All my dad does is work. He's already subscribed to more magazines than he can read, doesn't really have hobbies and barely watches tv. He doesn't drink.
What I get him is clothing: good warm gloves, work boots, warm pajamas, slippers, sunglasses.
Or food: fruit cake, chocolates, cheeses, quickbreads that I freeze so that he can enjoy them once the holidays are over.
Yes, its boring, but it's all stuff he goes through pretty quickly and would not buy for himself.
Nope. No specific budget for my husband and I, however since we're both students, we're always on the lookout for great deals both online and in stores. We got some great boxes of holiday tea sampler for half the price! Looks like it'll be a lot of tea drinking around our friends and family this Christmas.
I did this same thing the "old fashioned" way. I went on Amazon.com before I left the house, and went to check the big box store to see if the price was better online or off. I didn't know about the price comparison app, but I'm not surprised that there is one (or rather, several).
I wouldn't have any qualms using a price comparison app in a big chain store, but I would have a problem doing the same thing in a local shop. I don't know if that's "right" or "wrong," but I know that it's true for me.
Thanks for the comments! I'm not mixing anything up. It's just that the terms "gift exchange" and "white elephant" are interchangeable where I'm from. I've never been to a white elephant party where the hosts ask us to bring the tackiest gift we can find, just that there's a limit on how much it can cost. Most people bring real gifts. And that's totally different from the secret santa, for sure, when the gift is intended for a specific person. Maybe it's sort of like how people from the East Coast call it soda; Midwesterners call it pop; and everyone from Baltimore calls it Coke, no matter what flavor it is. :)
Just because Amazon is offering 5% off with this app doesn't mean you would get the best price on Amazon. If I price check at a major retailer (Kohls, JCPenney, etc), I would also be able to use the current coupon being offered at that store (save 15 or 20%). The scanned price wouldn't reflect the coupon, so the Amazon price would still be more.
Since Amazon never gives percent off coupon codes and they don't participate with cash-back shopper rebate sites, this is their way of competing. For the savvy shopper, sometimes Amazon has the lower price and sometimes a brick and mortar store has the lowest price. As the consumer, it is up to me to decide where the best place is for me to purchase an individual item. I check out every angle before I make any purchase - this is just one more promotional tool. It is NOT the end of fair competition.
Every retailer has their own strengths, and I end up shopping at them all to get the best deal on the individual item I am looking for. This deal would NOT cause me to make all of my purchases at Amazon this weekend. In fact, I purchased a Kindle on Black Friday at Staples because of a special promotion, and I plan to purchase another one at Target this weekend (they have a coupon for a $10 gift card with a $50 purchase). Kindles don't go on sale, but the savvy shopper can find some type of a deal if they look hard enough. Kindle is an Amazon product, but this 5% off still doesn't make Amazon the best place to purchase it!
Yes! Where I work, we're told to look through our basements and garages to see if there's anything we don't want. I think the author is mixing up "White Elephant" with "Secret Santa."
I have to wonder how much knowledge you have about airlines... you left off one of the biggest major airlines - Southwest Airlines. They have more domestic flights than any other airline you mentioned - they became a major airline back in the 80's.
Buying online is definitely the way to go. For my liberal arts classes, I would ussually use gutenberg.org to get books because its completely free. For science/math classes I used textspyder.com and also sell them back through them at the end of the semester.
I don't see any moral difference between using a price check app at a local store vs. a national chain. Either you respect the personal attention and overhead they have put in to their store or you don't. I personally do appreciate the ability to try out or inspect a product before I buy, and also to ask questions to a helpful store employee.
Trying something out in the store and then running home to buy it online also negates one of the biggest benefits of buying online, not having to actually go to the store.
We have a social group of knitters and have turned our White Elephant exchange into a single skein of yarn exchange. We all end up with something useful and we still have the fun of the exchange.
We did a riff on this theme for a recent work-related outing. Awkward already given that it's with coworkers, right? The other awkward thing was that there really only seemed to be 1 'gag' type gift, while the others were all quite nice. There also was no price range set, so you had a big variety in gifts.
If you unwrap a consumable gift, don't get too attached to it! it's one of the more reliable ones, so someone is always looking to 'steal' it.
Friends often claim that I'm that guy who has everything and that I'm a pain to shop for. I give this advice: Watch this guy carefully. I give you clues about what I like every single day.
On my list EVERY year? Coffee. Pens. Candles. I use all three every single day. Here's the trick to giving these gifts: Don't break away from my norm. I like plain, ol' coffee, Uniball pens and jar candles. Don't give me flavored coffee because you like it, some expensive pen because you think it's extravagant, or taper candles. I want my coffee to taste like coffee, I want Uniball pens because they write well, I like the colors and I don't feel badly if I lose one, and I like my candles in jars because they're safer than tapers.
By someone just observing what I use every day, that means that they "know" me. They care enough to know about the things that make me happy.
OMG that's a Nash Metropolitan - looks to be a 59!!! That is my dream car (even the same colors)
(sorry, car envy out out of the way)
I drive a 1996 Ford Explorer - that's 16 years coming up in early 2012. It is on its second transmission and radiator, and had the suspension system replaced, but otherwise it is all been regular maintenance. Do the oil changes, the tire rotations, the fluid flushes - all when recommended!!
I love no car payments, super low insurance and I don't sweat the little dings and lack of new car smell... the money saved is worth it and I don't see my car as an indicator of status or my personal worth - it's a way to get to and from places.
Yes, I have a budget! My budget is usually $10 a gift. If I can't find it for that price its usually something no one really needs! No, I'm not cheap but most of my friends and family don't like present-based Christmas, so practical gifts and group outings/activities are usually preferred to gifts :)
The headband is a great idea. I love it for when I workout because I have short hair and can't put it in a pony tail. All I do is cut the sleeve off just past the seam where it is sewn to the body the shirt and use the circle hemmed part by pulling the hem over my head so it rests behind my ears and just behind my hairline. No cutting strips or tying needed.
I love my net spend card! It's free to check my balance online and only 2.00 to load! It costs me NOTHING to use. I get pre-paid cards sent to me all the time. No big deal, I just throw them out because their fees ARE ridiculous. I've used net spend for five years and have NEVER had a problem with my money being loaded or used. I use my card online to pay bills and purchase merchandise. I swipe my net spend card everywhere they accept Master Card. I love it!!
All my dad does is work. He's already subscribed to more magazines than he can read, doesn't really have hobbies and barely watches tv. He doesn't drink.
What I get him is clothing: good warm gloves, work boots, warm pajamas, slippers, sunglasses.
Or food: fruit cake, chocolates, cheeses, quickbreads that I freeze so that he can enjoy them once the holidays are over.
Yes, its boring, but it's all stuff he goes through pretty quickly and would not buy for himself.
Nope. No specific budget for my husband and I, however since we're both students, we're always on the lookout for great deals both online and in stores. We got some great boxes of holiday tea sampler for half the price! Looks like it'll be a lot of tea drinking around our friends and family this Christmas.
I did this same thing the "old fashioned" way. I went on Amazon.com before I left the house, and went to check the big box store to see if the price was better online or off. I didn't know about the price comparison app, but I'm not surprised that there is one (or rather, several).
I wouldn't have any qualms using a price comparison app in a big chain store, but I would have a problem doing the same thing in a local shop. I don't know if that's "right" or "wrong," but I know that it's true for me.
Thanks for the comments! I'm not mixing anything up. It's just that the terms "gift exchange" and "white elephant" are interchangeable where I'm from. I've never been to a white elephant party where the hosts ask us to bring the tackiest gift we can find, just that there's a limit on how much it can cost. Most people bring real gifts. And that's totally different from the secret santa, for sure, when the gift is intended for a specific person. Maybe it's sort of like how people from the East Coast call it soda; Midwesterners call it pop; and everyone from Baltimore calls it Coke, no matter what flavor it is. :)
Just because Amazon is offering 5% off with this app doesn't mean you would get the best price on Amazon. If I price check at a major retailer (Kohls, JCPenney, etc), I would also be able to use the current coupon being offered at that store (save 15 or 20%). The scanned price wouldn't reflect the coupon, so the Amazon price would still be more.
Since Amazon never gives percent off coupon codes and they don't participate with cash-back shopper rebate sites, this is their way of competing. For the savvy shopper, sometimes Amazon has the lower price and sometimes a brick and mortar store has the lowest price. As the consumer, it is up to me to decide where the best place is for me to purchase an individual item. I check out every angle before I make any purchase - this is just one more promotional tool. It is NOT the end of fair competition.
Every retailer has their own strengths, and I end up shopping at them all to get the best deal on the individual item I am looking for. This deal would NOT cause me to make all of my purchases at Amazon this weekend. In fact, I purchased a Kindle on Black Friday at Staples because of a special promotion, and I plan to purchase another one at Target this weekend (they have a coupon for a $10 gift card with a $50 purchase). Kindles don't go on sale, but the savvy shopper can find some type of a deal if they look hard enough. Kindle is an Amazon product, but this 5% off still doesn't make Amazon the best place to purchase it!
In this cold weather - knitted hats, mittens, and scarfs would be wonderful. Just make sure you use a color yarn they'll love!
Yes! Where I work, we're told to look through our basements and garages to see if there's anything we don't want. I think the author is mixing up "White Elephant" with "Secret Santa."
I have to wonder how much knowledge you have about airlines... you left off one of the biggest major airlines - Southwest Airlines. They have more domestic flights than any other airline you mentioned - they became a major airline back in the 80's.
Buying online is definitely the way to go. For my liberal arts classes, I would ussually use gutenberg.org to get books because its completely free. For science/math classes I used textspyder.com and also sell them back through them at the end of the semester.
I save $500 in a Christmas account all year long. All my gifts are purchased out of that account.
Thanks for that great tip, Nick!
I don't see any moral difference between using a price check app at a local store vs. a national chain. Either you respect the personal attention and overhead they have put in to their store or you don't. I personally do appreciate the ability to try out or inspect a product before I buy, and also to ask questions to a helpful store employee.
Trying something out in the store and then running home to buy it online also negates one of the biggest benefits of buying online, not having to actually go to the store.
You're welcome, and thank YOU for the great content! Happy holidays!
We have a budget, a squeaky-tight one this year.
We have a social group of knitters and have turned our White Elephant exchange into a single skein of yarn exchange. We all end up with something useful and we still have the fun of the exchange.
Thanks for linking me Amy, i'm in great company in this post :). Have a great holiday season.
We did a riff on this theme for a recent work-related outing. Awkward already given that it's with coworkers, right? The other awkward thing was that there really only seemed to be 1 'gag' type gift, while the others were all quite nice. There also was no price range set, so you had a big variety in gifts.
If you unwrap a consumable gift, don't get too attached to it! it's one of the more reliable ones, so someone is always looking to 'steal' it.
Aren't white elephant "gifts" supposed to be tacky and useless? That's the whole point!
Friends often claim that I'm that guy who has everything and that I'm a pain to shop for. I give this advice: Watch this guy carefully. I give you clues about what I like every single day.
On my list EVERY year? Coffee. Pens. Candles. I use all three every single day. Here's the trick to giving these gifts: Don't break away from my norm. I like plain, ol' coffee, Uniball pens and jar candles. Don't give me flavored coffee because you like it, some expensive pen because you think it's extravagant, or taper candles. I want my coffee to taste like coffee, I want Uniball pens because they write well, I like the colors and I don't feel badly if I lose one, and I like my candles in jars because they're safer than tapers.
By someone just observing what I use every day, that means that they "know" me. They care enough to know about the things that make me happy.
OMG that's a Nash Metropolitan - looks to be a 59!!! That is my dream car (even the same colors)
(sorry, car envy out out of the way)
I drive a 1996 Ford Explorer - that's 16 years coming up in early 2012. It is on its second transmission and radiator, and had the suspension system replaced, but otherwise it is all been regular maintenance. Do the oil changes, the tire rotations, the fluid flushes - all when recommended!!
I love no car payments, super low insurance and I don't sweat the little dings and lack of new car smell... the money saved is worth it and I don't see my car as an indicator of status or my personal worth - it's a way to get to and from places.
Wow I feel like everyone is choosing to be miserable. If you don't like your job, then leave. Life is too short to hate what you do.
Yes, I have a budget! My budget is usually $10 a gift. If I can't find it for that price its usually something no one really needs! No, I'm not cheap but most of my friends and family don't like present-based Christmas, so practical gifts and group outings/activities are usually preferred to gifts :)
I open a Christmas Club account at the bank each year for five hundred dollars and then budget an additional two hundred in.
The headband is a great idea. I love it for when I workout because I have short hair and can't put it in a pony tail. All I do is cut the sleeve off just past the seam where it is sewn to the body the shirt and use the circle hemmed part by pulling the hem over my head so it rests behind my ears and just behind my hairline. No cutting strips or tying needed.
I love my net spend card! It's free to check my balance online and only 2.00 to load! It costs me NOTHING to use. I get pre-paid cards sent to me all the time. No big deal, I just throw them out because their fees ARE ridiculous. I've used net spend for five years and have NEVER had a problem with my money being loaded or used. I use my card online to pay bills and purchase merchandise. I swipe my net spend card everywhere they accept Master Card. I love it!!