Monday, July 23, 2012

Sales Cycle Obsession and Target!

I have a confession to make... the people at Target here in Cruces know exactly who I am.  They put things on sale at certain times for certain cycles, and the employees have told me exactly when that happens.  So on sale days (especially 70% off days) I'm there eating popcorn and stalking them as they put the lovely red clearance tags on all their lovely goodies.
So how did this all start?  Well after living a vow of poverty in college I moved to Las Vegas and I learned that I liked nice stuff.  But as what happens to anyone who spends their college years studying Theater I still wasn't in good shape to get those lovely nice things.  That is when I learned the art of buying off season.  I started shopping for my Abercrombie clothes in July when they clearance redlines 75% for Summer and in February for my winter clothing.  Several nice stores follow this same style sales patterns ranging from Jan-Feb or June-July.  The trick is timing it just right.



When we had Harmon and the economy turned to crap over night this became a whole new ball game!  Suddenly with our pay being lowered and I was facing unpaid maternity leave Chris and I were broker than broke.  Several wonderful friends helped us by giving gently used nice clothing and baby basic equipment.  But it was frustrating not being able to buy anything cute for our little guy.  Just buying groceries was hard.  Than when we moved here and started HB from scratch we were in even worse shape.  I had to pretty much deck a lady on Black Friday at Toys R Us for a doorbuster.  We only had $20 that Christmas and it was his one gift.  But we got it and that was 50%.  It is still his beloved v-tech bus!  They were playing with it today.


Time has progressed and things are better financially but the tricks I learned back in those old days have become an art.  Miriam calls it my "extreme sales shopping".  Like we will look at a sweater and it was originally $115 and I got it for $20.  That was a high five.  I've gotten to know the nice people at Gymboree and Children's Place really well.  They give me all the best coupons and show me the best deals.  I even get email warnings from them like a drug dealer: "Hey Francisca, we are marking down the flower collection today.  So the kids clothing is always nice and I never pay more than if I got it at Walmart.  For example I got 5 full gymboree fall outfits for $45 and it included the ever need pairs of jeans.  My best extreme sales find was last fall I bought new sheets and quilts for all 5 beds in our home for $120.  That was my Target 70% off bedding sales.  


We even shop for our vacations that way.  For example we always go to the Caribbean during Hurricane season (early on to reduce likely hood) because the tickets and amenities are about 40% cheaper than during the peak season.  Bargain hunting really gets addictive b/c you start enjoying things you wouldn't otherwise.




So now sadly at the Cakes home we have bought everyones winter and fall wardrobes.  We even have all our Halloween costumes and fall decorations.  I'm in that sad time frame between sales.  I am just starting on my summer stuff for next year as well.  All the Christmas gifts are bought and ready to go with my Target 70% off spree.  I got my cremes at Bath and Body Works till January and their next semi-annual sell and did the same at Victoria's Secret.  Sale shopping is such a fun exciting treasure hunting time  for me but my husband teases me for it because we often have things sitting in closets or the garage for months.  It is always used though and I always feel joy in knowing I got good stuff and saved so much money.

1 comment:

  1. Teach me the tricks of the trade, oh wise one. Seriously, you could start a whole new blog teaching people how to shop like you do. How to know when the sales are coming etc. especially in this economy. So seriously. Teach me!

    ReplyDelete

Monday, July 23, 2012

Sales Cycle Obsession and Target!

I have a confession to make... the people at Target here in Cruces know exactly who I am.  They put things on sale at certain times for certain cycles, and the employees have told me exactly when that happens.  So on sale days (especially 70% off days) I'm there eating popcorn and stalking them as they put the lovely red clearance tags on all their lovely goodies.
So how did this all start?  Well after living a vow of poverty in college I moved to Las Vegas and I learned that I liked nice stuff.  But as what happens to anyone who spends their college years studying Theater I still wasn't in good shape to get those lovely nice things.  That is when I learned the art of buying off season.  I started shopping for my Abercrombie clothes in July when they clearance redlines 75% for Summer and in February for my winter clothing.  Several nice stores follow this same style sales patterns ranging from Jan-Feb or June-July.  The trick is timing it just right.



When we had Harmon and the economy turned to crap over night this became a whole new ball game!  Suddenly with our pay being lowered and I was facing unpaid maternity leave Chris and I were broker than broke.  Several wonderful friends helped us by giving gently used nice clothing and baby basic equipment.  But it was frustrating not being able to buy anything cute for our little guy.  Just buying groceries was hard.  Than when we moved here and started HB from scratch we were in even worse shape.  I had to pretty much deck a lady on Black Friday at Toys R Us for a doorbuster.  We only had $20 that Christmas and it was his one gift.  But we got it and that was 50%.  It is still his beloved v-tech bus!  They were playing with it today.


Time has progressed and things are better financially but the tricks I learned back in those old days have become an art.  Miriam calls it my "extreme sales shopping".  Like we will look at a sweater and it was originally $115 and I got it for $20.  That was a high five.  I've gotten to know the nice people at Gymboree and Children's Place really well.  They give me all the best coupons and show me the best deals.  I even get email warnings from them like a drug dealer: "Hey Francisca, we are marking down the flower collection today.  So the kids clothing is always nice and I never pay more than if I got it at Walmart.  For example I got 5 full gymboree fall outfits for $45 and it included the ever need pairs of jeans.  My best extreme sales find was last fall I bought new sheets and quilts for all 5 beds in our home for $120.  That was my Target 70% off bedding sales.  


We even shop for our vacations that way.  For example we always go to the Caribbean during Hurricane season (early on to reduce likely hood) because the tickets and amenities are about 40% cheaper than during the peak season.  Bargain hunting really gets addictive b/c you start enjoying things you wouldn't otherwise.




So now sadly at the Cakes home we have bought everyones winter and fall wardrobes.  We even have all our Halloween costumes and fall decorations.  I'm in that sad time frame between sales.  I am just starting on my summer stuff for next year as well.  All the Christmas gifts are bought and ready to go with my Target 70% off spree.  I got my cremes at Bath and Body Works till January and their next semi-annual sell and did the same at Victoria's Secret.  Sale shopping is such a fun exciting treasure hunting time  for me but my husband teases me for it because we often have things sitting in closets or the garage for months.  It is always used though and I always feel joy in knowing I got good stuff and saved so much money.

1 comment:

  1. Teach me the tricks of the trade, oh wise one. Seriously, you could start a whole new blog teaching people how to shop like you do. How to know when the sales are coming etc. especially in this economy. So seriously. Teach me!

    ReplyDelete