I spent less, because the I spent less, because the deals were not as great for me, and I’m getting old…I’d rathre spend more money without the crowds and stampedes.
jpinpb
November 30, 2008 @
4:39 PM
How about adding yes b/c How about adding yes b/c you’re not a consumer 🙂
Daniel
November 30, 2008 @
4:46 PM
Neither more nor less. I Neither more nor less. I spent zero, which is exactly the same sum as last year and the year before… 🙂
meadandale
November 30, 2008 @
6:11 PM
I spent exactly $0…. I spent exactly $0….
desmond
December 1, 2008 @
9:22 AM
I did buy a GPS, Garmin 60CSX I did buy a GPS, Garmin 60CSX $299, from Sports Chalet. I sat on my ass all weekend trying to figure it out.
(former)FormerSanDiegan
December 1, 2008 @
10:05 AM
If you are talking about If you are talking about gifts I spent the same as last year : $0
(and the year before that, and the year before that)
However, we did spend some money on eating out.
UCGal
December 1, 2008 @
11:28 AM
Daniel wrote:Neither more nor [quote=Daniel]Neither more nor less. I spent zero, which is exactly the same sum as last year and the year before… 🙂 [/quote]
This is me. I don’t see the draw of black friday – too crowded for not very good savings.
I also suspect that this year the sales/discounts will get BETTER as we get closer to Christmas.
fredo4
December 1, 2008 @
11:35 AM
I usually don’t go out b/c of I usually don’t go out b/c of the crowds but this year I went out the day after on Saturday and found a cute pair of Vans for my daughter for 10 bucks. They’re usually $40 so that’s really good.
stockstradr
December 1, 2008 @
1:25 PM
My wife and I went out at 6 My wife and I went out at 6 AM on Black Friday, and we found the Early Bird specials NOT as good as last year.
And that was as expected. I hatched a theory about a month ago on how this holiday season would play out.
My prediction was that retailers started out so gloom-and-doom this year that they ordered FAR LESS inventory than last year, so they opened the season and on Black Friday with less aggressive sale prices, having less inventory to unload this year. So far, seems that theory is right.
Last year they had loaded up on considerable inventory ahead of what they thought would be a great holiday season. Then they did an “oh shit” when initial numbers were not so good, at which point they switched to offering the most significantly reduced sale prices I have ever seen in any holiday season in my entire life. Even one year later I remain amazed at the incredible sale prices we got last year on Black Friday. We got most everything at least 70% off retail on most items, all bought as early bird specials before noon on Black Friday last year.
This year the news media way exaggerated the sales discounts, claiming the discounting was much greater than we actually found it to be on Black Friday. NO way was this year better than last year, except maybe for a few very select categories. For example, the Blu-Ray players and the LCD TV’s were heavily discounted this year.
While the stores were INSANELY busy this year on Black Friday….in the days after, the true state of economy was revealed. Going back out in days following Black Friday, on Sat and Sun we found major shopping mall parking lots and stores basically EMPTY here in Silicon Valley. On Black Friday at Kohl’s I had to wait an hour in line just to pay for an item. In the same store the next day on Saturday, I walked up to the checkout counter to find nobody in line.
stockstradr
December 1, 2008 @
1:51 PM
Here is a question to Here is a question to everyone on here: do you know how to “work the system” to get incredible deals on Black Friday?
Last year I realized that most people I knew from friends to coworkers had stayed home on Black Friday, so they missed out on some of the best sale prices I had seen in at least ten years. After chatting with them I realized that most simply didn’t know the deals that can be had by “working the system” to the fullest.
Here is an example of how to work the system, taking Kohl’s as an example
1) Always cancel your retail credit cards immediately after the holiday season. That way next year you can get the 20% discount for opening a “new” charge card, a discount you can triple up with others on Black Friday. Yes, many stores only let you pull this trick every two years, so you stagger your family members doing this so each year, at least one of you can get that 20% off discount.
2) Get to the stores at 6 AM on Black Friday to get the 60% and 70% off early bird specials.
3) Triple down with the 20% Kohl’s cash back ($10 for every $50 spent)
OK, so add up the figures. See how you can “work the system.”
My friends buy a $40 dress shirt for $40. They are stupid. Here’s what we do.
On Black Friday, at least last year, those men’s dress shirts were 70% off, so $12. Then we get another 20% for having opened the charge card that day. Now the price is down to $9.60, but I also get the $10 Kohl’s cash back for every $50 spent.
So effectively yah get that $40 shirt for about $8.
How can you beat those prices! For God’s sake, in CHINA on Silk Street, I could maybe get a knock-off of that shirt for $6 but then half the buttons would fall off after the first washing!
cr
December 1, 2008 @
2:05 PM
Or shop at a thrift store and Or shop at a thrift store and get it for $3.
stockstradr
December 1, 2008 @
2:33 PM
>>Or shop at a thrift store >>Or shop at a thrift store and get it for $3.
Well, if I lose my job then MAYBE I’ll drag myself to a thift store; otherwise, forget it.
What are you kidding? I make drop-offs of donations at thrift stores; I don’t shop at them.
Coronita
December 2, 2008 @
12:22 AM
stockstradr wrote:My wife and [quote=stockstradr]My wife and I went out at 6 AM on Black Friday, and we found the Early Bird specials NOT as good as last year.
And that was as expected. I hatched a theory about a month ago on how this holiday season would play out.
My prediction was that retailers started out so gloom-and-doom this year that they ordered FAR LESS inventory than last year, so they opened the season and on Black Friday with less aggressive sale prices, having less inventory to unload this year. So far, seems that theory is right.
Last year they had loaded up on considerable inventory ahead of what they thought would be a great holiday season. Then they did an “oh shit” when initial numbers were not so good, at which point they switched to offering the most significantly reduced sale prices I have ever seen in any holiday season in my entire life. Even one year later I remain amazed at the incredible sale prices we got last year on Black Friday. We got most everything at least 70% off retail on most items, all bought as early bird specials before noon on Black Friday last year.
This year the news media way exaggerated the sales discounts, claiming the discounting was much greater than we actually found it to be on Black Friday. NO way was this year better than last year, except maybe for a few very select categories. For example, the Blu-Ray players and the LCD TV’s were heavily discounted this year.
While the stores were INSANELY busy this year on Black Friday….in the days after, the true state of economy was revealed. Going back out in days following Black Friday, on Sat and Sun we found major shopping mall parking lots and stores basically EMPTY here in Silicon Valley. On Black Friday at Kohl’s I had to wait an hour in line just to pay for an item. In the same store the next day on Saturday, I walked up to the checkout counter to find nobody in line. [/quote]
You could have learned that from looking at the ads.
🙂
What’s your wife standing in line on a friday when you have a kid???Priorities priorities.
sfexporter
December 1, 2008 @
6:40 PM
Didn’t get up that early but Didn’t get up that early but did stop by Staple around 9:00AM to pick up a 8G jumpdrive for $12.00. The place was pretty much empty with lots of deal left to be had. The cashier said this year was much slower than previous years.
PCinSD
December 1, 2008 @
8:59 PM
Somebody here (maybe FLU?) Somebody here (maybe FLU?) recommended a site called edealinfo.com. I check it out now and then and see what appear to be good deals. On Saturday I bought a 1G mp3 player for $13.99. It’ll be my first mp3 player. There’s a bluetooth earpiece for $9.95 that I might get. Finally, Cabela’s has a $125 Camelback going for $29.99. I’m in the market for a laptop but was thinking I’d wait until after Christmas and hopefully get a better deal.
CardiffBaseball
December 1, 2008 @
10:42 PM
Fatwallet and slickdeals are Fatwallet and slickdeals are sites you should always check if you really want something.
My wife has the fortitude to do stuff like this so she bought a pressure cooker, and a couple of the video games the kids wanted were $30 so she grabbed those.
The only thing I spent money on were two Fatheads for my office at work which currently has bare walls. I bought the Lebron James and Grady Sizemore fatheads for $33 for the pair, which was heavily discounted (normally $129 apiece).. So to get two for $33 was great. Both of these were in the top 12 sellers so my guess is they were clearing some inventory, for a new version coming out, however if not for Fatwallet, I wouldn’t have thought to check that site. They opened the site at Midnight PST and those two were sold out by 3:00.
Most fatwallet and slickdeals veterans of black friday said this T-giving sucked for deals on lcd and plasma TVs. I’ve never seen those sites so down on Black Friday. Now the common man still went out but many many cheap folks sat this one out.
Coronita
December 2, 2008 @
12:14 AM
pabloesqobar wrote:Somebody [quote=pabloesqobar]Somebody here (maybe FLU?) recommended a site called edealinfo.com. I check it out now and then and see what appear to be good deals. On Saturday I bought a 1G mp3 player for $13.99. It’ll be my first mp3 player. There’s a bluetooth earpiece for $9.95 that I might get. Finally, Cabela’s has a $125 Camelback going for $29.99. I’m in the market for a laptop but was thinking I’d wait until after Christmas and hopefully get a better deal.[/quote]
Wasn’t me. I recommended geeks.com (in oceanside btw)
Coronita
December 2, 2008 @
12:33 AM
Quote:
1) Always cancel your [quote]
1) Always cancel your retail credit cards immediately after the holiday season. That way next year you can get the 20% discount for opening a “new” charge card, a discount you can triple up with others on Black Friday. Yes, many stores only let you pull this trick every two years, so you stagger your family members doing this so each year, at least one of you can get that 20% off discount.
2) Get to the stores at 6 AM on Black Friday to get the 60% and 70% off early bird specials.
3) Triple down with the 20% Kohl’s cash back ($10 for every $50 spent)
OK, so add up the figures. See how you can “work the system.”
[/quote]
You call *that* working the system?
Learn my young skywalker…
Take your 20% discount coupon from bed bath and beyond and buy the most expensive regular priced item.
Then return the same item and forget to bring your receipt….
Try the same thing a Baby R Us with a stroller or something else equally expensive.
Better yet, for a wedding or baby shower, register at Bed Bath and Beyond and/or Baby R Us.
Then after you get all your gifts from there, RETURN EVERYTHING, no receipt. Then buy everything back with all the 20% coupons you get weekly from BBB (which despite their printed expiration dates are NEVER enforced in the store) or you get from Baby R Us when you subscribe to their mailing list….
CBad
December 2, 2008 @
12:38 AM
$0 this year, $0 last year, $0 this year, $0 last year, $0 the year before that…..I’m comfortable paying any premium to avoid black Friday or any busy shopping experience in life. I’d prefer to never shop if I had the choice.
November 30, 2008 @ 2:47 PM
I spent less, because the
I spent less, because the deals were not as great for me, and I’m getting old…I’d rathre spend more money without the crowds and stampedes.
November 30, 2008 @ 4:39 PM
How about adding yes b/c
How about adding yes b/c you’re not a consumer 🙂
November 30, 2008 @ 4:46 PM
Neither more nor less. I
Neither more nor less. I spent zero, which is exactly the same sum as last year and the year before… 🙂
November 30, 2008 @ 6:11 PM
I spent exactly $0….
I spent exactly $0….
December 1, 2008 @ 9:22 AM
I did buy a GPS, Garmin 60CSX
I did buy a GPS, Garmin 60CSX $299, from Sports Chalet. I sat on my ass all weekend trying to figure it out.
December 1, 2008 @ 10:05 AM
If you are talking about
If you are talking about gifts I spent the same as last year : $0
(and the year before that, and the year before that)
However, we did spend some money on eating out.
December 1, 2008 @ 11:28 AM
Daniel wrote:Neither more nor
[quote=Daniel]Neither more nor less. I spent zero, which is exactly the same sum as last year and the year before… 🙂 [/quote]
This is me. I don’t see the draw of black friday – too crowded for not very good savings.
I also suspect that this year the sales/discounts will get BETTER as we get closer to Christmas.
December 1, 2008 @ 11:35 AM
I usually don’t go out b/c of
I usually don’t go out b/c of the crowds but this year I went out the day after on Saturday and found a cute pair of Vans for my daughter for 10 bucks. They’re usually $40 so that’s really good.
December 1, 2008 @ 1:25 PM
My wife and I went out at 6
My wife and I went out at 6 AM on Black Friday, and we found the Early Bird specials NOT as good as last year.
And that was as expected. I hatched a theory about a month ago on how this holiday season would play out.
My prediction was that retailers started out so gloom-and-doom this year that they ordered FAR LESS inventory than last year, so they opened the season and on Black Friday with less aggressive sale prices, having less inventory to unload this year. So far, seems that theory is right.
Last year they had loaded up on considerable inventory ahead of what they thought would be a great holiday season. Then they did an “oh shit” when initial numbers were not so good, at which point they switched to offering the most significantly reduced sale prices I have ever seen in any holiday season in my entire life. Even one year later I remain amazed at the incredible sale prices we got last year on Black Friday. We got most everything at least 70% off retail on most items, all bought as early bird specials before noon on Black Friday last year.
This year the news media way exaggerated the sales discounts, claiming the discounting was much greater than we actually found it to be on Black Friday. NO way was this year better than last year, except maybe for a few very select categories. For example, the Blu-Ray players and the LCD TV’s were heavily discounted this year.
While the stores were INSANELY busy this year on Black Friday….in the days after, the true state of economy was revealed. Going back out in days following Black Friday, on Sat and Sun we found major shopping mall parking lots and stores basically EMPTY here in Silicon Valley. On Black Friday at Kohl’s I had to wait an hour in line just to pay for an item. In the same store the next day on Saturday, I walked up to the checkout counter to find nobody in line.
December 1, 2008 @ 1:51 PM
Here is a question to
Here is a question to everyone on here: do you know how to “work the system” to get incredible deals on Black Friday?
Last year I realized that most people I knew from friends to coworkers had stayed home on Black Friday, so they missed out on some of the best sale prices I had seen in at least ten years. After chatting with them I realized that most simply didn’t know the deals that can be had by “working the system” to the fullest.
Here is an example of how to work the system, taking Kohl’s as an example
1) Always cancel your retail credit cards immediately after the holiday season. That way next year you can get the 20% discount for opening a “new” charge card, a discount you can triple up with others on Black Friday. Yes, many stores only let you pull this trick every two years, so you stagger your family members doing this so each year, at least one of you can get that 20% off discount.
2) Get to the stores at 6 AM on Black Friday to get the 60% and 70% off early bird specials.
3) Triple down with the 20% Kohl’s cash back ($10 for every $50 spent)
OK, so add up the figures. See how you can “work the system.”
My friends buy a $40 dress shirt for $40. They are stupid. Here’s what we do.
On Black Friday, at least last year, those men’s dress shirts were 70% off, so $12. Then we get another 20% for having opened the charge card that day. Now the price is down to $9.60, but I also get the $10 Kohl’s cash back for every $50 spent.
So effectively yah get that $40 shirt for about $8.
How can you beat those prices! For God’s sake, in CHINA on Silk Street, I could maybe get a knock-off of that shirt for $6 but then half the buttons would fall off after the first washing!
December 1, 2008 @ 2:05 PM
Or shop at a thrift store and
Or shop at a thrift store and get it for $3.
December 1, 2008 @ 2:33 PM
>>Or shop at a thrift store
>>Or shop at a thrift store and get it for $3.
Well, if I lose my job then MAYBE I’ll drag myself to a thift store; otherwise, forget it.
What are you kidding? I make drop-offs of donations at thrift stores; I don’t shop at them.
December 2, 2008 @ 12:22 AM
stockstradr wrote:My wife and
[quote=stockstradr]My wife and I went out at 6 AM on Black Friday, and we found the Early Bird specials NOT as good as last year.
And that was as expected. I hatched a theory about a month ago on how this holiday season would play out.
My prediction was that retailers started out so gloom-and-doom this year that they ordered FAR LESS inventory than last year, so they opened the season and on Black Friday with less aggressive sale prices, having less inventory to unload this year. So far, seems that theory is right.
Last year they had loaded up on considerable inventory ahead of what they thought would be a great holiday season. Then they did an “oh shit” when initial numbers were not so good, at which point they switched to offering the most significantly reduced sale prices I have ever seen in any holiday season in my entire life. Even one year later I remain amazed at the incredible sale prices we got last year on Black Friday. We got most everything at least 70% off retail on most items, all bought as early bird specials before noon on Black Friday last year.
This year the news media way exaggerated the sales discounts, claiming the discounting was much greater than we actually found it to be on Black Friday. NO way was this year better than last year, except maybe for a few very select categories. For example, the Blu-Ray players and the LCD TV’s were heavily discounted this year.
While the stores were INSANELY busy this year on Black Friday….in the days after, the true state of economy was revealed. Going back out in days following Black Friday, on Sat and Sun we found major shopping mall parking lots and stores basically EMPTY here in Silicon Valley. On Black Friday at Kohl’s I had to wait an hour in line just to pay for an item. In the same store the next day on Saturday, I walked up to the checkout counter to find nobody in line. [/quote]
You could have learned that from looking at the ads.
🙂
What’s your wife standing in line on a friday when you have a kid???Priorities priorities.
December 1, 2008 @ 6:40 PM
Didn’t get up that early but
Didn’t get up that early but did stop by Staple around 9:00AM to pick up a 8G jumpdrive for $12.00. The place was pretty much empty with lots of deal left to be had. The cashier said this year was much slower than previous years.
December 1, 2008 @ 8:59 PM
Somebody here (maybe FLU?)
Somebody here (maybe FLU?) recommended a site called edealinfo.com. I check it out now and then and see what appear to be good deals. On Saturday I bought a 1G mp3 player for $13.99. It’ll be my first mp3 player. There’s a bluetooth earpiece for $9.95 that I might get. Finally, Cabela’s has a $125 Camelback going for $29.99. I’m in the market for a laptop but was thinking I’d wait until after Christmas and hopefully get a better deal.
December 1, 2008 @ 10:42 PM
Fatwallet and slickdeals are
Fatwallet and slickdeals are sites you should always check if you really want something.
My wife has the fortitude to do stuff like this so she bought a pressure cooker, and a couple of the video games the kids wanted were $30 so she grabbed those.
The only thing I spent money on were two Fatheads for my office at work which currently has bare walls. I bought the Lebron James and Grady Sizemore fatheads for $33 for the pair, which was heavily discounted (normally $129 apiece).. So to get two for $33 was great. Both of these were in the top 12 sellers so my guess is they were clearing some inventory, for a new version coming out, however if not for Fatwallet, I wouldn’t have thought to check that site. They opened the site at Midnight PST and those two were sold out by 3:00.
Most fatwallet and slickdeals veterans of black friday said this T-giving sucked for deals on lcd and plasma TVs. I’ve never seen those sites so down on Black Friday. Now the common man still went out but many many cheap folks sat this one out.
December 2, 2008 @ 12:14 AM
pabloesqobar wrote:Somebody
[quote=pabloesqobar]Somebody here (maybe FLU?) recommended a site called edealinfo.com. I check it out now and then and see what appear to be good deals. On Saturday I bought a 1G mp3 player for $13.99. It’ll be my first mp3 player. There’s a bluetooth earpiece for $9.95 that I might get. Finally, Cabela’s has a $125 Camelback going for $29.99. I’m in the market for a laptop but was thinking I’d wait until after Christmas and hopefully get a better deal.[/quote]
Wasn’t me. I recommended geeks.com (in oceanside btw)
December 2, 2008 @ 12:33 AM
Quote:
1) Always cancel your
[quote]
1) Always cancel your retail credit cards immediately after the holiday season. That way next year you can get the 20% discount for opening a “new” charge card, a discount you can triple up with others on Black Friday. Yes, many stores only let you pull this trick every two years, so you stagger your family members doing this so each year, at least one of you can get that 20% off discount.
2) Get to the stores at 6 AM on Black Friday to get the 60% and 70% off early bird specials.
3) Triple down with the 20% Kohl’s cash back ($10 for every $50 spent)
OK, so add up the figures. See how you can “work the system.”
[/quote]
You call *that* working the system?
Learn my young skywalker…
Take your 20% discount coupon from bed bath and beyond and buy the most expensive regular priced item.
Then return the same item and forget to bring your receipt….
Try the same thing a Baby R Us with a stroller or something else equally expensive.
Better yet, for a wedding or baby shower, register at Bed Bath and Beyond and/or Baby R Us.
Then after you get all your gifts from there, RETURN EVERYTHING, no receipt. Then buy everything back with all the 20% coupons you get weekly from BBB (which despite their printed expiration dates are NEVER enforced in the store) or you get from Baby R Us when you subscribe to their mailing list….
December 2, 2008 @ 12:38 AM
$0 this year, $0 last year,
$0 this year, $0 last year, $0 the year before that…..I’m comfortable paying any premium to avoid black Friday or any busy shopping experience in life. I’d prefer to never shop if I had the choice.