Don't Get Me Started with Linda Sharp

Elfing How To's: How Those $tockings Get $tuffed

Good morning all!

Woke up to a message from a DGMSer asking for tips on shopping for bargains as she is adopting three families this year.  As I wrote back, first of all - THANK YOU - the impact we can all have is dramatic in transforming this holiday season from full of darkness and worry to merry and bright.

As I began typing back, and my response grew and grew, I thought it would be good to share with everyone.  If you have ever wondered how I go about it, or if you are shopping for your own family and friends and want tips, my years of elfing have fine tuned my already miserly tendencies to an art form.

Email/Newsletter Subscriptions:  Yes, it can be a pain in the elf caboose to constantly see your inbox overflowing with ads, but it's worth it.  After this many years of Yes, Virginia, my inbox overflows with emails from far and wide.  While the delete button gets a work out, I open them all and often find shopping gold.  Coupon codes, Doorbusters, One Day Sales, etc - all worth the time to open and read.

Coupon Code Extensions:  When I shop, I have added various extensions to my browser like RetailMeNot and Cently which automatically engage and search for discounts in the shopping cart.  NOTE:  I do not rely solely on their service. I actively Google each and every website I visit to insure I miss nothing.  Simply type in the name of the website and the words "coupon code".  Then invest the time in trying the various sites and codes that pour forth.

Google Is Your Friend:  When it comes to toys, clothing, heck, ANYTHING on a wish list, I put in a lot of time Googling for the absolute best prices.  When I tell you it takes hours, I mean that.  Your donations are not taken for granted.  Once I have found the best price, I then see what additional savings can be added.  At the bare minimum, it is very rare that I pay for shipping as free shipping can typically be found, especially this time of year.

Walmart, Target, Amazon:  These are the big three that are always good for toys and clothing deals. I use my RedCard to get the additional 5% and free shipping when I find something at Target while elfing.  And since Walmart began to imitate Amazon's marketplace you can find some great deals there, too, that are not necessarily Walmart exclusive.  When I find something through Amazon, my Prime membership insures free and timely shipping.

Old Navy and Gap:  Sales are constant and worth keeping up with.  All sizes and coupon codes can often be stacked for greater savings.  For example, today, 11/15, Old Navy has $9 Flannel Joggers and $5 Holiday Tees.  

Places You Wouldn't Think Of:  Even websites that trend higher in prices can be secret savings havens if you stay on top of the emails that come in. Disney is one of them. They have really great sales - some only for 24 hours - but are worth keeping on top of.  Lands End is another.  Today - 60% off cold weather items from Fleece to coats to boots - I am currently elfing there for some children who need to stay warm.  Keds, too.  Doorbuster savings have begun.  Sign up for their emails and don't miss out!

Guaranteed $ales:  JC Penney, Shoe Mall, Macys.  I have huge $uce$$ pinching pennies by staying on top of their constant sales.  Shoe Mall (not just shoes) is currently 30% off all regular prices items.  JC Penny clearance section promises up to 80% off!  This matters, as when I elf the requests are from everywhere.  So when summerish items are in clearance, there are children in warm weather states that can benefit year round.

Time Invested = Less Money Out:  As I have said, my organic compulsion to never pay more than necessary in life translates to your dollars working harder than ever.  It takes time, monitoring, making lists and spreadsheets, but in the end, it means donations spread further, which means we have more room in our sleigh when more requests come in.

Now, before I get back to making the pennies beg for mercy, please do keep sending people my way.  I appreciate that you let them know ahead of time that we are trustworthy and that my vetting is not meant to be intrusive or embarrassing.  I protect their privacy, their children are not exploited (I know, I know, I, too, miss the days when we were all innocent and naïve and shared so many pictures of Yes, Virginia children online), and once I am done with their personal information, I delete it.

Please donate if you can!

Paypal:  [email protected]

Venmo: @Linda-Sharp-29

Zelle: [email protected]

Check: Please contact me privately for mailing information

Now, back to making merry!

  

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (It Came Clear Upon A Midnight)

Like so many, sleep does not come easy these days.  Be it the dreaded hormone upheaval of menopause, the insomnia induced by personal worries, or the general unrest caused by the world around us, I know I am not alone in staring into the dark for many hours each night.

Out of frustration, I find myself up, wandering around, and then settling down beside my cat to peruse the news, take in human interest stories, play the various games provided by the NYT, and to think about purpose, place, meaning.  Mine, yours, ours, theirs.  

I routinely stumble into one of the hundreds of horoscope options online - yes, yes, I know, there are 8.1 billion people out there, so even with a rudimentary division of 12, that means I share the readings with 675 million others, but sometimes they come really close the to the mark.

It was around midnight early this past week when I read this one and so much became clear.

Every word resonated.  In fact, it hit my heart as an arrow to a bullseye.  Life is complicated.  Rudy and I are gearing up for another move.  Another period of separation.  Another abstract set of logistics that I will have to pull together in my mind and then into hardcore reality and plans.  And the heart shredding pain of leaving Miss Marlowe in the rearview for longer periods of time.  I am well versed in all of the former.  The latter?  I can hardly think about it before tears begin to threaten.  Being so involved in her first year of life has been such an enormous gift.  Living ten minutes from her the past six months means I am there not just for Mimi Mondays, but often three or four additional days to lend a hand, put on my playpen socks, and create the most beautiful music there is: her laugh.

 

On top of the personal, I despair the ongoing turmoil, inequity, brutal violence, and unimaginable death happening in so many places on the other side of the world.  I see the humanity and the devastating losses.  The tears of parents, love ones, children whose lives are caught in a nightmare from which they cannot awaken.  So much of this world is a global Rubik's cube that will seemingly never be solved.

So, yeah, complicated.

Besides my grand daughter's smile, laugh, and antics, I find solace in the seasonal elfing of Yes, Virginia.  Thanks to the year round donations of some of you, coupled with the extra funds that came in when collecting for new glasses for Jamie, I have been working the keyboard during naptimes and night times. 

My inbox overfloweth with all the emails for the upcoming Black Friday sales, promo codes, coupons.  My lists have lists, and my vetting to insure your donations are safely delivered to real families, real children, to effect real change is ongoing.  As distressing as are so many of the stories to which I am invited, I am heartened by knowing this amazing community stands at the ready to make this holiday season merrier, brighter than it would be without.

So, that last line in the horoscope above?  True.  And I feel it to my very core.

"You'll feel less alone.  You'll believe, once more, that it's possible to change the world."

I do.  And it is.  With your help, we can change tiny pieces of this world.  And on a planet with 8.1 billion tiny pieces, that is still extraordinary, indeed.  Stay tuned for glimpses into the lives you are lifting... and please, send those you know who we may help to my inbox. 

Much love and appreciation,

Linda

Please give if you can.  Apologize to the pennies for the squeezing they will endure, and then send them this way:

Paypal:  [email protected]

Venmo: @Linda-Sharp-29

Zelle: [email protected]