SavvySugar

Will Cyber Monday Make Up For Black Friday?

SavvySugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:35 -0800

After hearing the news that a Wal-Mart employee was brutally trampled to death by discount-hungry shoppers on Black Friday, you might think eager shoppers everywhere turned out for after-Thanksgiving sales. While other retailers avoided such tragedy on the biggest shopping day of the year, they didn't draw in the same crowds and are now apprehensively facing the bad news that 2008 could end in the red.

The prospect of getting something for less might have caused some aggressive crowds, but the number of shoppers out this Black Friday didn't compare to those in recent years. Most of the people who did make it to the stores were seeking basic items over luxuries, making it clear this holiday season is more subdued in the material sense than retailers had hoped.

The Financial Times caught up with one shopper who admitted, "This year I’m cutting back. I’ll probably end up bargain-hunting on the internet." Good thing she and the rest of us cutting back have Cyber Monday sales to check out. Have you found any good online deals so far today?

Source

I'm Asking: What Black Friday Deals Did You Score?

SavvySugar — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:00:46 -0800

Black Friday has come and gone faster than your turkey hangover went away. I wasn't able to make it out to any of the sales myself (good thing there's still Cyber Monday), but being a bargain hunter at heart, I'm dying to hear about the on-sale loot you scored.

What deals did you get your hands on this Black Friday?

Source

Did You Spend More Than You Planned on Black Friday?

SavvySugar — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:00:16 -0800

By now you've had time to review the discounted loot you brought home as Black Friday bounty and should have a good feel for how closely you're sticking to your holiday shopping budget. If you've already surpassed your limit for some people on your list, it may be time to readjust the rest of your holiday spending plan.

Source

Guess How Much: End-of-Year Holiday Shopping

SavvySugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:30:16 -0800

You might have heard somewhere, make that everywhere, that it's Black Friday. It wasn't given a special name just because it's the day after Thanksgiving, and retailers have traditionally counted on the shopping holiday to push their sales into profitable territory.

It's still a relevant day, but some stores have been advertising Black Friday-type-can't-miss-sales since the beginning of November as retailers began to get increasingly nervous about consumers spending less this holiday season. Can you guess how much of a retailers' annual profit and sales is driven by holiday shopping in November and December?

Source

Take the quiz

It's Black Friday - Time to Start Holiday Shopping!

Molly — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

It's Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year and the best time to start your holiday gift buying! To celebrate and get you started here's a taste of our many fabulous gift guides - also check out these helpful websites and of course Sale Habit. As always check out all of our awesome holiday content on HolidaySugar, from cooking to decorating to survival tips and more! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and now it's time to get into gift-giving mode!

Make A Wishlist on ShopStyle!	Great Gadgets For Sisters	The Hipster Foodie
Woman on the Run	Fab Gifts for Mom	Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh
Great Gits for a Six Month Old	Home Gifts for the Feminine Modernist	Good Stuff For Entertainment Loving Girls

Your Two Cents: Are You Hitting Black Friday Sales?

SavvySugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:30:30 -0800

It is a brave shopper who charges through Black Friday on a holiday shopping mission, and not everyone has the patience for tolerating pushy crowds. Hopefully, those determined shoppers are rewarded with heavy discounts that cause them to brush off any annoyances the day may bring. Are you hitting the sales today?

Source

How Should You Pay For Holiday Shopping?

SavvySugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:30:43 -0800

We've procrastinated shopping long enough, and the major holidays are now four weeks away and counting. It's about time we start taking a crack at our lists, but first we need to decide how to pay for all the presents. Consider the easiest way to track all of your gift expenses combined with the most practical method for preventing overspending. Only you can choose which is best for you, but Consumer Reports gives us a place to start by comparing all of our payment options.

Credit cards: The magazine recommends using credit for large purchases as long as you're not already carrying a balance and can pay off the charges each month. Credit offers more protection than other payment forms and it's relatively easy to have charges removed in the event of a legitimate dispute.
Debit cards: You'll escape the interest charges affiliated with credit cards but are susceptible to overdraft fees, and debit doesn't provide as much protection as credit. Your bank isn't required to step in to dispute charges with a merchant.

To see how these compare to paying with a check or cash, read more.

Checks: Consumer Reports recommends writing a check for a large purchase if the store doesn't accept credit or debit and you don't want to carry cash.
Cash: There's no chance of identity theft when paying in cash, but you're vulnerable to general theft, won't have evidence of payment if the receipt is lost, and won't have leverage if there's a merchant dispute.

Source

How Long Are You Willing to Wait in a Black Friday Line?

SavvySugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:30:17 -0800

Black Friday is the ultimate test of the time-is-money theory - after all, blowout bargains and crowds of shoppers typically characterize the biggest shopping day of the year. How long are you willing to wait for your turn at the register?

Source

5 Websites to Get the Best Black Friday Deals

SavvySugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:45:57 -0800

Usually it's a sign of a long week ahead when it's only Monday and you're already thinking about Friday, but here's the good news: It's a short week! Thanksgiving is the big Thursday show and Black Friday is like the chaotic after-party that begins as early as midnight on Thursday in some stores.

This Friday is more important than any other for struggling retailers that are relying on the day of deals to put something positive in their books. Before you go weaving in and out of stores on Black Friday, do some deal comparisons to make sure you really are getting the best bargain available. First check the websites that track Black Friday ads like bfads.net, blackfriday.gottadeal.com, dealtaker.com, and tgiblackfriday.com. Then, take the time in the next few days to compare the advertised sales to the prices on these five websites before hitting the holiday shopping pavement.

Spreading out your holiday shopping over the rest of the season? Never miss an online sale again when you sign up for ShopStyle's Sale Alerts. You'll be notified when items you've been eying finally go on sale!

Source

Would You Trust $3 Appliances From Target?

SavvySugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:00:13 -0800

Any bargain hunter knows quality and price aren't necessarily correlated. But a $3 coffeemaker? That's less than Starbucks and friends charge for several of their caffeinated menu items.

You might have heard that Target's supposed Black Friday deals were leaked online. A spokesperson for the company wouldn't confirm the rumored deals which include $3 Chefmate brand toasters and coffeemakers, high-definition TVs and navigation systems with slashed price tags, half-priced clothes and toys, and more. If the leaked advertisement is accurate, it sounds like Target is going all out this year trying to get shoppers in its automatic doors.

I'm not used to $3 appliances existing outside garage sales and thrift stores, so it's really something that the chain store is offering these low prices. Sure, I'd throw down a few bucks for a perfectly good, gently used appliance. After all, the person who bought it new surely spent more for the item. Something feels different about buying a new appliance for such a low price - I'm just not sure I'd trust that it would hold up for very long. What's your take?