Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.
Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.
Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.
Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.
HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.
HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.
HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.
GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.
Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.
Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.
Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
ernest said 9:07AM on 2-19-2009
this is a very good site it has help me to a great extent. but i will like to know how to identify a valid credit card.
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chopstick said 1:32PM on 9-14-2009
i say good on em everyone like a bit free cash every now and then so why not if you know how to do it go for it u are only taking off the rich to feed the poor good on ye
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vicki said 8:55AM on 8-03-2007
You would think that they could figure some way to keep your money safe in this day and age. I am going back to checks!!!
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Alex said 9:44AM on 8-03-2007
Just like cracking the WWII Enigma code, the credit card is a hurdle sooner, or , later will be conquered. It takes man to devise such technology, which he will hopefully improve in the near future to get a jump on hackers.
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Tom said 9:55AM on 8-03-2007
It seems to me that the consumer is responsible for far too much. Banks and other financial institutions send out millions of unsolicited credit card offers in the mail each day. I get several each week and as a postal employee, see people get hundreds in our little area. It just doesn't seem fair that our congress passed laws making the consumer responsible for identity theft. It seems to me that these financial institutions should be responsible for any theft. They are the ones that send these cards to the wrong people. When I get an unsolicited credit card offer, I write void on it and write please remove me from your mailing list and return it to the sender, at their expense. I still get many offers, but not as many as I did in the past.
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Tooters said 10:01AM on 8-03-2007
Tom, there's a website address that lets you get off of all the credit card solicitation lists. Wish I could remember it!! It's something with OPT OUT in it. I use to get 20 a week and now only get a couple. Does anybody know what it is?
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Peg said 10:10AM on 8-03-2007
The link to opt out of the pre-approved credit cards is
http://maxcredit.net/credit/opting-out
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justalil said 10:11AM on 8-03-2007
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=opt+out+of+credit+cards
in reply to the opting out of credit cards...not sure which one it is, but im gonna go look NOW.
so tired of shredding all the offers i get every day.
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Darlene said 11:01AM on 8-03-2007
The web site is www.optout.com and I think it allows you to opt out of credit card and unsolicited credit offers for up to two years, after which you have to go back to the web site and reenter your info.
I have opted out of these credit card offers, but still receive some. I do the same thing with these as a prior writer: I write "VOID" on the offer, tell them to take me off their mailing list, and mail back in their postage-paid envelope. I figure if they are going to break the law they should pay the 41 cents and whatever manpower costs it takes to open and process what they hoped was a "bite".
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curtis_e_karr said 10:20AM on 8-03-2007
Tooters that web address that you refer to is this: www.optoutprescreen.com
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MLR said 10:23AM on 8-03-2007
I agree with Alex on the point that hackers will continue to attack technology, to break through the protections and steal-- it's their livelihood, albeit illegal. And it's contingent on the CC companies to keep one step ahead of them, which you'd hope they'd try harder at.
I do take exception to the Enigma analogy-- we hardly "conquered" Germany's Enigma code, we simply captured an intact decoding machine that allowed us to decipher every message the Germans sent. Even when they figured out we were breaking the code and added another wheel to their machines, we had a huge head start on cracking the more complex codes...
But I do agree on the general point.
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Jason said 10:24AM on 8-03-2007
Vicki:
Going back to Checks isn't the best way to avoid being defrauded. Checks can be stolen or copied just as easily as anything else. All someone needs is your routing number, your account number and then a check printer which can be purchased nearly anywhere and they're more than likely going to be able to print off checks in your name and get at your money. Couple these scenarios with fake IDs which have always been fairly easy to get for anyone who wants to get them and you're at just as much risk using checks if not more. At least with most VISA debit cards you're not responsible for unauthorized purchases.
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JIM said 10:38AM on 8-03-2007
GO TO:
WWW.ZERCO.COM
THEFT PROOF CREDIT CARD
BEING USED BY OTHER NATIONS
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J Dees said 11:13AM on 8-03-2007
Don't give out your S.S number.
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DOVE said 12:08PM on 8-03-2007
I WISH WE COULD ALL GET RID OF OUR CC'S AND JUST USE CHECKS OR DEBIT CARDS. HOWEVER, I TRIED THAT AND MANY, MANY, PLACES WOULD NOT ACCEPT, CHECKS, CASH, OR DEBIT CARDS. IT AS IF UNLESS YOU HAVE A CC YOU CANNOT NOT TRAVEL, OR DO MANY OTHER THINGS.
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Carolyn said 11:40AM on 8-03-2007
MLR
It seems to me if the CC companies were held responsible for the fraud/identity theft then the CC companies would be more inclined to try harder to stay a step ahead.
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IMA GENE said 11:43AM on 8-03-2007
MAYBE THE ONLY SAFE WAY IS WHEN YOU PLAN TO BUY
SOMETHING YOU HAVE ENOUGH CASH ON HAND TO PAY
FOR IT.
OUR SOCIETY HAS BECOME TOO DEPENDENT ON CREDIT
CARDS, DEBIT CARDS, ETC.
WHEN I GET AN UNSOLICITED CREDIT CARD, I SIMPLY
SHRED IT, PUT IT BACK IN THE PREPAID ENVELOPE
AND SEND IT BACK TO SENDER.
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Paula said 11:50AM on 8-03-2007
the person who said they are going back to checks is sadly mistaken if they think that checks are somehow safer thqn credit cards. the fact is,that everything a thief needs to steal a person's money is right ther on your check. Your name, address, many times the phone number AND most importantly, your routing number and account number. And it can all be done electronically. I worked in the bank for a number of years and I saw how incredibly easy it is to take money out of a person's account. I suggest bill pay. Why? because it is anonymous and the bank will go to bat for you if there is ever an issue.
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Lee Moorhead said 12:06PM on 8-03-2007
I think credit card companies should be able to put your most current photo on your credit card just like a driver's license. Hard to fake a face.
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RAMISki said 12:27AM on 8-24-2007
Nothing will ever change unless computer hacking, identity theft, credit card fraud, welfare fraud, Medicare and Medicaid fraud, and check fraud are handled by the citizens who get fed up with our corrupt, self-serving, profiteering legal system. If the people will impose summary execution in ALL these cases, including pedophilia (for good measure), there would be some hope for a decent world.
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