Plan of action?

Wondering what sort of action plan you will use to be organized for/on the big day? How do you shop? Inquiring minds want to know every detail. I'm curious about...

- Planning: Do you make a Worz/similar list? Do you scope out the store in advance? Do you leave a dollar amount buffer for unadvertised deals or last minute decision purchases etc. or do you plan down to the last cent?

- Shopping: Do you go buy your GC for tax first? Then go aisle by aisle & get what's on your list also looking for unadvertised deals, or do you go get your most wanted items first so they don't sell out? Do you just kind of go with the flow & see what you feel like doing?

- Coupons: Do you add those into your calculations/calculator AS you put items in your cart or do you just throw in what's on your list & then deduct at the end? Do you give them w/ the items at checkout, or save all your coupons until the end?

- Time limit: How long do you give yourself to shop? How long should 1-2 redemptions take? My kiddos will be watched by MIL & DH & I will be doing a $250 & hopefully a $60 redemption....we're planning on it taking 1.5-2hrs MAX....is that reasonable?

Any other tips, tricks, hints?

well, lol, what I'm doing is first choosing items I want many multiples of, and figuring out how much of each to get per each of my five shops. That way I'm not taking loads from any one store, and if I just go in and grab those items first, I will have it calculated what those cost after coupons so I will know how much of the $250 I have left and then I can work with my variable items LOL. Oh boy lol, I don't even know if that makes any sense to anyone else. I think I'm delirious lol.

I've never done this before, but I wouldn't plan to stand in line on Sat. to get a gift card for your taxes. I would go in earlier in the week and get it so you're prepared but not have to stand in a long line up. I still have a $100 one left from the gc promo so I'm set already. That would be one suggestion.

I have my list made up on my ipad and will take the ipad along with me. If I can't find an item I can easily take it off my list, it will recalculate my total and I'll know at the end how much I need to add to get back to the $250 mark.

I am going to be stressed about this until I have completed the last shop.

I have scoped out the store a couple of times already and I will do one more walk through...probably on Thursday night. Friday, I plan on going and buying my GCs to cover the tax and to plead with the Electronic Girls to put away a DS, 2 games, and 2 sets of headphones for me.

I plan on being at the store at 7:30AM on Saturday. It opens at 8am but the electronics department doesn't open until 10am. I am doing, possibly, 9 redemptions between 3 cards over both days. Redemption #1 and #2, I am hoping to complete before 10am on Saturday. #1 will be all stocking stuffers. #2, gift baskets and cosmetics I need for gifts and hampers. #3 and #4, will all electronics.

Sunday-#1- Everything that I need from the limited weekly specials and groceries for us.
Sunday #2- All the barbies I have on hold from my hampers.
Sunday #3- All the Hot Wheels and playdoh for my hampers.
Sunday #4-Groceries for my hampers.

I really, really, really wish SDM had bigger carts. I can't take anyone with me on Saturday because of the things I am buying. I plan on dragging a teenager out of bed on Sunday.

I have made an excel spreadsheet. I also have scoped out the stores too.

I'm "borrowing" a cart from Food Basics (in the same plaza) & will be at SDM with a Timmies in hand before they open!! I've done a few walk thru's & made my list...but may make a few adjustments!! OMG!! this is so stressful but exciting too!!

3x $250 & 1x $125...Giving mom $250.00 to do her shopping & have a few things on hold.... might do one $250 in Windsor Beauty boutique on Sunday! :)

can we bring in a cart from another store.. their carts are small.. but just imagining a huge cart loaded among ALOT of ppl.. eesh.

I just paid a visit to my SDM to scope out prices. I'm doing my redemption mostly on regularly-stocked stuff. No big items, just makeup and grocery items. I have done my shopping list on worza already and will constantly update my list as my week goes. I had SDM gift cards purchased already (the gift card promotion) to cover my taxes so other than finalizing my list, I don't have a whole lot to plan for.

Im totally winging it!

I can do 3 redemptions. Only doing one for sure, we'll see whats left after the 1.

I'm after 2 items, thats $160. Will toss in whatever appeals to me at the time.

I have a feeling there won't be many shopping like me. But I'm done xmas shopping and we really don't "NEED" anything.

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Originally Posted by sarajk

Im totally winging it!

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Thats pretty much what I do every time I shop. I used to plan out everything to the nickle, and if I go in and a store doesn't have 3 things in stock, I'm kind of SOL.

Normally what I do is keep a list of things I need to buy that I know they have as a regular item, then a second list with sale items I want to buy. Then just start writing down prices as I add things to my cart. If I have a lot of coupons for items, I wait till my total is around half way to my redemption level, then subtract the coupons i have piling up for whatever items im buying. Also from past experience, I always aim to be $10 over whatever I need to spend. Just because there have been so many cases where i have grabbed something on clearance or sale that wasn't marked on the item and I hate having to run and grab something quickly that I don't need while I have grumpy impatient people behind me.

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Originally Posted by josask

I've never done this before, but I wouldn't plan to stand in line on Sat. to get a gift card for your taxes. I would go in earlier in the week and get it so you're prepared but not have to stand in a long line up. I still have a $100 one left from the gc promo so I'm set already. That would be one suggestion.

I have my list made up on my ipad and will take the ipad along with me. If I can't find an item I can easily take it off my list, it will recalculate my total and I'll know at the end how much I need to add to get back to the $250 mark.

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Is that some sort of an app, or is it right on the iPad? Sorry for the stupid question, you just gave me a great idea for this upcoming BR

This will be my first mega, did the bonus last month. Will only be doing one, my goal is to be able to do 3-4 next year ;)
Anyways, at the last redemption, I had my list in hand, with some room in it, but would just write down everything once it was in the cart. My subtotal before taxes was $199.25 LOL, had to throw in a chocolate bar!!
I plan on doing it the same way this time as well :)

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Originally Posted by josask

I've never done this before, but I wouldn't plan to stand in line on Sat. to get a gift card for your taxes. I would go in earlier in the week and get it so you're prepared but not have to stand in a long line up. I still have a $100 one left from the gc promo so I'm set already. That would be one suggestion.

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I can pretty much guarantee that the store I'm going to won't be too bad. Not many people here collect optimum points, let alone participate in MRD. If all else fails, I'll get DH to stand in line & get the GC while I shop, hehe.

I have a list of people to buy for and some ideas of what to get. I'll be borrowing DH's ipad and keep a running total of my purchases. My mom and sister are shopping with me and I'm planning to go to three different stores. I'm so excited!

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Originally Posted by babyluck

Is that some sort of an app, or is it right on the iPad? Sorry for the stupid question, you just gave me a great idea for this upcoming BR

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KrazE told me about the app Shopping Free from itunes (d/l'd it on my iPhone last night!) And I am IN LOVE WITH IT!!!!

GREAT app - but you gotta play around a little to get the hang of it. Keeps all your list, taxes, quantity & coupons, then you can tap something on your list & is moves it into your shopping cart & calculates whats in your cart!!!!