Ok, after having to admit to shopping at Walleys’ World (Wal-Mart) and Bullseye (Target)… I have found some very useful Target info from around the net that I have seen to be true in store.

First, End Cap Clearances. Check those end caps for clearances. You will find some amazing deals. Related to that, look at the actual price. Like many other stores, the .XX part of the price will key you in on whether the price will go down any more or not. Here is a good breakdown:

• Prices at Target start out ending in .99.
• Price drops will change the last digit.
• .x4 being the lowest last digit.

This means, if you see anything that ends in “4″, it indicates the lowest price Target will offer.

Second, is Daily Markdowns. Target has a system for marking down merchandise weekly:

• Monday - Electronics, Kids Clothing and Stationary (Cards, GiftWrap, etc.)
• Tuesday – Domestics, Women’s Clothing, Pets and Market (food items)
• Wednesday – Men’s Clothing, Toys, Lawn & Garden, Health and Beauty items
• Thursday – House Wares, Lingerie, Sporting Goods, Shoes, Music / Movies, Books, Decor and Luggage
• Friday - Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, and Jewelry

Lastly, is good ole Holiday Markdowns. This one is by the numbers (post holiday days that is).

• 50% off the day after holiday for three days
• 75% off the fourth day after holiday for three days
• 90% off the seventh day after holiday for 1-2 days.

Apparently (and not condoned) folks will go in right at the holiday and “stash” holiday stuff all around the store in hopes that they can get what they want after the holidays at huge discounts. If something can survive for a week, 90%.. Dang now that is a mark down.

Of course, this is all dependent upon your stores manager actually playing by the rules, so your mileage my vary. But if you ever find that you are getting the run around from a store manager, as for contact information to their district manager. All Wal-Mart and Target stores hate to have any go above their heads since it goes on their score card against them and they can lose big store incentives at their store.

Happy Turkey Day… Time to find what we can be thankful for and fall asleep from too much turkey.

I know one goofy girl that I am thankful for everyday! She reminds me every time that there are lots of good things in a world gone crazy! The power of kids.

Precious and fragile things
Need special handling
My God what have we done to You?

We always try to share
The tenderest of care
Now look what we have put You through…

Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we’d manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give

Angels with silver wings
Shouldn’t know suffering
I wish I could take the pain for You

If God has a master plan
That only He understands
I hope it’s Your eyes He’s seeing through

Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we’d manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give

I pray You learn to trust
Have faith in both of us
And keep room in Your heart for two

Things get damaged
Things get broken
I thought we’d manage
But words left unspoken
Left us so brittle
There was so little left to give

-depeche mode

I have learned so much from God
That I can no longer call myself

A Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew.

The truth has shared so much of itself with me

That I can no longer call myself
A man, a woman, an angel, or even a pure soul.

Love has befriended Hafez so completely, it has turned to ash and freed me…
Of every concept and image, my mind has ever known.

Shiraz-born Iranian poet (and world-treasure) Hafez’s , translated by Daniel Ladinsky.