How to Beat Black Friday

There are always deals to be had on Black Friday but do you really want to stand in line for hours and fight the crowds for the 4 in stock cheap televisions that Best Buy has in the store? Plus, who has time to sift through a hundred ads to find where the best deals are?

Thankfully, the internet has made this easier too. The following are websites that can help you get your Black Friday shopping done faster and help you sift through to find the best deals out there.

About.com - Has a list of 10 tips for shopping on Black Friday.

DealNews - Has a list that has an even larger list.

TVPredictions - Has a list of 10 rules before buying a HD TV on Black Friday.

GottaDeal.com - Has a frequently updated list of retailers ads and list of on sale items. My personal favorite is the list of online items you can purchase right now and beat the rush.

BlackFriday.info - Has a searchable list of ads online including stores that have some of the items online right now.

Good luck fighting the crowd.

Free Stuff Roundup

Everyone likes free stuff, even if it's not a big ticket item. Below is a list of free items you can get right now online ranging from post-it notes to coffee.

3M is giving away a sampler pack of Post-it Note Cubes, Post-it Flash Cards, Post-it Flags, and Post-it Flag Highlighters until September 30. Direct Link.

For the pet lovers out there, you can get a free bag of IAMS Healthy Naturals dog food, by requesting a rebate coupon here. Direct Link.

Anyone with kids, or possibly looking to relive their college years can score a free hamburger helper microwave single here. Direct Link.

The next time you are shopping at Target, if you stop into Starbucks, you can buy one coffee and get one free by printing the coupon here. Direct Link.




Image by: Eurleif

Trade your Old Digital Camera For a New One

If the thought of inviting more used car salesman types into your life scares you, rest at assured this isn't quite like that. How do you feel about trading in an outdated camera for a shiny new one? Although the new(ish) program from Kodak values your digital camera in a similar manner to car dealerships by devaluing the product steeply the second you take it home, there isn't a guy wearing too much cologne and pushing products you don't want. This may something you should check into if you are thinking about trading up to a new digital camera. The program (started in October '06) considers multiple factors when calculating price, but gives megapixel count the greatest weight. The site is easy to use:

1. Register
2. Use the estimator tool to determine how much your old camera is worth.
3. Buy a new camera from Kodak.com
4. Send in a copy of your Kodak.com receipt and your old digital camera with the prepaid shipping label.
5. One to two weeks after receiving the item, Kodak sends you a check.

Kodak.com trade in program here