Elfa storage systems go on sale in January.

It's funny you mention Crate and Barrel, because that's alwyas my first stop on December 26. Sometimes it's a bust, but usually I find a few things! I always hit Target and Michaels and AC Moore for ornaments and stuff like that.

I haven't been out for a few years. So many places have things 50% off before Christmas that the after Christmas sales are just the picked-overs for the same price.

I find that it is also worthwhile going on the hunt for bargains in mid-January. Each store you visit will by then have only a small amount of sales merchandise left, but what is left will be marked down very heavily indeed, they will almost be begging you to take it off their hands. Not all the discounted stuff will be awful... some of it will just be small things they ordered far too much of and that are slow sellers at the best of times, or stuff that just didn't "match" the rest of their lines and thus wasn't ever likely to sell so well.

Small boutique/gift stores usually have their Christmas items at 50% off. Sure is nicer than going to Target or the other run of the mill stores.

I went to KMart today (only my 2nd time ever in that store, so it's new to me). I bought a TON of Christmas village stuff at 50% off. I was going to wait and go back on the 26th to see if it was further reduced, but decided 50% off was a good enough savings. Some of the buildings were the last one in that set, and I figured if I waited most would be gone (or at least the ones I wanted).

I got a set of dickens christmas village, ice skating pond, etc. for $50.00!! Bought 5 other light-up houses/shoppes, etc. And then bought oodles and oodles of little scene makers for the village... people, pets, trees, etc. Seriously, everyone around me in the checkout line could not believe I had an entire basket full to overflowing of Christmas village stuff, and it was $168.00 INCLUDING sales tax (which is high here!). Even the cashier was amazed! :o)

The best part of getting my village pieces today was one particular store. You know they usually have "names" on the stores, shoppes, etc. Well, one of the cute village shoppes had my very name on it. And I don't have a "common" name, so that was kindof fun. Guess it was "meant to be". ha, ha

I had been looking at village pieces from Lowe's several weeks ago, and it was going to be over $500.00. Our house is still being built. Since I can't use them this year, I decided to wait for Christmas sales to purchase a village. Well, by the time Lowe's marked them down and I saw the sale, most pieces were gone. Not enough left to even "make" a village.

I'm a happy camper tonight!! Merry Christmas to me. LOL!

I belong to a non profit organization that holds a Holiday Auction every December. I find my best buys for the auction in mid January. 50% off discounts aren't enough for me. I wait until prices have been slashed to 75% - 90% off. Target and Michaels usually have quite a few items that I can put together into a very nice gift basket for the next auction. Another store that is often overlooked for after holiday discounts is the grocery store. I always check out Safeway's seasonal merchandise around the 2nd week of January.

Wait a week or so for people to donate unwanted gifts, then visit Salvation Army, Goodwill, Savers, or any local thrift store. Lots of great bargains, and usually you help a good charity too.

You all have such wonderful ideas, I'm loving this thread!

Now see? This is one reason to decorate with green and red in your house -- 50% off right after Christmas! Yippee! :D

Most places in my area went 40-60% off BEFORE Christmas... so I got my bargains when I was out Christmas shopping.

Going out now would be futile, as most things are greatly picked over...

Not only the unwanted Christmas gifts go to the thrift stores at this time of the year - people start to realize that all that stuff accumulating in their garage/basement will be THIS year's tax deduction if they can get it to a thrift store/organization before December 31st.

Just be careful about donating - our Salvation Army just takes people's donations and THROWS them into a truck. If there was glassware or pottery in a donation, either wrap it carefully or don't donate to S.A. My mom says that her S.A. does this too - they now donate to Goodwill or another truck that will come by and pick up!

DonnaR/CA

Tuesday Morning!
I went there today and Christmas is 50% off. Other clearance is an additional 50% off. I bought a silk (real!) King size blanket for $23. Also got a really nice fiber fill topper for my guest bed (Queen size) for $15. Nautica bath sheet $3. I love that store. They have great things.

Old Navy will be doing an unannounced (what amounts to be) 90% off sale in the next few weeks. Keep an eye out.

We hit it last year and outfitted our whole family and then some for about $100. They had pajamas for $4/set and really cool wrapping paper for $.50 a roll.

Probably a stupid question, chicoryflower, but short of going there every day (it's almost an hour RT now, so that's not feasible) how do you know when the Old Navy sale is, if it's "unannounced"? Get on the email list? DH and I are both in need of some clothes but we plan to go down a few sizes in the coming months - he quit smoking this year and the Lyrica was just murder on me, plus too much junk food with selling the house and moving - so we really want to spend very little and I just can't spare the energy to go from thrift store to thrift store for their extremely slim pickings.

Last year I happened to go to Dillards on New Year's Day and they were having an unadvertised 50% off all reduced merchandise sale (1 day only). Maybe they will do it again this year.

I just found out today that Bed, Bath and Beyond will accept EXPIRED coupons!! Who knew? Came home and rifled through the trash (LOL). Anyone know if Linens & Things will do this too?

Yes, Linens and Things accepts expired coupons, and one for each item, as well as Bed Bath and Beyond coupons,,,

Restoration Hardware, Williams Sonoma Home and Pierre Deux(sp?) are all having huge sales if you get their emails.
I think the economy is tanking because I have never seen sales like this. I get so many emails from stores and I am just freaked when I see how much stuff some places (like J Jill) are discounting their items. Practically giving it away.

Sure would be nice to win the lottery about now! They say you have a better chance of being hit by lightening. LOL
I just look at all the stuff and then delete. :(

Nikki

My best after Christmas sale was *before* Christmas! I have been looking for teal or aqua wine glasses for a friend who uses teal/aqua/silver for his Christmas colors. Two days before Christmas I was at Macy's in the fine China/glassware department, and picked up one lone wine glass with aqua tint at the base of the 'bowl'. I asked an associate if there could quite possibly be any more, and he said he would go check in the back. They were $15 per glass and I wanted at least 12~he assured me they were at least 25% off. He was getting ready to leave for the day, but ran in the back and said they were on the very first shelf in the backroom, and counting the one in my hand, that would make 12. He had another associate bring them out, and I said, since that's all of them, maybe i'll get a special Christmas price. When the woman was finished ringing up all 12 she hit total, and said to me, 'that can't be right, it's only $38.' The male associate who was still there, took one of the glasses and put it under the scanner and it came up at $2.50. Several other customers who were in the department heard me squeal with delight over my fantastic purchase and immediately asked if there were any more. The lady associate asked me if I wanted the footed water glasses that were also $15 regular price and I asked how many there were. When she told me there were 16 I said I would take them all! LOL Needless to say I made a friend extremely happy!

By the way, the glassware was Lenox, and I think they may have come with an amber tint on the bottom. I'm going back tomorrow and if so, will be getting those for ME!

Johnmari the way you find out about unannounced sales is a website like this. Just bookmark it, and check it every day.

DW is the queen of cheap, we were married on Jan. 12, so anniversary gifts could be bought at after Christmas sales. The flowers for our wedding? Poinsettias.

Here is a link that might be useful: bargainist

Went out yesterday & found a few footed glass bowls plus stuff to fill with next Christmas. One was at Linens & Things, the other Bed, Bath, Beyond.

Not exactly on-topic, but I did really well yesterday at Borders - combined their sales with a gift card I've had since June, walked away with 3 expensive DVD's for $27. I had to pay for the most expensive one plus tax. The other two - one on my gift card, the other was the freebie (buy 2, get one free).

Thanks for the link to Bargainist. Looks like a good site!

DonnaR/CA