When to buy lights?

[robots4joey]

How do you go about buying lights (mini's) after Christmas?

I want a really good deal cause I'm a college student, but I also want to make sure I get solid color strings... What is a good price for 100ct solid color strings? in other words what price should I wait for?

Thanks everyone!

More Lights! More Channels!

[Macrosill]

Last year I waited until after Christmas but there was not much left. I went to about 7 or 8 stores and all I found was 100ct clear minis.

Since I wanted colors this year I went out on the 23rd and found 168 boxes of 100 ct minis in blue, red and green. I bought them at full price but I will go back on the 26th with the receipt and get a price adjustment.

[NogginBoink]

I picked up ~120 strings at Target at 7AM today for $1/string.

Lots of clears left, I bought 'em out of Reds.

I recently learned about transparent glass paint, so I'm optimistic that I'll be able to make any color I need next year from the clears.

[WakeFan]

Picked up 100 stands of clears @ Lowes for .31 ea. They also had some Red & Green for .50 ea. This is a new store with less traffic than the other 2 in town.

[ppohlman]

Macrosill -

How did it go getting your price adjustment? I just got back from trying that at Target and they wouldn't do it. They said that since they were on "clearance", they would have to put the lights back on the floor and then I could buy them back at the clearance price. I figured that $1.40/box of 100-ct wasn't that bad and not worth trying to get back $20 (especially since everybody is out of green and red lights).

[RJ]

Major score for me. We picked up $500 of stuff on close out so I should not want for next year. Man I got some lights now.

[Wayne J]

Macrosill -

How did it go getting your price adjustment? I just got back from trying that at Target and they wouldn't do it. They said that since they were on "clearance", they would have to put the lights back on the floor and then I could buy them back at the clearance price. I figured that $1.40/box of 100-ct wasn't that bad and not worth trying to get back $20 (especially since everybody is out of green and red lights).

If they won't adjust the price, then that's what you have to do. (return and rebuy)

[Macrosill]

Update from me. I went out this morning, 6 days after my purchase and tried to do Price adjustments. Walmart went without a hitch. 63.55 refund. the 50 Candy Canes wound up costing me 55.00 plus tax. Target was a little tougher. The kids behind the counter tried to do the price adjustment but the computer would not let him as the lights were a clearance item. I asked what I should do. He said to return the lights and rebuy them. I asked him if he could do it off the receipt. And if he really wanted me to bring in 168 boxes of lights. He then returned and resold the lights based on the receipt. 68.65 refund.

Total saved for 1 hours time was 132.30.

[scharbon]

You guys are lucky. Walmart, Lowes, Target, Home Depot, Big Lots, and CVS - all they had were clears and very few in 100 count strands. Lots of nets and garland. No LEDs.

Saw some metal twig trees at target for $20. They are 6 feet tall, but I don't know if the branches can hold 4 starnds of lights. Any one try it with a twig tree?

Steve

[Jeff Millard]

I took the 75% chance and failed miserably. It's as if there was someone waiting under the counter for the sale sign to go up. I work on the road so I was stopping at Lowes and HD several times a week. When the 75% signs went up, there was nothing to buy. I got about 30 sets of 100ct Blue minis, and 48 sets of clear. Had I bought the multis at Lowes when they were 25% off, I could have gotten about 200 boxes for $300.

I learned a very valuable lesson this year. Lowes put minis out at $1.50 a box in October. This coming October I'll buy the shelf. I have a coffee can full of $$$ that I'll combine with whatever money I find in my pocket every day between now and then. I'll be ready next year! :oops:

Jeff