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End of Year Deals...

January 1st, 2010 at 03:27 pm

I will probably have a lot of posts today, as I have some time to relax and work on financial "chores." "Chores," in that I LOVE financial chores. Big Grin

Dh said something to me on the phone last night about reading or something like that. I was like, "eh - I have financial chores to do." Don't get me wrong - I LOVE reading. But I think I like crunching numbers, more!

Anyway, I believe it was the SUnday before Christmas, after coming home with a bajillion gifts from Grandma, that we realized that Amazon was having some insane sale. I suppose dh was removing items off his wish list, or something along those lines, when he noticed the prices on many things were slashed like 75%.

Um, okay. Tempting, but our Christmas was mostly over. I suppose next year we should shop late. Worth it for the savings - for sure. Grandma buys 99% of the kids' toys anyway. They can wait for anything we buy!

But we got sucked in. We did have 2 birthday gifts to buy - and this cooler than cool pirate ship think was on sale for $9.99 (from $50-ish). SO, we bought 3 of those - for free shipping - of course. We haven't decided what to do with the third one. Will be on hand for an unexpected birthday - or will just give to the kids. It's just the last thing they need right now, with their pile of toys. May save for their summer birthdays.

We usually don't tend to buy things just because they are "on sale." But, holy cow. For me - I feel relieved. One was a belated birthday gift I just hadn't gotten around to. I knew I'd find the perfect gift eventually!

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I perused some after Christmas sales online, on a whim. I didn't find much. BUT, I peeked at Hanes on a whim, and my bras were on sale for $3.99. I stocked up on a bunch. Then they were 10 or 20% off in addition. I just payed the shipping, which I never do. Couldn't find any coupon codes, but was well worth it. I had ordered some beige ones a while ago, and they canceled the order since they decided to no longer carry those - were out of stock. I am bummed, but with the sale, figured I'd just stock up a bit.

That about does it for my shopping the last couple of weeks. I don't do a lot of store shopping, in general. I usually do my shopping online. I could always use shoes and always love Kohls, so I checked around a few websites and didn't see anything else useful. Which is good for the pocketbook!

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I made out well this year (MIL was sucking up a bit, I think). SO, it is time to start working on the 2010 wish list. Usually MIL nitpicks my wish list. I can't believe like everything got bought. I always have a hard time making the wish list at the in-law's request. I suppose it is time to begin again.

Oh - and hell if dh would allow me to put anything practical on his wish list. By some miracle, he also got a power tool set. Woohoo! We have a hand-me-down which is useless. This was more for me than anyone else! Big Grin

From my list:

Monkey Bowling Bag
Netbook Case/Bag
New slippers (old ones ruined in wash)
Sweater
Tea Kettle

Also:

Monkey PJs
Scarf
Turkey Platter (for T-Day)
*Funny since we have only been hosting about 8 years, but this year everyone was upset we didn't have a proper platter. Don't remember anyone caring before...

I am sure I am forgetting some things.

& you will appreciate this one. My extremely frugal MIL also gave me a "towel warmer." I opened it up and thought, "that's interesting" and immediately put it in the "sell" pile in my brain. I tend to regift, so have never returned a gift. Thought didn't occur to me. Though I do tend to sell some things from MIL. Or donate them.

SO, MIL starts asking me about it and telling me she will take it if I don't want it. I am usually not very blunt when it comes to gifts, but if she wanted it so bad... She can have it!

Of course, I suppose this did upset her a bit. I told her to take it. Then she refused and told me to return it - showed me the receipt. (Hadn't thought of that - what a great idea!).

SO, then SIL starts telling me how awesome hers was. & then the next day, MIL bugged me how she can't believe I don't like warm towels.

LOOK. This is the MIL who poo poos items on my wish list for being so "impractical." I mean - HELLO. If I want warm towels - I do have a dryer. A darn cheap one, at that. Do I really need a separate (electric) appliance, to warm towels??? Seems extremely wasteful.

Funny enough - SIL and MIL have the same exact dryer. Like feet from their bedroom. I told dh I suppose I could plug it in upstairs so *I* didn't have to run all the way downstairs after a shower - to get a warm towel. I just found the whole thing absurd in SIL's case. The dryer is right next to her bedroom.

& finally, do I really need to get used to having hot towels as an everyday luxury? "You don't like hot towels!?!" Of course hot towels are nice. It's one of those things that are really nice to have - but that you don't particularly miss when you don't have them. Do I really need to make myself accustomed to hot towels? So that I am uncomfortable when I don't have hot towels?

In the end I was supposed to try it for 2 days and then give it back to MIL for $50. I got sick and haven't opened ANY of my presents - they are all still boxed up. SO, I suppose I will just return it this weekend and be done. Then the saga of the hot towels, can end already!!!! Wink

I know it's human nature and all, but it just drives me nuts when people don't say what they mean. Don't ask for a gift back if you don't really want it back! Though I suppose, if I wasn't honest, I wouldn't know there was a receipt. I will probably exchange it for some kitchen items. & though I am not surprised my SIL loves something so frivolous, I have no idea what it is with frugal MIL. I just will NEVER understand her. Why do I even try? Big Grin (I suppose she doesn't understand that it is cheaper to run our heat than to run an electric appliance in our house. Maybe the towel warmer is frugal in her case. She would live without heat- but have a towel warmer. I suppose it's slightly logical if you think of it that way. For us - it's WAY cheaper just to run the heat! & the house doesn't get so drafty, to begin with. I suppose the more I think about it, the more it begins to make some sense).

2 Responses to “End of Year Deals...”

  1. homebody Says:
    1262363489

    Ha ha. Don't try it, you may find you warm towels too much. But really who the heck has time to think about such a thing working with 2 kids! It would be just one more thing to do each day. You are right take it back!

  2. frugaltexan Says:
    1262417454

    The morning my dad, grandma and I were leaving San Jose, my aunt brings out this large tannish leather purse. She says to me "if you like it, it's yours" Well, I needed a new purse, but this one looked like one an 80 year old would carry, plus it was way big. So I honestly said that it was a very nice purse, but wasn't my style.

    By the way my dad reacted, you'd have thought I punched my Aunt in the face!

    If she wouldn't have prefaced it with " if you want/like it" I would have taken it and seen if my mom would like it or something. But I felt like she gave me a polite out, and took it.

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