What is Black Friday?

For complete listings of the deals from a large number of stores, many with ad scans, please visit our Holiday Deals forum! This includes everything from Halloween to the After-Christmas sales, as well as archived information from previous years.

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Tags: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Shopping
Posted in Articles, Holiday's & Gifts | No Comments »

Contributed by member SwapSavers owner of www.swapsavers.com

You can find great deals in the drugstores (CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens). Often you can find items for free or even earn money (if the store allows it) when you combine sales, coupons/in-ad coupons, rebates and Register Rewards (Walgreens) or Extra Bucks (CVS). Here are a few tips to make sure you get the best deals.

1. Make a List-Before you enter the store make a detailed list of what you plan to buy and what coupons/rebates are necessary. I also include the weight or size of the product to make sure I purchase the right item. If you know the information you may want to include the area of the store where the items are located to save you time when shopping.

2. Get the Circular/Rebate Book-Upon entering the store, I grab a circular and rebate book (only at Rite Aid and Walgreens). This way I can double check the sales, making sure I purchase the correct item, size, weight as I shop. I can also use any in-ad coupons. You can combine in-ad coupons with manufactures coupons.

3. Check your receipt-Before leaving the store always check the receipt to make sure the items are the correct price and the coupons were deducted.

4. Save your receipt-Always save your receipts since you will need the receipt numbers for the on-line rebates. You also never know when you might need to return or exchange an item.

5. Rebates-Walgreens and Rite-Aid both offer on-line rebate programs, no mailing necessary. The checks are mailed to you or at Walgreens you can get a gift card and earn an extra 10% back from the rebate (i.e. if your rebate check is for $100 you would earn an extra $10). This program is a great way to get a lot of free items or even earn money when combined with coupons (if the store allows). However, you do need enter your receipt on-line and you should always check to make sure the rebate was issued. On a number of occasions the rebate was not issued to my account. I called to find out what the problem was and they either issued the rebate or I returned the product. You should also keep in mind that the sales tax is not included in the rebate so you will have to pay that out of pocket. I have a credit card that I earn 5% cash back at drugstores which happens to be the sales tax where I live. You may want to consider doing this, but of course remember when using credit cards only charge what you can afford.

6. Use your Extra Bucks or Register Rewards-Walgreens or CVS offer these coupons when you purchase certain products. Sometimes the product will be free when you consider the fact they are awarding you the coupon amount for the price of the item (i.e. you pay $5 for the product and earn a coupon for $5 off your next purchase). Keep in mind it is a coupon and does expire. You should keep the coupon in a safe place and make sure to use it before it expires. You can even use the coupon to purchase another product that is free after the rewards.

Sounds like a lot of work? It is time consuming but it is worth it. In only three months I have accumulated enough I have enough shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, moisturizer, razors, and body wash to last for the next year!

Find out more about drug store shopping in our Drug Store Forums

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Tags: Coupons, CVS, Drug Store, Rebate, Register Reward, Rite Aid, Shopping, Walgreens, Weekly Ad
Posted in Articles, Grocery Shopping | 2 Comments »

Frugal shoppers know that the best time to get a deal on holiday items is to purchase them after the holidays are over and save them for next year. You can pocket some major savings by thinking ahead and saving 50-70% or more on holiday items now rather than paying full price for them right before the holidays.

The biggest after holiday savings is seen after the Christmas holiday. Retailers usually put all holiday merchandise at 50% off the day after Christmas and you will usually see 75% a week or two later. Some retailers will do further markdowns just to move the merchandise off the shelves to make room for Valentine’s items.

Look for deals on items like wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, gift tags, holiday lights, festive decorations, potted poinsettias and other potted holiday plants. Holiday gift sets and baskets can be a great bargain. This year, I picked up Yankee Candle gift baskets online at 50% off retail. They make great gifts later in the year for teachers, friends, and family members. Other holiday goodies worth watching for include holiday cards, napkins, paper plates, Ziploc baggies with holiday designs, candy, and candles.

Most people don’t know they can negotiate with the store manager for further markdowns. At one of my local grocery stores they put all of the holiday clearance in shopping carts and park them near the front store entrance. I’m not shy about asking the store manager what kind of deal he can make me if I purchase the entire basket full of merchandise.  I’ve walked out with hundreds of dollars worth of products for a mere $20 for the entire cart.

Christmas is not the only holiday that offers great post-holiday savings. Each major holiday is a great time to stock up on items to use the following year. Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween and Thanksgiving all provide a great opportunity to save money.

Storing your post holiday bargains is an important thing to remember because poor storage can result in melted candy or forgotten gift items. Here’s some helpful tips for storage:

* Freeze all candy that could possibly melt like chocolate. All other food candy such as jelly beans or valentine heart candies should be put into zipper bags with as much air removed as possible. Most candy has a very long shelf life and should be just fine the next year.

* Holiday wraps and decorations should be stored with your other holiday items in a cool dry place such as a garage or basement.

* How you store gift items will depend on when you plan on giving them. Gifts you plan on giving the following year should be stored with your holiday decorations so that you will remember them the following year. Label your storage containers with the holiday name and contents on the outside so you know what is inside.

* For gifts that you planning on giving year round (think gift baskets of coffee, tea and spa type items) set yourself up with a gift closet, cupboard or chest so that you have your gifts at hand for any occasion that arises.

Putting aside a small amount of money to stockpile holiday gifts and items after the holiday is a smart way to save lots of money and be prepared ahead of time saving you less stress next year.

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Tags: 4th of July, Christmas, Easter, Frugal Living, Halloween, Holiday, Post Holiday, Shopping, Shopping Tips, St. Patrick's Day, Storage, Thanksgiving
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From: Retailing Today

     The National Retail Federation has asked President-elect Barack Obama to incorporate a series of national sales tax holidays into upcoming economic stimulus legislation as an important step   toward rebuilding consumer confidence, saying short-term gains from consumer spending and long-term growth from job creation are both needed to achieve economic recovery.

     NRF proposed that tax holidays be held during March, July and October 2009, each lasting 10 days including two weekends. Tax-free treatment would apply to all tangible goods subject to a state sales tax ranging from apparel and home furnishings to restaurant dining and automobiles but would exclude tobacco and alcohol. The federal government would reimburse the 45 states that have sales taxes for the lost revenue, and would provide the five states without a sales tax (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon) with revenue approximating the sales tax reimbursement that would be received by states with similar population.

     NRF also called for infrastructure investment in roads, rails, ports, public schools and renewable energy projects, saying it would have a double benefit of creating jobs and repairing systems that are critical to commerce.

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Tags: Retail News, Shopping, Tax, Tax Free Shopping
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If you’re a mom, you’re probably reading this and enjoying a few moments of peace now that the kids are back in school.  Mine have been back for two weeks now and even with all the craziness of getting their lunches sacked and checking off the homework, it’s like heaven knowing they are safely ensconced back in the classroom.   That’s why it’s so hard to believe that it’s time to go back-to-school shopping….again!  No, I’m not crazy, but my best suggestion for saving money this week is to get you back in the store to shop for next year’s school supplies.  Here’s why….

The supply lists for the next grade up are still easily accessible.  If  you’re child just started 3rd grade, go back into the school and get the 4th grade list.  You’ll find in the next week all the things your student needs on that list are at least 50%-75% off.  A backpack at stores like Target and Kmart can be had for $5-$8 versus the $25 you just spent.  This time last year, I bought six lunchboxes for $2 each.  Safeway had lunchboxes marked at 75% off last night.

Office supply stores had less than stellar sales this fall which means they are sitting on extras of common supplies needed for all grade levels.  One word of advice as you shop next year’s list….don’t buy glue sticks ahead – they’ll be dried out before next fall!  Your average savings if you shop now for next year will be $50-$70 per student.  Think of all the great ways you can spend that money instead next summer!

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Tags: Office Depot, School, School Supplies, Shopping, Stockpile, Stockpiling
Posted in Articles, Frugal Living, Stockpiling | No Comments »