Master Shopper

That's the new nickname I've decided to give myself. It's already common knowledge that I am a master grocery shopper, but in the last week I've taken my shopping skills to a new level!

Beginning last weekend I started buying Christmas gifts that I spotted in pre-Thanksgiving Day sales. Then all week long I kept my eyes on the Black Friday ads as they were posted online. This morning I hit the stores at 5:05am. Last year was the first time I've ever shopped on Black Friday, but I was too bleary eyed to join the masses in the morning (I had 3 month old triplets at home after all) so I instead shopped at night. Joining all the crazies (and I use that as a term of endearment) well before dawn was a first.

I started my journey at Best Buy. They opened their doors at 5am and I walked in shortly after that. Apparently a lot of people camped out overnight because there were blankets, sleeping bags, lawn chairs and empty coffee cups along the outside of the store. I visited several other stores where the crowds were large and frantic; Walmart was the worst - packed and the check-out lines were poorly organized. Some people waited over an hour just to pay, while others waited only about 10 minutes!

Between 5am and 8am I hit 7 stores (Best Buy, Walmart, Old Navy, Target, Gordmans, World Market and Walgreen's), managed to finish almost all of my Christmas shopping AND am currently $40 under budget (and I had already budgeted for getting great deals). I'm now counting on the Diet Coke I downed at 7am to keep me awake until the boys go down for their nap this afternoon. Now during December I'll be able to relax and enjoy the sites and sounds of Christmas!