Thrifty and Thriving

According to the AP, Wal-Mart will be cutting prices on toys and video games by up to 60 percent this Saturday. Discounts will be on items such as Easy-Bake Oven, Disney Princess Scooter, and Nerf N-Strike Vulcan (I’m not sure what that is). Also, buy Band Hero and DJ Hero video games and get a $40 Wal-Mart gift card. Read more.

Kohl’s: in stores and online – get $10 Kohl’s cash for each $50 you spend. Plus, get 40%-55% off select jeans for the whole family.

Macy’s again has their lame free shipping with $99 order; although also offers 20% off sitewide when you use promo code PL8KM912J3X. The offer ends Thursday, Oct 22.

Justice (a.k.a Limited Too) offers 40% off entire purchase with code 775. Have to print out email to get in-store coupon. You can, of course, try walking in and asking for the discount – it might work esp if you tell them the ring code is 775; or I can fwd you the email. Offer ends 11/3/09
Another promo they have: spend $50 get $40 in future savings ($25 j-bucks and $15 fun card)

Piperlime: has free shipping & free returns as well as their “sweet deal” promo of 30% off (no code, I guess they’re just giving it to you)

Express: $30 off $75 or $15 off $30 with this coupon or enter code 4313 online. Offer valid today – Sunday. Plus they have 20% off sale items.

NY & Co is having a promotion this weekend: you will get an In style ticket in store that will let you take 15%, 25% or 50% off your entire purchase, in store only. The promotion goes on Aug 7 - 9 (this Fri - Sun). According to their fine print,

1 in 1.2 people will receive 15% off
1 in 7 people will receive 25% off
1 in 167 people will receive 50% off

Old Navy’s kids sale starts today and goes on till Aug 20, it’s up to 40% off in stores but no additional coupons that I know of. They do offer free shipping with kids stuff purchase of $50+, just enter code FREE50

Bath and Body Works offers 20% off $25+ purchase with this coupon or enter code 9931 at checkout online

JC Penney offers 20% off almost everything on August 9th (this Sunday) with this coupon or use code SAVE20 at jcp.com. If you’re shopping online you can also use code HUGE27 to get free shipping on order $50+

Express get 20% off friends and family discount with this coupon. Does not work on clearance items online but you can occasionally talk a sales associate into giving you 20% off your purchase even if you have clearance items. Online 20% off with code 3717

Restaurant.com’s 80% off sale is back - use code NAPKIN at checkout.
You can buy a GC to the site itself and then decide where you want to redeem it, or you can buy a restaurant GC right away. Make sure you read the fine print.
Offer valid till July 28th.
Here’s a list of participating restaurants in Albany area.

Retailers are trying something new to make up for slumping sales. In an insert in yesterday’s paper, I noticed Toys R’ Us is having a Christmas in July sale all this week. If your kid is into Hannah Montana, the Hannah Montana Malibu Beach House, with doll included (how often does that happen?) is $79.99. The same doll house is listed on Amazon for $159.99. Thomas the Train wooden toys are buy 2, get a 3rd for free. Kawasaki and Barbie Power Wheels, normally $99, are now $59.99. These prices are good until July 25.

Why the good sales? According to Reuters, retailers are banking that this will give the summer season a well-needed boost. Some are even going so far as to bring out candy canes to get into the spirit.

In some ways, it makes sense to start thinking about the holidays, especially with good sales going on. On the other hand, it would really bother me to buy toys and other things for my kids and leave them sitting in the closet for months. It seems like kind of a waste, especially since kids outgrow toys so fast. They may not even be interested anymore by the time they get it. How do you feel about Christmas shopping in the summer?

This is a great deal my friend forwarded to me!
One catch - you have to book by tomorrow (July 15th)
But you can stay all the way through December 23

Other details:

Each additional night is $35, and this offer includes weekends. This offer requires a two-night minimum stay.

This special must be booked by July 15 and is valid at these hotels and resorts:

Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista [travelzoo.com] (800-999-7300)
Quality Inn International [travelzoo.com] (800-825-7600)
Quality Inn Plaza [travelzoo.com] (800-999-8585)
Rodeway Inn [travelzoo.com] (800-999-6327)

I’m going in October and we already have everything booked, but just for kicks I went to check if this is a legit deal and ta-da! $247.49 for a Friday to Friday stay. You cannot beat that! And they all look like decent hotels. Feel free to check out reviews from hotels.com!

Package Name: Tzoo - Rosen Anniversary Special
Number of Adults: 1
Check In: 10/09/2009
Check Out: 10/16/2009
Total Stay: 7 Nights
Room Type: SEMI SUITE DBLDBL
Package Standard Stay Nights: 7 Nights

October 9, 2009 USD9.99 (Buy 1 Night $9.99, add’tl $35)
October 10, 2009 USD35.00
October 11, 2009 USD35.00
October 12, 2009 USD35.00
October 13, 2009 USD35.00
October 14, 2009 USD35.00
October 15, 2009 USD35.00
USD219.99
Additional Options
Prepaid Spa Special: No Thank you
Prepaid Golf Special: No Thank you
USD0.00
Total Tax USD27.50
Total Charge
USD247.49

I always find back-to-school sales in July depressing. This one, I guess, isn’t as bad because it’s directed toward college students who do start earlier, but come on! July 4th was last Saturday! Anyway, Walmart is advertising some college essentials on sale from July 12 - July 18, including 4GB SanDisk flash drives for $12. 8GB drives are $20. Other essentials, such as Mainstays twin and twin extra-long sheet sets are $7.50, and 6-piece towel sets are $10.

It occurred to me this morning that I didn’t blog at all yesterday. I’m a little behind on this one, but it’s good until this Saturday, July 11. Use coupon code NER192 online to get 40% off any one regular-priced item at Jo-Ann.