@lonocat@werehatrack
Says you… My local Walmart has had some amazing BF deals in recent years. Which has been great since i work late enough to be able to get stuff after work as the sale starts…
YMMV
@chienfou@lonocat Around here, people start lining up outside the door to establish their priority for the “doorbuster” items as much as 24 hours out. The Wally stores here all close at 10 or 11PM (every night) and open up again at 6 or 7AM. There is nothing sold by WalMart so dear to me that I will stand outside the door for 12 to 36 additional hours (down from 2 to 3 days previously) to get it. Once those few loss-leaders are gone, the rest of the store is pretty much at their usual “You didn’t think we still discounted everything, did you?” pricing.
The best deal I’ve managed from a big box online presence was the tiller I grabbed when one of the users here linked it in a heads-up. That was a solid SCORE. As in, my neighbor is jealous.
@chienfou@Kyeh@lonocat@werehatrack I’m mostly just checking Slickdeals. But if I see something that’s widely available at a deep discount like a bucket of cat treats or the tillers. Which are Wildly different price points. But I know meh people may be into them. Eh
Have not assembled mine. And end of the season. Need to get on the Metro.
Hopefully for anyone who bought one they are performing as expected
@chienfou@Kyeh@lonocat@werehatrack she’s up on jack stands and drained. No real rust issues, way to many spider webs. I was going to pull the head Wednesday night but got busy/had to move Mom yesterday.
Since it’s a 91 MKII it’s got those annoying hub over rotor, unventilated brakes with the 10mm studs/12 inch rims so I was also looking around for some convertibles to steal the knuckles/hubs/calipers from along with the front sway bar since the first hatchbacks dont have those either. Found a few places in a couple hours that had some listed and shots of intact convertibles but didn’t list all the parts… Need to send some emails
@werehatrack also what PT Cruiser? They get some weird hate for the style. Grandpa really wanted one. I thought they were fine. Was more like his 1960s cars But I don’t remember what power train they put in those PTs or if it had problems .
@unksol I’ve driven the PT, it’s a hoot, it came to me as a “you or the junkyard” gift. Same 2.4L drivetrain as the Neon, lots more cranped under the hood. And on a good day, the Escort would get all the attention. But I have driveway issues to “adjust”, so the ones that can just leave are getting first task status.
@brennyn I… Stopped participating long ago. Which has been a little eh. They still do a draw a person for each adult and like a $25 or $50 something spending limit. Which… I guess fine. But I don’t know what they want. They don’t know what I want. I always got a gift card and gave one unless Mom got in the middle.
Come on. We are adults. We all have $25. What are we doing?
I did get their kids some things here and there when I could think of something/saw something cool.
I find the whole scripted adult gift exchange thing very weird/awkward. If I saw something and just thought of “you”. Sure. But t that’s not a Christmas thing.
Don’t really get adult birthdays either. Maybe I’m a curmudgeon
A single lady over 30? Probably already has a houseful of cats.
And very possibly a strong disdain for the BS that comes with too much of the Western ritualization of relationships and their norms. And “legally single” does not mean “without chosen partner”, either. My deceased ex and I never tied the knot, because we wanted to make it clear that we were together out of choice, not “obligation”. And then cancer. And I stuck.
@brennyn@unksol@werehatrack When I first started dating the woman who later became my wife, she was 31 and had 3 (or was it 4?? ) cats. She tolerated my dog, my dog tolerated her cats and the cats - well, they continued being cats. We have had both dogs and cats during our 32 years of marriage (and counting). Everyone seems to get along (mostly).
@brennyn@macromeh@unksol@werehatrack my upbringing was similar. There was always one dog and one cat. The dog we got when I was about 9 or 10 was a rescue from some college apartment where the kids got two dogs and then locked them in when they moved out. Dad’s job was to clean the apartment (with a coworker). Both horrified, each took one home. The cat at the time was nuts but they liked each other. When the cat passed and we got another one a bit later, I caught the dog swaying her tail lazily in another room. I watched until I saw the new kitten pounce! She re-positioned herself the same way somewhere nearby and did it again! She did this for months with the kitten.
One of my favorite memories of all time was one day I went inside when the dog was in the yard, came out a few minutes later and she was gone. Gone gone. Three months later, I pull in from work and she’s patiently waiting in the yard waiting to be noticed. When I call for her she loses it all over my work shirt. (They were happy enough for me that no one got mad and I got another.) Then getting to open the door and asking “guess what?” as her nails hit the tile.
@brennyn@macromeh@werehatrack 3 cats and a dog would be fine. There’s a slight uh… Cat quantity problem around these parts. Which also adds some other problems
@tweezak As a wife, felt. But also I’m done already. I buy stuff or write it down as the year goes by and earmark it then. Anything remaining is decided around October. I’m always done by Halloween. The exception is my own gifts. My husband is good about gifts for me and putting some in the stocking. I was floored honestly.
For my kids, I just have a stash of stuff, and add to it throughout the year when I find a good deal. So not necessarily right after Christmas, sometimes after seeing what I’ve gathered together, I hold onto it a little longer for whatever other gift giving event rolls around.
For anyone else, I try to keep them in kind throughout the year, but usually end up doing a mad dash some time in December to get it all done. I’m not fond of the obligatory gift giving tradition for most others. The majority are adults who can just buy what they want anyway. Sometimes it feels like an awkward gift card exchange, which is just silly.
My wife has a closet dedicated to what she collects over time. Some items stay for years. These gifts are distributed whenever she decides appropriate, birthdays, holidays or housewarmings… I just sign the cards.
I usually start Xmas shopping on Badger appreciation Day, as that is the last major holiday before Xmas. (apologies to Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Bonfire Night)
@cammi1@phendrick Most major retailers are open on Labor Day, and a surprising number of large ones on New Year’s. One need not lack for commercial wrwtched excess just because of a “Holiday”. Except xmas. At least there are Chinese restaurants still open.
@cammi1@werehatrack If he works at a “major retailer” he would probably then be forced to acknowledge the circumstances of a holiday (increased foot traffic, longer lines at the CS counter, etc.) whether he wanted to or not.
Year round as I see deals. Occasionally I have to resell something I bought because a kid has totally changed what they like or don’t like, but usually I do OK doing it this way.
February 30th.
@yakkoTDI With that schedule, it must save you a lot of money!
KuoH
Mostly, I don’t.
The next Mehathon. You are having one before Christmas, aren’t you?
How is this not an option?
Black Friday Doorbusters!
@lonocat Why bother? It’s been 25 years at least since the Black Friday doorbuster was anything but a scam.
@lonocat @werehatrack
Says you… My local Walmart has had some amazing BF deals in recent years. Which has been great since i work late enough to be able to get stuff after work as the sale starts…
YMMV
@chienfou @werehatrack Black Friday Blockbusters are online these days, you can avoid the crowds, stay home and warm, and shop clothing optional.
@chienfou @lonocat Around here, people start lining up outside the door to establish their priority for the “doorbuster” items as much as 24 hours out. The Wally stores here all close at 10 or 11PM (every night) and open up again at 6 or 7AM. There is nothing sold by WalMart so dear to me that I will stand outside the door for 12 to 36 additional hours (down from 2 to 3 days previously) to get it. Once those few loss-leaders are gone, the rest of the store is pretty much at their usual “You didn’t think we still discounted everything, did you?” pricing.
The best deal I’ve managed from a big box online presence was the tiller I grabbed when one of the users here linked it in a heads-up. That was a solid SCORE. As in, my neighbor is jealous.
@chienfou @lonocat @werehatrack
Thanks to @unksol, huh?
@chienfou @Kyeh @lonocat @unksol Many!
@chienfou @lonocat @werehatrack
What kind of store is Wally’s?
@chienfou @lonocat @Star2236 @werehatrack Walmart.
@chienfou @Kyeh @lonocat @werehatrack I’m mostly just checking Slickdeals. But if I see something that’s widely available at a deep discount like a bucket of cat treats or the tillers. Which are Wildly different price points. But I know meh people may be into them. Eh
Have not assembled mine. And end of the season. Need to get on the Metro.
Hopefully for anyone who bought one they are performing as expected
@chienfou @Kyeh @lonocat @unksol My project cars in order of urgency are a Caravan CV, a Grand Caravan, a PT Cruiser, and a stickshift Escort wagon.
@chienfou @Kyeh @lonocat @werehatrack she’s up on jack stands and drained. No real rust issues, way to many spider webs. I was going to pull the head Wednesday night but got busy/had to move Mom yesterday.
Since it’s a 91 MKII it’s got those annoying hub over rotor, unventilated brakes with the 10mm studs/12 inch rims so I was also looking around for some convertibles to steal the knuckles/hubs/calipers from along with the front sway bar since the first hatchbacks dont have those either. Found a few places in a couple hours that had some listed and shots of intact convertibles but didn’t list all the parts… Need to send some emails
@chienfou @Kyeh @lonocat @werehatrack I’d prioritize the stick but that’s just me on my own lol
@werehatrack also what PT Cruiser? They get some weird hate for the style. Grandpa really wanted one. I thought they were fine. Was more like his 1960s cars But I don’t remember what power train they put in those PTs or if it had problems .
@unksol I’ve driven the PT, it’s a hoot, it came to me as a “you or the junkyard” gift. Same 2.4L drivetrain as the Neon, lots more cranped under the hood. And on a good day, the Escort would get all the attention. But I have driveway issues to “adjust”, so the ones that can just leave are getting first task status.
Never. My family stopped doing gift exchanges ~25 years ago and it rules.
@brennyn Lucky.
@brennyn Same here! Some of us still give a thing or two, but there’s no pressure.
@brennyn I… Stopped participating long ago. Which has been a little eh. They still do a draw a person for each adult and like a $25 or $50 something spending limit. Which… I guess fine. But I don’t know what they want. They don’t know what I want. I always got a gift card and gave one unless Mom got in the middle.
Come on. We are adults. We all have $25. What are we doing?
I did get their kids some things here and there when I could think of something/saw something cool.
I find the whole scripted adult gift exchange thing very weird/awkward. If I saw something and just thought of “you”. Sure. But t that’s not a Christmas thing.
Don’t really get adult birthdays either. Maybe I’m a curmudgeon
@brennyn @unksol
You say that like it’s a bad thing…
@brennyn @macromeh I mean if you know a lady in her 30s who also hates stupid and needs cats lol
@brennyn @unksol A single lady over 30? Probably already has a houseful of cats.
@brennyn @macromeh @unksol
And very possibly a strong disdain for the BS that comes with too much of the Western ritualization of relationships and their norms. And “legally single” does not mean “without chosen partner”, either. My deceased ex and I never tied the knot, because we wanted to make it clear that we were together out of choice, not “obligation”. And then cancer. And I stuck.
@brennyn @macromeh yes but I unfortunately have the cats already. Needs to want /tolerate the cats but not already have them lol
@brennyn @unksol @werehatrack When I first started dating the woman who later became my wife, she was 31 and had 3 (or was it 4??
) cats. She tolerated my dog, my dog tolerated her cats and the cats - well, they continued being cats. We have had both dogs and cats during our 32 years of marriage (and counting). Everyone seems to get along (mostly). 
@brennyn @macromeh @unksol @werehatrack my upbringing was similar. There was always one dog and one cat. The dog we got when I was about 9 or 10 was a rescue from some college apartment where the kids got two dogs and then locked them in when they moved out. Dad’s job was to clean the apartment (with a coworker). Both horrified, each took one home. The cat at the time was nuts but they liked each other. When the cat passed and we got another one a bit later, I caught the dog swaying her tail lazily in another room. I watched until I saw the new kitten pounce! She re-positioned herself the same way somewhere nearby and did it again! She did this for months with the kitten.
One of my favorite memories of all time was one day I went inside when the dog was in the yard, came out a few minutes later and she was gone. Gone gone. Three months later, I pull in from work and she’s patiently waiting in the yard waiting to be noticed. When I call for her she loses it all over my work shirt. (They were happy enough for me that no one got mad and I got another.) Then getting to open the door and asking “guess what?” as her nails hit the tile.
@brennyn @macromeh @werehatrack 3 cats and a dog would be fine. There’s a slight uh… Cat quantity problem around these parts. Which also adds some other problems
Only on days that end with a Y.
KuoH
If I happen to see something that I immediately think that it would work for someone I know.
When I have some extra money that hasn’t already been designated for ever-increasing bills!!
Thanks Brandon!! 
@IndifferentDude The words “extra” and “money” have never gone together for me except during tax season. And agreed on Brandon.
My wife always buys everything.
@tweezak As a wife, felt. But also I’m done already. I buy stuff or write it down as the year goes by and earmark it then. Anything remaining is decided around October. I’m always done by Halloween. The exception is my own gifts. My husband is good about gifts for me and putting some in the stocking. I was floored honestly.
@sunshineparadox @tweezak that’s some good cooperation
I have not celebrated any holidays since I turned 18 and moved out of my parent’s house.
Life is much less stressful this way.
For my kids, I just have a stash of stuff, and add to it throughout the year when I find a good deal. So not necessarily right after Christmas, sometimes after seeing what I’ve gathered together, I hold onto it a little longer for whatever other gift giving event rolls around.
For anyone else, I try to keep them in kind throughout the year, but usually end up doing a mad dash some time in December to get it all done. I’m not fond of the obligatory gift giving tradition for most others. The majority are adults who can just buy what they want anyway. Sometimes it feels like an awkward gift card exchange, which is just silly.
@LaserEyes this is the correct way to be
My wife has a closet dedicated to what she collects over time. Some items stay for years. These gifts are distributed whenever she decides appropriate, birthdays, holidays or housewarmings… I just sign the cards.
@olperfesser
We have a chest with unassigned gifts we use like that. Some of them are meh items…
@chienfou @olperfesser I’ve used meh/sidedeal items for stocking stuffers for sure
I keep an eye out for things all the time. I stash them away for the next giftable time.
I usually start Xmas shopping on Badger appreciation Day, as that is the last major holiday before Xmas. (apologies to Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Bonfire Night)
Never. I don’t acknowledge the existence of holidays. The rest of my family and society as a whole has other ideas.
@cammi1 When you go to work on New Year’s Day or Labor Day, you must enjoy having the place to yourself.
@cammi1 @phendrick Most major retailers are open on Labor Day, and a surprising number of large ones on New Year’s. One need not lack for commercial wrwtched excess just because of a “Holiday”. Except xmas. At least there are Chinese restaurants still open.
@cammi1 @werehatrack If he works at a “major retailer” he would probably then be forced to acknowledge the circumstances of a holiday (increased foot traffic, longer lines at the CS counter, etc.) whether he wanted to or not.
@cammi1 @phendrick July 4th used to be very busy at Autozone
@cammi1 @werehatrack Funny how batteries and radiators know when it’s that day.
@cammi1 @phendrick @werehatrack I mean if you need to get some work done on the car… That might be a good day off work to get at it.
Granted I usually have all the parts ready but it you get into it and find something unexpected and you need a part NOW…
@cammi1 @phendrick @unksol Exactly.
Normally Christmas Eve.
Year round as I see deals. Occasionally I have to resell something I bought because a kid has totally changed what they like or don’t like, but usually I do OK doing it this way.
Days before holidays. When there are lots of discounts
I used to shop around. Then shop the bargain stores. Finally just cooking stuff.
I’ve downgraded from frosted cakes to cookies to mini muffins.