Call Matt -330-651-6422

From now through December 26, 2009, you can get free batteries at Staples! Just sign up for their Rewards card and then buy a 20-pack of Duracell batteries at $12.99 and you’ll get $12.99 back in Staples Rewards.

This deal can be done twice per week per customer. So by December 26, you should be good and stocked with batteries!

More details here.

Thanks, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and Money Saving Mom!

Costco.ca members can get four free 8×10 prints with coupon code CWFE1123.  No purchase necessary! If you’re planning to do some shopping anyways at Costco, why not upload some photos the night before so the prints are ready for you.

If you don’t have a Costco.ca Photo Centre account, now is a great time to sign up for one — they’re offering 25 Free Prints when you open a new account.

The offer expires December 6, 2009.

I love free stuff.

Hello everyone!  Hope your Black Friday was as prosperous as mine.

I didn’t get a chance to take pictures like I wanted; people were quite determined to get their deals, almost to the point of hostility, so flash photography may not have been what they wanted.

There are still many deals out there to jump start your Christmas shopping and continue to save you money on the things you’d like to buy.

This weekend I’ll be taking the time out to organize the site to update you on deals and savings in a timely manner.

Hopefully you got some great gifts and save a tremendous amount of money. I’ll talk to you all on Monday!

Donate $5.00 and get a “$50.00″ coupon book. Had anyone done this? Are there good coupons? (Of course, donating to the food pantry is reason enough!)

Boneless Sirloin Tips $3.99/lb.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast $1.79/lb.

Red or White Grapefruit $0.69 each

Old Neighborhood Roast Beef $5.99/lb.

Taste of Inspir. Maple & Brown Sugar $6.99/lb.

Cape Cod Potato Chips 2/$5.00
Use with $1.00/2 Cape Cod coupon (11.01 SS)
For 2/$4.00

Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice 2/$5.00

Quilted Northern 6-Roll $4.69
Use with $1.00/1 Quilted Northern coupon (10.11 RP)

Chips Ahoy 2/$5.00

Ore-Ida $2.39

Halls Cough Drops $1.99
Use with $1.00/2 Halls coupon (11.08 S)

Edamame Pods 2/$5.00

Lifeway Kefir $3.99

Barbara’s Bakery Puffin Cereal $3.99
Use with $1.00/2 Barbara Bakery coupon (8.23 RP)

5 lb Box Clementines $5.99

Mangoes $0.99 each

Fresh Express Romaine Lettuce $1.99

Red Onions $0.89

Scallions $0.49

Delizza Frozen Mini Cream Puffs $4.99 ($3.99 @ MB)
Use with $1.00/1 Delizza coupon from coupons.com

Stove Top $0.89

Keebler Town House crackers $1.99
Use with $1.00/2 Keebler Crackers coupon (11.01 RP)

Cod Fillet $4.99/lb.

Medium cooked Shrimp $4.99/lb.

Jumbo shell-on Shrimp $6.99/lb.

Sorrento Deli Mozzarella or Provelone Cheese $4.99/lb.
Smoked Virginia Ham $4.99/lb.

Hannaford Sour Cream $0.99
Hannaford Pancake & Waffle Mix $1.89
Hannaford Paper Towels 6-Roll $4.79

4-inch Poinsettias $3.99

More Grocery Gathering:

Lean Cuisine 5/$10.00
Use with $1.00/3 Lean Cuisine Coupon (9.13 RP)

Stop & Shop or Dole Salad Blends 2/$4.00
Buy 2 Dole Blends, and get $1.00 off at checkout

Banquet Brown & Serve 10/$10.00

Jumbo Easy Peel Shrimp $6.99

Cucumbers 4/$3.00

Sweet Onions $0.99/lb.

CA Pizza Kitchen 2/$10.00
$1.00/1 CA Pizza Kitchen coupon from coupons.com

Toaster Strudel 2/$4.00
Use with $0.55/2 Toaster Strudel coupon (9.13 GM)

Powerade or AZ Iced Tea $0.88

Poinsettia Plants $2.99
Large Balsam Wreath $9.99
Extra Large Balsam Wreath $12.99
Evergreen Swag $6.99
White Pine Garland $7.99

Get 5 Free Red Box Rentals when you buy $20.00 of Participating P&G Products (none of which are a great deal here)
B1G1 Free:
Perdue Boneless Chicken Breast
Wise Potato Chips
SoBe lifewater
Ripe Avocadoes
Thomas English Muffins 6-pack
Mott’s Apple Sauce 6-pack or 23.4-24 oz
Oscar Mayer Meat Bologna
Plumrose Smoked Ham Steaks
Holiday Boxed Cards
Smart Living Batteries
Sylvania CFL Light Bulbs
Baskin Robbins Sugar Free Candies
Hersheys Single Candy Bars B2G1 Free
M&M, Mars, King Size Candy Bars B2G1 Free

If your S&S has the holiday tracking program:
$250 dollars=5% off coupon
$450 dollars=10% off coupon
$600 dollars=15% off coupon
$800 dollars=20% off coupon

Save $0.10 off gas when you buy 4 of:
S&S Apple Juice 2/$3.00
Acadia Water 24 pack $3.88
S&S 12 pack soda or seltzer 4/$10.00
S&S Sour Cream 2/$3.00
Natures Promise Organic Yogurt 4/$3.00
S&S Peanut Butter 2/$4.00
S&S Pitted Olives 4/$5.00
S&S Instant Oatmeal 2/$4.00
S&S Cups 10/$10.00

More Grocery Gathering:

Who needs to brave the crowds and longs lines at the mall when you can get great holiday deals from the comfort of your own home or office. Our tech expert Mario Armstrong shows you where you can find of all sorts of deals and bargains online this Cyber Monday.

Watch T.J. Holmes, Betty Nguyen and Reynolds Wolf every Saturday and Sunday morning on CNN starting at 6am ET/3am PT

Even though Black Friday is over, the sales won’t stop- retailers will be offering deals through this weekend and steep discounts on Monday- a.k.a. Cyber Monday. Before you buy, check out promotioncodes.com, couponcabin.com, currentcodes.com, dealigg.com, couponcode.com, or bargainist.com to make sure you’re not missing out on any coupon codes. Here’s a look at some current and upcoming deals:

Target:  Daily online deals from tomorrow until Dec. 12, with up to 50% off regular prices for housewares, electronics, toys and other categories for one day only. On Cyber Monday, they will offer up to 70% off some items plus free shipping!

Walmart: They are calling their promotion “Cyber Week,” offering online-only specials starting Monday, Nov. 30 through Dec. 4

JC Penny: They are extending Cyber Monday deals into a two-day event, offering sales online beginning tomorrow through Nov. 30. They plan to discount 30,000 items and offer free shipping on purchases $25

Gap: 50% off of sweaters for men and women, plus free shipping if you spend $50

J.Crew: 20% off all sale items when you use the “EXTRA20″ and free shipping when you spend $150 or more

Banana Republic: 30% off sweaters, outerwear, and more until tomorrow and free shipping when you spend $50

6pm.com: 36 days of deals and each day they have new offers up to 80% off

The Limited:  20% off of everything and free shipping

Restaurant.com: 80% off of gift cards when you use the coupon code “SAVE” at the check out until Nov. 30

Amazon.com: magazines including Cosmopolitan and People  are just $5 for a 1-year subscription until Dec. 1

Chicken Breast $1.89/lb.

Kellogg’s Cereal Frosted Mini-Wheats, Frosted Flakes, Raisin Bran 2/$6.00 27.5-30 oz
Use with $1.00/3 Kellogg’s Raisin Bran or Frosted Mini Wheats 10 oz or larger coupon (11.08 RP)
or $1.00/2 Frosted Flakes coupon (11.08 RP)

1 lb MB White Bread 2/$1.00

Bounty Paper Towels 6-Pack $6.99
Use with $0.25/1 Bounty coupon (11.01 PG)

Uno Flatbread Pizza 3/$10.00

Tropicana & Trop50 2/$4.00
Use with $1.00/2 Trop50 coupon (11.15 RP)

Florida Red Grapefruit 2/$1.00

Lean Cuisine 5/$10.00
Use with $1.00/3 Stouffer’s coupon (9.13 RP)

10 oz. Bag Spinach $0.99

MB Coupon-Book Sale!
Save $1.00/2 on each of the following with the coupon in the MB Coupon Book: (all coupons are manufacturer’s coupons, except where noted)
Rice Dream Beverages 2/$4.00 (MB Coupon)
Lipton Tea Bags 2/$5.00
College Inn Broth 2/$4.00
Maruchan Cup of Noodles $1.99 (MB coupon)
Salada Green Tea Bags $2.49
Pillsbury Brownie Mix $0.99
Karo Corn Syrup $1.99
Minute Rice 2/$3.00
Success Rice 2/$3.00
Uncle Ben’s Long Grain rice 2/$3.00
Barilla Pasta Plus 2/$3.00
Ragu Pasta Sauce 2/$3.00
Diamond Kosher Salt 3 lb $1.49
Apple & Eve Sesame Street Drinks 2/$4.00
Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent $6.99
Oxi Clean Stain Remover 2/$5.00
Kaboom Foam Cleaner 2/$6.00
Glisten Dish Cleaner $1.99
Arm & Hammer Cat Litter $8.99
Meaty Bone Dog Biscuits 2/$4.00
Meaty Bone Chewlotta Dog Bones $2.99
Iron Out Stain Remover 2/$5.00
Pedigree Jumbone Mini 2/$6.00

And these have $1.00/1 Coupons:
Don Francisco’s Coffee $3.99/12 oz.
Truvia Sweetener 80 ct. $4.99
Mazola Extra Virgin Olive Oil $2.99
Baker’s Joy Pan Spray $1.99
Diamond Sea Salt $1.49
Spic & Span Cleaner 2/$5.00
Comet Mildew Gel $2.99
Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent $5.99/50 oz.
Seventh Generation Dish Detergent $1.99/25 oz.

And use with $1.00/3 coupons:
Hefty One Zip Bags 3/$5.00 (MB coupon…combine with $1.00/2 Hefty Manufa. coupon (11.01 RP)
DelMonte Fruit Cups 4 pack 2/$4.00
Del Monte tomatoes 4/$3.00
Combos $0.99 (MB coupon)
Carolina Rice Mixes 3/$2.00

Regular Sale:
85 % Lean Ground Beef $2.29/lb.

Our Best Italian Meatballs $4.49/2 lb.

Pilgrim’s Pride Cooked Chicken $5.99

Market Basket Frozen Breast Tenders $4.99
Market Basket Frozen Chicken Breast $5.99

Citterio Rosemary or Sundried Tomato Ham $4.99
Thin Sliced Pastrami $4.99
MB Smoked BBQ Ham $2.99
Deutschmacher German Liverwurst $2.99/lb.
MB Amish Swiss Cheese $3.99/lb.
Alpine Lace Swiss or Z American Cheese $4.99/lb.
Gourmet Recipe Turkey Breast $4.99/lb.
Thin N Trim Roast Beef $5.99/lb.

Cod Fillets $4.99/lb.
Pollock Fillets $3.99/lb.
Catfish Fillets $4.99/lb.
Rainbow Trout $3.99/lb.
Fresh Dug Steamer Clams $2.99/lb.
Sea Choice Salmon Burgers $3.59/lb.
Sam’s Minced Clams $3.99/lb.
Cathay Egg Rolls $2.99
Pier 33 Mussells $2.99
Medium Cooked or Shell-On Shrimp $4.99

Stonyfield Organic Milk $2.99
Use with $0.50/1 printable from Stonyfield.com

Joseph’s Hummus or Taboule 2/$5.00

Kraft American Cheese 2/$5.00
Use with $1.00/2 Kraft coupon (11.15 RP)

Sorrento Ricotta or Mozzarella Cheese 2/$5.00
Use with $1.00/1 Sorrento Ricotta coupon in MB book

Tony’s Crispy Crust Pizza or Pouches 5/$5.00
Use with $0.50/1 Tonys Pizza or Pouches Twin Packs (10.04 SS or 10.18 SS)

Newman’s Own Thin Crust Pizza $4.99
Use with $1.00/1 Newmans coupon (10.25 RP) or from coupons.com

Regenie’s Pita Chips 2/$5.00

Wise Potato Chips 2/$3.00

Nabisco WheatThins (18.1-20 oz) or Trisucits (15.3-16.3 oz)  2/$5.00
Use with $1.00/2 coupons in the Nabisco Jingle Book

Pepsi, Max, Mt. Dew, Sierra Mist 2 liters $0.99

Schweppes Mixers 3/$3.00

BeechNut Let’s Grow Meals $0.99
Use with B1G1 Free coupon (8.02 SS)
For 2/$0.99

Hellmann’s Mayonnaise $2.99/30 oz.
Use with $1.00/2 Hellmann’s coupon (11.15 RP)

Bear Creek Dry Soups 2/$5.00

Northland Cranberry Juice 2/$5.00
Use with $1.10/2 Northland coupon (10.04 SS) (this one doesn’t seem to be in all papers)

Mini Soup Bread Bowls $0.99

Fiber One Breads 2/$4.00

Entemann’s Little Bites 2/$4.00

Country Kitchen White & Brown Canadian Bread 2/$4.00

Pariseien Bread $1.39

Hass Avocadoes $0.79 each

Barlett, Bosc, or Anjou Pears $0.89/lb.

Fresh Express Garden Salads $0.99/12 oz.

Jumbo Green Peppers $0.99/lb.

Cucumbers 2/$0.79

Tangerines $0.69/lb.

Poinsettias $2.99
Norfolk Island Pine $19.99
Fresh Balsam Wreaths $5.99
Kissing Balls $19.99

Get a $10.00 MB Gift Card by Mail when you purchase $25 of participating P&G products:
Tide Laundry Detergent $10.99/100 oz.; use with $0.35/1 Tide coupon (11.29 PG)
Downy Fabric Softener 51 oz. $4.99; use with $0.40/1 Downy Coupon (11.01 PG)
Dawn Dish Detergent 2/$5.00; use with $0.25/1 Dawn Dish coupon (11.01 PG)
Cascade Dish Detergent $3.99; use with $0.50/1 Cascade coupon (11.01 PG)
Swiffer Wet Jet $15.99
Tide Stain Release $4.99; use with $0.50/1 Tide Stain Release coupon (11.01 PG)
Mr. Clean All Purpose Cleaner 2/$5.00
Iams Dog Food 20 lb. $15.99; use with $1.00/1 Iams coupon (11.01 PG)
Duracell Batteries (4 free!) AA or AAA $7.99/20 batteries; use with $0.75/1 Duracell coupon (11.01 PG)
Pampers Boxed Diapers $18.99; use with $1.50/1 Pampers coupon (11.29 PG)
Puffs Tissues 2/$3.00; use with $0.25/1 Puffs coupon (11.01 PG)
Bounty Napkins 2/$5.00; use with $0.25/1 Bounty coupon (11.29 or 11.01 PG)
Tampax Tampons $5.99

More Grocery Gathering:

Shaw’s Printable coupons here:
$1.00/1 Half Pork Loin
$1.00/2 GM Cereal
$1.00/1 Wild N. Atlantic Haddock
$1.00/2 Simply Orange OJ
$1.00/1 Poinsettia Plant
$1.00/1 24-inch Decorated Wreath
$2.00/1 Kissing Ball
$2.00/1 Norfolk Island Pine
$1.00/1 Shaws Frozen Italian Meatballs
$1.00/1 Any 5-lb Bag Shaw’s Potatoes
$1.00/1+ lb. Shaw’s Roast Beef
$1.00/1 Shaw’s Valu-Pack Bread 48 oz.

Also be sure to check your baker’s case for markdowns–Cookie Cakes in my location are 1/2 off (from $7.99 to $4.00), and there were other Thanksgiving markdowns as well.

Boneless Half Pork Loin $1.79/lb.
Use with $1.00/1 Shaw’s Printable coupon

Fresh Raspberries or Blackberries $1.99/5.6-6 oz.

Barilla Pasta $0.88 Limit 8

2 Liter Coke, Diet Coke, or Sprite $0.99

Shaw’s Fresh Ground Beef $1.99/lb.

Maple Creek Ham or Land O Lakes Cheese $4.99/lb.
Use with $1.00/1 Land O Lakes Deli Cheese 1+ lb coupon (11.15 SS)

Wild Boneless N. Atlantic or Wild Coconut Haddock fillets $6.99/lb.
Use with $1.00/1 N. Atlantic Shaw’s Printable

DiGiorno Ultimate, Rising Crust or Stuffed Crust, or CA Pizza Kitchen Rising Crust Pizza $4.88
Use with $1.50/1 DiGiorno Ultimate pizza, or $1.00/1 CA Pizza Kitchen coupon from coupons.com

Scott or Kleenex Cottonelle Ultra 4 Roll Bath Tissue 2/$5.00
This has a Shaw’s coupon logo, but the coupon isn’t on the PDF.

24-Pack Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or Mountain Dew 12 oz. can cube $5.99

Nabisco Chips Ahoy! Cookies or Ritz Crackers $2.22
Use with $1.00/2 Ritz coupon in the Nabisco Holiday Jingle booklet
or use $1.00/1 Ritz coupon (11.8 SS)

Simply Orange or Minute Maid Enhanced Juice $2.49
Use with $1.00/2 Simply Orange Shaw’s Printable

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks or General Mills Cereal: 4/$6.00
Use with $1.00/2 Shaw’s Printable
Use with $1.00/2 Cheerios coupon (11.01 SS), $1.00/2 GM Cereal coupon (11.8 SS)
Honey Nut Cheerios 11.8 oz, Cocoa Puffs 10.7 oz, Trix 11.3 oz, Oat Cluster Crunch Cheerios, Banana Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch 18 oz, Reeses’ Cereal 16-20 oz., Lucky Charms or Cookie Crisp 11.25 oz.

Shaw’s Giant White Bread $0.99

Nabsico Snack Crackers (Wheat Thins) 2/$5.00
Use with $1.00/1 Nabisco coupon (11.8 SS) or $1.00/2 Wheat Thins coupon in the Jingle Nabisco booklet

6-inch Pointsettia $6.99
Use with $1.00/1 Shaw’s Printable

24-inch Decorated Wreath $19.99
Use with $1.00/1 Shaw’s Printable

Kissing Balls $24.99
Use with $2.00/1 Shaw’s Printable

Nofrolk Island Pine $24.99
Use with $2.00/1 Shaw’s Printable

B1G1 Free:
Plumrose Premium Bacon
Shaw’s Italian Style Meatballs; use with $1.00/1 Shaw’s Printable
Fresh Gourmet Croutons
Freihofer’s Italiano! Italian Bread
RubberMaid Lock-Its; use with $1.00/1 Rubbermaid Lock-It coupon (11.8 SS)

$1.00/1:
Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce; use with $1.00/4 Hunt’s Tomato (10.04 SS)
Shaw’s Iceberg Salad Mix
Pillsbury Cake Mix; use with $1.00/2 MB Coupon Booklet
1 Liter Canada Dry or Ginger Ale or Mixers
Extra Large Florida Grapefruit
Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix; use with $1.00/3 Swiss Miss coupon (11.15 SS)
Idahoan Flavored Mashed Potatoes
Shaw’s Ripe Olives
Jose Ole ChimiChanga or Burrito 5oz
Banquet Dinners
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest or Smart Taste Pasta; use with $1.00/2 Ronzoni Smart Taste coupon from coupons.com
Haagen Dazs or Edy’s Slow Churned Ice Cream
VKL’s Super Spice Grinders
Aquafresh Toothpaste or Toothbrush; use with $1.00/2 Aquafresh coupon (9.20 RP) or $1.00/1 Toothbrush (9.20 RP)
Dial Liquid Hand Soap or Basics Hypoallergenic Soap; use with $1.00/3 Dial coupon (10.04 SS)
Arrid or Arm and Hammer Ultra Max Antipersperant Deoderant
Gillette Foam Shaving Cream; use with $0.55/1 Gillette Shaving coupon (11.01 PG)

More Grocery Gathering:

Hello Everyone,

I posted this way back in August, but thought it was worthwhile reminding everyone of this deal.

Right now through December 31, 2009 if you join or upgrade an existing Costco membership you’ll receive coupons good for over $50.00 of FREE merchandise.  So, your membership to Costco ends up being basically FREE.

You need to sign-up at a special website to get this deal.  Click HERE to be taken to the special website.

By signing up at this special site you’ll get coupons to get the following products for FREE:

• FREE rotisserie chicken
• FREE photo processing
• FREE Kirkland Signature™ 2lb. bag of coffee
• FREE Kirkland Signature™ 48 pk “AA” batteries
• – and more!

Please note once you sign-up and pay for your gold membership certificates you’ll receive them in the mail within 7 to 10 business days.  These certificates CANNOT be replaced if lost or stolen, so please keep them somewhere safe.  After your receive your certificate(s) you can take them to ANY Costco to have your membership activated.

To read the full details and sign-up click HERE.

If you’ve been thinking about getting a Costco membership, this offer makes it the perfect time to finally get one.  Not  only will you get a bunch of FREE products, but your membership will come in handy to do all your shopping for the holidays that are just around the corner.

Don’t forget: Have fun shopping, but remember to SHOP SMART!

The Discount Queen

Wow, everyone we are literally just ways right around the corner from the various holiday’s. Some spouse, grandmother, mother, father, especially kids or some loved one out there is depending on you this year.
But, guess what everyone, you can actually for any holiday now buy around it. You can get the best deals, discounts, sales your money can buy, just with a clic

I know a perfect website you can visit and see the discounts, the greatest deals, the lastest sale, and more.I have even seen where you can sign up for mark offs and actually save a bundle.

Keen is advertising so people can get advice, and even readings. You can make donation to a person or family of some sort. But overall, the holiday’s is stressful for some but I think if you buy around them they will be less stressful. Tips: Stay focus, be creative, take risk on gifts, and don’t worry if it is truly from the heart.

You can view the blog page with its categories, etc.

Don’t forget to check out the Deals and Deals page.

Best Retailers

* 1-800-FLOWERS
* Beauty Store Online
* Bare.Necessities
* Keen Chats
* Pet.Smart
* Roca.Wear

and many, many more (Make sure to share with your friends, family, and community)

HAPPY HOLIDAY’S

go to: www.buyaroundtheholidays.yolasite.com

(highlight, and copy & paste into browser)

Today was the second time in my life I ever Black Friday’d it.  I hate the term “black Friday.”  I get the reasoning behind the name, but it still reminds me of Black Plague.  I decided to go just to get out of the house kid free.  Time to myself.  I didn’t have to actually purchase anything.

Black Friday conjures up many feelings, the top three being:

• “I hate consumerism in America.  I would never leave my house on Black Friday because I refuse to participate in rampant overindulgence on a nationwide scale.”
• “I’m not leaving my house because I am afraid someone will beat me with a plastic Rock Band guitar.”
• “The alarm is set…coffee is on…prepare the credit cards to MELT!”

I’ve decided that it doesn’t really matter what your or my opinion is…Black Friday is going to happen and chances are someone in a surburb on the East Coast is going to get trampled to death over a Bratz doll.  Whatever.  Black Friday is pretty tame here in Montana, at least from what I can see most people retain their sanity.  Here is what I did.

1.  Avoided Wal Mart (which is what I like to strive to do always).  Drove to the local clothing/department store that is famous for its sales.  Inside the store, moderately controlled chaos filled the room.  The “Home” department was a little out of control…there were not carts left so people had comforters, sheets, pillows, and towel sets stacked in their arms, preventing them from seeing where they were going. That was kind of funny.

2.  As per usual, there were lots of questions about prices.  Things weren’t labeled, and things were mis-racked.  The $40 purses were next to the $10 purses, and this was the cause of much dissent.  The little old ladies in line took their time and much more as they haggled and asked questions, sorted coupons (oh, the coupons!  The rules!  Coupons can’t be used with doorbusters, but doorbusters are different from ‘incredible value’ items, etc.  Basically since everything was on sale, coupons couldn’t be used at all because the fact an item was on sale made it ineligible for couponability).

3.  After finding a few small items that I couldn’t resist, I left the store and headed for Starbucks.  I went inside the shop and got a nice coffee.  I talked to some folks in line, that was pretty fun.  The baristas were really behind and stressed and because of that, I got a coupon for a free drink later.  I didn’t really need one, but they were being really cool about the delay.  So far, so good.

4.  Drove by another store, but the parking lot looked like a mega-dealership, so I went to visit my mom at the restaurant, where she bought me breakfast.  Score! 

5.  Decided to brave a few more stores.  Tried on lots of shoes.  Did not purchase any shoes.  Instead, went next door and bought 100 pounds of scratch grains for my chickens.  Chickens need love too.

6.  Went to Staples.  Staples was the same ol’ same ol’, but they had a cool “assemble your own” area where you could fill a bin with fun paper clips, push pins, and other fun office things.  A bulk office supply option!  I also found a good deal on a stack of DVD-Rs. 

7.  Went to JoAnn Fabrics.  It was here that I decided I needed to make a quilt.  So I got some quilting supplies at 5o% off.  Yes!  Now I just have to learn to sew a straight line! 

All I want to do lately is write, sew, paint, create.  I feel that a shell that has been placed over my head for some time is finally wearing off.  I need to take back my creativity, as I let it get away and I have been suffering without it.  I’m starting with my quilt project.

I was hoping to be able to report at least one fight between grandmas at WalMart, but it sounds as if most people have wisened up over the last year.  No one really cares if you get the last Blu-Ray.  No one really cares if they have to pass on the latest toy for their kids.  Which is great, because those of you with kids know that when a kid opens a Christmas present, they tear open the package, remove the toy inside, toss the toy into the corner, and play with the simply amazing box that it came in.  If we parents had any brains at all, we would wrap the following into a box and give it to our kids:

• String
• Rubber Bands
• Paper Towel rolls (empty)
• Aluminum Foil
• Sharpies
• Duct Tape
• Scissors
• A cape

Presto – the perfect gift, and no cart jousting required! 

Wow..what a day! I was up until 4:30 this morning shopping online for almost every item I wanted for the family for Christmas! I only wasn’t able to get about five things online but then went to the store this afternoon and got every one of those too! My biggest problem this year..and almost every year is the adults gifts! It is so hard to buy gifts for all the people you love who really don’t NEED anything but you really want to get them SOMETHING to show how much you appreciate them being a part of your life and how much you love them. Is this a sad thing to say? I am still looking and I hope to find those perfect gifts for the ones I love before December 25th! This afternoon I took all the gifts out that I have already gotten and put them all in piles by who they are going to on my bed and it was covered! I then wrote down everything so that when it comes time to wrap I don’t get anything mixed up or it doesn’t get forgotten in the end. I even put post-its in the bags or boxes of items for each person with their name on it! I have a LOT of wrapping to do and I am hoping to atleast get started this weekend. The items I ordered online still need to get here but I also added those to the lists so I really don’t forget who gets what! Now lets just hope I don’t loose the lists!! I know I am insane but I figure this year it may help me keep it all a bit more organized than the years prior. The past few years I have been wrapping gifts on CHRISTMAS EVE!! I have been up until 2am wrapping gifts to just let the kids tear them open a few hours later. Here’s hoping that my savings because of the sales and free shipping deals pays off in the end!

We love our PCs, but there’s just something about Macs that makes even PC afficionados lust after them. The main reason why not everyone in the world has more Macs is because they are more expensive than PC laptops. Luckily, this Black Friday, you’ll find the best Apple deals not at the Apple store, but at Amazon’s Apple Store, and you can shop from your computer!

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Sorry for the lack of a post over the last 13 days! I’ve been extremely busy and working some crazy hours, but with this nice 4-day weekend, it’s time to catch up.

I started with my new school on Monday – University of Phoenix. It’s fun! The online format is pretty cool and I’m having a good time. There’s quite a bit of work on a weekly basis, but that’s ok.

On Tuesday, the squadron had a Thanksgiving get together for a couple of hours. The food was good and I ate way too much like usual. Yesterday, on Thanksgiving, one of the new guys in our office and I went and had dinner at our boss’ house, and the food was amazing.

Tonight I’m listening to some music as usual. I’ve been watching some of the James Bond marathon on the SyFy channel over the last couple of days as well. I love James Bond! Go Roger Moore! Haha!

I might try to get a shower in later tonight but who knows…I might wait until tomorrow. And, no – I didn’t bother to go Black Friday shopping. I’m waiting for the online deals.

While everyone is camping out in front of large malls and mega stores, I would encourage us to remember the poor and widows.  Its tempting this time of year to begin to focus all of our attention on what we get, gifts for family and friends, but forget the real reason why we celebrate Christmas. I remember as a kid growing up there seemed to be more of a sentiment of Christ in Christmas.  In my neighborhood, I remember seeing more nativity scenes and listening to Christmas carols and hymns focusing on Christ.  Remember the greatest gift of all, the one that was given from God to mankind wrapped in the form of a small babe, who far from pitching his tent in front of Best Buy, rested in a feeding troff for animals according to the scriptures. Was Jesus poor?  Not in the slightest bit!  He lived life full, abundant and with more than enough to give away to those in need, ultimately he gave all he had…his very life to rescue sinners from the pit of hell and eternal separation from God.  He gave the ultimate example of the Fathers love.  He gave.  And he didn’t give left overs and he wasn’t cheap!  He gave the best, the purest and the finest of himself.  I would encourage you, if you are reading this, to find some way to give to a family who is in need, a single mother who doesn’t have enough at the end of the month this year or to support a LOCAL charity.  Don’t give into the temptation to get wrapped up in “door buster sales” and the nativity scene of corporate consumerism.  Get wrapped up in creating value and depth in your relationships with others this year.

This is my family’s Christmas 2009 5×7 photo newsletter (with photos blurred out). Now act surprised when you receive it in the mail this year . So here’s the deal: Subscribe to my blog and I’ll design a 4×6 or 5×7 Christmas photo card or photo newsletter for you. How easy is that? Be among the first dozen subscribers before the giveaway deadline of December 4th. Thank you for your support!

This is an emergency post, I had to share this find with you right away! How can you pass up a coupon this good?!?! Sunday, November 29 to Tuesday, December 1, print and present this coupon for $5 off your next in-store purchase at any Chapters, Indigo or Coles location — no minimum purchase! Now that’s a deal!

The fine print says that the coupon is not valid on giftcards, magazines, newspapers, electronic items or irewards memberships/renewals.

CheapTweet scours Twitter for deals. Also offers a service to sell your goods on Twitter. From the website,

“CheapTweet is the original social search engine for Twitter deals. Whether you’re a one person operation or a Fortune 500 retailer, we can help you get more exposure to our large deal-seeking audience.”

There are some worrying ads from Target this year: a woman, usually in red and white (Target’s corporate color guard), does various activities to “psych herself up” for the two-day sale staring at 5 am on the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally known as “Black Friday.” In one or more of the ads (I have to admit, they all blend into one after a while), she laughs sheepishly and says some variant of, “It’s not like it’s a competition,” then continues her manic preparations for Black Friday, where the crowds are legendary in the common pursuit of a good deal for their pent-up cash. The end purpose is to give loved ones, co-workers, and others in our lives “all the things money can buy,” the promise of satisfaction and well-being delivered materially, preferably with something new and/or shiny. To not do so is to commit a serious faux pas, to demonstrate a lack of status on your part, to fall out of the clique you’re in or not enter the clique you want to (or are made to feel you want to) enter. No one wants to be accused of stinginess, even when falling wages and higher prices for household expenses demand thrift. Shop or be scorned seems to be the yearly message, even this year, deep in a “recession” that is actually closer to a global financial meltdown, pumping itself with credit and delayed solutions like an unscrupulous athlete pumps himself full of steroids. And there is, more and more, something athletic and primal to shopping, in finding the perfect item in a rainforest full of goods (suspend for the moment the fact that product diversity has exceeded biodiversity long ago). “Survival of the fittest” is no longer a social metaphor or an evolutionary/genetic reality, but a credo for the mall as well—getting what you want has morphed into an existential problem of getting what you want in an infinite universe of manufacturers and products, and “getting what you want” materially has become a rallying cry, subtly but permanently linked with “survival of the fittest,” and fixed as a modus operandi for Americans hungry for meaning, security, and reassurance in volatile times.

It’s not a competition, except when it is. A year ago in Valley Stream, Long Island (NY), a stampede of people crushed to death a security guard at a Wal-Mart in the first Black Friday death of its kind, and a devastating demonstration of how desperate people will get to save a few dollars, that they will literally run over a fellow human to obtain some object that will likely be obsolete in a few years, because its manufacturers designed it that way, to maximize their profits. They were eager for “doorbusters”—and so the violence of commerce took on a new meaning: mall morphs into maul, every bargain has a measure of brutality about it—the only difference is that in this instance it was out in the open. Superficial news reports remark that Wal-Mart has “spent millions” to prevent another such tragedy this year, as though this is supposed to reassure us into spending, quell our fears that something as ostensibly harmless as buying and selling in the twenty-first century isn’t done in deathtraps, completely ignoring the fact that they were, this time last year, so willing to pinch pennies that the loss of a human life was nothing to them. Had they been willing to fulfill their obligation as storekeeper in the first place—had they been willing to run their business in anything remotely resembling a moral, or even logical, business model—they would have put such “costly” precautions in place long ago, thus preventing a horrific episode, something that could be termed domestic terrorism if we were brave enough to admit how beastly we are capable of being—the problem with using the word “tragedy” is that it can make people forget that something criminal happened in this case, with the people who took the last breaths out of that poor man still unfound, blending into the crowd, hiding in mass shopper anonymity.

In our marketplace, though, that puts so much pressure on businesses to obtain profits, the executives at Wal-Mart probably performed an elaborate series of calculations that showed that any “millions” spent in paying for a lawsuit or settlement for an employee being killed in such a scenario would be less than the “millions” spent to prevent that, and certainly less than the value of one man’s life itself, who becomes a sacrificial symbol we can’t, in the media on this anniversary, think about too much because it might make us sad. It should worry us when corporations literally are putting a dollar-sign on our lives, but we have become so hypnotised by television and advertising and social pressure that we shrug it off as a consequence of a consumer nation or live in denial about such calculations, such premeditated pawning of our souls by the powerful—you know, until it happens to us personally. Then and only then are we frightened beyond belief, because only then do we see how enveloped in this system we are, even those who try to consciously extricate themselves out of it. We can all be marketed—not just marketed to, but bought and sold—and consent borne out of a lack of other options can hardly be called consent at all. Those shoppers on that fateful day were so exhausted, so spread thin throughout their working lives, finding themselves working so hard for so little money, and finding themselves in need to shop at the lowest-price retailer even when that retailer uses slave labor, trashes the environment, treats its own employees horribly, and destroys communities by crushing small businesses, that such a death probably seemed like collateral damage—not to excuse their greed (as it is, make no mistake, deplorable and crass to whip oneself up into a frenzy to procure a thing when doing so puts a person at stake), but their actions were probably in line with a long-term exploitation they have suffered for years, the exploitation of long-term poverty and lower-middle-class and mid-middle-class living, the people who have seen the tax burden of the nation (despite progressive rhetoric) shift from the rich (the people who could afford more taxes) to the poor (the people who never really receive in social services what they put into the system through their incredible productivity). As we increasingly find ourselves becoming disempowered laborers, threatened always with losing benefits or our jobs, the idea of “getting what you want” at least on a basic material level is appealing because it brings a promise—even if only an illusory one—of control into our lives, and a way of distinguishing ourselves from others facing similarly discouraging and dehumanizing economic pressures. We are unique if we can outfit ourselves with the stuff that can mark us visibly as unique. To not be able to do so—or to choose not to do so—marks us as poor. Class warfare as sartorial semiotics. There is so much pressure to hide any indication that one might be a “loser” that many accept debt (the risk that comes with not living within one’s means, a seemingly ancient concept in America) rather than risk “looking poor.”

It is not possible to say that Wal-Mart could not have foreseen such a tragic incident happening at some point, at some location. They have been in business to long and have made too much money to claim naiveté. Any such claim insults our intelligence as consumers and our ethics as humans. By the way, Wal-Mart makes billions, billions with a “B,” every year, so to even imply, as the mainstream media does in its way, that it’s doing the virtuous thing in taking the precautions it willfully neglected to take a year ago with its late “millions” (we could call it negligent homicide, but, for fear of being sued for libel, we leave that to the corporate-friendly courts to decide) is hogwash. Millions is nothing compared to the billions Wal-Mart pulls in, so it’s in no way virtuous for them to be spending millions on doing the right thing—fulfilling their obligations to provide a safe workplace and shopping environment—nor should they be applauded or receive free publicity for doing so. Target’s not blameless either—it’s as horrible as any Big-Box retailer contributing to the sprawlification of the American landscape, and it’s ads this year saying or implying or even joking about the idea that “it’s [Black Friday/holiday shopping] not a competition,” given the memory of the Valley Stream death, are truly, truly insensitive and in really poor taste, even if they were meant to be tongue-in-cheek. All the more surprising since a “study” I heard about some months ago said that Target shoppers were more likely to lean Democrat, while Wal-Mart shoppers were more likely to be Republicans. Apparently, just as there’s no crying in baseball, there’s also no compassion in retail. By the way, the name of the man who died was Mr. Jdimytai Damour, and if it were up to me there would be a national holiday to honor him, with banks closed, offices closed, and sales forbidden. But it is rare to see a holiday in America where there isn’t a sale. If the stores could figure out a way to have a sale on every November 22, the date of JFK’s assassination, or maybe every December 7th, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, they would: anything to pull people through the doors, do business, and make money.

So, yes, we should be ashamed of Wal-Mart (for they are evil in so many more ways than can be touched on here), but we should also be more ashamed of ourselves—for keeping Wal-Marts in business and for demanding that other businesses look at Wal-Mart as an example, or beacon, of “success.” Is it “success” to undersell every competitor in a monoculture of retail, positioning oneself to actually weaken the power of choice among consumers? Is it “success” to pay your workers so little that they have to go on State-funded health insurance and work a second or third job to pay the rent? If this be success, don’t show me failure. It’s time to stop asking ourselves where we have gone wrong—we missed that exit a few states back. It’s time to own up to the fact that we are long wrong, and ask openly and loudly what we are going to do about it. What is worrying about each and every Black Friday is the toll it takes on the earth. The energy consumed in getting consumers to and from their temples of purchasing, not to mention the energy spent in producing those goods and transporting them by road, sea, or air; the waste from the (often non-biodegradable) packaging; and the time wasted from waiting in line, waiting for stores to open, waiting for staff to help you, and so on. Shopping has just always seemed to me like a losing transaction—life is precious, so I am going to expend some of its preciousness to procure something that takes up space in my life and drains money. Unless the item is absolutely wanted or needed, it just becomes cluttered, and becomes part of a social sickness: we are expected to express ourselves through our material things, because we are brought up to be so insecure that we cannot possibly express ourselves through…ourselves. We really are made to feel that if we don’t experience the world through stuff, we haven’t experienced the world at all. (And as much as the Internet is motivating us to digitize our modes of experiencing the world, to create a “second life” that does not take up so much physical space [and is therefore less shamefully occupied and busy], we still have a very human impulse to relate to the tangible as well as the visible—we are multi-sensory creatures. The texture of things is under-rated until total deprivation—or even the possibility of loss—reminds us how necessary it is to have something to call your own, some token or totem to speak for you and accompany you through life, no matter how minimal it is: so is everyone a connoisseur even as they deny it, for few, especially in our culture, are willing to rescind the material luxuries that make our ever-more complex worlds easier to bear.) “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” says nothing overt about property but our culture would be very different without a notion of private property that is, for the most part, unquestioned. It is our love of property in this country that stymies so much social change—people want to tax the rich but they don’t want to be prevented from becoming rich, and certainly when they are rich they don’t want to be taxed, no matter how much of that wealth came from exploiting subordinates, employees, or customers. This holiday season, with more unemployed Americans than probably the Great Depression, and more under-employed Americans as well—working but not getting by despite their work— maybe we can find a way to break the cargo cult we love to hate but still secretly love. Even the smallest store in this country runneth over with merchandise while underinvested communities in this country and in developing nations do without the basics—clothes, food, toiletries—the things that make life livable. We would never accept misery as a mode of living, but are completely blind to the misery deprivation causes for others: the lack of furniture, blankets, a winter coat, clean water to drink, soap, toothpaste. The things we take for granted until we become the victim of a natural or economic disaster. Remedying this—and it is shocking that in 2009, this state of some having enough or hyper-abundance while many have nothing at all continues—is not so much “socialism” or any other “ism” (we could get more done saving labels for retrospect) so much as being a decent human being, trying to right some wrongs and seeing that helping another person get up doesn’t require us to fall down.

We don’t love people in this country as much as we love property: we value innovation in things, devices, gadgets more than advances in education and compassion. It will take a tremendous shift in personal thinking, political will, public opinion, and legislation before we get social services systems and legal and commerce systems that are more focused and protective of people than things. That it is easier and less expensive to obtain flood insurance or car insurance than health insurance in this country is absurd, but totally in line with what can only be called Americanism: no new irony under the sun.

A start would be doing something about reversing the tide of shipping all our manufacturing overseas. In addition to being more costly in terms of earth resources spent in importing and exporting this stuff, it disempowers us to being a consumer-debtor nation, making our economy disproportionately reliant on consumer spending and putting us in trade deficits relative to other nations. On a consumer level, we need to support companies who manufacture things here, employ people here, and distribute and sell here. When we’re at a point where over a third of retail yearly profits is dependent on what people buy from November 27- December 31, and the health of our economy is determined by what is bought during this binge-period, we have some major problems as a nation.

It’s not a competition, except when it is.

–topicalwithcontext

Despite being a clothes horse (or at least a clothes pony), there’s no way in the world I’m willing to subject myself to the consumerist craziness that is currently going on all over this country.  The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year in the US and, while I can seriously get behind the sales that go on, I have to question why anyone would want to stand in miserably long lines, get jostled on the streets, look through picked over racks, and be generally smothered by people and merchandise.  I also have to wonder what it is about this country- is it a “national” thing?- that makes people feel the need to have more and more and more of everything.  Quantity certainly seems to be the preference over quality on days like this.

For me, shopping is about an experience.  It’s about having fun with friends and collecting pieces that make each day of my life a little more artistic or visually stimulating.  Paying a fortune for that art or treating it like it’s the most important thing in my life seems silly.  And so, on this day when so many people are literally fighting over a dress or some boots or the newest toy, I’m happy jamming in my apartment in my pajamas, enjoying the things I already have.

If you can’t conscience the loss of the opportunity for mega-sales, however, here are a few online options to keep you feeling appropriately thrifty while still getting a good deal on things you might be buying this holiday season.

1: ModCloth: In addition to free ground shipping on order over $75, for four days (Friday to Monday) ModCloth will be offering discounts on select items.  From their stock of vintage, retro, and really clever clothing and accessories Modcloth will chose 50 different pieces for each day to offer at up to 40% off.  While you really have to be quick to access the vintage items (they’re gone in minutes!) there’s still plenty to choose from for you retro lovers.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Poinsettia Coat: $84.99 to $67.99

Battalion Jacket: $79.99 to $59.99

Open Shutter Shift Dress: $117.99 to $93.99

Urban Escape Tee: $29.99 to $23.99

The Fresh Boots in Gwen: $129.99 to $103.99

2: Ruche: Enjoy 15% off on Friday and Monday at Ruche, “a modern boutique with a vintage touch” that’s already well known for its reasonable prices.

Butternut Squash Peacoat by Tulle: $59.99

Vintage Print Cardigan by Scrapbook: $39.99

Saphire and Roses Top: $39.99

Peggy Jean Striped Sweater Dress: $38.99

Black Shimmy Sequin V-neck Dress: $35.99

Black Viola Wool Cap: $22.99

Military Studded Sudede Tall Boots: $49.99

Tall Whiskey Fold Rugged Boots: $44.99

3: Anthropologie: What kind of Anthro lover would I be if I didn’t mention their current sale?  While it doesn’t seem to be geared specifically toward Black Friday, it’s more than exciting enough to warrant frantic internet searching for the perfect item.  Here are some of my favorite, which can be delivered to your door for free if you spend over $150.

Tweed and Chiffon Dress: $188 to $49.95

Catalina Bolero: $118 to $59.95

Millbrook Cardigan: $148 to $79.95

Rose Garden Wrap: $78 to $39.95

Stretched Timber Belt: $48.00 to $29.95

Champlain Earrings: $42 to $19.95

And finally, while these stores aren’t offering specific Day-After-Thanksgiving discounts on their stock, they are offering free or discounted shipping:

-Vickerey: a great source for organic cotton clothing, workout accessories, and luxurious toiletries and stationary.  DEAL: free shipping on orders over $75.

-Urban Outfitters: this mega-chain needs no introduction.  DEAL: free shipping.

-Victoria’s Secret: everyone needs hot undies, right?  Today you can get free shipping on orders over $100 and $30 off and order of $175.