Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) – part 7

So, if you’ve been following along, you’ll know I was given a nice chunk of change ($1,000) from PayPal. My task, go shopping for five family members and friends, spend $500 online using PayPal and $500 at the mall buying comparable gifts.

In conclusion...

I’m thankful PayPal gave me this opportunity to shop as a way of giving back to the community this holiday season. Although it was time-consuming, I was able to give a lot more than I’d have been able to do on my own. PayPal definitely makes online shopping quicker and easier because you can bypass entering your credit card information every time you make a purchase. And besides, shopping at the crack of dawn in your PJs can be quite liberating. The only drawback is that PayPal’s not accepted as widely as major credit cards.

When you’re an experienced shopper, going to the mall or other bricks and mortar retail outlets before Christmas, doesn’t necessarily have to be a horrible experience and may even be quicker than shopping online – especially when you’ve prepared a list, done your research in advance and have a game plan before you enter the mall – in other words, planned your visit as I’ve shown. If you’re like me, you may also enjoy the instant gratification and find it less stressful than waiting for deliveries to arrive. (I’m still waiting for an eReader case from Sony Style – urgh!)

The time I spent shopping online first significantly helped alleviate potential frustrations when I shopped at Yorkdale.

Tip: If you’re driving, spend $8 on the valet service. It’s worth every penny this time of year.

So, now you’ve heard all about my experiences spending $1,000 on gifts. Where did you do your holiday shopping and what are your tips? Did you shop more online or at a mall?

Related articles

• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 1
  
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 2
  
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 3: dad and teen
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 4: young girl
  
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 5: grandma
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 6: BFF
  

Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) – part 6: BFF

So, if you’ve been following along, you’ll know I was given a nice chunk of change ($1,000) from PayPal. My task, go shopping for five family members and friends, spend $500 online using PayPal and $500 at the mall buying comparable gifts.

Here’s the run down of gifts for your BFF:

Online
What: Maddie Scarf & Betty Mitts (sale priced at $41.30)
Where: Preloved for eBay
Cost: $46.67 ($41.39 Maddie Scarf & Betty Mitts + taxes, free shipping)

In Store
What: Scarf and Mitts set; Scarf and Hat set, Leather gloves, socks ($88)
Where: Smart Set, Yorkdale
Cost: $57.07 ($88 Scarf and Mitts set; Scarf and Hat set, Leather gloves, socks – buy one, get on 50% off – 20% off total for purchases over $70 + tax)

Outcome
I happened to tune in to BT on Friday morning just as they were having a segment about holiday shopping on eBay. I learned preloved had partnered with them over the holidays and saw an awesome wool scarf and mittens set. Wow! What a time saver. There’s no way I had time to shop at Queen West but I could spend a few minutes on eBay with a fully-loaded PayPal account and support a local designer/retailer at the same time. I’m seriously considering ordering a set for myself. Although this was the first item I ordered, it was the second last one to arrive but it was the only one to come in a canvas shopping bag.

So, I guess the fair thing to do would have been to look for a scarf a mitts set of comparable quality at the mall. However, since I knew these purchases would be going to people in need and Smart Set was offering deep discounts on winter accessories, I decided to go there instead of somewhere like Banana Republic or Aritzia. For $10 more than I spent online, I got more than twice the amount of stuff and that will be able to keep more young women warm and stylish this winter.

Donated to: Red Door Family Shelter, Dec. 22

Related articles

• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 1
  
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 2
  
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 3: dad and teen
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 4: young girl
  
• Escape the Mall Challenge (for charity) - part 5: grandma