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 7)
Lynn said 4:59PM on 5-15-2008
I think it's ironic that her name is Sharon Osborn.
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patti said 5:48PM on 5-15-2008
any woman or man that cheats is a worthless piece of -hit.they deserve to be put out on streets. or anything else that happens to them. maybe even get hit by a greyhound bus
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Bubbas Wife said 11:59PM on 5-17-2008
OMG I agree with Patti, I think men should be shot and have their wankers cut off!! My husband is 11 years younger then me .. Mt John Casey and we have great sex BUT sex is not what a relationship is all about, even bad sex can be something that is worked on and made better .. Cheating is not the answer, you want better sex FIX YOUR SPOUSE DO NOT CHEAT ... PATTI I agree with you 110% ... John your a jerk and you need to grow up .. Karma is a b*tch Mr John Casy, it will bite you back ... WHAT COMES AROUND, GOES AROUND!!
Alaine said 3:17AM on 5-18-2008
Bet John cannot please a woman in bed that's why he thinks they're such a waste of time and boring. If a man is pleasing a woman, trust me, she won't be boring!!! So, John, seems the problems is you. Please don't take it out on women cuz you're not a real man who can get a woman excited enough! Maybe your just too little. Although, it's not your fault, please don't displace your anger problems...it's not the women whom you cannot please's fault either...please don't be so angry at them for your incompetence....or should I say impotence...lol. Btw, judging from your post, you certainly are no "real man"! Maybe you think women are a waste of time cuz you'd rather be with a man...?? Maybe in denial of the fact that you're gay...???
retro77 said 6:46PM on 5-15-2008
I should do this to my ex [still technically married but she lives with he new BF].
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David Martin said 8:49PM on 5-15-2008
I see stuff like this and the religious crazies in this country are worried about gays destroying marriage. What a screwed up society we live in
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Mischa said 10:24PM on 5-15-2008
You know, while I think that cheaters are the scum of the earth next to killers, rapists, molesters and drunk drivers, this was pretty uncouth.
You would not leave old underwear outside. Likewise, metaphorical dirty laundry should be kept indoors as well.
It makes you look petty, and while it may seem fun at first, you could be in for it if he/she sees. Harassment lawsuits can get pretty dicey, even over something so juvenile.
And since this is now on AOL news, she will probably see.
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john said 3:36AM on 5-16-2008
This is so funny. I know a woman who dated a married man for 2 years and wondered why he could not be seen in public with her and only dated her on Thursday nights. He complained when she bought clothes with his credit cards. He would not answer her on the cell phone for weeks at at time....maybe his wife was the reason. LOL!!!!!!
What a total loser she turned out to be. She married this guy thinking....oh he has big bucks in the bank....until the ex-wife sucked him dry in court. He lost a million dollar home in one year that he bought the new wife and is living with the 'new girl' in a rental house and is cheating now on her as well. Bet that wont last. LOL !!!!!
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warmblueoceans said 10:23AM on 5-16-2008
I feel bad for the children.
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sallahdog said 10:47AM on 5-16-2008
While I think this is better than beating her up, or driving a car through the house, or one of the millions of other ways people punish each other. I just wish these folks (and I include the wife who cheated instead of leaving the marriage) would think of the kids they brought into the middle of this mess. They didn't ask for it, and some one should buck up and do whats right, rather than play these petty bs games with each other...
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ed said 8:17PM on 6-23-2008
Remarkably, she did not think about her kids, or his when she had this affair. She was prepared to damage them significantly, I find the argument that he hurt the kids by exposing the affair, pointless.
Colin Diamond Daniel said 10:50AM on 5-16-2008
should have put C.J. up for sale on e-bay along with her lesbian lover E.B. and the boyfriend they both shared, 3 for 1, what a dealexcept for feeding E.B. how do fill up a wharehouse that weighs over 300,, 2 of them don't have a job but C.J. works for dillards, that's a plus, clerking at the mall what a deal
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Kemetica said 11:08AM on 5-16-2008
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! HOOOOOHHOOOOOOHHAAAAAA..cough!! Cough!! HAHAHAHAHHOOOOOHOOOO!!!
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Teresa said 2:07PM on 6-23-2008
Besides the fact there are children involved, this cracked me up. And they say there is nothing worse than a scorned woman.
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Rickie said 8:56AM on 5-17-2008
What ever hapened to gathering evidence and then confronting the involved parties so they can admit or deny their indescretions? It seems like nobody wants to actually get to the bottom of it. It's like they don't want to know the truth, and are more satisfied just argueing!
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Amber said 11:16AM on 5-16-2008
WTG to the HUSBAND...
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wild bill said 11:38AM on 5-16-2008
more nonsense...legally he had better options,i wonder if he's taking advantage of them..
he seems like a dufus though...and in today's society...who the hell cares about monagamy...
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ckeagle8 said 3:08PM on 5-16-2008
People with morals and values
Messa said 11:45AM on 5-16-2008
Oh please, get over it....There are a lot of things worse in this world than sleeping with someone other than your S.O......like sleeping with someone who lied about weapons of mass destruction, for instance.....or how about sleeping with someone who has had thousands of American soldiers killed for oil?....Yes, there are a LOT of things worse than sleeping with someone other than your loved one.
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aries said 12:42PM on 5-16-2008
Messa, you may not think the cheating thing is so bad in the scheme of things but maybe you haven't been there. And maybe you haven't gotten an std that will forever be with you and compromise your health from the person who cheated on you. And maybe this won't ruin most of your new relationships or forever follow you for the rest of your life. It would have been nice to have been given the choice of leaving before the deed was done instead of having to live like this. So, if all this hasn't happened to you, you are a lucky girl, but others aren't so lucky. Please don't downplay this as just a trivial thing