Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Retail Therapy: Surviving Target

(Previously "published" on Facebook, but here again for your reading pleasure ...)

My Target survival skills:

1. It's not a deal if I don't NEED it.
For me, it is hard to rationalize needing another pair of flip flops even if they are a great bargain. And it is so hard to resist the table of cute $4 tee-shirts for the kiddos. But do they really need another tee-shirt?

2. Don't spend more than $1.99 on a greeting card.
I love stationery so this is a hard one for me. But, come on, what happens to a card after a person opens it? Unless it is for a really sentimental occassion, the card goes straight into the recycling bin. There are some great cards at Target for $.99, $1.49, and $1.99. This is especially cost saving when you have a month -- like June and July for us -- with lots of birthdays, Father's Day, etc.

3. Aim to spend $10 on a birthday gift, with some wiggle room up to $15.
Don't get me wrong, I am actually a very generous person. That being said, when your kid goes to maybe 15 birthday parties a year, you can really overspend on gifts. Plus, there are some super fun gifts that aren't expensive. Some of my son's favorites to give are: duffel bag filled with Play-Doh and accessories ($10.99), Candy Land in a cool plastic "case" ($8), Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Yahtzee Jr. ($9), Dora bat and ball set ($12), and bubble machines ($12).

4. Browse the end caps and Dollar Spot but be careful!
I love to browse the end caps and the Dollar Spot and if I see something that would be a great "gift closet" item, I pick up only one or two. After all, who needs $10 worth of SpiderMan markers? If you would never pay full price for the item you are holding, put it back down and walk away! The Dollar Spot is a great place to find party favors and stocking stuffers so I do recommend scanning the aisles if an event is getting closer. (Side note: I found great ladybug frames in the Dollar Spot in February and grabbed them for my daughter's "bug" birthday party. I printed a photo of each kid coming to the party and put it in the frame. Totally fun favor for less than $2!)

Cheap and Cheerful wants to know: How do you do Target without draining your wallet?

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