charge a fee and it can range so that may depend on how many items you put on. I don't know anything about other's policies.

 

[mrseace711]

I did wal-mart years ago when my oldest was little. It was more of a way to store the big (size) items rather than the money situation. Putting in on lay-a-way and paying for it was easy, getting it out was a nightmare. There were certain days and times to get the items out and the staff to do it was way too low. They had stored many items on rented trucks in the back and it took forever to get your things. Now they did not store electronics in a non controlled temp setting but you still waited your turn for them to get your stuff. Would not let people call ahead. The lines were backed up way into the store and people were waiting for hours. Now it may be MUCH different now but ask around.

One suggestion: We do not use credit card so take this with a grain of salt, but if you know how much the bonus would be, maybe use your credit card and pay it off when you get the bonus. Do keep in mine too that your choices are all "HOT ITEMS" and will sell out quickly and may be hard to find all in one store anyway!

Good luck and Merry Christmas

I remember layaways from years ago with long lines I am very aware the LeapPads are HOT items lol I keep checking the toy isles just to make sure theres plenty! We do not have a credit card, we have always bought small batches every week after November. I am starting a Holiday Savings Account for next year This year though layaway it is

I don't do lay aways and never have. We live fairly far from stores to keep join back to pay for it and I detest waiting in a line to make a payment.

However, it seems that when I have heard about lay aways there is an additional charge for them to hold the item for you.....KMart says $5. Is that $5 per item?

Dawn

There is a fee at all of them normal is $5 with 10%-20% down then a certain time period 60 days and up to get it out. I know with K-Mart you can do the layaway online

 

[dawson5]

Do you have to go in and stand in line to make a payment each time?

I don't even like standing in line when I actually pay for something to come home with it. I can't fathom standing in line multiple times to pay, especially because our Christmas lines are crazy long. And then paying them for the "privilege" of doing it?

I go to Walmart once every couple of months and only if I have to......even during school hours that place is crazy busy.

I have my ING Christmas account and will just take out the necessary amount when I need it. Yes, I realize this is personal preference and I am not trying to knock anyone doing it, but it definitely isn't for me.

Dawn

Back in the early 90's, I remember standing in long lines. I think that was just the way it was then though (KMart was in a high-poverty area, lots of people waited until the last day to get it, sometimes after the last day). We were a young family then, layaway was a great help. We did not have a Wal-Mart until the mid-90's I think and that was a 30 minute drive and it was always crazy-busy. I never used them back home, but did when we moved here. They had a better set-up at Wal-Mart here, than KMart back home.

We now just have money direct deposited to a savings account. I try to buy a lot of little things without touching it. I'm hoping not to have to touch it at all this year.

I'm thinking you can do the Wal-Mart layaway and payments online or is it KMart and Sears? Not sure. One of them offers it. Not sure how they would handle a price-match though. I remember one Christmas, I saved quite a bit of money each time I made a payment by bringing my ads.