Do you love to head out for Black Friday shopping? Do you order online instead? Do you avoid it completely? Last week, I asked this same question on our Facebook page and my friend Elizabeth, a seasoned and dedicated Black Friday shopper (she was even featured in the Black Friday shopping article in the PNJ last year!), left some great tips. I thought it would be fun to share those tips with you! Thanks for the great tips, Elizabeth!
- Plan ahead time. Map out the route you want to take, the stores you are going to visit, list the items that you want to purchase, compare prices, etc. all before you head out to the store
- Bring a friend if possible. Sometimes it’s easier to plant a friend or spouse in the checkout line and then you can run and grab items. Those checkout lines can be looooooooong almost instantly! This is also great for those “campout” situations if you need to use the restroom, etc.
- Wear comfortable shoes
- Have a list. Break your list down by store, with opening times, items, whether your items are door buster (time frame items) and take the corresponding list into each store with you along WITH THE AD!!! This way if you need to reference or have an associate help you find an item, you are prepared with the exact item name and sometimes even stock number for some store ads
- Stay happy! It’s NOT the end of the world if someone grabs the last “hottest toy” at the hottest discount – your kids or spouse or grandma will live without it. It’s not worth ruining the fun and experience over getting into an altercation
- Always plan a post shopping meal
My husband and I shop together. The kids spend Thursday night with my parents so after we finish shopping (usually by 11am) we drop everything off at home and hide it. Then we take some time for each other and have a nice quiet lunch together without the distractions of the kids AND celebrate all our great buys
- Keep an envelope or ziploc bag with all your receipts and go over them to make sure you got the right price etc. Keep these in case there is an issue with an item later (i.e. it doesn’t work on Christmas morning or like in one instance we had on a Leapster we bought – we didn’t realize it had already been opened and put back into the box without the extras that were to be in the package!!!)
- DO NOT GET CAUGHT UP in the frenzy. Set a budget and stick to it! NO IMPULSE PURCHASES (or at least LIMIT them — your checkbook will thank you)!!
Thanks again for the tips, Elizabeth!
This next week’s Learning Time is going to be all about Thanksgiving and turkey crafts. Email us a picture of your Thanksgiving/Fall craft, drawing, or project and you just might find it on the site! It can be any turkey day craft…it doesn’t have to be one that was made from directions we share next week.
In your email include a statement that gives me permission to post the photo on the Pensacola with Kids website. If your child is pictured, please include a statement giving me permission to post the photo of your child. I will only use initials when captioning the picture.
Everyone who sends a picture of their craft in will be entered into a drawing to win a $5 Chik-fil-A gift card. Photos must be emailed to me at jennifer (at) pensacolawithkids (dot) com by Thursday, November 25th at 7pm. The random drawing will be done on Friday and the winner will be announced on Friday or Saturday.
Happy crafting!
A friend of mine forwarded me information for a Crop-n-Shop event that she is involved with and I thought some of you scrapbookers might be interested in the information:
Join us for a wonderful fundraising event to benefit the Child Enrichment Center at Gonzalez United Methodist Church. Scrapbookers register now for your spot. ONLY $10 if you reserve prior to the event. Seating is limited, so make your reservations early.
November 20 from 8-6 at Gonzalez United Methodist Church Community life Center
This event is going to be a great time for all attendees! We have some wonderful vendors (Scrap That, Stampin Up, Scentsy, Mary Kay, Premier Designs, 31 Gifts, Close to my Heart, Creative Memories, and Blessed by Design) attending so you can shop, crop and enjoy the good company of your fellow scrapbookers.
We will have door prizes throughout the day and concessions will be available on site. If you are interested in becoming a vendor for this event, email Meagan Lacy at meagan.lacy@cbunited.com for information on pricing and availability. Registration forms can be found on our blog at www.gonzalezcropnshop.blogspot.com.
I am giving away a fantastic homemade autograph book for your next trip to the theme parks over at Two Kids and a Map, my family travel blog. Stop by for details about how to enter!
School has started for some of you and it is about to begin for most of you. I am excited that Big S is going to be back in school because he is excited too but I am sad for the summer to go. To prepare for the upcoming school year, we have a few things that are slowly becoming traditions in our house. Things like buying our school supplies together and picking out the new backpack and lunch box. Getting up earlier and earlier each day as the first day of school gets closer. I have already been thinking about a note to leave in the lunch box for that first day encouraging him to do his best and always be himself (without embarrassing him of course!).
Earlier this week I asked what some of your favorite back to school traditions were on our Facebook Fanpage. You guys left some great ideas!
A wrote about how she kisses her children’s hands with red lipstick so when they look at it they can know that she is thinking of them.
Both A and L talked about using cookie cutters to cut out their sandwiches. What a great idea! I have used the Pampered Chef Cut and Seal but I hadn’t even thought about digging out my cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of the sandwich!
I absolutely love this idea that S told us about. She gets her kids up early in the morning for an ice cream breakfast! They eat ice cream and then spend the day together as a family before school starts.
D had lots of great suggestions. I especially liked the idea of taking each child shopping individually so they have their own special time. I am going to have to remember this when Little S begins school in a few years. And I love the Back to School cake idea.
L also shared that they read books about kids or animals going to school to make it easier to share and talk about their feelings. That reminded me of a book that we read several times, even after Kindergarten had started, called The Night Before Kindergarten.
This Back to School Binder at My Computer is My Canvas is a great way to keep things organized and I need all the help I can get. As a matter of fact, right now I can’t even find the card with the orientation information on it. I thought I put it on the fridge but it is definitely not there. I am going to make one of these binders this afternoon to help me keep everything in order!
Do you have any Back to School Traditions? If so, leave a comment here and tell us all about it!
”Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
March 2 marks the birthday of Dr. Seuss! Stop by Seussville to play a game or print out an activity!
