Hang on, Black Friday's Coming!

A long time ago I read a few books by the "Sidetracked Home Executives." One of their suggestions, in making a weekly routine for homemaking, was to designate an Errand Day.

That never worked for me when any of the kids were small (which means, continuously for the past 16 years). The kids couldn't handle spending that much time doing all the weekly errands at once. But now that everyone's in school, I thought that Monday would be a good time to try this concept. My rationale was that I didn't want to be anywhere near a supermarket or post office any later in the week, so I should get everything done today.

I left the house at 8:40 AM and went straight to the grade school where I volunteered in the library for 2 hours. Then, the store to pick up a few things for my youngest child's class Thanksgiving party. Then I took a break and used a coupon for a free sandwich at Chick-Fil-A so I wouldn't be grocery shopping on an empty stomach. And then, on to the grocery store.

I'm not sure what circle of Hell I descended into when I went into the store, after circling the lot to find a parking space and a fruitless search for a dry cart. It was like Amateur Night in there. All the people who don't know where anything is in the grocery store were in there, all at once, leaving carts scattered all over and driving up the back of my heels as I rushed from aisle to aisle. Thankfully, I had my list organized according to the store layout (a survival skill I developed when my daughter was little) and I didn't need any of the traditional Turkey Day Essentials.

After the supermarket, I went home to put away the frozen and refrigerated stuff and to find the papers authorizing my seventh-grader to play CYO basketball on Sundays for the next few months. I had to have them notarized and handed in, with a $75 check, last week. (oops!) Then it was off to the municipal building to show off my horrible driver's license photo and prove that since I can spell my last name, I must be me. I stopped at the post office to mail a package and buy stamps and then it was off to Target to get birthday gifts for my niece and nephew and snow pants for my younger two kids, for the one or two times a year it snows when you live this close to the equator. The birthday kids got books, since I am leery of buying toys right now, and both kids got black boys' snow pants for ease of hand-me-downs.

And then I came home, and did some laundry, changed my shoes, and put on some (decaffeinated) coffee.

I like errands, but not all at once. I really like spending a bigger hunk of the day at home, and having one or two errands to do on any given day. Sorry, Sidetracked Home Executives. Errand Day is not for me. Late next week, when many moms are planning to spend Black Friday power-shopping by going out in the cold and dark and hitting the crowded malls and discount stores, I'll be pulling up my comfortable chair up to my computer and shopping from the comfort of my own living room. I might even stretch it out and enjoy some special Cyber Monday deals. People who leave the house to shop never get to take advantage of those!

COUPON TIME:

Even better than having an Errand Day is having a Shop In Your Pajamas Day! I love using the internet to go shopping, and what could be better than to have some great coupons to make the deals even sweeter? But you don't have to wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to take advantage of these great deals on gifts!

25% off the LIST PRICE of one item at Borders.com
If all your items are already 25% or more off list price, you won't get a discount. Use promotion code IPL1255.
Valid through: September 30, 2009 11:59pm ET

10% off your order at RedEnvelope.com
Use promotion code REDTKN in your shopping cart. Valid online only. Valid through: November 30, 2008

$50 off orders of $200 or more at Zales.com
Use this link to activate the coupon.
Valid through: November 24, 2008

15% off an order of $29.99 or more at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM
During checkout enter promotion code ULTIMATE.
May be used on multiple orders. Valid through: December 31, 2008
Valid online only. Discount does not apply to shipping charges. Cannot be combined with other coupons or used on previous purchases.