Mothers Day is in one week! Most years I wait until the last minute to try and find a Mothers Day gift, but this year was different. I went to Marshalls and T.J. Maxx and found several excellent gifts for Becca and even something for my impossible to shop for Mother. I did this all for less than $50, because Marshalls and T.J. Maxx are both off-price stores that sell name brand merchandise for a fraction of the retail price.
It had been about a year since I last set foot in either of these stores. I began by going to Marshalls with my friend Jason. The store was just like I remember , with name brand products lining the shelves and prices low enough that I felt like the whole store was a giant clearance bin.
The items that actually were on clearance offered tremendous bargains. I saw several gourmet coffees in the $2.00 range that did not expire for several months. There were also chocolates, including a large tin of Kahlua chocolates for $3.50 that I considered buying. These would be perfect for a gift basket, as would the large assortment of oils and spices.
After forcing myself away from the clearance bins, I began looking at the vast selection of Spring clothes from many leading designers. Floral-printed dresses seem to be a hot item this year. There were many to choose from at a fraction of what these same items would cost at Macys or Dillards. There were also lots of great purses and handbags to choose from, as well as shoes, pants, sweaters, and jackets to suit every type of mother.
A savvy clothing shopper can go to Marshalls and buy their favorite Mom a terrific designer ensemble that costs up to 60% less than department and specialty stores prices. I seriously considered this, but then remembered that Becca has been wanting a new chef knife. Love is all about trust, and what better way to let her know I trust her than to hand her a shiny new set of sharp kitchen knives 
I walked through the kitchen area and passed by a lot of excellent nonstick cookware at bargain prices. We already have a complete set of Cookright pans, but Marshalls has many quality brands at low prices and some name-brand sets on clearance. If you are shopping for a Mom who loves to cook, she may really appreciate a great new set of pans.
Continuing to look for knives, I passed by other items such as table centerpieces and vases, decorative wall clocks, and other ornate items that “homemaker” type Moms would love. I asked an employee where the kitchen knives were located and he politely directed me to a large islander filled with knives from brands such as Kitchen Aid, Cuisinart, and Wustof.
There were knife blocks, knife sets, and single knives of many different shapes and varieties. Eventually we plan to get a block of quality knives, but for Mothers Day I chose to get Becca a three piece set of Chicago Cutlery Forum knives that included a Chefs knife, paring knife, and utility knife. This collection has a 5-star rating and a $25 price tag on Amazon, but I picked it up for only $14.99 at Marshalls!
After cutting out of the knife aisle, Jason and I began perusing the exercise equipment. Jason pointed out a thigh master on sale, but despite the bargain price, we agreed that it would not make a suitable Mothers Day gift. On the other hand, there was a fantastic selection of stylish workout gear that would delight the many Moms who want to look and feel great while they exercise.
For those Moms who like to work out, consider a new yoga mat! Marshalls has them for around $20 which is about half of what you would pay at many specialty stores. You could even surprise her with a package including several items such as an outfit with shoes and some equipment.
Jason and I left the exercise area and strolled over to the discount electronics. On the way I picked up a lovely six-pack of Simply Sweet lip gloss. The package, which often retails for $6.99 at other stores, was only $3.99 at Marshalls. I was just browsing in electronics without much intention of buying, when I found another perfect gift.
For less than ten bucks, I bought a laptop cooler. Becca usually sits her pink netbook on a 3-ring binder in order to keep it from burning her legs. I may still pick up something a bit more romantic later, but for now I have found some great items that are uniquely perfect for my princess, all for around $25.
Probably the most romantic thing you could get that special Mom in your life is jewelry. Marshalls has clear Lucite pieces like rings and bracelets, which many consider a must-have item this Spring. Other great choices include cocktail rings and mixed metal lariat necklaces. Jewelry is a universal gift that is perfect for the Mom who has everything.
Wow, I have written a lot and haven’t even started discussing T.J. Maxx yet. I guess because Marshalls has so many different things that are perfect for so many different kinds of Moms. I will save my T.J. Maxx experience for a different post. Just remember, if you can’t decide on a particular item, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx have gift cards. I have met thousands of Moms in my life, but I have never met a Mom who did not like to shop.
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You can also find T.J. Maxx on Facebook and the T.J. Maxx Twitter Page!
Disclosure: I was contacted directly by a representative for Marshalls and T.J. Maxx who provided me with two $25 gift cards in exchange for writing this post. No monetary compensation was received for this article. The gift cards in no way affected my opinion of Marshals and T.J. Maxx. This article offers an honest opinion and has not been reviewed or edited by anyone other than Larry H. of Cakeblast.
Mothers Day is tomorrow and hopefully most of you have already found perfect gifts for all the special mothers in your lives. For those of you still looking, I wanted to remind you that T.J. Maxx has lots of affordable designer brand name clothing and accessories. These are not out of fashion clothes or factory rejects. The clothes at T.J. Maxx are stylish, in season offerings from brands such as Calvin Klein, DKNYC, Guess, XOXO, Juicy Couture, and many more.
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