Sunday, 7 August 2011
Christmas Shopping?? ...but It's August!
Most of us are either recovering from our summer holidays or still planning them! With the children off school and the sun shining (well sometimes...) Christmas is the last thing on our minds. However the shops are getting ready to fill their shelves with lots of this year's must have presents and to do that they need to clear out their 'older stock'. (And that means Sales! Yayy! My favourite word!)
I always start my Christmas shopping early often buying most of it in the January sales at prices that can be up to 90% off the RRP, However this year having a tiny baby at the time, I didn't really get to the sales as much as I usually do. So although I did make a start I had a lot of catching up to do. And although earlier in the Summer we had the clothes sales which are now just finishing off, having two children of my own and lots of other friends and family's little ones to buy for the majority of my christmas shopping is Toys!
So Yesterday I dragged Hubby and the little ones to The Trafford Centre. (bribing Daddy and Ben with Adventures Golf and a bite to eat after we'd been shopping - using vouchers for both of course - KGB deals adventure golf 2 people play for £5 instead of £14 and 'kids eat Free' at Barburito)
We started off in Debenhams where there was up 70% off a wide range of toys and games for all ages, from Play Dough to Fisher Price, Winnie the pooh to Ben 10, and more! For just £10 I was able to get a bag full of toys for both Ben and Elizabeth!
One place that you may not think to look in for toys is Boots, but they have a great selection, especially over Christmas, and It was here I found my Bargain of the Day. The Tomy Discovery Forget Me Not Photo Album is something I had been looking at getting for Elizabeth for a while, I loved the idea of having photos of family members in a book she can play with and they can even record a message that plays when she opens the page! I was over the moon to find this in Boots for just £10.22! (RRP £19.99) I can't wait to get the photos and messages sorted and wrap it up for Elizabeth's 1st birthday in November!
The final place to mention is The Disney Store! Always a favourite of our 'Disney Obsessed' family, we tend to pop in mosst times we go shopping, however on recent visits I have been disappointed with the choice and have found it to be taken over a bit by soft toys rather than the toys and games that appeal to Ben. Yesterday was different though and I was very impressed with the wide range of toys and games they had, many of them 50% off! I can't share with you all my bargains from here as lots were for presents, but I will reveal that We struggled out with two very large bags for less than £40!
So all in all it was a very successful and fun (for me anyway!) day! And I'm certainly getting there with the Christmas shopping now (and both Elizabeth and Ben's birthdays are sorted!)
I know that a lot of parents don't have a lot of spare money at this time of year with going on away on holiday and entertaining the children while the schools are off. But it is worth taking a look and starting to pick a few things up gradually as many of the toys and games shops are selling off now will be back on the shelves in a month at twice the price just in slightly different 'Christmas 2011' packaging. (and that gets ripped off so quickly that the children won't noticed the difference!)
Most of the retailers do have sales online too (although they often have less choice than in store) so if you can't make it to the shops (or just don't want to) then check out these websites....
Debenhams - http://www.debenhams.com/sale/gifts-toys
Boots - http://www.boots.com/en/Offers/When-its-gone-its-gone/
The Disney Store - http://www.disneystore.co.uk/mn/1001152/
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I've been meaning to do this for the last few years, but something always gets in the way (bills) but this year i've been putting a little bit of money away every week and promising myself that i won't touch if for any other reason then xmas pressies. Then i'm going to buy toys from sainsbury's and early learning center in the last week in october when they both have half price sale on
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