OK -- so, where are the hot deals today?

[AnninIowa]

Sam's Club had tons of stuff marked way down! Most of their food baskets were $5. Deluxe gift wrap set (6 rolls paper, tags, bows) were $10. Lights were $4 a box. Jumbo boxes of gift tags, gift bags, tissue paper, and tree skirts were all under $5. Lots of toys, too. Jumbo Mickey and Minnie plush half off, Disney Princess dolls $5, Radio Flyer scooters under $20 (I'd been watching that one and got one for my nephew). I bought so much stuff at Sams that I'm not going any where else!

 

[disneymom3]

I am offended they could not recycle or donate these to missions or such.
SHAME on them!

A friend of mine worked for American Greetings and they had her ship back the cards but not the envelopes. She did donate those or recycle them.

I didn't bother going out this morning. We have a ridiculous amount of snow, the tire on the snowblower busted and I figured that since the week before Christmas the holiday aisles in Target were down by 50%, I wouldn't bother. Seems like there would not be anything left around here. I did score Advent calenders for the kids for next year for 98c at Walgreens a couple of weeks ago. That chocolate saves just fine.

 

[leahjade]

Our Target only had the candy marked down 30% and only a few bags left at that price so there will be nothing to sell for a 75 or 90% off sale!
Anyone know where to find the electric window candles for a good price? My Rite Aid had them at $6.99 a piece - no thanks!

 

[rszdtrvl]

We got (all at Walmart)

4 pks of large red plastic glasses (4 glasses/pk - DH uses these for his coffee in the morning) @ $.50/pk

3 pks of wrapping paper (2 Disney Designs & 1 Transformer Design) @ $1.50/pk

1 Zachary Chocolate box $4.00

2 pks of 10ea boxes @ 1.50/pk

1 Whitmans Sampler box $2.89(?)

1 pk (4 jars total) Knotts Berry Farm jam holiday pack $4.50

Plus a few odds & ends that were not holiday.

 

[richmond282]

Our Target had aisles and aisles of stuff. I get there at noon and couldn't believe how much stuff was still there. Candy was 30% off. Everything else was 50% off. I usually wait until 75% to really buy much, but we are going out of town tomorrow and will be gone for several days, so I won't have the opportunity to do that this year.

I bought quite a few of those little toys, (my little pony, Trio blocks, megabloks, littlest pet shop, several puzzles), Disney princess Christmas CD (my DD has asked for this every time we passed the display), some cookies, some hand towels, shirt boxes, white tissue paper, red disposable plates, and maybe a few other things. I didn't get wrapping paper or gift bags b/c my DH always seems to smash them when storing so I gave up.

I may check back when I return to town just to check things out.

 

[jessica52877]

Our target also had a ton left but I expected it. It is new and doesn't draw alot of traffic. Night and day difference between that one and the next closest one I go to. I got $65 worth of mainly toys to donate out of the stocking stuffer aisle. It was all 50% off and great selection. The only thing I didn't see was the little lego sets but I also didn't arrive until almost 11. Candy was only 30% off but everything else was 50% with plenty to choose from. Some regular toys were 30% but nothing to get excited about.

 

[talulabelle]

I didn't even bother going to target today. A week before Christmas they were already selling Christmas stuff at 50% off which I had never seen before. It was already ridiculously picked over. I couldn't imagine that it would have been worth it today...and sounds like they are still at 50% anyway.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

At one Target, I got some wrapping paper and ribbon at 50% off, plus a set of 2 lighted trees for outside that I've had my eye on. Candy was still on 30% off so it wasn't cheap enough for me.

At the 2nd Target - they had hardly anything left - wasn't even worth the time it took me to park and walk in.

At Walmart - the lot was so overcrowded that I didn't even park and go in.

At Kohl's. I got a set of 2 Nicholas Square trees for 50% off to go with my Christmas Village and a pair of New Balance Tennis shoes that were on sale, and 2 shirts that were cheap. I also used my 10.00 Kohl's cash that was going to expire pretty quick.

At Bath and Body Works, I got 2 gift baskets for 50% off. One will get used this Wednesday when I meet with a friend of mine for lunch and the other I'll be saving for a gift for my Aunt next year.

At Michaels, I picked up 2 ornament making kits at 50% off that I'm going to put away for stocking stuffers for DD next year and ribbon at 50% off. I'll be using the ribbon when I make cross stitch Christmas ornaments next year since it'll be great for finishing them.

At Yankee Candle.com, I ordered several candle gift sets at 50% off to use as gifts next year.

I wanted to hit Hobby Lobby and Belk but didn't get there today. Overall, I think I did ok but I did have to hunt for the deals.

 

[IDoDis]

This is standard practice regarding the cards. In nearly every store the greeting cards are stocked by the greeting card companies themselves (Hallmark, American Greetings, etc). The merchandisers contracts/instructions require they get to the store within two days of a holiday and switch the cards. In order to comply with their employer's guidelines they must destroy all of the unsold holiday cards. If they don't destroy them they risk losing their jobs. The stores want the shelves cleared for new merchandise and the greeting card companies don't make enough to make it worth selling at a loss - they'd rather put in something they can sell at full price.

I have been hired as a merchandiser (although I turned the job down) for a greeting card comany, my sister did this work for another company for nearly four years and I've known others who worked for various greeting card companies. This rule seems to apply across the industry.

A school co-worker of mine used to bring the throw away cards to school from a Hallmark shop that her mother worked in. There would be shoe boxes full of cards in the teacher's lounge with a sign that said, "Take what you can use." I used to grab all kinds of cards -- Christmas, birthday, Valentine's Day, just "Hello" greeting cards. I used to use some of them for classroom art projects. I no longer work at that school, and still 10 years later I still pull from my shoebox stash of cards from time to time when I need a greeting card in a pinch.

At least my co-worker's mother had the sense not to throw out the cards from that Hallmark store.

 

[jacobsmom]

Target: Candy 50% off by us in Wisconsin. they had lots of stuff but nothing that made me want to buy.
Walmart: cake carriers for $2.50, glass trifle bowls for $6, ornaments for pics 50% off.

 

[whjoyjr]

Target = 50% off lights and lawn decorations. Got LED rope lights at 50% of and a grapevine moose for 50% off as well.

Lowes = 75% off. Not much left, EXCEPT, the 12' artificial tree I had been eyeing all season. Initial was $500. Got it for $125 today.

 

[sbakersub]

I wasn't looking for Christmas stuff today -- I have plenty still from last year that I haven't even used or put up So we were looking for other things...

Aeropostale had $5 tees and camis 2 for $15, and we had a $10 off $40 coupon, so DD picked out 4 tees, 2 camis, and a $24.50 thermal shirt on sale for $7.99 -- grand total for all that after coupon was $32.99. And the register tape has another $10 off $40 coupon to use in January.

We used our $10 Kohls cash to pick up some socks on sale for 50% off, so just $1 for 9 pairs of socks between the two of us.

Michael's had most of their frames on sale plus an extra 25% off coupon, so we got two different 8x10 frames for less than $12. And I used the 50% off any one item coupon there to get the last set of silver heart tins we need for DD's wedding favors next April, so just $10 out the door for those.

All in all, not earth-shattering savings, but I wasn't going to get up at the crack of dawn for anything so I think we still did pretty well.

 

[Alice28]

managed to shuffle thru a Target today- this one had quite a bit of stuff left, although strangely most of the food items were gone. I managed to snag some of the decorations I had my eye on before Christmas at 50% off. I will go back in a few days when I think it'll be 75%.

I also went to World Market and my goodness- that place was destroyed. Almost NOTHING left of Christmas- either people were really out in droves yesterday, or not as much Christmas goods were ordered in the first place this year.

I had surgery 2 days before Christmas, so I haven't really been in shops in about a week....it was strange to already see Valentine's stuff creeping out at Target.