A winning shopping strategy

Ok - so you know I love the shop. 

I love to shop for presents for me.
I love to shop for presents for others.
I even love grocery shopping.
I love the crowds and the buzz.
I love shop windows and shop buildings.
I have fantasised about being locked in a department store overnight. Many times.

In the past, I bought presents year round when I saw the appropriate thing. But I usually cant wait till the birthday or XMAS to give it because I am so excited, & I gave it early. 

Problem was I would then have to buy another one when the actual birthday or XMAS rolled round. Weirdly, I usually knew what I am looking for - it's all planned in my head, my shopping head.

But for XMAS 2012, I implemented a different shopping strategy & it was accidental, not deliberate.

Instead of planning (& stressing), I just forgot about XMAS until a few days ago. Every time someone told me they had finished their XMAS shopping I felt like bopping them over the head, but, strangely I wasnt bothered. Violent, yes, bothered, no.

Then I went to a few local shopping centres & wandered aimlessly, looking around. I had no idea what I was looking for - I just put my head on a swivel stick (as you do) & looked & looked & looked.

Amazingly, it worked a treat - I saw so much stuff that the totally appropriate stuff jumped out at me, despite the fact that I havent previously planned anything.

Slight problem with this strategy - 

It doesnt work if you are TIME POOR.
It doesnt work if you HATE TO SHOP.

If either of those cases apply - outsource the shopping to moi. 

The advantage of my strategy is that because you are seeing so much (duplicated) stuff, you can pick the lowest price.  

Today, I still had a few gifts to buy.

So I started off in local Carlingford Court (around 10 am) & no surprises, nothing jumped out for others. But I did score a trinket box on steroids with roses, very girly & so not me, but I loved it. $14.

Then onto Rouse Hill - some lovely shops, but nothing was jumping there either. It was noon & there was no panic in sight.

Then onto Castle Towers. 

I picked up a clear milk bottle from Bed, Bath & Table. 50% off down to $10. I had been looking for a milk bottle to masquerade as a vase, where I could leave the top undone without it overwhelming the rest of the bottle. Score.

Flowers are what I had from Round Corner Antiques and Gifts - may have to think about different blooms for this bottle, but in the interim, this will do...Note to self: Remove sticker on base...

Also picked up a small frame from Bed, Bath & Table. $15, no reduction. Bummer. 

This is so me: clean lines & if timber, light colours. 

Still no gifts for other, but no stress. 

I moved onto Top Ryde, which wasnt a place I was very familiar with. New shopping horizons - cant be a bad thing.

I scored a present for a nephew - cant say more at this point, as it may give the game away.

I scored a present for my sister-in-law - ditto the above for the nephew.

Both these presents just jumped out. Double score.

By now it was around 2.30pm...hunger set in...I hate foodhalls at the malls..so I found a cafe away from the maddening crowd (in front of Witchery) & I asked them if I could bring a kebab & eat it there while having their drinks.
They had no problem with this.....

So after a kebab, English Breakfast tea and a large chocolate cookie, I set off again, back to Castle Hill.

But not before doing a lap of Freedom & discovering that they have decent flowers at good prices...Note to self: Keep that in mind.

And there I found the perfect present for my mother - we were at a function recently and she loved the water jugs the restaurant was using....& there at Castle Towers, was, voila, the said water jug...I was ecstatic.

Then popped into Kmart & stocked up on my pony tail elastics for $4.50 per box....

Is this too much information? Am I boring you? Probably & probably, but I swear these little elastics are so subtle and dont snap, they are give a very classic look for dark hair.

Had a bit of a look around at DJs & Myer, was stunned that DJs was closing at 6 pm (Kmart was open til 10pm) & then went to......Coles at Epping.

After all, I hadnt seen the Mix stuff for weeks. 
There was a few new tee shirts & sox, but they were largely in clearance mode. 

So I snapped up 2 more classic tanks...reduced...what's a girl to do - must follow the mantra, "if it works, buy multiples"....

I love, love, love basics in these colours. Too versatile.

On the way out, they got me with an impulse buy....brollies with curved handle, Mix brand for $8 each. Couldn't decide whether to get black or navy, so got both. Love brollies with curved handles as they leave your hands free...to shop.

I'll see how one goes - if its flimsy & falls apart, both are going back. Note to self: Keep receipt.

Pity I cant show you the gifts for other people photos...until tomorrow.....