My two cents on shopping…

Holy cow, it’s almost Christmas!  Thank goodness I have my shopping done.  Well, okay – so maybe I have one or two presents left to get.  But it’s basically done.  I did all my shopping online this year.  Everything shipped directly to the house except a few things I had shipped to Wal-Mart to avoid shipping charges.  Really, if all I have to do is walk to the back of the store and pick up a big cardboard box, going to Wal-Mart isn’t the usual nerve-shredding experience.

I stumbled upon some good stuff this year and I thought I’d share my secret finds with you.  shhhh!  Just don’t tell anyone else.

First up, my #1 source for Christmas gifts this year was Christianbook.com.  I found so many wonderful things here!  And some very, very good deals.  Like this copy of Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss for $3.74!  It was a “damaged” copy.  (sticky on the back from the sticker that was on it at some point.  no rips or tears) Really?  Glue residue is damage?  Holy cannoli, I’ll take it!  Here’s a rundown on my deals:

• Stepping Heavenward – $3.74
• Magician’s Nephew Book and CD audiobook set – $5.99
• Gospel of John boardgame – $3.99
• Power of a Positive Mom – $4.99
• NCV Scriptures Bible Hardcover – $3.74

Plus a bunch of other stuff including my husband’s gifts which I can’t tell you about cause he’s probably gonna read this.  But let me just say, I got one for $23.24 which was at a discount of $276.76!!!!  uh huh, you read that right.  The other one I got for $2.99 though the regular discounted price is $11.99.  So I did pretty good. 

If you want the absolute best deals, shop in the Slightly Imperfect Section.  The deals here are really hard to beat. 

I also found great deals at Wal-Mart.com – Wii games for $12.50 each including two Sonic games and Lego Batman.

LearningHerbs.com has a great game called Wildcraft I purchased for the kids.  We love games and we’re all learning about herbs and their beneficial properties.  Wildcraft is a fun game for kids (and adults) to aid in learning about the wonders of herbs.  At $37.00, this was the most expensive gift I purchased for the kids.  It comes with a slew of free ebooks that contain a wealth of information.  Practical good stuff.  Plus, I get the joy of supporting a sweet family like the Gallagher’s.  And with all the savings I did at Christianbook.com I was able to splurge on a really great present. : )

 

Of course, there’s always ebay.com for a good deal or two.  The key to great prices on ebay are low shipping and last minute bidding.  Make sure you check the shipping charges before you bid.  If the deal looks too good to be true and there are no bids already on the auction, it’s probably fishy.  Read the fine print before you click that “confirm bid” button.  Browse through the “ending soonest” listings to find good deals about to be gone.  If you see a steal, wait til the last minute to bid.  Literally the last minute.  If you have a very fast internet connection wait til the last 25 seconds to bid.  Make your maximum bid a couple bid amounts higher than your actual bid.  (don’t worry, ebay will make your lowest bid and bid up for you.)  This way you won’t lose the auction with 5 seconds to go. 

 

Anyhoo, there’s my shopping tips for you!  Happy purchasing and Happy Christmas!

 

Sara O’