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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
mary said 4:44PM on 1-23-2008
I think this is a great idea. I live in Florida and it is the same here. So much to do outside, but the youth of today are inside on the computer, watching tv, etc. Bring the classroom outside for a change, there is some much to learn when we go "outside the BOX"
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Steve Hochman said 3:00PM on 1-23-2008
Tax the shit out of everyone in everyway possible. Tax the people who use the park. Tax the shoes that they walk on in the park. Install pay toilets. Tax them . $10.00 to take a shit and $5.00 to pee.Tax Gov.Richardson for all the hot air bull shit that comes out of his mouth.
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geoff groedner said 2:57PM on 1-23-2008
If they raised the tax to 15%, there would be enough money for someone to invent the BOOK. This book would have things called pages that would have printed words that could inform, motivate and be interesting. Then Capt. Gorp would know how to free the Nonfartigans from the Gleeks, just in time for the Spring dance.
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wraub said 3:07PM on 1-23-2008
As someone who has to make POS (cash register) systems work I detest these silly type of taxes. We have to set aside a silly class of items to get special treatment. Then, the tax authority has to set aside a silly class to cllect a special tax. I'll almost venture that the cost to business and the state will be greater than the tax collected.
Oh, this concept of another sin tax is silly too.
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JREDClimber said 3:07PM on 1-23-2008
While it is commendable to encourage youth to spend time in the outdoors, especially with the abundance of enjoyable public lands in New Mexico, adding a 1% tax to the sale of video games and televisions are only going to make those products more expensive. It is the parents who need to be taking their kids to the National and State Parks, it is the parents who need to be telling their kids to get off the couch and get outside, it is the parents who need to restrict television and video game use.
I grew up not far from a few wonderful places to spend time outdoors, I love hiking, climbing, and camping, but I enjoyed my times of playing video games. Increasing the cost of televisions and video games wouldn’t have affected me, compelling me to go outside; it would affect my parents who bought the TV in the first place.
Would increasing the cost of $500 in gaming equipment to $505 really impact me? Unlikely. Would the total of all the television and video gaming purchases in New Mexico be a nice addition to some government official’s budget be nice, certainly! The question is, should they be receiving additional money for encouraging that, or should they just add it to the list of worthless initiatives they already suggest to educators, who merely ignore them?
Why add another tax when the current system could merely refocus its attention on what is currently available? Sierra Club is right in pushing for the youth to have outdoor classroom experiences, but adding one or two field trips a year to some park isn’t going to reduce the obesity or number of diabetics in the state. Most of the tax money is going to get spent overseeing a new program, not getting the kids outside.
I propose that parents receive a tax credit of 1% on purchases if they register their children in an outdoor program that organizations (such as the Parks, the YMCA, Girl and Boy Scouts) currently have that get the kids active and outside and document attendance to outdoor or physical activities. The programs are already there, and have volunteer staff or currently paid staff. This will provide families with more money to spend (boosting the economy) and will motivate them to get their kids to these activities. Why should the government be teaching our kids what parents and community members can teach even better?
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deb said 3:12PM on 1-23-2008
if you want to reduce the price of the video games from the current ridiculous price of $50-60 down to a more resonable $25-30, i will be willing to pay 5% of the lesser if it will shut these people up.
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christine said 3:34PM on 1-23-2008
why are they putting a tax on video games?? The parents pay for the games, not the kids. Tax the kids!
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MyKisa said 4:53PM on 1-23-2008
We need Fair Tax. Fair Tax.Org
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Jason said 3:45PM on 1-23-2008
Okay, so when are they going to start taxing books? Are they going to put special taxes on computer software that people need to use for a living (like me, I'm a medical transcriptionist)? I sit at my computer for hours a day with this job. They better not start taxing my stuff. I live in Michigan, and to be honest, I'm surprised this hasn't happened here yet. We pay enough taxes. Maybe, instead of introducing new taxes, New Mexico lawmakers could take paycuts and stop the pork-barrel spending. That would give them enough money to fund the exact same thing they want to fund with the new tax money.
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Nicole said 4:19PM on 1-23-2008
This tax is ridiculous~! It's the parents duty to make sure their child is getting enough activity, blaming video games isn't going to solve the problem. I am not a gamer, but this is just too much! Whats next taxing people for being overweight? Come on!
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John said 3:55PM on 1-23-2008
When does the tax on the air we breath start?
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Jonathan said 4:05PM on 1-23-2008
Yea, because we NEED more taxes. Video Game tax? When they said Freedom isn't free they were right. It's taxed.
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MWB said 4:22PM on 1-23-2008
Take take take, its never ever give...Our govt. is full of evil greedy people...
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shrivie65 said 4:25PM on 1-23-2008
If you don't use my products or services, then I am going to tax you. That is plain extortion. Encouraging young people to go to public parks are fine but this isn't the way to do it. This is just a reason to steal more of our money and the main reason why the government needs to be redone.
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PJ said 4:43PM on 1-23-2008
Typical of the Sierra Club and others of their ilk.
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xcarebearxoxo said 4:44PM on 1-23-2008
i think this is actually great. look at our children half of them dont leave the tv or video games, and the parents do need to make them see what is outside. if this stops one kid from making a hobby out of video games im for it. what happend to the days where sunday afternoons were spent at the park?
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doc said 4:54PM on 1-23-2008
John says:
When does the tax on the air we breath start?
01/23/08 3:55 PM
as soon as the democrats can sneak a tax like that in on us, they will.
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Gulcomp said 5:29PM on 1-23-2008
Only those who have no ideas on how to fix the problems that they have created resort to taxation .Vote these "Tax-addict" clowns out of office and replace them with honest and more competent ones. We do not need more taxes over and above the ones we are already paying to get the children involved in outdoor activities. Parents must be responsible for their children's health. Get these idiotic lawmakers off our private life. Let's cut the BS once and for all.
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Jo fatala said 5:23PM on 1-23-2008
AND THE LIB-DEMO/NAZI RICHARDSON WANTED TO BE PRESIDENT SO HE COULD TAX YOU EVEN MORE !!!
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Sue said 6:01PM on 1-23-2008
I've got a better idea - let's tax politicians for the privilege of running for office before they get to tell us all what to do for a few years. We, the citizens of this country, would get at least one useful thing from our public officials
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