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.