The people who are buying the bags from retail stores and then having them not sell and can't return them because backpacks are considered a seasonal item are the ones that are losing money on this.

No is good!

Everytime of year,every holiday,every event is made to seem like a reason to wastefully spend your money.

Not only are people are broke I think they're tired of the way these companies push items on them.Yeah,you don't want to pay 5$ for a pack of 3 ring paper when Walmart has it for a dollar but you open the advertisements in August and your swamped with 'back to school'.

Some prices aren't even that great during back to school.I found the best time to buy a computer for price is like May to July.

Are you telling your kids "no," when you used to say "yes"?

Now I sit comfortably on the sidelines as an interested observer while all my friends and associates still in the industry are getting the screws turned tighter and tighter as the pressure to sell to a public that's not buying becomes more desperate with each passing missed monthly sales goal.

There will be no Christmas season for us this year, but that was a decision we made about two weeks into December of last year. We'll visit the parents and maybe make holiday-themed alcoholic beverages, but screw all the spending and the stress of all that shopping.

My wife and I take them... here's our flickr page:

[www.flickr.com]

People, those aren't BARGAINS. Bargains have value. No, just because it's cheap doesn't mean it has value or is a bargain. Generally that just means it's cheap junk.

I hope people will develop a sense of value, and will stop using that as a term to mean "it costs little". "Oh, that's our VALUE line of cruises." No, those are your CHEAP cruises. There's little to no VALUE in them at all. Quit using the term "value" to mean "cheap".

If people start buying on value, the cheap crap will go away. Me, I'm thinking of finding one good solid Christmas present for each of my kids, something that will last, something that has VALUE. Not something that breaks within 3 minutes of opening the box.

More isn't better, people, and value doesn't mean "it's cheap".

My two nieces are both teachers, one in California and one in the DC area, and they both tell me that according to federal law, every kid in this country is entitled to a FREE public education, and in counties and districts there where parents have pressed the issue in court, families are longer are required to buy school supplies at all.

As for shopping in general, my kids know not to even ask for gifts and extras between birthdays and holidays. Our budget has been tight for some years, and the biggest treat they know to expect is a Blizzard or very rarely a movie at the theaters. We include them in the budgeting process and they unanimously agree that DSL Internet is more important to them than, say, buying a game once a month. Kids are not stupid, and if you don't try and pretend that nothing is wrong and be a hypocrite, they can be valuable allies in the fight against budget overflow - often they can spot free activities and good deals you didn't know about if you recruit them to keep an eye out.

My 4 year old daughter can wear about half the clothes from last winter. I bought a bunch more on ebay and a co-worker gave me some clothes from her 6 year old. So yeah, not much need to buy from stores. the only thing I might end up buying new (if I can't find on ebay) is snow boots.

Half my christmas shopping was done during sales in August. another quarter will likely be home-baked goods. so, just a few more things to get during the 'normal' christmas rush. I also watch the 'daily sales' posted here.

One got a hand me down book bag from the older one. Both recycled last years lunch bag and things like notebooks and pens were scavenged from stockpiles in the house. We also didn't buy clothes unless something was worn out or outgrown.

Sales lately, no real bargains to be had.

I agree -- lots of signage indicating sales, discounts, etc. on all manner of goods. But actual bargains: not so much, particularly not in furniture where most products are cheesy and way overpriced. Upholstered furniture is the WORST in this regard. My sympathy.

(inside SW geek joke) :-)

Where do you get those stormtropper babe pics? I LOVE THOSE!

@redandjonny:

Isn't she a little short for a Stormtrooper?

Someone's kid wants a bag with character x on it, its not sold in stores anymore and their parents will pay, simple as that.

It is funny listening to a car salesperson tell you some BS that they will not come down on the price of a car..

Then when you leave you get sales calls for a month. I wanted to get a vehicle from Toyota but the dealer wouldnt budge. We went to another dealer and they flipped out when they (original dealer called).. Offered all kinds of perks.

Now if we had stayed and tried to fight the first time we would have lost a LOT of money and not gotten the car we left with.

Sometimes a girl just wants to be comfortable...

@Starfury:
The schools are struggling too. Our registration at a public school (and yes we pay property taxes to them as well), lunches and fees in general increased $100.00 over last year.They also get a list for things the teachers need like clorox wipes, disposable cameras, odor free white board makers, kleenexes etc that are not reusable in addition to their supplies. I am keeping a spreadsheet every time the school asks for money. (This includes selling stuff which I just give them the money for)It was over $1000.00 last year. I kid you not. Sometimes it was 2.00 here for a field trip or 12.00 there for a special band cause but it was incredible.
This is why my kids never get anything for school except for Christmas and birthdays and their clothes come from Goodwill (and they dress nicely). The only splurge they have is I buy them new shoes.

I almost feel bad for them. Almost. Well, not a bit actually.

Me too. They royally jerked us around on the $500.00 gift card that came with the couches. The sales person lied to us saying we would get it as soon as we signed the agreement for the couches... The person we signed with said we would get it when the couches were actually delivered and the delivery driver would give it too us. When the delivery guy looked at us like we were insane when we asked for our gift card...We called the Brick, then the store manager tells us... 1 month later, after the couches are delivered that we couldn't have it until our first payment was made...and we had to come and get it from the store we bought the couches.

But the worst, ( for me ) the worst was the delivery guys phoning out of the blue... at 7 AM on 3 separate occasions saying they would be here in an hour. Uh, yah, thanks for the warning.

You know why they can't sell? They're calling up "sale prices" that are either marked up higher than the original selling price OR maybe mark a couple of cents off the original selling price and calling that a "BLOWOUT BARGAIN!", "SAVINGS EXTRAVAGANCE" and the like.

Sorry, it doesn't fly with me.

As for you retailers: Fuck you. A record breaking selling season suported by heavily indebted worker bees is not your due. Business has its ups and downs. You've had it real good for a long time and its time for the bill to be paid. Suck it up and just live with it.

@Murph1908: I was just thinking that. If you are going for a sexy pose, wear better shoes.

@rallyfanche: Myself, I like to grunt as it takes even less effort.

Overall we've cut our spending WAY back. Our house has enough 'stuff' in it already. There are things I *want* but also have enough self control to not buy them.

Besides, I buy my kid's basic school supplies for the next year the week school starts. Target and others have slashed the prices deep in order to make room for Halloween and Christmas stuff. I love my $4 three subject notebooks for $0.94. It also helps that my boy's school starts later than anyone else's in the country.

LOL.. Its awesome.

That photo would be 34% more awesome without the fugly footwear.

Oh (to stay on topic), if retailers think we didn't have any money this summer, just wait until december!

My kids are hearing no more often.

But I also think in general people just have less money to spend on stuff. They have pay for gas, food, rent, bills. There's just not a lot left over these days.

By the way, all the back to school stuff was on sale before school even started so why pay full price when you can get what you need the weekend before school starts at a huge savings. I believe this goes back to the whole lengthening of the shopping season.

In these tough times I find Reverend Lovejoy is always a source of advice.

And, since I can't resist the old glory... FIRST!

The real issue is "How awesome is that photo?" Stay on point people!

The same cry will be heard after the Christmas season. "Where's our seasonal sales rush?" retailers will ask. And those of us here on Consumerist will point out that when your season starts in August, you don't get a December rush.

I am not planning on making any major purchases until Christmas presents in December, and those will be moderate.

PS. My 401k is KILLING Me

Keep trudging people - Stick to the Budget

/ End Snark