Day 1 of my Staycation....Did my CHristmas shopping!

But the sad part when we are buying a bargain is that we think we save something and we get a discount. But then we realized that in other store its price is even much cheaper. lols. Theirs also lots of things that we want to buy and in the end we realize that we don't know who to give or theirs much better looking things to give than the one previously we bought. lols.

Oh how I wish I can start my Christmas shopping now, but the budget is still in the making, lol! I love that 50% off everything in your shopping cart/bag! I hope that when it's my turn to do my Christmas shopping I can get that much discounts. I can't wait!

Hello Jill Hill. I am delighted that you are enjoying the beginning of your Christmas shopping. You must have been amazed to find a really great shop with 50% off everything. It was an excellent idea for you to go to three different towns. Yes, it is lovely to support new businesses. I like to Christmas shop in October and November and then last minute in early December. I have got half of the Christmas presents. I would shop on any day that suited me. I am hoping to do some more Christmas shopping soon.

50% off is an awesome deal! I don't go shopping on Black Friday. I am usually too broke to go anyway. I am glad you seem to be enjoying your staycation so far. I hope the rest of it goes well for you.

I've been doing mine a bit at a time. As soon as I think I'm close to done, something else pops up. Couple weeks ago I went out to the outlet mall and got my son an expensive name brand sweater, jeans, and t-shirt and the other kids got jeans too. Thought I got most of the stuff out of the way, but hubby keeps coming up with ideas of things he wants to get (mainly for the oldest who is the closest to being done). So I have a list of what I have for everyone, because I try to make sure the kids get about the same # of presents. So I thought I was doing good and didn't have much left to get.. but the more hubby adds to the list for the oldest, the more I have to get the younger ones because they're the ones who'd find it unfair if the oldest got more than them.. Then my son's daycare tells me they've adopted families to buy gifts for, and I am in charge of one child.. not everyone pitch in and they'll divide it amongst the kids they have.. nope, each person is in charge of 1 needy child. So I can't get away with buying a little cheap something, I have to get a couple of things so this needy child has something nice on Christmas. I mean truthfully, this is something I've always wanted to do, but I am concerned about money, and I'd much rather do it on my own terms.. such as buy a toy for $10 or so and donate it to Toys for Tots.. not be demanded to buy a set of gifts for a needy child. I'm not trying to complain.. I want to help.. and I know my kids are being a little spoiled this year.. but the thing is I spent all this year focused on providing my kids a good Christmas because we've spent every previous year having rather lousy holidays because we've been so broke (and I have previously relied on charities for gifts for my kids during those tough times.. so I don't mind paying back the favor really.. just want to complain about it a bit I guess, LOL.. don't mind me). Then, the same son is doing a gift exchange at Daycare, so I have to buy a toy for another little boy also.. On top of all that, I had to pick my Secret Santa thing at work today. I have to give a Christmas gift to a co-worker that I know absolutely nothing about. I've only worked there just over a month, and we don't exactly talk about personal lives very much, so I can't think of a single thing I'd get this woman. Probably going to go with a Bath & Body Works set or something.

Actually, I'm already done with the majority of my Christmas shopping because I've been doing it online through the year. There are still a couple things that I need to get, most importantly new bikes for my children that I will be getting on Black Friday. As odd as it sounds, even if there wasn't anything that I needed to buy on Black Friday, I would still go shopping just because it is something that I've been doing since I was a young girl.

Good to hear you found some really good deals. Makes the trip worthwhile. I make it easy on myself and give our kids money. Our grandkids live out of state so it's just easier to let them shop and get what they want with the money we send their parents. I don't mind shopping for short periods and sure don't mind crowds so that's not what keeps me out of stores. I won't be shopping on Black Friday but know others who plan to get up in the middle of the night and go. I like my bed too well to leave a warm, cozy bed to shop.

I've only been shopping on black friday once. It's rare I get out of the house w/o a kid. Plus I work black friday so shopping for my family isn't even on my mind.