down south, we call what you call white elephant, "Dirty Santa" -- b/c of the stealing, I suppose. Finding something novel for these events (I think there will be 3 total for my family this year) is challenging but fun. Our white elephant is exchanging (or selling as a mini-fundraiser), great items that we personally have no use for but are great things and in excellent condition.
btw, one of the parties is a combo Ugly Christmas Sweater + Dirty Santa (though I don't have any ugly sweaters, well -- at least not holiday ones).
Some of my favorite gift items for these come from Rugged Wearhouse -- they have great holiday ties, (occasionally Grinch clothing), etc. Fun yet useful.
I'm like you, my freedom to say "yes" is always dependant on the amount of money in my bank account, where as many of my friends are lucky enough to have parents who replenish their's once its getting low (i'm still a college student). But I look forward to the day when I no longer have to have the numbers in my account on my mind 24/7. Hopefully at some point when my school loans are all paid off, I can save enough money to keep in my savings account and use on spontaneous travel with friends, or going to a music festival. For now though, I'm stuck with the same clothes I've worn for years, and a strict grocery list that I travel to Walmart to purchase. But life is about experiences, and I think that if you have the means to say "yes" when you know you're able to afford it, the experience will be well worth the money.
This year has been a tight year--tighter than normal. So the budget is $150-200 this year. Many of the gifts I plan to make this year--baked goods, picture collages, maybe even a handmade book or two, etc. Even at a low budget maybe especially at a low budget, this is difficult.
This is the first year we sat down and wrote out a budget for Christmas gifts, i.e. who is getting a gift and how much we will spend for each individual. We have had spoken budgets in the past but have experienced "shock and awe" in January when the credit card bill comes because of misunderstandings that lead to overspending. We still use a credit card to securely track gift purchases and because we pay for gifts with a Christmas bonus that comes right before the holiday. We are keeping track of purchases with receipts that we keep with the written budget. It is working!
Wow-just read all of the post! I'm so stuck on what to do as well! Received a job offer in my line of profession. No health benefits, and the benefits that they do offer are limited. I was not pleased at the salary the interviewer threw at me. I was actually speechless. Just started unemployment insurance mid-October. I've turned down this offer on numerous occasions but they keep calling me. I've tried in vain to have them up the pay scale. I really don't know what to do? Do I take advantage of my unemployment opportunity and go for career training? I think I appeared too eager when I went on the interview and the prospective employer took that to her advantage. They were seeking me to work for them when I was working and I turned them down. I bet i was worth more to them at the previous moment. I walked away from the interview, happy to have a job opportunity and insulted at the same time. I couldn't help ask-"Is this what I'm worth?'. It does do damage to your self respect. So now what? Hold on to your unemployment insurance and self respect and pray for the best or accept the position at a low-ball scale with no benefits and pray for the best?!
here's what i did:
1. add lens cleaner (a lot) and let it sit
2. wipe it off with a cloth (not in a circular motion)
3. if that adds more scratches wet some toilet paper and gently wipe down the disc.
4. now that all scratches are gone wipe away the water (if you need the disc immediately) with a cloth or if you can wait let it air dry in front of a fan or in the open.
thanks for this cool tips. I'm an avid traveler as well but I prefer to backpack and do my own planning instead of depending on a travel agency. But I might actually do that when I go to Hongkong and Macau next year. ^_^
I don't have a problem with running into a store, looking at an item on a shelf, and reporting that number to Amazon.
I won't waste a clerk's time though when I know I intend to buy elsewhere.
If you're shopping for things where a showroom is important, you need to think twice about leaving just to buy online. Those showrooms won't be around (and many have already left - just try buying fine china and silver tableware at a brick and mortar store) if we won't support them.
Glad to learn more about Target's negative practices as I feel TARGET HAS THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!
This evening I went to the Target store on 20th Avenue in College Point N.Y. to purchase a couple hundred dollars worth of candies as I do every holiday season. Before I started my shopping I needed to return an $11.00 moisturizer that I had purchased – I explained that a store credit would be fine as I was about to do a lot of shopping. Since I had recently lost my driver’s license they refused to accept my return of the moisturizer despite the fact that I had two photo ID’s (one from my town’s Village Hall) and a number of other forms of identification. They kept me and my handicapped mother waiting there for over 30 minutes trying to resolve this minor issue. The complete ineptitude on the part of the Supervisor named Sara and all the customer service people at the 1-800-440-0680 number was simply incredible.
At 7:48 p.m., when I initially called the 800 number, I spoke to a man who said his name was Felix, he refused to help me and when I asked to speak to a supervisor, Felix left me on hold for over 10 minutes before disconnecting me. I called back and spoke to a man who said his name was Paul, he too was useless as was my my next call to Roz and final call to Shane, a supervisor, who was equally incompetent. Why does Target bother having a so-called customer service desk and phone number if no one has the mental capacity to retain a customer?
My mother and I left the store and promptly went to our local Rite Aid where we spent $250 on chocolates and popcorn. We are taking a stand to no longer support businesses like Target that do not respect their customer and that bring America down with inane policies and staff that lacks any proper training. We will only support businesses with excellent customer service like Nordstrom Bed, Bath & Beyond, etc. Not only did they lose several hundred dollars in business this evening but they have lost at least two customers due to their utter foolishness. Neither I or my mother will ever longer set foot in a Target store again. (P.S. - Their electronic carts for physically challenged folks are rarely charged and at the ready...........
DO NOT give a Netflix gift subscription. Your recipient will be required to enter THEIR credit card information (a prepaid credit card won't work) which will authorize Netflix to charge for the subscription after the gift subscription runs out unless they remember to cancel first.
We don't buy too many presents, just ones for the giving trees at our work. The little girl I bought for wanted books, so I swapped some books I had at the local book swap and got children's books for her. Then we went to Marshalls and got my wife's giving tree recipient a $20 pair of Guess sneakers. So, our budget is $20! Success!
Our families will get the gift of all of us being together, eating, drinking, and having a great time. To me, that's priceless.
It's so refreshing to see a voice of reason on the internet. Thank you. I also agree with you, it isn't like physical stores can't get online and check Amazon's (or any other retailers) prices.
It's actually funny in a "this won't end well" sort of way. Some of the heavy hitters - Walmart and Best Buy, for example, already complain that Amazon gets the purchases from in-store product tests (on top of not having to charge sales tax at the point of sale). Since those stores collect the money up front, they have the political clout Amazon lacks in the states. It'll be interesting to watch Amazon's ground game, but expect hugely increased lobbying costs in the next few years...
I like home-made items, especially baked goods. As a guy "who has everything", those are the things I can't get because they are not sold anywhere. They are unique and personal and (unless I eat them) I'll probably remember who it was from years later.
Gift cards can be hit or miss. I'll use the ones for stores where I regularly shop. But otherwise they'll sit unused. They can be re-gifted, but only if the denomination is reasonable. I'm not going to re-gift a three hundred dollar Tiffany gift card but I'm unlikely to buy anything in that price range anytime soon, so it'll sit around unused for a while... (until I lose it).
What IS a scam is their advertising. I got an email from their "CEO" who offered me an upgrade device that did not need to plug into a computer, the "MagicJack Plus" that only needed a broadband connection and a wall power jack. You plug your old timey phone in and voila, instant landline! I tried and tried to get my credit card to authorize. The ad said they would not charge my card for 30 days. I checked my bank account and the SOBs had hit my card EIGHT TIMES FOR $44.96, plus another test transaction for $1.00 because I had changed my credit card data in the "myaccount" profile. I called the company ASAP, and they said the charges would drop off because they did not show an order for me. My bank informed me that in addition to the eight bogus charges, even MORE charges had been rejected by my card. What a sleazy way to do busines. Advertise that they won't hit your card, then keep rejecting the attempts at ordering the discounted product, each time hitting your card for hundreds of dollars. What sleazebags. The Philipino girl was not very helpful either. Stay away from all these companies, including Vonage, who screwed me too. Stick with AT&T, at least they have some credibility.
Despite angry interviews on the radio from mom and pop owners, there is actually nothing either unfair or immoral about comparison shopping. Small local stores can cry that it is unfair that big business can undercut them but they are free to provide added value in some way that works for them, otherwise going out of business is just the free market at work.
The real issue that I keep hearing from the media is that it's unfair somehow that Amazon is somehow using shoppers to 'spy' and compare prices. There's really nothing unfair about that either. It's like the grocery store shoppers who have occasionally reported harassment by a store that sees them writing down prices in a price book.
What *I* think is wrong is a store being hostile to a customer who is considering price their ultimate deciding factor. Stepping into a store doesn't obligate me to buy EVERYTHING I might want to buy there. It only obligates me to behave civilly and not steal anything.
I also agree that it is foolish to differentiate between using a price comparison app at a big store or a local small one - they may not have useful barcodes, but if they do there's no reason not to behave the same way. You can STILL choose to make a more expensive purchase at the small shop for your own reasons. Maybe you appreciate the service. Maybe you want to support them so they'll be there when you need a last minute gift RIGHT NOW. Maybe you want to avoid the ecological impact of shipping and boxing your gift. Whatever. YOUR choice.
This list isn't as accurate as you think. I have grown up in Provo, UT and yes it is a very nice place to live. Good people, low crime. But what many people don't know is that it literally sits right beside the giant Wasatch Fault line. A fault that experiences 2-3 minor (can't feel them) earth quakes per day. But the bad part is that Utah is long overdue for an 8 point earth quake. Plus, it's close enough to Yellowstone that once that blows you're dead anyway. Yellowstone is the largest volcano in the world. Ash from it's last eruption has been found by archaeologists in southern Texas. I'd say that if you really want to avoid natural disasters, you should just avoid the west altogether. Maybe parts of AZ are safe, but take it from me, I've lived in southern CA, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and PA for most of my life. If you want to be in a disaster free zone, the north east is the best. You'll die in the west. There's no escaping the powers that are out here.
i disagree, i doubt you would save a whole lot of money. while you may not have to continue to purchase diapers, you will be using your electricity and laundry soap quite often to wash the diapers, not to menion all the added hassle. additionally cloth diapers often leak compared to disposable and your utility bill and laundry soap purchases will go up! no thanks...
Great roundup Amy! We like to invite friends and family to bring a favorite dish to holiday parties. It's a lot of fun and a great way to make parties less expensive.
Okay I take offense at the credit/empty gift card thing. All you have to do to fix the edges is take a nail file to it. It's not that hard. That makes the edges smooth. How do I know? I made myself a necklace with an empty gift card and filed it and voila-no sharp edges. Filing the edges only takes a few minutes, too.
Great tips --
down south, we call what you call white elephant, "Dirty Santa" -- b/c of the stealing, I suppose. Finding something novel for these events (I think there will be 3 total for my family this year) is challenging but fun. Our white elephant is exchanging (or selling as a mini-fundraiser), great items that we personally have no use for but are great things and in excellent condition.
btw, one of the parties is a combo Ugly Christmas Sweater + Dirty Santa (though I don't have any ugly sweaters, well -- at least not holiday ones).
Some of my favorite gift items for these come from Rugged Wearhouse -- they have great holiday ties, (occasionally Grinch clothing), etc. Fun yet useful.
I'm like you, my freedom to say "yes" is always dependant on the amount of money in my bank account, where as many of my friends are lucky enough to have parents who replenish their's once its getting low (i'm still a college student). But I look forward to the day when I no longer have to have the numbers in my account on my mind 24/7. Hopefully at some point when my school loans are all paid off, I can save enough money to keep in my savings account and use on spontaneous travel with friends, or going to a music festival. For now though, I'm stuck with the same clothes I've worn for years, and a strict grocery list that I travel to Walmart to purchase. But life is about experiences, and I think that if you have the means to say "yes" when you know you're able to afford it, the experience will be well worth the money.
This year has been a tight year--tighter than normal. So the budget is $150-200 this year. Many of the gifts I plan to make this year--baked goods, picture collages, maybe even a handmade book or two, etc. Even at a low budget maybe especially at a low budget, this is difficult.
Before you chuck those old video games and tapes, etc., do a quick check on eBay - there are many old media forms which are worth a whole lotta bucks.
Go to wikipedia and look up "White elephant"
This is the first year we sat down and wrote out a budget for Christmas gifts, i.e. who is getting a gift and how much we will spend for each individual. We have had spoken budgets in the past but have experienced "shock and awe" in January when the credit card bill comes because of misunderstandings that lead to overspending. We still use a credit card to securely track gift purchases and because we pay for gifts with a Christmas bonus that comes right before the holiday. We are keeping track of purchases with receipts that we keep with the written budget. It is working!
Wow-just read all of the post! I'm so stuck on what to do as well! Received a job offer in my line of profession. No health benefits, and the benefits that they do offer are limited. I was not pleased at the salary the interviewer threw at me. I was actually speechless. Just started unemployment insurance mid-October. I've turned down this offer on numerous occasions but they keep calling me. I've tried in vain to have them up the pay scale. I really don't know what to do? Do I take advantage of my unemployment opportunity and go for career training? I think I appeared too eager when I went on the interview and the prospective employer took that to her advantage. They were seeking me to work for them when I was working and I turned them down. I bet i was worth more to them at the previous moment. I walked away from the interview, happy to have a job opportunity and insulted at the same time. I couldn't help ask-"Is this what I'm worth?'. It does do damage to your self respect. So now what? Hold on to your unemployment insurance and self respect and pray for the best or accept the position at a low-ball scale with no benefits and pray for the best?!
here's what i did:
1. add lens cleaner (a lot) and let it sit
2. wipe it off with a cloth (not in a circular motion)
3. if that adds more scratches wet some toilet paper and gently wipe down the disc.
4. now that all scratches are gone wipe away the water (if you need the disc immediately) with a cloth or if you can wait let it air dry in front of a fan or in the open.
thanks for this cool tips. I'm an avid traveler as well but I prefer to backpack and do my own planning instead of depending on a travel agency. But I might actually do that when I go to Hongkong and Macau next year. ^_^
I don't have a problem with running into a store, looking at an item on a shelf, and reporting that number to Amazon.
I won't waste a clerk's time though when I know I intend to buy elsewhere.
If you're shopping for things where a showroom is important, you need to think twice about leaving just to buy online. Those showrooms won't be around (and many have already left - just try buying fine china and silver tableware at a brick and mortar store) if we won't support them.
Glad to learn more about Target's negative practices as I feel TARGET HAS THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!
This evening I went to the Target store on 20th Avenue in College Point N.Y. to purchase a couple hundred dollars worth of candies as I do every holiday season. Before I started my shopping I needed to return an $11.00 moisturizer that I had purchased – I explained that a store credit would be fine as I was about to do a lot of shopping. Since I had recently lost my driver’s license they refused to accept my return of the moisturizer despite the fact that I had two photo ID’s (one from my town’s Village Hall) and a number of other forms of identification. They kept me and my handicapped mother waiting there for over 30 minutes trying to resolve this minor issue. The complete ineptitude on the part of the Supervisor named Sara and all the customer service people at the 1-800-440-0680 number was simply incredible.
At 7:48 p.m., when I initially called the 800 number, I spoke to a man who said his name was Felix, he refused to help me and when I asked to speak to a supervisor, Felix left me on hold for over 10 minutes before disconnecting me. I called back and spoke to a man who said his name was Paul, he too was useless as was my my next call to Roz and final call to Shane, a supervisor, who was equally incompetent. Why does Target bother having a so-called customer service desk and phone number if no one has the mental capacity to retain a customer?
My mother and I left the store and promptly went to our local Rite Aid where we spent $250 on chocolates and popcorn. We are taking a stand to no longer support businesses like Target that do not respect their customer and that bring America down with inane policies and staff that lacks any proper training. We will only support businesses with excellent customer service like Nordstrom Bed, Bath & Beyond, etc. Not only did they lose several hundred dollars in business this evening but they have lost at least two customers due to their utter foolishness. Neither I or my mother will ever longer set foot in a Target store again. (P.S. - Their electronic carts for physically challenged folks are rarely charged and at the ready...........
DO NOT give a Netflix gift subscription. Your recipient will be required to enter THEIR credit card information (a prepaid credit card won't work) which will authorize Netflix to charge for the subscription after the gift subscription runs out unless they remember to cancel first.
Car dealers have been dealing with this for years.
Go for a test drive, then find the best price by (in the old days) calling around.
Why was that OK, but this isn't?
We don't buy too many presents, just ones for the giving trees at our work. The little girl I bought for wanted books, so I swapped some books I had at the local book swap and got children's books for her. Then we went to Marshalls and got my wife's giving tree recipient a $20 pair of Guess sneakers. So, our budget is $20! Success!
Our families will get the gift of all of us being together, eating, drinking, and having a great time. To me, that's priceless.
It's so refreshing to see a voice of reason on the internet. Thank you. I also agree with you, it isn't like physical stores can't get online and check Amazon's (or any other retailers) prices.
Around $600. I have way too many people to buy for, so I'm hoping to not go over that amount if possible.
It's actually funny in a "this won't end well" sort of way. Some of the heavy hitters - Walmart and Best Buy, for example, already complain that Amazon gets the purchases from in-store product tests (on top of not having to charge sales tax at the point of sale). Since those stores collect the money up front, they have the political clout Amazon lacks in the states. It'll be interesting to watch Amazon's ground game, but expect hugely increased lobbying costs in the next few years...
I like home-made items, especially baked goods. As a guy "who has everything", those are the things I can't get because they are not sold anywhere. They are unique and personal and (unless I eat them) I'll probably remember who it was from years later.
Gift cards can be hit or miss. I'll use the ones for stores where I regularly shop. But otherwise they'll sit unused. They can be re-gifted, but only if the denomination is reasonable. I'm not going to re-gift a three hundred dollar Tiffany gift card but I'm unlikely to buy anything in that price range anytime soon, so it'll sit around unused for a while... (until I lose it).
What IS a scam is their advertising. I got an email from their "CEO" who offered me an upgrade device that did not need to plug into a computer, the "MagicJack Plus" that only needed a broadband connection and a wall power jack. You plug your old timey phone in and voila, instant landline! I tried and tried to get my credit card to authorize. The ad said they would not charge my card for 30 days. I checked my bank account and the SOBs had hit my card EIGHT TIMES FOR $44.96, plus another test transaction for $1.00 because I had changed my credit card data in the "myaccount" profile. I called the company ASAP, and they said the charges would drop off because they did not show an order for me. My bank informed me that in addition to the eight bogus charges, even MORE charges had been rejected by my card. What a sleazy way to do busines. Advertise that they won't hit your card, then keep rejecting the attempts at ordering the discounted product, each time hitting your card for hundreds of dollars. What sleazebags. The Philipino girl was not very helpful either. Stay away from all these companies, including Vonage, who screwed me too. Stick with AT&T, at least they have some credibility.
Despite angry interviews on the radio from mom and pop owners, there is actually nothing either unfair or immoral about comparison shopping. Small local stores can cry that it is unfair that big business can undercut them but they are free to provide added value in some way that works for them, otherwise going out of business is just the free market at work.
The real issue that I keep hearing from the media is that it's unfair somehow that Amazon is somehow using shoppers to 'spy' and compare prices. There's really nothing unfair about that either. It's like the grocery store shoppers who have occasionally reported harassment by a store that sees them writing down prices in a price book.
What *I* think is wrong is a store being hostile to a customer who is considering price their ultimate deciding factor. Stepping into a store doesn't obligate me to buy EVERYTHING I might want to buy there. It only obligates me to behave civilly and not steal anything.
I also agree that it is foolish to differentiate between using a price comparison app at a big store or a local small one - they may not have useful barcodes, but if they do there's no reason not to behave the same way. You can STILL choose to make a more expensive purchase at the small shop for your own reasons. Maybe you appreciate the service. Maybe you want to support them so they'll be there when you need a last minute gift RIGHT NOW. Maybe you want to avoid the ecological impact of shipping and boxing your gift. Whatever. YOUR choice.
This list isn't as accurate as you think. I have grown up in Provo, UT and yes it is a very nice place to live. Good people, low crime. But what many people don't know is that it literally sits right beside the giant Wasatch Fault line. A fault that experiences 2-3 minor (can't feel them) earth quakes per day. But the bad part is that Utah is long overdue for an 8 point earth quake. Plus, it's close enough to Yellowstone that once that blows you're dead anyway. Yellowstone is the largest volcano in the world. Ash from it's last eruption has been found by archaeologists in southern Texas. I'd say that if you really want to avoid natural disasters, you should just avoid the west altogether. Maybe parts of AZ are safe, but take it from me, I've lived in southern CA, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and PA for most of my life. If you want to be in a disaster free zone, the north east is the best. You'll die in the west. There's no escaping the powers that are out here.
i disagree, i doubt you would save a whole lot of money. while you may not have to continue to purchase diapers, you will be using your electricity and laundry soap quite often to wash the diapers, not to menion all the added hassle. additionally cloth diapers often leak compared to disposable and your utility bill and laundry soap purchases will go up! no thanks...
Great roundup Amy! We like to invite friends and family to bring a favorite dish to holiday parties. It's a lot of fun and a great way to make parties less expensive.
Okay I take offense at the credit/empty gift card thing. All you have to do to fix the edges is take a nail file to it. It's not that hard. That makes the edges smooth. How do I know? I made myself a necklace with an empty gift card and filed it and voila-no sharp edges. Filing the edges only takes a few minutes, too.
yea the place I come from everybody calls toothpaste as colgate.......