Black Friday (Howe, Mart: coupons, hotel, house)

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Anyone go fight the crowds? We didn't. I did try to find a couple of things online in the electronics category and could not find what I was looking for. Sold out.

[centralaustinite]

I never go. I get 90% of my gifts on-line and I've done so for over 10 years! I was shopping at Amazon so long ago, I remember when they sent us (the customers) a christmas present! A nice insulated coffee mug . . .

I try not to leave the house on the Friday after thanksgiving!

[sanmiguel]

I went to the WalMart on Ben White at about 10am. Lots of parking and no lines. Got the ITouch with $50 gift card for $195. Amazon price is $175 w/o the card. I remarked to the clerk that it was a pleasure to be attended to so swiftly. He said that the company had taken steps to prevent occurrences such as last year when an employee was killed in a stampede when the doors were opened. He did say that people were lined up when the store opened but that 10-12 is a sweet spot when there is a lull in the action. I'll do it again next year

[ATX Wahine]

I'm with centralaustinite. I do almost all my X-mas shopping online, and I subscribe to "Buy Nothing Day". I stayed home all day long, watched college football, and snoozed ... total bliss.

[woodinvilleguy]

I went to toysrus last night at midnight, the line wrapped around the building, getting in went amazingly quick but it felt like "hotel California" 10 minutes to get in grab the couple of things I wanted, 45 minutes to checkout.....

The morning my wife and I went to Walmart and Kohls around 8am. Walmart had all of there door buster deals right in the main walkways on palletes. It was super easy, I even picked up a gameboy game the target had in their add and walmart price matched it on the spot. The rest of the stuff I picked up online earlier this week. I think I am just about done already :-) Just a couple of small things left.

[chris4t4]

I went out today only because I had to, since I usually do my shopping online. I headed out at 12noon and decided to stop at Starbucks first and was really surprised that I was only the 2nd person in line. My next stop was the dry cleaners, roads were like any other day and nobody was at the cleaners. As I drove past the RR outlet mall, it looked like a small line to pull into the parking lot. Next stop was HEB and it was a ghost town. Last stop Target and it was just like normal.

[Trainwreck20]

Went to Home Depot to get a Christmas tree.....was early (9ish?) and no crowd yet.....lots of staff on hand, though, must be expecting a crowd later....

[austin-steve]

We're not making any purchases this year. The kids are 13 and 16 and beyond the stage/age of wonderment of Christmas morning. In fact, they slept in the past couple of years, valuing additional sleep over the unwrapping ceremony.

What we will probably do instead is spend money on something that will benefit the entire family, such as a quick weekend trip somewhere, or we'll give the kids $50 cash and let them do with it as they wish.

The other thing I like that has caught on with the kids is that the family gives each other personal hand-written coupons for an act of service or kindness. For example, my youngest daughter last year provided my wife a "30 minute back and foot rub" coupon, which my wife did gladly cash in later in the year and my daughter did personally provide.

Since my wife and I are both Realtors, I gave her a "day off" coupon which meant that one day when she felt really tired, I took her cell phone, checked her emails, and she went to the spa and had a true "day off" while I handled all business and let her recharge.

There are any number of these "gift coupons" that I think families can invent for themselves and their own circumstances and they are much more meaningful and useful than another stupid sweater or joke gift.

Steve

[love roses]

We usually try and avoid it and I found out why again yesterday. My husband went to look for a wii and because he wasn't there at 5am and 90 million other people were, they were sold out. They said they may have more in today but he's not gone back yet.

[capcat]

I like the no presents idea. However, this year I've shopped all year. When I've seen something that stood out to me as something a person on my list would love, I bought it. That's worked out better for me. Otherwise, I tend to overspend and just settle on something. The things I bought were inexpensive, I paid cash for, and seemed perfect for that individual. I'm not finished, but the rest of the things, I already have in mind, and they're coming from local merchants. I avoid mall/strip center shopping. I don't do well with it, and I don't do well competing with others for a great buy and dealing with the crowds. I'm just not cut out for Black Friday shopping. I don't always succeed, but I strive to concentrate on Christmas as a religious holiday rather than a retail event.