I am the first to admit that I am not good at shopping at the sales time of year. For shopping for toys, period. The kids are really tech oriented, which comes with its own challenges, but luckily we pass through most playground phases unscathed. Like football cards? Beyblades? Those ball things that you roll along and then once they’re on their magnetic card they flip open into an action figure? (You know what I’m talking about.)
Nope, none of those. Trash Packs have been the single trend that we’ve dabbled in, but now those little orange garbage cans lay scattered and unused around the house. I’m sure I could think of an alternate use for them if I really tried. Except I probably won’t.
So it was with hefty case of uncertainty and curiosity that I lined up outside the closed doors of Target last week, shortly before they were due to open at 6pm. A dressed up employee wandered among the crowd handing out chocolates to make sure our energy levels were high. But no need, really! Many people had their trolleys ready to roll – at speed! – to get through those doors.
I was meeting Adam and the kids somewhere in the throng, having hopped off the train to arrive from one direction whereas they came down from the top. Once the all-green was given and the crowds were charging, we met somewhere the middle, bewildered and a little bemused.
I was there to get Christmas presents to put away for some friends; Keira and Riley had a little to spend each. Keira, given a taste of budget responsibility, wandered through the aisles, checking if she could afford something. Riley (and Adam), in the opposite direction, blew the budget and then some lusting after the Skylanders game. So while they joined a mammoth queue to get that, I chased after Keira, still debating with herself as to what would be the correct purchase.
Finally, finally, after running around, and being flabbergasted at all the things people were buying, we reached the front of the line.
The cashier looked us over. “Hey, I know you guys,” he said. “I’ve delivered pizza to your house heaps of times.”
Well, that was a new one. Instead of being ‘that blogger and her family’ we’ve been promoted to ‘that fast food, lazy family’. A dubious promotion, certainly. I also felt like declaring to everyone who might’ve been listening, ‘He’s kidding, it’s not heaps of times. REALLY.’
All in all, we were in and out in pretty good time, got some bargains and no-one was rage rammed with a trolley or fought over the last item on a shelf. Success.
Even better, to help you or your family with present shopping, I’ve got a $50 Target voucher to give away in time to spend before the toy sale ends. Please see the terms and conditions below.

Terms and Conditions:
1. One entry per person. Australian residents only.
2. Competition closes at midnight Wednesday 4th July (Eastern Australian Time) and I will contact the winner shortly thereafter.
3. Entrants must leave a comment stating what they would want to buy if they won the $50 voucher. Winner will be selected by a random number generator.
4. If contact cannot be made within 48 hours, I reserve the right to redraw another winner.
Note: The voucher will be valid for 24 months, just in case you can’t make it to the toy sale before it finishes.
Good luck!
Edit: This competition has now closed. Congratulations to the winner, Tiff!

Disclaimer: Our family was given vouchers to spend at the toy sales. Thanks to our gaming aficionados we spent a little more than we originally intended and that money came out of our own wallets.












{ 46 comments }
If I won a $50 target voucher I would get a Nerf Gun and some Sky Landers because my Son is sitting here telling me so.
Bin recently posted..I have Man Flu
Boo found the toy sale catalogues last night. LOST HIS MIND at all the options.
Apparently he is into Star Wars now. Well as of last night after he saw all the stuff you can get in Lego.
Now I want pizza.
I’d put the $50 voucher towards some lego for my nearly 4yo and a Mr Potato Head for little miss 5 months
I’ve been avoiding the sales, but I’m starting to think it might be a serriously good idea to layby some presents now seeing as I’ll be on maternity leave (and a seriously reduced income) by the time Christmas comes around…
If I won a voucher I would put it towards Max’s first ‘real’ bike

Tamsyn recently posted..20 Weeks
My children are too old for toys, so will leave it to those more needy
I have been ogling the toy sale catalogue for a week and a half now trying to decide on a present for my daughter. She is turning 2 in July and because of her love for books and story time, I have decided to get her a Tag book with the reader. So if I did win the voucher, that would be the purchase.
I can already hear her squeal of joy in my head.
If I won a $50 voucher I would get the skylanders wii game for my son’s birthday, which is in September!
The LEGO Friends Butterfly Beauty Shop & an Art Carousel because I love to encourage creativity & the imagination.
My kids have been busy cutting up the toy catalogue so I would give them $25 each and let them choose. I bet they choose lego!
Some cool Fisher Price Girl toys for the 4 (nearly 5) month old
She’d LOVE them!!!
If I won, I think it would be lego all the way. My boys are lego heads.
tiff recently posted..Things left unsaid.
$50? I would love to use it to buy Tara a Crayola fashion pack, and Avery a Black Charger Hot Wheels.
Hespera’s Garden (Kristie) recently posted..Sponsored Post – #SHARP100
If I won, I would buy a nice outfit for my two eldest daughters for their upcoming birthday party. One will turn 8, the other will be 5.
Lego
Lego
Lego
A good gift idea to give to my only grandchild to buy as he wish!
Star Wars Lego
Would make a little 8 year old in my house
Entertained for hours!
If i won the $50 voucher i would buy my kids some new dvds
Tonka truck for my little one year old!
PS3..well, part of one!
I have 4 girls all screeming for pillow pets!!!!!!
I would buy Lego. It’s hours of fun for the whole family…..especially for mum, dad and their friends.
Lego, Lego and then more Lego!
Dora stuff – my 4 yr old loves her!
We’re right for toys at the moment but our towels are a disgrace… some nice new fluffy Dri Glo towels for me!!!
My son is lego-crazy so I’d buy some lego.
If it was up to Miss Three she would buy every toy that is pink! Whilst we won’t be buying everything, we would like to buy her a pink doll’s house.
I think my kids would have a blast with the FP camera!
Anything Monster High! My three girls are crazy about Monster High, and I have to admit, I think they’re pretty cool, too…!
I want to buy the Cars scooter and skateboard combo for only $29. I’d also put the voucher towards the glow in the dark Thomas adventure tracks.
I have a couple of Lego mad kids, so I’d buy one of those Lego man heads that holds the Lego so that they have no excuse for not packing it up.
Anything superhero is the latest with my boys….spiderman, superman, Thor (he deserves a capital T for Totally HOT)
No idea! I’d treat the kids, telling them $25 each and it’s all their choice
Jigsaw puzzles!
Presents for the kids I look after – I’m a nanny so Birthdays and Christmas time can leave me a bit bankrupt when it comes to toys!!!!!
I would put the $50 towards a playtime rug for my girlfriend’s new born and something like a face mask for my girlfriend to use to relax while new bub is asleep!
Trivial Pursuit for kids and Monopoly is what I’d buy. Games are the only way to get my three children playing together as they’re 15, 13 and 5.
I would buy the Little People’s airplane, as my husband has just moved to start a new job on the other side of Australia (he is a pilot). Perfect!
If I won, I would indulge with a sweet new doona cover this winter!!!
Spyro Skylanders Wii game, although I know this is a wonderful marketing ploy with there being many more must-have characters that kids will want to collect (more money to be spent)… at least I will have a great headstart!
It would probably contribute to the purchase of an iPad.
A transformer and Lego would be my choices for spending $50
Lego for my boys…they love building with LEGO.
My sons birthday is coming up so Lego or Beyblades will be on the list!
I would choose lego and that way I get to play as well.
i,d buy some new books ours are well read and dogged eared
Spiderman toys are definately top of the list!
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