Home of Slightly Cracked Dreams

Yeah, I’m from the country. In fact, one of the reasons I’m down here in Bris-Vegas has to do with another small town, but more on that later, when I have more official news.

But I’m essentially a small town girl. Sure, I love shopping in the city. The convenience of having everything at my fingertips. Or at least a car/train trip. But I also love knowing the people serving me at the donut shop. Or supermarket. Or bottle shop. Seeing them each day week, catching up, getting the latest gossip news.

As if it wasn’t bad enough I have to pack my own groceries in the green bags half the time, now they have self-service checkouts. Don’t get me wrong, I actually see the benefit of these, and I have used them in the past. What I don’t like is being forced to use them.

I went to the supermarket last night to get some nappies. As I approached the only register open (as opposed to the eight self-service registers, I was directed to a self service machine by a staff memeber. Now, I don’t know about you, but travelling for two days, with a 5 month old baby, at 8pm at night, the last thing I want to do is negotiate new technology that I’ve neither used before, or have any idea about. So after a brief argument with the machine, a young fellow took pity on me and did it all for me.

Am I alone in this? I certainly want the option of self-service for the days when no human should be allowed within ten feet of me (trust me, they do happen!), but for the most part, especially as a stay-at-home-mum with a young baby, I just want to communicate with someone over the age of 5, who can discuss things like the weather without asking “Is it windy today Mum?”. Sometimes the only person over the age of 5 I talk to during the day is the girl/guy on the register at the supermarket when I dash out at 8pm after the kids are asleep to stock up on chocolate bread and wine milk.

Of course, self-service checkouts are a long way off in my town. After tonight all I can say is thank heavens for that!

It’s that time of year parents dream of and dread at the same time.

It causes us to closely examine our parenting, work out where we failed six months ago, where we succeeded and exercise our abilities to see into the future.

Yes, it’s time for the major department stores Toy Sales.

For weeks I’ve been going through my kids toys, seeing what they play with, what’s broken and needs replacing, what’s broken and doesn’t need replacing (stupid Bratz doll), and what’s in perfect condition because they haven’t touched it (thankfully not much).

My kids don’t have a real lot of toys. Lots of stuffed toys but not a huge amount of others. It makes it easy to clean up after them, but at this time of year I start second guessing myself. I check in with the forums and realise I spend about half of the “average” for my kids for birthday’s and Christmas. Do they need more? I should get them more toys. They need more toys.

This morning I took them through our local department store, and asked the kids to point out what they wanted. Apart from a couple of completely rediculous things (camping stove and dog toys) it was a complete reality check. I asked Kiki what she wanted for her birthday. She looked at the dolls house then turned around and pointed at the $5 Disney Princess doll. I told her she only gets one present for her birthday (house rule - I prefer to give the majority of toys at Christmas) and is that really what she wanted? Yup. $5 and the kid is happy. $148 dolls house? Not interested.

The best part? I have 4 left in my present box after buying them last year . Well, that’s one birthday sorted.

I find taking the kids in a good way to gauge what they’d like. And since it’s 3 months to M&M’s birthday and 5 months til Kiki’s, they’ll have forgotten what they saw by then.

Tomorrow is D-day. Hubby needs to be at work by 7:30, so I’ve lined up my mother-in-law to come with me. Once again two trolley’s, lists, and probably lay-by will be utilised for maximum advantage. And now I have three to buy for for Christmas.

I wonder if I’ll be as successful as last year. Stay tuned for my Toy Sale Shopping Report.

I mentioned that yesterday I hit the shops for a half price shoe sale. Apart from the serious awkwardness of shoe shopping when my feet are the size of watermelons (only a slight exaggeration), I had both kids with me. M&M turns out to be a great helper shoe shopping - carrying the boxes I’ve already selected, passing judgment on my choices and making usless helpful suggestions about ones to try on, Kiki - not so much help. In fact, she’s so not interested in shoes she kept running out of the shop. I’m 9 and a half months pregnant for heavens sake - try chasing a 3 year old out of a half price shoe shop! I could barely get around the aisles as it was.

Anyway, I’m sure Kelley you’re all waiting to see what I bought, so I took pictures! Now I know Kelley’s not quite into strappy shoes, but remember where I live, winter lasts about 2 weeks.

These are basically just replacement shoes. I have already owned these shoes and after being chewed (twice) by the dog, and I loved them. They’re so comfortable, and at $99 reduced to $45 I couldn’t help myself. 

I love them so much when I saw them in a different colour, I just had to buy them too (after all if the shoe fits…. not that it does at the moment, but, well, you know what I mean!!!)

Ooh, lime green. And flowers. Preettyyy!!! I’m so in love. This makes 2 pairs of lime green shoes. Love me some lime green shoes!

And finally pink. The best part about these pink shoes? $7. Oh yes, that’s right $7. Bargain don’t you think? I’m so in love with them.

So for the grand total of $117.00 I’ve completely revamed my shoedrobe. Now all I need is to get this child out so I can wear the gorgeous shoes.

I shouldn’t be let out of the house when sales are on. Target’s Home Sale started today, featuring my favourite home item - 1000 count cotton sheets for $99.95, reduced from $249.95. Bargain. And trust me, once you’ve tried them, you’ll never go lower than 1000 again! A couple of bathmats, cushions and a new dinner set later (oh, yeah, we kind of wanted a new one - hehe) and I’d spent $200.

Then on to Harvey Norman. I scored an absolute bargain. $769 for an upright Dyson with a 6 year warranty. Now I have no excuse for not vacuuming. Oops!

So all up nearly $1000 spent before 11am. Oops! (get the title reference now?) And there was so much more I wanted at the Target sale. Hubby and I are going back later tonight. Glasses and kids sheets are also on the list.

In my defence, these have been on our list for some time now. Our dinner set is nice, but very multicoloured, we wanted something white and basic and were keeping an eye out. We only have one set of nice sheets, so we needed another for when the kids, well, throw up in them. Our glasses are all mismatched again (when we moved here 5 years ago we had a matching set of 18, of that 18 we have 2 left!). The kids only have two sheet sets each - again not great when there’s sickness invovled. A vacuum cleaner has been needed since mid-July. That’s 2 months I’ve been without one. Thank goodness for tiles!

So I CAN justify it all. Honest.

And now I’m not going shopping (apart from tonight) for at least a week! Cause it’s pay day next week *grin*

Well, the financial situation has seemingly abated, but it’s a nice feeling to know that despite the low finances we’ve been able to eat well, and even have food in the house. I did the shopping this morning for the coming week, and apart for $5 I need to spend still on veggies later in the week for stir fry, I came in under $50 for the week. Not a bad effort.

Monday - Meat pie, mashed potato & peas & corn
Tuesday - Apricot Chicken Drumsticks, rice & beans
Wednesday - Sausages & potato salad
Thursday - Crumbed chicken & Potato salad
Friday - Dinner out (we’re childless)
Saturday - Pork Stir Fry (childless again and the kids don’t like it)
Sunday - Roast chicken, roast veggies and Apple crumble for dessert

I picked up some more great meat specials this week. 700g of Stir Fry Pork for $5, 6 chicken burger patties for $4, and 4 lamb chops for $3.50. The last two will go in the freezer for next week.

Don’t forget to visit Organizing Junkie for more Menu Plans!

Some things I have learnt over the years about buying meat at a reduced price. These may not be relevant to supermarkets near you, or they might be.

• Check the use by date, it may be today, or yesterday. Double check before you buy.
• Always go for meat as far back in the case as possible. Yes the meat at the back might not be reduced, but always try and get one that’s not been sitting at the front of the case all day
• When you get home, open the packet, sniff the meat There’s nothing worse than freezing meat and defrosting it only to find out it was off when you bought it.
• If it is off, take it back straight away. You should still have your receipt and the packaging which will make getting a refund easier.
• Freeze the meat as soon as possible. If you are not eating it tonight, it goes in the freezer. Freeze it in a container or plastic wrap. Label with what it is, and the date you put it in. I also add the amount which helps when I’m deciding what to do with it.

If you do these things, you’ll have a happy experience with buying reduced meat. Otherwise, well, the smell of chicken soup cooking with off chicken has been enough to put me off chicken soup and off meat for 10 years now.

Goodness, adding up the dockets took my breath away momentarily. Just a moment. There, I’m back. Drumroll please… The grand total of toys I have on layby is…. $475. Ouch! So, here comes the part where I justify the expenses:

Soon to be 4 year old’s birthday gifts:
Dora Pj’s $18
Dora computer game $10
Dora Hopper $10
Dora House $30
TOTAL $68

Soon to be 3 year old’s birthday gifts:
Dora Pj’s $18
Dora Hopper $10
Tricycle $30
TOTAL $58

Christmas Gifts
For nephew (6 years) Magnetix set $15
For neice (4 years) Disney Princess $5
For friends daughter (9 years) Jenga $15
For friends son (1 year) Fire Engine $20 (thought the tag said $10 - I’ll quiery that)
For other neice (4 years) Disney Princes $5
For daughters friend (4 years) Disney Princess $5
For nephew (2 weeks at xmas) Giggle Duck $15
TOTAL $80

For two kids (combined gifts):
Cranium Superfort (from us) $70
Wiggles toy organiser (from Santa) $60
Encyclopedia of Animals $18
Cash register $15
Mr Potato Head $20
Wiggles Guitar (x2 - one each) $30 (for both)
TOTAL $213

In the past my budgets have been $10 for other kids, $50 for birthdays, and $100 for xmas, due to the larger gift size, and buying some from Santa, some from us (ie the wiggles guitars will probably also be from Santa). I don’t think that’s too bad. You may notice that doesn’t quite add up to $475. I’ve found a couple of discrepencies I’ll go back in and quiery this week. As the time gets closer I will also put aside some new summer clothes for the girls to give to them for Christmas, and I try and buy them each one nice dress a year to be the “party dress” for the year.

Apart from that, the bulk of my Christmas shopping is now completed. Stockings here are generally filled with some useful items like pencils, hair ties, toothbrushes etc (with the odd treat thrown in). I’ll start collecting for those once Miss Nearly 4’s birthday is over and done with. Rumour has it she wants a mermaid party this year *sigh*. And here I was hoping she’d go for a pirate party so I could justify spending money on Pirates of the Carribean merchandise. Maybe next year….

Ah, the annual parents tradition. Frantically scour the catalogues as the arrive, circle, list, plan, debate. Check opening times, organise babysitters, get up at a rediculous time of night. The things we do for our children.

Living in a rather small country area, we are limited in our toy selection at the best of times, and with one major department store, and one “country” brand of another, toy sales represent the best time to have a decent variety of toys available.

So there I was, having conducted my pre-toy-sale activities (including making hubby take an hour off work to come with me and push the trolley), sitting outside the store at 10 minutes to opening time. With one other mother. Apparently, those of us living in the country move at the same pace regardless if the product is full price or 50% off. Admittedly the store was opening half an hour earlier than usual (they just chose not to advertise the fact), so by 8:30 the place was buzzing. But that first half hour - bliss. Just the two of us, scouring the store with our lists of birthdays between now and Christmas, and kids we’re buying Christmas presents for (5 and 10 in case you were wondering). And about 30 staff. I kid you not. Each of us had a couple of young fellows following us around the store, finding things in odd places, taking rainchecks, getting extra stock from the back dock. It was like having my own personal shopper.

I did quite well with my list. Grabbed a couple of extra things for backup gifts. Still not got a good 6 year old boy present (transformer? I dunno) but apart from that, my toy related birthday and Christmas shopping until December? DONE! The no-deposit layby helps, and I separated it into birthday and christmas layby’s so I can collect the birthday ones as needed, and leave the Christmas ones there until, well, Christmas, and save storing them at home.

There were a couple of things I wanted that haven’t arrived yet, but they will be put aside for me when they do come in. I had layby’d and was gone by 8:35, had a quiet coffee with hubby and had him at work by 9am.

Now if only every shopping expidition were that simple.