The Calm Before the Storm

This morning, I thought I'd take advantage of a little pre-Black Friday free time and try to finish up a little Christmas shopping before the crowds take over.  I drove through Starbucks and picked up a Gingerbread Latte (sadly, too early for the BOGO sale they have going on from 2-5, now through Sunday.  Of course, I was alone, so it probably wouldn't have done me much good, anyway), then parked in a fantastic parking spot right by the door. 

The mall was dead.  It was Heaven.  I could enjoy the decorations and music, and peruse racks and tables at my leisure.  Of course, as luck would have it, nearly everything I came for was either out of stock or just flat-out doesn't exist anymore, but it was still a nice way to spend a morning--especially, this morning.

This morning started off with a trip to the dentist, so now my mouth hurts like crazy.  I can't eat anything because I can't chew.  Then, to top it off, I had a little nervous breakdown when I got home.  It's the holidays, and while they're a lot of fun, they do make you think about the people you've lost.  I miss my Grandma and my Dad.  There's movie stress, music stress, career stress, financial stress, personal stress...the list goes on, but I've whined enough.  I know that I have way more to be thankful for than to complain about, and frankly, you guys probably have similar stresses to deal with, yourselves.  To quote Christmas Vacation, "It's Christmas, and we're all in misery." 

So, yes, I thoroughly enjoyed my hour or so wandering around a deserted mall.  It's only a matter of time before it will be wall to wall people from open to close, and that latte will be a lot harder to come by.  Today, though, it was my own private Winter Wonderland, and I needed it. 

Of course, after next Friday, all shopping will be online.  Thank you.

Now, I'm normally a MyPoints shopper, and I must say, they've been good to me.  However, there's a new kid on the block that I may have to check out.  BargainMatch.com just launched last month, and they're kind of neat.  This site combines comparison shopping, online couponing, and rewards programs.  Basically, you search for a product. The site shows you options (much like Google Shopping) at different price points, and allows you to compare prices of identical items.  While you're comparing prices, any available coupons will appear on the screen. 

Example:  I looked up "answering machine" (yes, they still make them).  Several options showed up, and I picked one by Emerson.  Two stores sell that option:  one for $14, and one for $35.  The one for $14 also had a coupon, bringing the price to a little over $13.  Nice.

On top of that, you earn cash back rewards on each purchase.  When you accumulate $10, you are eligible to receive that reward through check or paypal, or you can choose to donate it to charity through the site.

I'm still a huge MyPoints devotee, but MyPoints doesn't work with every store.  This might be a nice alternative for the stores that don't already offer rewards.  If you try it, let me know what you think.