Black Friday 2017 infogram is insightful

Black Friday Bonanza

Saving money is all about being organized and thinking ahead.  Black Friday is a perfect example.   Most of us are completely exhausted after all of the busy activities of Thanksgiving and still have dirty dishes in the sink the next day, but the organized shopper wakes up early the next morning, ready to hit the stores and grab the bargains.  Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and it marks the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States.

The term dates back to at least 1966.  "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia in reference to the heavy traffic on that day.  More recently, the media have used it instead to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers go from being in the red (posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (turning a profit). In many cities it is not uncommon to see shoppers lined up for hours before stores with big sales open. Once inside the stores, shoppers rush around and snatch up what they can, as many stores have only a few of the big-draw items in stock. On occasion, some shoppers are so overly enthusiastic about the savings that injuries and even fatalities have been reported.   No savings is worth that!

This year, in hopes of surviving the rough economy, some stores have started their Black Friday sales already!  Check out these helpful web sites to find some of the great deals out there:

www.blackfriday.info  

www.bfads.net  

www.black-friday.net  

www.theblackfriday.com   

www.blackfriday.gottadeal.com  

www.retailmenot.com/black-friday  

Now, having said all of that, the best gifts are those which come from the heart, and not the shopping mall.  In a tight economy, we should never go into debt just to purchase gifts.  There are plenty of inexpensive, yet meaningful gifts we can give to our loved ones without breaking the bank.  Remember, spending quality time with others is priceless!

Many retailers allow discount code web sites to "leak" their sales information several days before Black Friday.  If you love to shop at a particular store, do a Google search with the name of that store, plus the words "Black Friday" and you might get to find out what steals and deals they'll be featuring after Turkey Day!  Target and Wal-Mart have already released some sneak peek info about nice discounts on their flagship door-buster electronic items.  BJ's Wholesale Club, Harbor Freight, and Ace Hardware have already released their Black Friday catalogs as well.

While the best deals are usually found in the wee hours of the morning when the stores first open, most retailers this year are planning on extending their bargains through the Thanksgiving weekend to encourage more consumers to spend their dollars and kick-start the Christmas shopping season.  Do a web search with your city’s name, plus the words “Black Friday” and you’ll find some store listings with their special hours.

Giving Thanks

Here in America we’re gearing up for Thanksgiving this Thursday.  What that means, to all of you readers outside the country, is that women across this land are stressing out about Turkey Day grocery shopping, house-cleaning, decorating, recipes, party games, transportation of family members, dinner conversation etiquette and all of the other things on our “To Do” list to be prepared for the big day.

Of course, what Thanksgiving REALLY represents is an opportunity to fill our homes with people we love and express thanks for all that we have in our lives.   How wonderful to have an opportunity to pause and reflect on the good things that surround us, especially when the world has been focused so much on the bad news lately.   I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends and family!

There are plenty of simple things we can all do to reduce the holiday stress and enjoy the “reason for the season”:

1. Have a plan and get organized.
2. Make a list of everything you need and then shop early.
3. Prepare as many of the food dishes as you can ahead of time so that you spend less time in the kitchen on the big day.
4. Simplify the menu.
5. Defrost the turkey with plenty of time to spare!
6. Restaurants and grocery stores can help out your time crunch when you purchase some of their prepared foods….guilt-free.
7. Organize some crafts and activities to keep the little ones busy and happy.
8. Plan an after-dinner activity.
9. Don’t try a new recipe for the first time.
10. Clean the oven before the big day of cooking so the food doesn’t get any odd flavors.
11. Guests often want to be helpful, so don’t be shy about assigning tasks.
12. Enjoy!    There is no use sweating the small stuff…and this is all small stuff.  

Years from now, people may not remember what food was served, what words were spoken, or even what they did on Thanksgiving Day, but they will always remember how they FELT.  Fill your home with love, kind words, and lots of gratitude.

Thanksgiving can really be broken down into 2 parts: Thanks and Giving.  Fill your Turkey Day with both!

Below are some really helpful web sites that will make your tasks easier and even a little more fun and they’re all FREE!

http://www.sirius.com/thanksgiving     Free Thanksgiving cooking hotline

http://www.theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving/games/       Everything Thanksgiving!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/24/uttm/main5755390.shtml   Thanksgiving travel tips

http://www.hellasmultimedia.com/webimages/thanksgiving/default.htm   Thanksgiving clipart and web images

http://familycrafts.about.com/od/thanksgiving/a/Thanksgiving-Crafts.htm  Thanksgiving crafts

http://www.tnpsc.com/thanksgiving.htm    Thanksgiving screensavers

http://www.care2.com/send/catthanks1.html    Thanksgiving e-cards

http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/2010/11/gluten-free-thanksgiving-2010.html   Gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/09/a-gluten-free-thanksgiving/   Vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes

http://www.kate.net/holidays/thanksgiving/    Thanksgiving decorations

http://www.mes-english.com/flashcards/thanksgiving.php   Thanksgiving flashcards & worksheets

http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-find-free-thanksgiving-coloring-pages-a78110  Thanksgiving coloring pages & printables

Have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving this year!

CENTSerely,

Sister Thrifty

a/k/a    Trina Boice

Black Friday Bonanza

Saving money is all about being organized and thinking ahead. Black Friday is a perfect example. Most of us are completely exhausted after all of the busy activities of Thanksgiving and still have dirty dishes in the sink the next day, but the organized shopper wakes up early the next morning, ready to hit the stores and grab the bargains. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and it marks the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season.

The term dates back to at least 1966The term "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia in reference to the heavy traffic on that day. More recently, the media have used it instead to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers go from being in the red (i.e., posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (i.e., turning a profit). In many cities it is not uncommon to see shoppers lined up for hours before stores with big sales open. Once inside the stores, shoppers rush around and snatch up what they can, as many stores have only a few of the big-draw items. On occasion, injuries and even fatalities are reported. Now that’s a bit much just to save a few dollars!

This year, in hopes of surviving the rough economy, some stores have started their Black Friday sales already! Check out these helpful web sites to find some of the great deals out there:

www.blackfriday.info
http://www.bfads.net/
http://www.black-friday.net/
http://www.theblackfriday.com/
http://www.blackfriday.gottadeal.com/
www.retailmenot.com/black-friday


Here are some examples of what you can find:

Black Friday Free Stuff at Target

Target will open its doors at 5:00am on Black Friday.
Get $10 Gift Card With Any $100 In Store Purchase
Get $10 Gift Card With Select Video Game Purchases
Get $15 Gift Card With Any Apple 8GB iPod Nano Purchase
Get $20 Gift Card With Any DSi System Purchase
Get $30 Gift Card With Any Apple 32GB iPod Touch Purchase
Get $50 Gift Card With Any Call Of Duty Super Elite XBOX 360 System Bundle
Get $50 Gift Card With Any XBOX 360 120GB Elite Game System Bundle Purchase


Staples Freebies at Black Friday
Staples opens doors at 6:00am on Black Friday.
Items that are free after rebate:
- Free Canon Photo Printer With Purchase Of Any Digital Camera
- 4 Device Universal Remote
- Sharp Handheld Calculator
- 20 pack of Duracell Batteries (Free After Staples Rewards)
- Peachtree Pro Accounting 2010

Very cheap items:
$1 - 50-Pack of HP Everyday 8.5x11 Photo Paper

Toys R Us (Black Friday)
Toys R Us opens at 5:00am on Black Friday. Doorbuster items are marked with a *
Free Bendaroos 100 Piece Set With Any 500 Piece Set Purchase - Free
Free Easel Starter Kit With Any Imaginarium Deluxe Wooden Art Easel Purchase - Free
Free EVA Sleeve Kit With Any DSi Holiday Bundle - $0.00 *
Free Imaginarium Big Train Set With Any Arch Train Table Purchase - Free
Uno Card Game - B1G1 Free
Gear Monkey Video Game Accessories - B1G1 Free *
Batman Dark Knight 6 Figures - B1G2 Free
Select Nintendo DS Games - B1G1
School Zone Books And Flashcards - B2G1 Free *
scrabble Card Game - B1G1 Free
Go Fish Card Game - B1G1 Free
Rook Card Game - B1G1 Free
Animal Planet Foam Animals - B1G1 50% Off
Crazy Bones - B1G1 50% Off
Crayola Arts And Crafts Sets - 50% Off
Crayola Color Wonder Sets - 50% Off
Deal Or No Deal Board Game - 50% Off
Disney Wheel Of Fortune Board Game - 50% Off
Gnip Gnop Board Game - 50% Off
Ker Plunk Board Game - 50% Off
Othello Board Game - 50% Off
Pokemon, Club Penguin Or Yu-Gi-Oh! Booster Packs - B1G1 50% Off
Style Six Fashion Set - B1G1 50% Off *
Thomas The Tank Engine Bike - 50% Off *
Thomas The Tank Scooter - 50% Off *
Wii Fit Accessories - 50% Off *


To help you get better organized for the new year, along with a few freebies and coupons, are some free calendars:

Free 2010 calendar from Jump Start Coalition:
http://www.jumpstartcoalition.org/calendarrequest.cfm

Free 2010 calendar from Oriental Trading, which includes:
* A special money-saving offer for you each month!
* New tips & idea starters to help you plan fun events all year long!
* Shopping reminders for guaranteed holiday delivery.
* Tons of unique dates to celebrate every month, such as "National Ice Cream Day!"
ttp://www.orientaltrading.com/...

And when you’re done with all of that shopping, relax in your favorite chair, light a free candle and read a free magazine:

Beauty Herbal Spa offers free Christmas herbal candle from their salon so that you can test candles out and see how you like it.
http://beautyherbalspa.com/GiftIdeasChristmas.html

For a limited time, receive your own FREE subscription to Successful Living Magazine!

http://www.successfulliving.com/subscribe


Enjoy this week with your loved ones and remember to take some time to offer thanks for all that you DO have.


Happy Thanksgiving!
CENTSerely,
Sister Thrifty

November deals

Since 2007, November means Daylight Savings begins.  November is now also officially “Movember” ….that is to say that men are wearing mustaches in support of prostate and testicular cancer research.  Wow, I’m glad we girls only have to wear a pink ribbon to show support for breast cancer research! 

You’re probably gearing up for Thanksgiving as well.  Here are some great web sites where you can find deals on turkeys and all the fixins, plus a few other fun Thanksgiving items:

www.SmithsFoodAndDrug.com/Circulars    coupons on turkeys and the fixins

www.BettyCrocker.com   free recipes, coupons

www.Pillsbury.com     free recipes, coupons

www.thanksgivingworld.com   all things Turkey Day

www.thanksgivinggreetings.net      free e-cards

www.theholidayspot.com/thankgiving/games    free Thanksgiving games

www.tnpsc.com/thanksgiving.htm    free Thanksgiving screensavers

And what happens the day after Thanksgiving?   The famous BLACK FRIDAY!  In a new retail development, Black Friday deals will be available from now throughout the remainder of the holiday season.

This change comes in the aftermath of Black Friday 2008 when a Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death by a mob of riotous shoppers in New York.

Wal-Mart in particular will be keeping a majority of its stores open 24 hours this year to avert a similar disaster. The mega-retailer plans to open on Thanksgiving morning at 6 a.m. and keep stores open through Friday evening.

But there's no need to wait until then to steal a deal. Retailers are rolling out the deals right now. For example, I saw a laptop at Best Buy for $249 – without standing in the cold or checkout in a long line. It was part of a one-day sale that Best Buy was having to kick off the Black Friday shopping season.

Find more Black Friday deals right now at these websites:

• BlackFriday.info
• GottaDeal.com
• BFAds.net

CENTSerely,
Sister Thrifty