There is an entire slew of websites devoted to the main event that is Black Friday (a.k.a. After Thanksgiving Day Sales). Pretty much every store has sales this day and is open for ultra-extended hours. These sites have lists and lists of the sales and steals for 2008.
And you know what?! Something else I figured out is that stores now have sales because of sales. For instance, there's tons of stores having Pre-Thanksgiving Sales to usher in the Day After Thanksgiving Sales. Let's hope the economy doesn't put too much on a damper on your holiday shopping plans or wishlists. Bargain shopping is tres chic.
(Above: An example of the mayhem on Black Friday at what looks like a Target store or Circuit City)
Print out coupons before you go out to the stores on Friday and Saturday. Printable Coupons is a blogspot blog I subscribe to (see right-hand sidebar). I always get great money-savers on there. Also, check the paper, check the paper, check the paper. Wednesday's edition will have all the booklets of coupons for the great sales to come.
(Or you can skip the sales as Forbes magazine suggests and shop online, because remember, all the sales, and then some, apply to online shopping, so you can accomplish holiday shopping leaps and bounds from the comfort of your own couch)
Here's some good things to remember on this day:
Brave the masses! Just arm yourself with a plan of what store's you're hitting up before Friday.
In this economy, I seriously don't mind waiting in long lines, camping out or even throwing a few 'bows so that I can get the items I need to get at a price I'm willing to pay (which is a small price). So, to me, the time spent waiting is worth the money I will be able to save. Back in the 1990s, lots of us would have said hell-no to the lines out the door and around the corner, because we could just go somewhere where the lines were shorter but the prices were a bit higher and it was no big deal. Back then, people used to avoid sales like this for the reasons of crowds and battles over toys. But now, everyone's looking to save some dough so people are going to go that extra mile so they won't have to sacrafice quality or getting the perfect gift but at a much nicer price.
Stores that I'll be hitting up for some of the best deals are:
Victoria's Secret
Kohls - markdowns from 40% to 75%! 50% off on toys and 60% on fine jewelry; they're giving $10 for every $50 spent in the store/online
WalMart-$10 toys and $200 X Box consoles, LeapFrog Leapster kids learning toys for $30
Best Buy - $60 digital cameras, $300 laptops and $900 LCD 50'' flat screen TVs, all in one Brothers printer for $40!
Macy's- for things like 5-piece luggage sets for $50, Men's sweaters for $20, 3-stone white gold and diamond ring for $400, 50% off home decor, get $10 to spend on a $25 purchase. Printable coupon for this store. Extra 20% off pretty much all merchandise
Circuit City-$2 DVDs and CDs, perfect stocking stuffers, and there's $700 Samsung LCD flat screen 42'' for sale!
Toys r Us-BOGOs and tons of other deals are already in effect, you get a $10 gift card for spending $75 or more.
Sears-in an effort to boost their performance, is pulling out the stops. 40 to 60% off on most of their merch, $10 off for every $50 spent on top of that, they'res 0% financing and price guarantees.
Ikea-since their prices are always great, they don't do too many major sales. But they are for BF, with bed frames for $99 instead of $199 and comforters/comforter covers for only $40
Old Navy-I guess it's 50% off everything on Friday only, with other deals specific to Saturday or Sunday as well. Plus they're giving away Samsung mp3 players for spending a certain amount.
Sam's Club-Samsung video camera for $180, Philips 42'' LCD HDtv (1080p) for only $798! $200 for Nintendo DS package and $425 for Wii package they're offering.
P.S. 30 days 'til Christmas...
