Free $5 Amazon Gift Card from Amazon Alexa

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New this holiday season, Prime members can use their voice to order tens of millions of products - including many of the items featured in the 2016 Amazon Electronics Gift Guide - just by asking Alexa on:

In fact, there will be hundreds of exclusive deals just for voice shoppers this holiday season - simply go to www.amazon.com/alexadeals to learn more. Prime members receive an additional 20% discount on pre-order and new release video games.

Amazon 2016 Holiday Toy List

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Top 10 Tips for Getting the Best Bargains on Black Friday

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Black Friday falls on the day after Thanksgiving and has earned the reputation of being the busiest shopping day of the year. The name was adopted from an accounting term - red ink denotes a negative profit margin, where as "in the black" denotes a positive profit margin. Many retailers make or break their sales goals between Thanksgiving and Christmas, with the season kicking off on the Friday after Thanksgiving, hence the name "Black Friday."
  • See all Online Black Friday and Thanksgiving Deals and Sales

1. Check Out the Ads:

Your local Thanksgiving Day newspaper will be stuffed like your Thanksgiving turkey with ads, coupons, and circulars. This will be your number one source to local Black Friday savings. It will also help you organize your day to maximize savings, since many stores offer special discounts that are time specific. Example: Receive an extra 10 percent off if you shop before 11 a.m.

2. Do Your Research Before Friday:

If you are hoping to scoop up a deal on Friday on a big-ticket item, go ahead and get your research out of the way as soon as possible. A bad product is a bad deal no matter how cheap it costs. Being knowledgeable about the products you want to buy will help you avoid being sucker-punched with loud advertising for poor products. About.com is chocked full of buying advice on a wide variety of products from professionals who have the knowledge to help you make good decisions.

3. Compare Prices:

Utilize price-comparison Internet shopping sites such as PriceGrabber.com to assist you in comparing product prices. Compare the "options" included with the product. Some retailers will low-ball the advertised price on a stripped down product, and then you will be charged extra for the necessary parts that will make the product perform as expected. A good example of this is often seen with super low-priced computer printers that come without the cable (cord) or printer ink.

4. Look for Early Bird Shopper Discounts:

The Early Bird Shopper will be the real winner on Black Friday. Stores offering early-day shopper specials usually run the deals from 5 a.m. until 11 a.m. and with no "rain checks," which means once they run out of the products, you are out of luck. Scanning the ads and routing your trip based on your buying priorities will be important with the time-sensitive deals that will be offered.

 

5. Beat the Crowds with Night Owl Discounts on Thanksgiving:

Internet shoppers can beat the early birds by shopping online in the pre-dawn hours of Black Friday. Many retailers will be posting their Black Friday specials, which can be ordered online and picked-up at your local store. Special "Web only" deals will also be available starting as early as Thanksgiving eve. Many of the the aggressive outlet malls and factory stores will be opening Thursday at midnight, with early bird promotions in hopes of capturing your dollars before the competition has opened.

6. Bring the Ads:

Many stores offer a "lowest-price" guarantee; however you may be required to produce a copy of the exact product being advertised for less. Most local retailers will not meet Internet prices even when the product is advertised on the same company's website, but it cannot hurt to try. Print the Web page that details the product and shows the advertised price. It may give you additional bargaining power and push the sales person into waiving other charges such as assembly fees.

8. Know the Store Policies:

Knowing the store policies on returns can help you determine where to buy. A previous trend of extending "return days" during the holidays is being seen less this year. Many retailers are including restocking fees and shorter return deadlines. Almost all of the major retail chains have clamped down on requiring receipts for returns and exchanges, and many keep a database of individuals who tend to abuse return policies. If you get onto an "abuse" list, prepare yourself to be turned down.

9. Ask for Gift Receipts:

Gift receipts generally include a description of the item purchased but do not disclose the price paid. Including gift receipts inside the gift box will make returns or exchanges easier for the gift recipient. Without proof-of-purchase, the recipient may be turned down for returning or exchanging the item or risk receiving an exchange for the current selling price of the item.
Since many retailers begin permanently slashing prices as soon as Black Friday is over, the difference between what you pay for a gift during December and what it sells for in January can be significant. Including a gift-receipt should help insure a hassle-free return experience for gift recipients.

 

10. Saying "Charge It" Can Pay Off

Obviously, there is no bargain in running up high credit card bills and paying big interest rates, however, with proper spending disciplines intact, using the right charge card can be of value to consumers. Many credit card companies entice consumers with free benefits, which include extended free warranties, return protection and sale price protection.
  • Warranty Coverage - Your credit card company may offer to double or triple a manufacturer's warranty for free on a product you purchase - a good option instead of purchasing a service contract that costs money and has a shorter duration period.

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  • Return Protection - A credit card company may guarantee a refund on a product up to 90 days where as the store may not. This is becoming particularly more important as retailers stiffen the allotted return days.

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  • Sale Price Protection - Some of the credit card companies will offer this protection and refund you the difference if a product you buy is marked down further than the price you paid within a certain time frame (usually 60 days).

An enormous amount of advertising, locally and online, can be confusing and nearly paralyzing to the Black Friday bargain hunter. To maximize the benefits of hitting the stores on a day where there are big crowds and a better deal around every corner, developing a plan and doing preliminary research will help insure that the day is a shopping success.

Have fun saving money while you shop!

Source: About.com

7 Best Black Friday Apps

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Photo credit: CNN.com

Want to access Black Friday deals on the go? Here are the 7 best apps!

Everyone knows that Black Friday is a great day to get amazing deals. With the dealnews Black Friday App, you can view retailer “leaked” and confirmed ads, and browse all deals in one place.

TGI Black Friday is currently the highest rated Black Friday app for the Apple iPhone in 2011. The free app allows you to search thousands of Black Friday deals for every major retail store. You can create a personal shopping list and use your iPhone to shop smarter and faster on Black Friday.

Snap a photo of a receipt with your smartphone camera and the app will digitize and store the purchase record.

Perfect for Cyber Monday, turn Slice loose on your e-mail inbox and it will ferret out all of your purchases and start tracking them.

Zaarly offered up a how-to guide for using its service to "hack" Black Friday.TaskRabbit, which allows you to outsource your errands, is also fielding Black Friday requests -- everything from companies looking for people to hand out fliers to the traditional "wait in line" appeal.

Snap a picture of or scan the barcode on any any book, DVD, CD, or video game that SnapTell tracks and the app will let you know how much the item costs at nearby stores and at online retailers.

A number of retailers are offering up discounts to users who check in onFoursquare on Black Friday.

Source: CNN.com

Wait Until Black Friday 2016 for These Deals

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Laptops

In the past, we have seen 11" budget notebooks as low as $99 and 15" mainstream models, as low as $300. Check out deals @ Amazon, Best Buy, and Staples

Free Photo Books and More

Making photo gifts, like calendars and mugs for the holidays? Shutterfly, Walgreens, and Groupon all offer great deals deals of the year on printing and personalized items for Black Friday.

General Electronics and Appliances

Whether you are shopping in-store or online, you'll find deals on tablets, cameras, home theater gear, and media players. Has your stove or fridge gone out? If you can wait a month, Home Depot, Sears, and Lowe's will be offering amazing deals. 

Tip: Sign up for Best Buy Rewards 

 

Winter Apparel

Winter's chill  is just around the corner. November is the perfect time to stock up on boots, sweaters, hats, and gloves. Look for discounts as high as 50% off or more from your purchase.

Most Apple Devices

Keep an eye out for deals on the 11" MacBook Air and iPad Air 2, also iPhone 6 and 6s.

 

More predictions from The Black Friday:

Black Friday Predictions for Laptops & Computers

Black Friday Laptop Predictions 2016

- Intel Core i3, 14.1-inch Display, 4GB RAM for $139.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Lenovo - Dell)
- Intel Core i3, 15.4-in WXGA, 4GB RAM for $139.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Lenovo - Dell)
- Intel Core2 Duo or pentium, 14.1-inch Display, 4GB RAM for $89.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Dell)
- Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 15.6-inch for $229.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Lenovo - Dell)
- Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 15.6-inch for $349.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Lenovo - Dell)
- Chromebook, 11.1-inch to 14.1 display, 2GB RAM, Wi-Fi from $79.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Lenovo - Dell) 
- Apple MacBook Pro Intel Core i5 13.3-inch for $599.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - BestBuy - Ebay - Macmall)
- Apple MacBook Air Intel Core i5 13.3-inch for $499.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - BestBuy - Ebay - Macmall) 

Black Friday Predictions for Tablets / iPads / eReaders

Black Friday Tablets / iPads Predictions 2016

- Apple iPad at Regular Price with $50 or $75 Store Gift Card (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
-  Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch 128GB Tablet for $699.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay)
- Apple iPad Air 2 for $249.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Apple iPad Air Tablet for $199.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4-Inch 16GB Tablet for $139.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Google Nexus 10 16GB Tablet for $179.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Microsoft Surface Pro 3 64GB Tablet for $499.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Microsoft Surface 2 32gb Tablet for $129 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Apple iPad mini 16GB Tablet for $149.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Apple iPad mini 4 for $249.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Kindle Fire HD 7-inch for $54.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Sylvania 7-inch Tablet for $24.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay)
- Ematic 7-inch Tablet for $24.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy) 

Black Friday Predictions for TVs

Black Friday TV Predictions 2016

- 55-inch 4K UHD TV for $549.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- 60-inch 4K UHD TV for $799.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- 55-inch Curved 4K HDTV for $699.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- 65-inch Curved 4K Ultra HDTV for $999.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- 4K HDTVs from $199 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- LED 32-inch 720p LCD HDTV $59.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Price Grabber)
- 42-inch LCD HDTV for $99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Price Grabber)
- 47-inch LCD HDTV for $179 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Price Grabber)
- 55-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $249 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Price Grabber)
- 60-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $349 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Price Grabber)
- LED 32-inch 1080p LCD HDTV $79 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Price Grabber)
- LED 3D 47-inch 1080p LCD HDTV $389 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- LED 3D 55-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $479.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Price Grabber)

Black Friday Predictions for iPhone / Smartphones

Black Friday iPhone - Smartphones Predictions 2016

- Apple iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus + Gift Card bundle from $199 (2 years contract required) (Compare at - Wal-Mart -Sprint - AT&T - Verizon)
- Apple iPhone 7 + Gift Card bundle for FREE (2 years contract required) (Compare at - Wal-Mart -Sprint - AT&T -Verizon)
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Smart Phone + FREE $100 Gift Card for $99 (Service Required) (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Sprint -AT&T - Verizon)
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Smart Phone for FREE + FREE $100 Gift Card (Service Required) (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Sprint- AT&T - Verizon) 
Checkout - Black Friday iPhone & Smartphone Deals 

Black Friday Predictions for Video Games / Toys

Black Friday iPhone - Smartphones Predictions 2016

- Microsoft Xbox One S Bundle for $249.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Dell - Groupon - Microsoft)
- Microsoft Xbox One Bundle for $199.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Dell - Groupon - Microsoft)
- Nintendo Wii U 32gb Bundle for $179.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Dell - Groupon)
- Sony PS4 (PlayStation 4) Bundle for $249 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Dell - Groupon)
- Nintendo Wii for $64.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Dell - Groupon) 
- Microsoft Xbox 360 Console for $84.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Dell - Groupon - Microsoft) 

Black Friday Predictions - Miscellaneous

Black Friday Apparel Streaming devices Vaccum Predictions 2016

- Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) for $49.99 (Compare at - Amazon - Ebay)
- Beats by Dre Solo HD for $49.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Beats by Dr. Dre Solo 2 On-Ear Headphones for $59.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Fitbit Flex from $29.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Kohls)
- Branded Washer and Dryer Bundle from $499 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - HomeDepot - Sears)
- The North Face Jackets from $39 (Compare at - 6PM - Moosejaw)
- Kitchen Small Appliances from $4.99 (Compare at Kohls - Wal-Mart - Ebay)
- Keurig B31 MINI for $44.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - Kohls)
- KitchenAid Stand Mixers from $109.99 (After MIR) (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy - Kohls)
- Dyson Vacuums from $179.00 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - Kohls)
- Google Chromecast for $8.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Amazon Fire TV for $59.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Apple TV from $49.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Roku 4 from $59.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- 5TB External Hard drive for $99.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay)
- Blu-ray movies from $3.49 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)
- Blu-ray Player for $14.99 (Compare at - Wal-Mart - Ebay - BestBuy)

Our fave sites for Black Friday info:

Black Friday @ Gottadeal 

The Black Friday

Great list from Forbes

Michael's Holiday Sale

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Through Thanksgiving, Michaels is having a Countdown to Black Friday Salewith new deals each day! Today’s deals are 70% off the following items —> Shatterproof Ornaments, Christmas Garlands, Belmont Wall Frames, 2pk Christmas Basic Mesh, Christmas Basic & Premium Mesh, Christmas Handmade Holidays Surfaces & Ornaments, Level 1 Back-Stapled Traditional Canvas, AND Easels! Deals are only valid from 3PM-close, either in-store or online.

Michaels

 

Black Friday Freebies 2015

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  • Bonton- FREE Gift Card to First 200 Customers 
  • Cabela's-Cabela's is giving out free stuff to the first 600 people in line on Friday, November 27. 
  • Half Price Books- The first 100 people per Half Price book store will get a free tote bag and $5 gift card. One of the tote bags will have a $100 gift card inside!
  • JCPenney- JCPenney Coupon: Win $100 Off $100+. JCPenney is bringing back their popular Disney collectible snow globes for 2015. You can pick one up on Friday, November 27th at 3:00 p.m.
  • Kmart- Free Goodie Bag to First 100 Shoppers
  • Kohl's- The first 100 people at any Kohl’s store on Thursday, November 26th, 2015 will receive a Fandango Promotional card good towards 2 movie tickets ($13 per ticket, up to $26 total value; single time use) to see any movie. 
  • Michael's- The first 21 customers that show up each Miachaels on Black Friday, November 27, will get a free Micahels gift card that is valued at either $20 or $5.
  • Old Navy- Win 1 million dollars from Old Navy, be one of 1st 50 shoppers on Thanksgiving @ 4 pm
  • Petsmart- Free Paw Print Ornament & Movie Rental to First 100 Customers 
  • Sports Authority- The first 80 customers in line on Thursday, November 26th, will get a free $15 Sports Authority cash card, no purchase necessary.
  • Target. $50 off $100 holiday shop