<p>Went to local office supply store & bought 60 binder clips of assorted sizes for only $3.25 + $.60 for a large box of standard staples. Feeling lucky, went to Nordstrom’s Rack & found a pair of Calvin Klein jeans that actually fit (though need hemming) for only $20 (marked down from $60). Not as good as GW, but I don’t have the patience & our stores don’t have the selection some of you have bragged of!</p>
<p>I feel like I haven’t been shopping to FIND a good deal in forever!!! I’m ready for a girls shopping day!</p>
<p>Yesterday my D and I DID buy tickets for our first Vera Bradley warehouse sale in April! THIS should be an adventure! Anyone ever been? It’s in Fort Wayne, Indiana - the first three days you actually have to have a timed ticket to go in - otherwise I hear that on the “no ticket” days you may have to wait in line for a long time to even get in and then the check out lines are often hours long!</p>
<p>Hopefully I’ll have a “good buy” to brag about after we attend!</p>
<p>How much do you have to pay for a ticket to this sale? I’ve never heard of purchasing a ticket for a sale! One more way for them to make money off of us!!! Would definitely not want to wait an extended period of time to get into a sale, so can see how that would be a savings, especially if you like the store who is having the sale, but I’m now sure how much I LOVE Vera Bradley, personally. They’ve had two sidewalk sales with 50% off items that I have purchased as gifts–the recipients seemed pretty happy, but it’s generally NOT my style.</p>
<p>My best deal of the day yesterday was talking with my FREE Schwab advisor, who ran a retirement planning worksheet on our finances and told us we are in good shape for retirement, whether we decide to do so in 1/1/2013 or any day thereafter. Also called our CPA to get a few answers the Schwab woman was unclear on. 
It was great being reassured that we won’t be a burden to our kids or outlive our assets. ;)</p>
<p>The tickets are just $5 each. While I agree that this is a way to make more $, it’s also going to save us much time in line so is worth it. We’re just seeing this as a fun day of entertainment!</p>
<p>I’m sure we will drool with the bargains you score from the sale. Enjoy! It is cheaper than a movie ticket these days, anyway. Have a great time!</p>
<p>Not sure if this has been mentioned already-
For those that like beer or could use a nice gift for a beer drinker:
Stella Artois has a promotion for a free chalice that can be engraved for free with 3 lines of up to 15 characters per line. I found the promotion by puchasing a 12 pack of Stella on sale and saw the offer(you need a promotion code and that is inside the box of beer). If you don’t make a purchase ,you can also go into the website and it will tell you how to request a code(essentially, sending them your name and address on an index card). <a href=“http://www.stellaartois.com%5B/url%5D”>www.stellaartois.com</a></p>
<p>abasket…I have a Vera Bradley outfit…skirt, sash, cami, and jacket. It was made and sold by Very in the early 80s I think. It’s in excellent condition (fabric discontinued from their line). I keep sending them emails about it…it belongs in a Vera museum…they don’t even MAKE clothes anymore and didn’t make them for long.</p>
<p>Oh well.</p>
<p>Trip to GW tomorrow with a friend. Should be funny…we wear the same size!!</p>
<p>Thumper, you need to show up at this sale wearing that Vera treasure !</p>
<p>I’m refinishing an old dresser, trying to give it an updated, fun vibe. Hearing that Anthropologie has unique and original knobs, I headed to the mall, wondering if a $10 per knob price tag makes sense when you can get hardware at Home Depot for a couple of bucks. </p>
<p>Glad I went: found six fabulous, funky knobs in Anthropologie’s sale bin for $2.95 each. This was a very, very satisfying $20 purchase.</p>
<p>^^^ as someone who has finished a lot of furniture, that sounds cool and was a very good deal!</p>
<p>Any creative valentine’s day suggestions? I rarely travel for business, but I will be away for Valentine’s day this year and wanted to have something delivered to my DH. Not flowers, and preferably not chocolates, though I will fall back on that if I can’t come up with a better idea. I don’t want to spend too much, more of a “thinking of you” thing than anything else. We’ll go out to dinner or something when I get back. Any interesting suggestions?</p>
<p>Heard on the radio about a special offer from Sheri’s Berries at berries dot com. Click on radio button and enter “Gambling.” Looked delish but shipping costs were a deal breaker for me.</p>
<p>Hi Mathmomvt:</p>
<p>Go back to post 3751…what about cookies? I just ordered them for my S at college…$9.99 includes shipping! That’s a little “thinking of you” gift! Good idea Mamom! :)</p>
<p>The cookies are an interesting possibility, thanks, and if anyone has any other ideas, keep 'em coming</p>
<p>Our Michigan relatives often send us gifts from Cherry Republic. Now I get the catalogs in the mail and noticed that they have special Valentines Gifts. Shipping is only $5 now. The chocolate covered cherries are to die for but there is healthier stuff as well.</p>
<p>[Valentines</a> Gifts 2012 - Shop](<a href=“http://www.cherryrepublic.com/shop-cherry-republic/valentines-gifts]Valentines”>http://www.cherryrepublic.com/shop-cherry-republic/valentines-gifts)</p>
<p>Mamom, I used your link and placed two orders for the $9.99 Valentine’s cookie sampler-one for each son (with free shipping!). I’m also sending each of them a card with a little fun money inside.</p>
<p>Yes, thanks, Mamom!! Just sent to both boys as well!</p>
<p>Do any of your kids’ college towns have a cookie delivery business? My D’s has Campus Cookies. They have great cookies and deliver warm cookies, brownies or cookie cakes. They will also include milk and dipping cup. Of course, they’ll also do balloons, etc. for occasions.</p>
<p>If you have Amazon prime, you can mail cookies for free: <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cookies&x=0&y=0[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cookies&x=0&y=0</a></p>
<p>In our area it’s also Girl Scout cookie time. You could mail a box. I almost did that but couldn’t bear to pay $3.50 for a small amount of cookies and more then that for shipping. I’m a cheapskate.</p>
<p>^Kathie- I am an Amazon Prime member and use them all the time to send S cases of his favorite beverage and snacks. There is no grocery store near his dorm and Amazon with free shipping is the cheapest way I have found to ship those heavy products. </p>
<p>Glad so many liked the Cheryl Cookies deal. I ended up ordering 3. I did post on the parents group FB page for my S’s college and it looks like there are lots of other options for special treats and some folks really push their local favorites.</p>