Saturday, November 2, 2013

Cheapness Credentials Restored

I wouldn't want anyone to think I had abandoned my "I'm not paying full price for that," philosophy, so this post is about some of the great sales I've come across lately.

Walmart is notorious for having the crappiest clearance prices. They usually take $2.00 off and put a big red sticker on it, or worse, they don't reduce it at all, but still put a big red sticker on it and put it in clearance anyway. However, I have found a few well priced items that have pleased me greatly:


48% off. These singing Biebers were originally $24.98 and were later reduced to $19.97. Now you can get the singing and non-singing versions for $13.00. That's not really much of a bargain on the non-singing dolls because you can find those at Big Lots for $10.00 to $12.00.


66% off. So here's the thing. Let's say you have one box that is reduced and you have another box that is clearly mislabeled ($17 for Victoria, but also a $8.50 sticker for Bella). If you take them both to the register and innocently question why one scans at $8.50 but the other has so many confusing stickers on it, even though you know good and darn well it's really $17, they will give it to you at the cheaper $8.50 rate just to get rid of a clearance item.


64% off. Similar scenario, but different Walmart. Don't try this at the same store. Take your clearance doll, grab another doll in the same line that isn't marked and nine times out of ten you will get them both for the clearance price. Now don't be taking stickers off or moving stickers around because that's just thievery and you will go to jail.


68% off. I first mentioned the La Dee Da set back [in an April post] and though I thought it had potential I wasn't paying $16.97 for it. Now at $5.50 they are well worth the price. The design itself is a little dainty for my tastes, but it's quite the sturdy set. So much so, that after inspecting it, I went back and bought the remaining three in stock.


Considering the extremely small stature of La Dee Da's, you will not find many dolls that can actually fit in the chair. Luckily, the arms are easily removed. Monster High has plenty of room and older Bratz can fit as well, but it's a little on the snug side for her. Liv and Bratzillaz cant fit at all. Any other doll and you will have to take off the chair arms.


The Moxie Teenz was my only doll that could not get her thighs underneath the table top. FYI, The table and chairs are not the same color. The table is white, but the chairs are ivory. I didn't even open up the extra bits of background and accessories so I cant comment on those.


45% off. Back in February [I did a whole post] on this thing and I've been keeping my eye on it ever since. From $19.97 to $13.00 to finally $11.00. Yes! You just gotta hold out. You just gotta believe! It was the only one there and it's mine. My precious.

That's it for Walmart, but I've purchased the above in the last 2 days so you should be able to find some of it in your areas.

Let's head to Toys-R-Us


73% off. The list price for this is $19.99 but I think TRU was selling them for $14.98 and I got mine for $3.98. Yep, I bought four. I mean, it was $3.98! I figured for the cost I could build myself a pretty decent hair salon with four work stations.


The chair is super duper flimsy. You look at it wrong and it will tip over. Still, if you have a doll with articulated knees, she will fit in the chair just fine. Bendable knees and she'll fall over. A Fashionista is able to sit underneath the table with a little room to spare.


67% off. TRU was last selling these for $14.98 but clearanced out the singing dolls for $5.00 and $3.00 for the non-singing versions. Even though I have no interest in the doll itself, I think the outfits and guitars are more than worth $5.00.

I got the stuff from TRU late September so you may not find them at your locales.

Let's head over to Big Lots!

First off, if you are not a Big Lots Rewards member you are missing out. They have revamped their rewards program so that the 20% sales happen more frequently (supposedly) and they are also emailing out dollars off coupons.


20% off. Thanks to D7ana's [September post] I knew that Big Lots was now carrying Katniss, Twilight and Monsters but I still held out for the October 20% off sale. I don't really like this dolls face, but for $12 I thought it was worth it for an articulated doll with nice clothes so I got two.


20% off. Finally, after almost two years of waiting and poo pooing lines and side eyeing versions, I now have my first Cleo. You know, I'm so effing particular that it's at my own detriment, but when you wait and then you see that perfect doll and she's on sale too? OMG, just bliss. I mean, look at her. She is bringing it. She is giving me life! Oh, so happy. Of course, I bought a second one and she's in the final stages of head shrinking and other changes as we speak.


33% off. I actually had no interest in this Harley Ken with a curl perm, oops, I mean this Jasper doll, but then mid October Big Lots emailed me a coupon for $5 off a $15 item. They didn't have any Power Team guys so I got him instead. Eh.

What is up with Target? They are usually my goto place for sales but in the last two months I've found only one clearanced line that I really wanted.


50% off. I know that everybody and their momma got these dolls when they came out but I had only purchased Chandra and I sneakily got her for $5 because the prices were all messed up when they were first released. When the prices were later fixed at $12.96 I was like, "Nope." This is my very first Kara and I picked up another Chandra for the heck of it. I still don't have a SIS Grace so I'm always on the look out for her.

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To me a good sale is at minimum 30% off, but of course, 40-50% is preferred. 20% off at Big Lots is okay, because their prices are reduced anyway. To get a good bargain, you have to be willing to miss out on the newest and latest. By shopping the way I do, I can buy five cheap items instead of one fancy item at full price. However, in my case, it's not even about being thrifty or saving money. It's about the hunt, the victory in seeing that fat red clearance sticker and knowing I got something awesome for the least amount of money possible. That's a wonderful feeling.

37 comments:

  1. Wow, you found some great deals! I have yet to see these SIS dolls in my area. I would love to find all of them, but especially Chandra. I would get Cody Simpson (whoever that is) also for the clothes and guitar at that price.

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  2. Roxanne the first time I got a Cody Simpson (Australian teen singer) doll I had to look him up on the internet afterward because I had never heard of him and just wanted the clothes. Still don't know if he's very popular, but he was popular enough to get his own doll, lol.

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  3. Twilight guys on sales- Im super jealous! There are lot of good deals here and Im happy you got a nice Cleo. You dont like Katniss' face? I always thought she is totally awesome and she was on my list till she started being rare and expensive :) ! You will be selling her head?

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    1. Hiya, MM! No, I'm not going to sell Katniss' head. One of the dolls I'll keep in her box and the other I'll probably try a face repaint on her one of these days.

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    2. She has a goddess mold, right? It might be interesting :) Good luck with her, will wait for results!

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  4. Hello from Spain: I agree with you. It's a wonderful feeling to buy so cheap. I really like your furniture shopping special. I love the white table with two chairs. I need to go to live and buy in your city ... wow, wow ... very cheap and nice ... Keep in touch

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    1. Greetings from Florida, Marta! Finding good, cheap furniture sets is rare indeed. I think that's why I get more than one set when I find a good one on sale. Even if it's not the coloring I want, that's something I can change later.

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  5. Hola, que grandes descuentos, por acá ya no hay ofertas, más porque se acerca día de reyes magos, pero espero tener suerte algún día y encontrar alguna oferta.

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    1. Hola, Lindaivette! La mejor cosa sobre la búsqueda de descuentos es que usted tiene más dinero para gastar en otras cosas también.

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  6. Well Muff i gonna be an enabler go to Tuesday Morning! I recently bough alot of stuff there that was discounted and they also had those Twilight dolls to for $9.99. I got Cody simpson dolls also but 2 of mine were $1 a piece and the singing ones were $3 i bought all 4 versions!
    here is a link to my Tuesday morning pick up:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/juskidding09/10528128423/

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    1. Jay, those are some dang good prices, especially on the golfing set. That's a quality set for only $9.99. I have not been to Tuesday Morning in forever but I see I'm going to have to make a drive by. I also like the Fashionette sets in your stream. I've never heard of them before.

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  7. Well alrighty then... I see you still know how to spot good buys and are keeping your bargaining skills sharp. Thanks for the tip to question why one doll from a line isn't discounted when another one is.

    Several years ago at Target I spotted the box of a My Size Barbie Bride that had a price tag with bar code of $15 on it. I wasn't sure if they would sell it to me for that price but decided to take my chances. The guy at the register scanned it and it rang up for $15. A woman behind me, kept asking loudly, "That doll is only $15?" I tried to ignore her, but she kept asking, so I finally answered, "Yes, but this was the last one," (which was true) and she shut up.

    Congratulations on your bargains.

    dbg

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    1. Debbie, that questioning tip works real well at Walmart for any clearance item, not just dolls. Luckily there are about 30 Walmarts in my area. :) I only did it one time at Target because they are much better about properly scanning and labeling their merchandise.

      That lady was trying to be toy-blocker! That junk happens to me all the time. People ask "Where did you get that?" "How much was that?" "Was there more of those?," etc. I'm like, "Go look for your dang self! I don't work here and I don't hafta to tell you nuthin!"

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  8. Yay, Muff! Rocking those sales. When I grow up, I wanna save like you, lol.

    Your sales finesse floors me. And luck! The only one of the Twilight crew I kinda wanted is Victoria. Love that really red hair against the pale skin. And that face mold, too. Tango, I think. I would love to see her at that price. $8.50. Wow.

    Then Toys R Us and Target too. Go on, Muff. I love the idea of those vanities becoming beauty stations. Looking forward to the stories you create in that setting, too. Cody Simpson was made with that hideous bulbous plastic his clothes though. will be nice on some of your guys. He was a "big" singer around 2011.I did a tiny, two-paragraphs post about him around that time ;-)

    Thanks for the link to my blog. Aw, too kind of you. And thanks for letting us take the thrill of bargain shopping with you.

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    1. LOL, Dana I don't think any one has ever said that my cheapness was an asset one hopes to achieve as an adult. I don't know what on earth I was doing in 2011 but I know I never heard of Cody Simpson before. I guess I'm not a popular music person so I don't keep up.

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  9. Don't worry, we know you are still cheap. LOL! Great buys. Now I need to go find Twilight doll sales. I've been holding out for that one. I knew they would go on sale, because they always seem to over produce those dolls. Love those salon sets, too. Way to go, Muff!

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    1. Vanessa, the Twilight Emmett Cullen doll is the one I want the most but he is still $17.00 at Walmart. Although that's reduced from his original $24.95 I still want him for lower. I will prevail!

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  10. Geez! I dont know what to like first! LOL My 1:12 can where La-dee-da's clothes so that is all I look for. I really like that outfit the girl from Eclipse has on! That beauty parlor is going to nice!
    My 66 y.o. sister told me she was Katniss for Halloween. She said she ran into a co-worker who said she looked hot! I am so out of the twilight loop I had to go look her up!

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    1. Aargh, Grandmommy, my internet twitched when I responded to you before and I lost my post. I'm sure I said something brilliant, but probably not, lol. Thanks for stopping by and looking at my cheap goods!

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  11. Wow great finds! I didn't know Big Lots has a rewards program, I'll definitely have to check it out. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Hi Osiris and I'm happy to share! If you sign up for the rewards I hope you get some great stuff from Big Lots.

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  12. Congratulations for your new buy!!! You had good luck for finding everything thats ;)

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    1. Thank you for the congrats, Ana! My doll luck is still holding. *knocks on wood*

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  13. Only Muff can shop like Muff - amazing prices. However, I don't know what the law is in America, but in Australia if an item has a wrong, lower tag on it, it has to be sold at that price (even if the tag was put on by mistake) because the tag is how the consumer knows what the price is. So you would not even have to query your first item, it would be rung up at $8.50. And Cody Simpson wasn't all that popular here - I think the doll was part of his prize package for whatever contest he won - so his dolls are on sale here as well although I don't think they are quite that cheap. Really like your furniture sets too.

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    1. Carrickters, that is not the law here, unfortunately. There are "terms and conditions" and "store policy" rules that are in effect whether you purchase in person or online. These conditions protect the store from employee error or consumer tampering. There was even a big story in the news today about how an error on the Walmart website allowed consumers to purchase electronics that normally ran upwards of $600 for only $9.00. Their policy, which you adhere to by entering their domain, means that they don't have to honor an error and can cancel the orders.

      Often times though, for good relations and to clearance out merchandise, they will sell you an item at a listed price or at a comparable one to another item.

      I didn't know that Cody had won some kind of contest and that's how he got his start. Interesting stuff!

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  14. Amen on bargain-hunting. Nothing ticks me off more than clearance that isn't actually clearance. OOOH you dropped from 21.99 to 21.98? My math sucks and even I know that's a crock. I'll have to keep an eye and a wallet out for the Katniss--I liked her accessories but her face is just so freaking' blah. But you convinced me by pointing out the articulation; I didn't know she had any kind of articulation because it wouldn't be the first time Mattel made a "collector" doll in a weird pose (have you SEEN the Farah Fawcett?).

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    1. Tina, preach and you are not lying. I swear one time in Walmart they had a "rollback" on a doll. It was originally $16.97 and they rolled it back to $16.95. I kid you not. I stood there a good minute, like, "Seriously? For reals?"

      You never know with the Pink and Black Label Barbie's. For the cost I would think that all of them would be articulated but they aren't. Even in the Dancing With The Stars line some of the dolls were articulated but some weren't. Why?! I mean, it's a DANCING line.

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  15. Muff:

    If ever I could have a personal shopper, it would be you. What great deals!

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    1. LOL, Phyllis you might not want to wear the stuff I personally shopped for you. I refuse to pay more than $14.99 for a pair of pants or more than $10.99 for a top. I recently went shopping with my family and I was aghast at all the money they spent and they were ticked at me for refusing to buy things that weren't on sale. I even refused to accept things my mother wanted to buy me because she was going to pay full price. She was all, "But what difference does it make if it costs you nothing?" It's the principal to me and it doesn't matter if it's not my money, it's still money wasted as far as I was concerned. She still didn't get it.

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    2. Muff - This comment may seem a little strange, but it's Sunday morning. That's the excuse I will use. Here goes... Sometimes you have to allow people bless you. I used to have a hard time accepting gifts from people, because I would think of the unnecessary money they spent, etc. Then I realized, I was blocking their chance to do something they were compelled to do. It probably made them feel good giving me the gift. I know how excited I get when I give to others. I get even more excited when they enjoy something I did for them or gave to them. I am left beaming for days. I can still feel joy years later when I think of some of those exchanges. That helped me learn how to be a better receiver and realize how my just receiving what people are offering is allowing them to be a blessing. My resistance to that doesn't make them feel better, and why would I want them to feel bad?

      Again, I was compelled to say that and I'm blaming it on the spirit of Sunday morning. Wasn't me.

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    3. Vanessa, it's not strange at all and I understand the perspective even though I cant follow it personally. Some things I accept from people but most things I do not. Sometimes it's about not wanting to be beholden to anyone and other times it's about unnecessary spending. Since both of these bother me, I have to choose feeling comfortable with myself versus them feeling good about giving. The only gifting/receiving scenarios I can get behind are bartering, trading and tit for tat. I'm all about the tit for tat.

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  16. Hi Muff, it's great that so cheaply bought different things :) I really like your furniture shopping special... Table and the two chairs are great... In Poland, sometimes there are so cool sales...
    Greetings from Poland :-)

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    1. Greeting from Florida, Marille! I've been finding quite a bit of cheap furniture lately and it's great to have that stuff for my collection at good prices.

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  17. Me gusta la monster momia y los de la saga crepúsculo me encantan, besossss

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    1. Hola, Carmen y gracias por visitarnos. Estoy muy contento con mi muñeca Monster.

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  18. Yeah, Walmart will surprise you sometime and have a real sale! I am going to have to employ some of your tactics! I haven't found Twilight dolls at the price I wanted here. Hopefully soon I will. I really like the La Dee Da set. I must have missed your April post! Congrats! You scored!

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    1. Ms. Leo, a really good Walmart sale is rare indeed and I was very lucky to come across these goodies. If you have a Tuesday Morning they have a few Twilights for $9.99. I was able to get the final Bella version for that price.

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