They'll be discounting all their christmas lights and holiday merchandise now. Last year I picked up a few 50 piece socket sets with ratchets, etc. for $7. I'll pick up a few more led christmas lights for my very inexpensive but great safe lighting system.
For ear muffs, peltor/3m has some 30 NRR muffs, HD sells them for $24 each but Sears will have them on sale sometimes for $10. They are not low profile but for sound suppression they work great.