Tips for Bargain Hunting at After Christmas Sales!

Bargain Blitz Blog

Seasons Greetings, everyone!  I hope Santa was good to all of you.  I’m tied up with setting up American Doll and Toy Museum and running it, and with other work and household/family chores.  A woman’s work is never done, I guess. J

 

The after Christmas sales, white sales, sidewalk sales and more are in full swing, both on ground and online. I’m as caught up in them as you are when I can go, though I’m a little nervous right now about a couple eBay items that have not shown up yet.  Still, I have some tips to share that work for me, so here they are:

1.  If you wait until Jan first or the next day, many stores will discount holiday merchandise 75-90%.   Even thrift stores do this.  I was able to get in on it early at Salvation Army and Goodwill.  I found Santas and angels marked as high as 65.00 for .50 and .75 cents!   Bags of ornaments which I use for crafts, gifts throughout the year, and sometimes, museum gift shop items, were only $1 or less in many cases!  Cards, unopened in great shape, .50 per box.

Some thrift shops will even give away Xmas items.  Check the websites of your favorite local thrift stores for deals to be sure.  Some have newsletters you can subscribe to as well.

Some of my best deals came from the Discovery Shop, where formal gowns with jackets sold for $1 a few years ago.  I also found expensive Julie Good Krueger dolls for under $5.  They originally sold for more than 100.00.

If you have a Dillard’s, check them out Jan.  They often put all the Xmas items, and I mean all, at .99 or 1.99.  They tend to be expensive, so this is a real thrill.

2. Here’s how to figure percentages if you don’t have a calculator handy.  For 75%, take the price, divide by 2, then divide by 2 again.  So for a $100 item, divide by 2 = $50, then divide by to again = $25.  If it is 90% off, move over the decimal one space, so, a $100.00 item will be $10, a $10 item will be $1, etc.

Hobby Lobby may soon be putting there items on sale at 90%; Kohl’s should do this, too.  That’s a very good deal for them, because they tend to be pricey when they do original tabs on holiday goods.  I think their mark up is 50% over other stores’ prices.

3. Start early, but don’t despair if you can’t.  Many stores are still staying open late.  Wear comfortable, warm boots or shoes, or if it’s hot where you are, dress for the weather.
4. Have an extra folded shopping bag or two in your purse. 
5. Have some cash, just in case, or for lunch.  Hang on to your receipts, and make sure your goodies are returnable, unless you don’t care.  Most antique stores and gift shops are nonreturn, me included.
6. Take advantage of plastic storage tubs sales.  Big ones with lids are now $5 at Target, most are Sterilite.  Make sure they don’t have that sickening Cinnamon smell.  It doesn’t come out.
7. Check out the supermarket seasonal aisles, too.  They have lots of great candies and gifts that they sometimes put in big grab bags for as little as a dollar.  All retail now has Valentine’s Day on its mind; take advantage of the deals.  Buy your sweetie that 75% off box of Ferrer Rocher now; it will keep, still taste great, and will cost half of what it costs on Feb. 14^th.  Buy red paper and bows now, and green paper and bows later for St. Patrick’s Day.

Lots of wrapping paper and bows works great all year; buy it now and save it.  I also love the upright plastic storage for rolls of paper; they are on sale, too.

One idea for candies is to buy the big bags of red and green M&Ms and separate them, one group for Valentine’s giving, green for St. Pat’s or Easter.  My friend’s husband used to do this in California for his employees.  Little gift bags are easy to get at the Dollar Stores all year, or during the season.

8. If space is limited for you, consider getting stocking stuffers now at Target and elsewhere.  Some Dollar Stores put all Christmas at $.25 cents or less!  You can get terrific tiny things for next year, and even get the stockings!
9. At the supermarket, look for Christmas and fall flavored coffees, drinks, foods, and dessert mixes.  They will keep, and taste great all year. You will have great stuff on hand for company and special occasions.
10.  Look for clothing gifts for next Christmas now.  The sales selection is awesome online at Talbot’s, Marshall’s, T.J. Maxx, Sierra Trading and elsewhere.  Online departments of big box stores are also fun places to look.  Sweater and T-shirt styles don’t change that much.  It’s a fun time to look for holiday sweaters for next year, some at very low prices!

Finally, have fun.  My folks and I took off for Marshall Field’s the day after Xmas.  We stayed at The Marriot, bought great gift packs from Nieman Marcus on sale, wonderful ornaments, even dolls, clothes, next year’s gifts.  Most important of all, we were together, we travelled a little, and made memories I will never forget.  My family is gone now, and often, I go to the sales as sort of a ritual of awesome Christmases past that involved Church, charity towards others, good food, and above all, family. Merry Christmas, Blessed Kwanzaa, and Happy Hanukkah.