It’s clear that great deals are being offered on “Black Friday,” but with so many commercials and store promotions, how do you decide where to shop?  Forming a plan for this Black Friday will ensure you get all the items you need at the lowest prices possible.  Before hitting the mall, take the time to make a shopping list.  If you’re planning on doing Christmas shopping, make a list of the people you are shopping for and what items they might like.  If you are shopping for yourself or your family make a list of the items you need.  Once you have a list do the research.  Look into Black Friday offers and see which stores are offering deals on the items you need.  By taking the time to form a plan you will avoid wasting time at the wrong store or aimlessly walking down aisles. 

To help you kick start your plan, we have created a list of the best stores to hit this Black Friday for video games, video game consoles, tools, and Blu-Ray players.

Video games

If you are in the market for video games, Best Buy is your best bet.  You can find new releases for $35, which is a savings of 50%.  The Nintendo DS Lite is on sale at Walmart for just $98.

Tools
Whether you’re shopping for the man in your life or require tools for your next home project, visit Sears this Friday to save on practically every tool in the store.  You will find many items at 50% off.

Blu-Ray players
Blu-Ray has been proven to be better than HD DVD, so you might want to switch to Blu-Ray at a time where prices are at their lowest.  Walmart is offering a Blu-Ray player for only $78 on Friday.  You can also find many great DVD’s at Walmart and Target this Friday for $10. 

Spend some time coming up with a shopping strategy and you’re sure to benefit from all the great deals being offered this Friday.

With the holidays around the corner, the need for extra cash is looming over all of our heads.  Use these tips to save money so that you won’t leave anyone special off your shopping list this year.

1. Make your own coffee

We all know how wonderful coffee from Starbucks or Coffee Bean is, but is it really worth the money that could be put towards holiday shopping or paying the bills?  Make your coffee at home instead.  Add whipped cream or chocolate syrup to give your coffee the store bought taste without the Starbucks price.  You would be surprised, but you can actually save up to $3,000 a year just by making your coffee at home. 

2. Stop paying useless dues

Are you a member of a club, but never attend functions or take part in activities?  Many of us have gym memberships that go unused.  If you do not find yourself exercising often, you can save $30 or more a month just by cancelling an unused membership.  If you need the extra cash for a few months, check in with your gym and ask to put a hold on your membership.   You won’t have access to the gym for a few months, but when you are ready to get back in or have the money again, you won’t find yourself paying the pricey initiation fee.  If you do enjoy working out, but just can’t afford it this holiday season, you can suspend your dues and workout in a different way. 

There are many ways to work out without paying costly dues.  You can run at the park or the local high school track, go for a hike in the nearby mountains, swim in the ocean, or just go for walks in your neighborhood.  Do crunches, lunges and pushups from the comfort of your own home.

Country clubs also charge costly dues.  You can play tennis and golf for a much cheaper cost.  No matter what type of club you are a part of, during these hard economic times it is important to get your priorities in line.  If you don’t fully take advantage of a club, it is time to quit.

3. It’s not that cold, turn the heat off.

Of course we understand that some of you live in places where it is below freezing, so turning the heat off isn’t an option.  However, adjusting the temperature even a few degrees can help you save money this season.  Cuddle close to a loved one, use extra blankets and wear socks to bed instead.

4. Work from home

If your boss is gracious enough to allow you to work from home you can save yourself a bundle on gas.  If you have a long commute like I do, working from home even one or two days a week makes a world of difference.  Not only will you save on gas, but on the frustration of sitting in traffic.

5. Avoid the salon

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I walk out of the salon thinking, “What did I just pay for?”  We all deserve to be pampered once and a while; however, I suggest that you limit the amount of times you get your hair done.  If you simply need a root touch up, you can do it yourself with coloring kits you can get from your local pharmacy.  Learn to curl or style your hair by reading magazines or researching online, so that when a special event comes up, you do not have to spend a ton to get your hair done.

6. Bring your own lunch

Start bringing your lunch to work or school and you will begin to see the difference in your bank account almost immediately.  Even the cheapest lunch specials will cost you $5 a day, which is an extra $25 you could put towards your bills and holiday shopping.  Plan a lunch menu and make a big shopping trip to the market, so that you can bring a lunch instead of eating out every day.

7. Do your own nails

There are tons of hot colors to choose from at your local pharmacy.  They also carry all the tools you need to give yourself an amazing manicure and pedicure.  Invest in a pedicure kit and you and your girl friends can have a spa night at home.

8. Get rid of your land line

We all use cell phones these days, so why do you still have a land line?  Usually the only calls that come through land lines are telemarketers.  Since everyone in your family probably already has a cell phone, you will be saving money from this unnecessary monthly expense.

9. Clip Coupons

For years my family ignored the value pack of coupons that arrived in the mail, but now that times have changed these coupons can actually come in handy.  Value pack mailings usually include a lot of local promotions.  You can find great savings on local dining and even save on your next trip to the dry cleaners.  This brings me to my next tip…

10. Dry Clean ONLY is NOT a good investment

When shopping for clothes, try to avoid things that are “dry clean only.”  There are plenty of brands that manufacture wonderful pieces that do not require dry cleaning.  Companies have invested in new fabrics that have the same look and feel, but that do not require that the items be taken to a dry cleaner.  Save your fancy outfits for special events, and save on dry cleaning fees.

Don’t let your budget concerns  ruin the holiday season.  Happy Holidays from the CheapStuff.com Staff.

You have probably already planned to wake up early Friday morning to take advantage of Black Friday deals. But be warned, you may not be pleased when you see what your favorite retailers are really offering.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is known as one of the best days for shoppers.  For those looking to save a buck, Black Friday is heaven on Earth.  This holiday season it is more important than ever for shoppers to take advantage of sales and price reductions, so this Black Friday is sure to be a hectic one. 

It’s probably safe to say that many of you have already saved the date and set your alarm clocks, all to ensure that you will be one of the first shoppers to hit the sales floor.  Before you put on your running shoes and prepare your game plans, find out the information that retailers have been trying to hide. 

You have read the promotional flyers and seen the ads online, but not everything advertised will be available to customers.  Sure these items exist in the store, but in quantities much lower than you would expect.  In some cases stores will only carry two to five quantities of the “in demand” sales items and they won’t be offering rain checks.

So if you are counting on taking advantage of some big sales items like washing machines or dishwashers you better read the fine print.  In their defense retailers do claim to print these limitations on flyers, although it is in the fine print.  So keep a look out for these limitations.  The last thing you want to do is wake up early just to wait in line for hours and fight over a handful of sales items.

Making a few changes to your shopping routine will keep money in your pocket.

The news media has been spreading the word that the worst recession, since the time of Great Depression, is over.  However, the truth is that the economy is not really doing any better.  Unemployment has reached 10%, which is almost 5% higher than the rate it was at just two years ago.  Economists also predict that by 2011 unemployment will have only decreased by minor percentage points.  While some companies are continuing to lay off employees, others are still afraid to hire.  Under these circumstances, one would imagine that prices would continue to decrease; however, the opposite will be true, as consumers will see in the months ahead.  One example of price increasing can be found at your local supermarket.  Consumers will soon see an increase in the price of groceries. 

So what does this mean for the consumer?  Smart shopping is more important than ever.  It is up to the consumer to make smart purchases and think before they shop.  That is why CheapStuff.com is dedicated to finding consumers quality goods at affordable prices.  Besides offering consumers discounted and sale items, the CheapStuff.com Forum is a place where shoppers can share great deals, coupons and freebies with fellow Cheapstuff.com shoppers.

Cheapstuff.com would also like to help our shoppers out by providing helpful money saving tips through this blog.  Today’s blog will focus on how to save consumers money at the local grocery store, since grocery item prices are expected to increase in the coming weeks.

1. Avoid making many shopping trips.

Supermarkets make a bulk of their profits from impulse purchases.  Take it from someone who used to work at a big chain market, certain items are strategically placed in order to tempt you and encourage an impulse purchase.  An Impulse purchase here and there might not seem like a big deal, but these purchases do add up.  Multiple trips to the market leads to more impuleses purchases, which leads to less money in the bank.  It has been estimated that a consumer who visits the market three times a week will spend $120 on impulse purchases, while a person who only makes one shopping trip a month will only spend $10.  It is also easier to keep track of what you spend on groceries when you go only once or twice a month.

2. Make a list and stick to it!

Before heading to the store, take the time to make a list.  Making a list at work, before going through what you have at home, is a bad idea.  With all we have to manage in our lives, it is hard to remember how much ketchup we have left or if we need more minced garlic.  One night after you have had some time to relax, go through your fridge and pantry and see what you need.  Make a list based on your needs and then make your trip to the store.  Never make a shopping trip when you are hungry and try to avoid bringing the kids, or your boy friend.  Following those tips will prevent you from straying from your list and help you avoid making impulse purchases.

3. The store brand is often just as good!

As both a chef and lover of food, I understand that the quality of ingredients is important to the overall taste of a dish, but there are many times where brand name does not make a difference.  Many times store brands are just as good as their pricey counterparts.  Take the time to consider the item and how important it is to the dish.  If the store brand looks the same, chances are it tastes the same.  Buying fresh items is what is really important; the name on the package seldom makes a difference.  What many shoppers do not know is that big brand name companies will sell excess product to grocery stores, who will then label the product under their brand name.  In many cases you will end up paying store brand prices for big name products. 

4. Comparison shop.

Take the time to visit all of your local markets.  Compare prices on popular items.  Many supermarkets will have weekly papers listing sales and coupons, located right at the entrance.  Take these papers home and study them.  Compare prices and offers and see what market has the best deals.

5. Use coupons and utilize sales.

Do not be persuaded to impulse shop by coupons and sales; however, make sure to utilize sales if they meet your menu needs.  It would even be a good idea to study the weekly sales before making your grocery list.

6. Plan a menu

When you take the time to plan out a menu you will save yourself a ton of time and money.  When you know what you will be making ahead of time, you will know what ingredients to buy.  You will also guarantee that you do not waste food.

If you follow these tips you are sure to save yourself hundreds of dollars at the supermarket.  When you consider that most family incomes are spent on food, it would be a good idea to take more time planning your shopping trips and considering your purchases.

Take advantage of all the great Veteran’s Day deals today, but also take the time to thank those who have served and are still serving in the armed forces.

Veteran’s Day means different things to different people.  If you have ever been a part of the armed forces or have a connection to someone who has or is currently fighting to protect our liberties, Veteran’s Day means something special to you.  It is significant because it is a day to be thanked and say thank you to those men and women who risk their lives every day in order to ensure our freedom. 

However, for many, Veteran’s Day is just another day to shop.  Many retailers take the opportunity to slash prices on November 11th every year and so it has become another big shopping day.  While you save on everything from electronics to retail today, take the time to remember what this day is all about.

Originally, November 11th was called “Armistice Day.”  The date was set aside when in 1918, in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, World War I ended.  A stop to hostilities was declared and the Allied powers and Germany signed an armistice to cease the fighting on the Western Front.  As the years went on and soldiers came home from World War II and the Korean War, the name was changed to “Veteran’s Day,” in order to thank all the veterans past, present and future.

When taking advantage of low prices today, make sure to remember what this day is about.  Say thank you to those who have risked their lives in the past, and to those still doing so today.  Many of our fellow Americans are still overseas fighting an intense battle so that we may hold on to our rights and liberties.  Take the time to appreciate these people today.

Visit the CheapStuff.com Forum to discuss the day and take advantage of great deals.