Christmas Present Craziness

***Originally posted on cregarstyle on December 13, 2014***

This year, thanks to one of my over-achieving friends, I started shopping for Christmas presents in October.  When I say this friend is an over-achiever, I mean she called me October 1st and explained that she had either bought, or had figured out what to buy, everyone for Christmas, but was struggling with one last tiny stocking stuffer.  I, on the other hand, hadn't even begun to think about who would get what.  That sent me into a panic and I started to think through who I needed to buy presents for and make a mental list.

My husband was easy.  He had been telling me since June that he wanted an Xbox One, and because I am a fabulous wife, I had been at Best Buy weekly looking at their circulars waiting for a good deal.  By mid October, Aaron and I had a "come to Jesus" talk about video game systems.  At the time we were the proud owners of an Xbox 360 and a WiiU, not to mention countless games and a handheld gaming console.  I told him if he really wanted an Xbox One, we needed to cut back to 2 game systems and use the money we got from selling current systems to help pay for the new one.  As an unemployed wife and full time student I just don't have $500 laying around to pick up the latest and greatest game system without some extra cash.  Aaron agreed to sell the WiiU, some games, and the handheld system to GameStop to the tune of $290!!!!  Then one November day I was in Best Buy and saw that the weekly circular had a misprint so I pounced!  The Xbox One bundle that Aaron wanted was normally $500, but they also sold a smaller, but similar bundle for $400.  Both bundles were supposed to be $50 off of their normal price making them $450 and $350 respectively.  But here comes the kicker, the larger bundle that Aaron wanted had been misprinted and listed for the price of the smaller bundle making it $349.99!!!  So with our $290 cash from GameStop, and the $100 gift card to Best Buy that Aaron had been saving since his birthday, we were able to buy the larger Xbox One bundle and still have money left over!

Now I felt kinda bad because at this point I hadn't actually spent any money, after all the gift card and the cash had been his from his own stash.  So we decided to purchase a year of Xbox Live, and gaming membership, and a couple games as well.  When all was said and done we had spent $110 out of pocket and gotten around $900 worth of merchandise and memberships!  I was on a savings high at this point.  Aaron was with me through the whole thing so it was hardly a Christmas surprise.  As soon as we got home he anxiously asked me if he could open it and I was a big softie and said "ok, as long as you clean the house first".  I don't think our house has ever gotten so clean, so fast!

I wish that everyone else on my shopping list had been as simple to shop for as my husband.  With 12 days left until Christmas I am ALMOST done shopping for everyone.  My brother (the most difficult to shop for) is done, my sister in law's gift is purchased, my parents are finished, my mother in law is done, and I just need something for my father in law (although I have a good idea of what I want to get him).

In an attempt to do some Christmas shopping today with my pile of holiday coupons, I headed to the stores this morning and was bombarded by other shoppers.  The stores were PACKED!  I guess thats what I get for shopping two Saturdays before Christmas.  I ended up striking out at nearly every store!  So much for coupons.  Hopefully over this next week I can finish the rest of my holiday shopping so I can wrap them and finally be done with shopping.  Wow!  I never thought I would look forward to the day I would be done shopping.  I hope everyone else's Christmas shopping is winding down and has been successful. Until then...