Lake Lodge

Bored?

Lake Lodge offers ice skating, ice fishing, snowshoeing, broomball, a warm fire, hot cocoa, games and beautiful views. All Free. Equipment is first come, first serve.

Monday through Friday 3 to 6
Saturday & Sunday 1 to 7

I have a spare pair of size 12 skates for kids, if someone that size would like to come with us!

What other cheapo fun things are available in the Winter? Share!

Envelopes

Want to be super organized with your coupons and look good doing it?

Check out this inspirational post at Iheartorganizing! Also, credit for the photo belongs to Iheartorganizing.

Target Markdown Schedule

This is more for me, then anything. Target had a schedule they use for when they markdown items, when they put out those beautiful, beautiful red clearance tags.

• Monday: Kid's Clothes, Electronics, Stationary
• Tuesday: Women's Clothes, Domestics, Pets, Grocery
• Wednesday: Men's Clothes, Toys, Lawn & Garden, Health & Beauty Aids
• Thursday: Hardware, Lingerie, Shoes, Sporting Goods, Music, Movies, Books, Luggage, Decor
• Friday: Jewelry, Hardware, Auto, Cosmetics

Holiday Markdown:
All holiday merchandise follows a general schedule. Except for Christmas.

• Day after Holiday: 50% off
• 4th day after Holiday: 75% off
• 7th day after Holiday: 90% off

Christmas is tricky, from my personal experience, it is the following.

• December 26th - January 1st: 50% off
• January 2nd - January 6th: 75% off
• January 7th: 90% off

This year, the Target Dollar Spot section had their Christmas stuff 75% off a day before the rest of the stuff. So, always scan things to be sure!

Target Labels

Who doesn't love finding a good red Target label. Somethings you should know about it:

• Multiple labels = multiple times discounted
• Top right little number (here 75) shows the percentage off, from 15% to 90%.
• 90% is really only for crap or Holiday merchandise
• ALWAYS price check, not all clearance labels are right, lots of times the discount is even MORE
• And, just because it's 75% off, does not mean you have to get it. Only buy what you love, can store and afford. It's not a deal if it doesn't make those 3 requirements.
  

Clothing Storage

I recently consulted with some friends about "how much is too much" when it comes to kids clothes, buying in advance and storage. My friend Jen over at Iheartorganizing has answer the amount portion, but I can't turn down the deal. Those 75% off long-sleeved shirts at Target, the 2for1 Crocs, the 10 cent Children's Place garage sale pants, the clearance rack at TJ Maxx....you know you do it too.

This is my current set up for future clothes, it takes up a whole closet. Shoes and Undies on the top shelf in baskets. Left to right increasing size, sorted by season. All jackets are on the far far right.

On the bottom, right now, I only have one tote. And in that tote are new jeans and new swimwear. Old Navy had kids jeans for $5 a pop, and they come in slimmer, adjustable waist band sizes, so perfect for my skinny guy. And that is why I have a dozen pair (just kidding only 6 or 7. Probably 7).
This is where Connor stores his clothes that fit him right now. In a giant armoire. The black Yafa block on the right has his bedding and bath towels. The basket on top of the Yafa houses his undies and socks. I bought the armoire at Kmart for $69 (mega clearance), Yafa at Kmart in 1999, and basket at Shopko.


So, how far do you buy in advance? Are you organized with it? Can you say "no thank you" to those 10 cent pants? When did you kids decide to pick out their own clothes?

I found that I could buy Halloween costumes in advance, up until this year, when Connor was 3 years 8 months. He desperately wanted to be Daphne, but had to be the Old Navy Lion I had bought the previous year on clearance.

Wells Fargo

Today while cashing in Connor's coin, they talked and talked about opening a kids account for him. I finally gave in.

Anyway, they started his account out with $9.99, and gave him this cow bank. The bank is actually pretty cute, it's a stuffed animal about 6 inches in size. I had to put in $25, but she said I could just go home and transfer it out online later. It is going on through this Saturday, so if you need a kids account, maybe check it out.

In general I dislike Wells Fargo. FYI.

Kmart Christmas

Decorations are 90% off, table cloth stuff is 75%
I picked up these bows (they match the set I already have) for 69 cents.
Wrapping paper was 49 to 69 cents a roll, Transformers, Spiderman and Thomas, a decent amount still left!

If you see me out, buying wrapping paper, stop me. Even if it's free. I have enough for the next 2 decades worth of Christmas.

It's a new year, so I've decided to start couponing again!

I kinda fell off the coupon train a while back, but now I'm ba-aaaack! Here are some deals from a recent Target trip:

Ten items:

Ream of HP printer paper... Price cut to $4.99 - $5 Target coupon = $.01 overage (unusual to get overage!)

2 Johnson & Johnson First Aid to Go packs... $0.97 each - $1.50/2 mfg coup = $0.44 for both

2 packs Up & Up pantiliners... $0.89 each - $0.75 Target coup = $0.14 each

GE Reveal lightbulbs... Price cut to $2.44 - $1 Target coup - $1 mfg coup = $0.44

Maalox tablets... $4.54 - $5 mfg coup = $0.46 overage!! (Normally you don't get overage, so this surprised me!)

2 packs Kraft mac & cheese... On sale for $1 each - $0.50/2 Target coup = $0.75 each (not that great of a deal, but overage helped!!)

Not pictured: Kashi Go Lean Crunch! cereal... On sale for $2.99 - $3 mfg coup = $0.01 overage (again, unusual)

Grand Total: 10 items for $2.18!!

Caveat: Not all these deals can be reproduced because I had some high value coupons that are not widely available. For example, the $3 Kashi coup came with a free sample I had ordered online, and the $5 HP paper coup printed out at Target after I had purchased some HP printer ink.

Target Paranoia.

I find this hilarious. And I'm not even sure why.  I am surprised I'm not in the video.

Target Christmas Deals

• Cars Set, in toy section end cap, $29.99 marked down to $7.49
• 2 International Delight 54 cents each
• 2 Pillsbury Cookies, 87 cents each, used $1 off of 2, 37 cents a piece (they are all gone, sorry dudes)
• Christmas gift card holders 20 cents
• Christmas candy mixes 50 cents
• All remaining Christmas stuff is 90% off, limited stuff, mostly stockings and ornaments