Bankrate got shoppers to share their Black Friday secrets.

If you shop this day, what are your secrets for getting the good deals? What is the best deal you have ever made?

I really get better deals by waiting for "cyber Monday". I have scored some reasonable deals on black Fridays, but none stand out as memorable. I do remember the countless times I've had my heart set on a certain offer, only to find they're sold out by the time I get to that aisle. Times like that the traffic, long waits in the parking lot, not to find an ideal spot, but stuck waiting in the parking lot sandwiched between cars.. the throng of people pushing in the stores, long lines at the checkout just not worth it. It is only marginally worth all that if they do have the item in stock when I get to it, and I would arrive as early as the rest. So nowadays, I'm done, and wait for Monday, or the before Christmas/post Christmas sales. Nowadays they seem to have fewer and fewer of their deals available.. like only 15 or so.

Wait until the week before Christmas. Many stores offer free shipping that week, and prices are slashed to the bone because most states tax companies on their inventories as of 12/31. Last year, I purchased a 4GB/500GB HD laptop, new, $329, no tax, free shipping, and it still arrived before Christmas.

littlepitcher:

Many stores offer free shipping that week

I wouldn't rely on getting something in by Christmas but this is a great idea for things we may need or to put gifts aside for upcoming birthdays or next Christmas.

 

I generally don't bother with Black Friday for the same reasons listed earlier, but I do usually head out to Target mid-morning or later after the rush. One year I picked up a dual screen portable DVD player for $77. This year, we went to Toys R Us in the afternoon and amazingly got the 2 toys we wanted. I was figuring everything in the sale ad would be gone. We also got out of there fairly quickly even though it was still very crowded.

23456:

I generally don't bother with Black Friday for the same reasons listed earlier, but I do usually head out to Target mid-morning or later after the rush. One year I picked up a dual screen portable DVD player for $77. This year, we went to Toys R Us in the afternoon and amazingly got the 2 toys we wanted. I was figuring everything in the sale ad would be gone. We also got out of there fairly quickly even though it was still very crowded.

 

Sounds kinda like what I do. Good deal on the dvd player they usally are like way more then that.