Once Upon A Time....
My 8 year old daughter said, "there's a big sale going on at Michaels!" as we approached the building and I saw the usual yellow clearance event banner hung high. I said "Nah, they always have clearance. It's nothing special." Boy was I wrong! We went in real quick for one thing and ended up in the clearance aisle (a must do when you visit any craft store). I picked up just a few things -2 Recollections retro collage (48 sheet) cardstock pads because I always get at least 2 of the pads. The paper you love only has a few sheets in each.... some of those recollections brand tiny glittered embellishments in the 2" boxes by theme. The paper was marked $12.99 down from $19.99 - bargain right? Well when I got to the register is rang up $2.39 a pack and I could hardly keep my composure! The embellishements were marked 89 cents but rang up for 23 cents? WWhhhhhhaaaaaaatttt?
It was 70% off the LOWEST price and I thought. IT'S ON! Tomorrow when the kids are at school I'm coming BACK! I'm coming back to RAID this place!
True story... and that's JUST what I did. This one chance stop at Micheal's started a 3 day trek back and forth between the two closest Micheal's stores to my home. They had a
Nerve to drop the prices to 90% off the day after I shopped? WTH? I had to go back and get more at another location. Then back to the first the next day with a friend (who I convinced to shop). I was the one neglecting my wifely duties, shopping for hours, crouched down or on all fours pulling stuff out of oblivion from the lowest racks. I texted friends, do you want this? They're giving it away! I'll get it for you. Run, don't walk to Michaels. I'm telling you... I pulled in the haul of the century. I even got things so I could start doing
GIVEAWAYS on this blog!! Not every store had the same stuff marked down so it was a day of wheeling and dealing, convincing and pleading, agony and elation. It was a high like I have never felt. I met friends, passed out my business cards, gave advice and high 5s to folks.
It was an epic sale or epic savings and EPIC proportions. Michaels wanted to get rid of old stuff that had been in the store for 2 years or more. But some newer stuff was 90% off too. Stuff I had just seen on HSN and decided not to get. Online the haul pics were mounting and the discussions of what I got vs what you got... proud shoppers are we! so many of us had to sneak in bags and bags and boxes and bags to avoid confrontation. Good times, good times. The only downside was the sometimes lack of customer service, nothing that rang up right and hand to be hand keyed in. In one store it took 1.5 hours and 4 receipts to check out. Michaels only allows 100 items per receipt. Whoa... if you missed it...you missed a lot.
WARNING... here's some highlights of my ridiculously large haul (I didn't take pics of everything. It's too much). Feelings of envy may come over you. Cuz these deals make NO sense.
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| $5.00 |
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| $1.49 each (chipboard one was less) |
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| $0.49, 0.79 or $0.99 cents each |
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| $1.90 !!!!!! |
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| $1 or less for each set. Some were a penny. |
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| $0.49 |
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| $2.39 was the most expensive. Most were under 10 cents |
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| original price $90. I paid $7. !!!! |
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| inside view of above |
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| yudu $0.39 each. fastenator $1, brads 12 cents |
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| nothing over $0.10 here! |
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| more ribbon... |
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| Nothing over $0.20 here! |
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| flowers $0.19, boxed embellishments $0.29 |
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| bling!!! I love bling for 25 cents and under - most under 10 cents |
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| washi tape etc. $19 cents, tape runner 49 cents |
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| eyelet letters $1, regular letters 49 cents, some were 19 cents and lower |
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| yudu 3 packs 1 cent!! Rest ranges from 49 cents on down... |
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| 19 to 29 cents a piece |
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| $0.69 and $0.99 |
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| $1!! I got a case of different styles - they come with envelopes, ribbon, printable invites and response cards! |
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| I am obsessed with these and got at least 100. |
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| $0.09 each |
Amazing right?
...and I'll live craftily ever after!
La-Vie
Our Michaels up here in Ontario, Canada is terrible for this. I was able to fit all the discounted items in 1 buggy, well it wasn't even full. If you ever consider letting go of the 1 pink baby buggy I would gladly buy it off you. My daughters first baby is coming and it's a girl. We only had christmas and halloween items at 70% off. The 90% was kids crafts and 2 sizzix items. I miss the US, LIS
ReplyDeleteSure! Email me your contact info.
DeleteLa-Vie
I found your post because I saw your comment on Sharondalyn's blog that you were going to share your adventure too. I don't usually look for "haul" videos but this WAS a "sale of the century"! What a fun treasure hunt! I love how you wrote this up! I did find quite a few bargains although our stores were confused about things and none of them included the newly clearanced stuff, just the old. But the prices made all the difference. Thanks for the great pictures.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much NYorker! It was a high like no other! It may never happen again. Glad I could say I went all in... LOL
DeleteLa-Vie
WOW.................my mouth is still WIDE opened! You hit GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!! TFS
ReplyDeleteYeeeessssss!
DeleteLa-Vie
LOL, okay La-Vie, you win!! I bought plenty, but you surely got much more. Had I thought about it more, I should have traveled up your way and hit every Michaels store my GPS could find. As it is, I only visited three stores that were already pretty much picked over. Still, I got almost $1,000 worth of product for $56.
ReplyDeleteBetween the two of us, it looks like we could open our own Michael's store/Papercrafting division, of course.
Yup, it WAS exhilarating!
Fondly,
Ellen (CardMonkey)
Http://cardmonkeyspaperjungle.com
...and this is where our friendship began! Looking forward to our next meeting!
DeleteLa-Vie