Sears Jumps on the Layaway Bandwagon

Effective Friday, November 14, 2008, layaway returned to Sears! Sears Layaway Program is great for shoppers who can't use a credit card but just don't quite have the whole amount to pay right now. For $15 or 20% down, whichever is greater, you have a chance to get all the gifts on your loved one's wish list, with up till December 23rd to pay in full.

However, some restrictions apply to the layaway program that may affect the price you pay. For example, the layaway program does not apply to Sears.com. Only merchandise in stock at Sears stores is eligible. Home electronics, home appliances and doorbuster specials are also not eligible. So if there are special deals available on that TV, computer or dishwasher you really wanted this year, or if your favorite line of sweaters is featured in a flyer as a doorbuster available only before noon, you will not be able to use layaway to take advantage of the special pricing. Check the layaway rules to be sure the item you want is not on the prohibited list.

Decide in advance whether a somewhat lower price or the ability to have your purchase paid for before Christmas is more important to you. The size of the discount, and your own history of being able to pay off a bill quickly should guide you here.

I am excited about the Sears layaway program. We did a significant remodeling of our home recently, so Christmas is going to be a little spare this year. But Sears has all the items on our list, and they are all eligible for layaway!

My son has had his eye on the Elder Scrolls series of PC games, as well as a game for the Wii called "Tales of Symphonia - Dawn of the New World". But just to get those three games is $130, so I would be happy to stretch that out over the next 45 days and pay it off just before Christmas.

Then there is the question of his clothes. Ugh. His pants legs are too long so he walks on the edges and they are always ragged. Parents of teenage boys - you know what I'm talking about! He doesn't like certain kinds of materials, so forget jeans or any kind of hard, heavy material. He just won't wear it. Dress pants? Forget about it.

Enter Levi's Action Slacks. They are wrinkle resistant, comfortable and made of a flexible material - perfect for work or church or somewhere I don't want him to look like a slob. And right now they are on sale for $19.99 - so one in each color is only $60 and I can add it to my layaway order for a total of $190.

Finally, after 25 years it is time to get new pots and pans. So for my husband the cook comes a new set of Farberware Millennium Soft Touch Stainless cookware, including three covered saucepans, two skillets, two tools and a covered stockpot for only $99 after a mail in rebate.

Amazing - 45 days to pay less than $300. No interest, no balance after the holidays. I might even have enough left over to buy something for myself!