Cyber Deals and More
Yes, the CyberMonday deals were already rolling into my junk mail box every hour, along with the Black Friday Deals. Black Friday for 2011 was a success with sales going over normal by 6.6%, which was great for our economy. This year, retailers were still concerned about sales; therefore, they started rolling out the sales early. But they needn't have been so worried because sales soared.
Black Friday deals are not worth the crowd, the rudeness, the pushing and shoving to get to that one great product, or the 2011 pepper spray attack – really? Or the threat of the 2012 Wal-Mart picket lines that turned out to be for naught. It is now said that Black Friday should be called "Mobile Friday" because it runs from Thanksgiving Evening right into Cyber Monday - Black Friday turning into Black Weekend. Mobile shopping doubled for 2012 in those few days.
For 2012, it was estimated that sales would be 17% more online sales than last year. Economists were wrong: sales were 29% over 2011. With all the craziness, I am not surprised. Pushing, shoving, screaming, yelling, and this year, protests at Wal-Mart by unions. No thank you, I will stay home.
Nope, last year I enjoyed my Friday shopping online at Amazon, E-Bay, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and Harry and David. I also went to local businesses for gift certificates and unique gifts.
This year, it seems that Black Weekend and Cyber Monday deals merged together filling my junk mail with deal after deal.
Cyber Monday is "Here"
Now, Cyber Monday Deals were being offered up early, and it is turned into Cyber Shopping Season. Since I do not enjoy shopping in crowds, I love shopping online and getting the Cyber deals.
I am going to take advantage of the Cyber deals that come to my junk mail with their online coupon codes. I already have some great ideas for clothes from JC Penney, Kohl’s, Express, and Ann Taylor. I am looking at external speakers and candle warmer lamps on Amazon and E-Bay. All are already offering great deals.
The big demands this year are smart phones and smart tablets. It seems that people are more willing to spend on those big items this year than they were last.
I am the most frugal of shoppers. If I cannot buy it on sale, I do not buy it at all.
You must beware of whether it is an actual online deal or not. A good way to check is to look up the previous online flyers for the stores that allow it or, if you saved them, going through the past few Sunday paper flyers. You might find that "the deal" isn't actually a deal.
Other Gift Suggestions
One great gift idea comes from Amazon. The NuWave Pro Infrared Oven is a great gift. I would not buy it at full price, though ($139.99). I bought mine with a 20% off online coupon. Because of Cyber Deals, they were offering free shipping if you spent over $25 – Bonus! It cost $120. And on Amazon or Ebay, you can get used for less cost. I love my own NuWave Pro Oven, and getting it for less than advertised on other sites and TV makes me very happy.
I bought one and roasted my fourteen pound frozen turkey for five hours, basting it with olive oil and butter, and stuffing it with an apple, three stalks of celery cut up, and a quarter of an onion. Moist and delicious turkey was the result without worrying about thawing and using up oven space that I needed for other Thanksgiving dishes.
In a nutshell, I bought my Christmas gift from my husband with his blessing. He hates to shop worse than I do, so online deals were the best route for us.
Holiday Deals Are Rolling In
The deals are out there and they are snowballing with early Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers, and now into Cyber Christmas Season. If you like a specific store, go to its website and sign up for the deals. I never add them as a contact to fill up my inbox unless they are infrequent senders that I might miss. Signing up and letting them go straight to your junk or trash mail makes it easy for you to click on the link, go through their products, checkout with the coupon code – you cannot forget the coupon code – then sit back and wait for it to arrive or opt to pick it up at the store or have it sent on a specific date as gifts for out-of-town loved ones and friends.
Some stores even offer a gift wrapping service for a fee. I never choose that because I love getting a box in the mail or from UPS or FedEx. I open them with the same childlike anticipation I would have ripping Christmas wrapping paper. Some people are not as easily pleased as I am, and I must admit sending it with gift wrapping is probably classier.
So, sit down to your computer and finish your Christmas shopping. I want to share a little secret about Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals, though. I think you will see the same deals and possibly even better deals during the Christmas season.
Our economy is in such bad shape, I think we will continue to get deals even though it has been a BOOM year. Boost our economy from the comfort of your own home. Jump on these deals. The deals may be rolling in early, but the quantities may be limited. That would be my only fear about waiting.
The Good Ole Gift Certificate
My favorite gift idea is giving gift certificates so my whole family can go shopping after Christmas and get the 70 and 80% off sales.
We get to choose when we go and end up choosing what we want and more of those items because the stores are moving out the merchandise to get ready for the Spring items.
You may not like this seemingly impersonal gift, though, but making it a family outing causes it to be a fun experience.
Don't Break the Bank
Whichever way you choose to shop, try to stay in a set limit. It is easy to over spend with a computer in front of you and a credit cardin your hand. Create a list of gifts and a budget and stick to it.
Remember, don’t ruin the rest of your year by getting a bill that you are going to have pay off with interest for months or even years to come. Shopping with Cyber Monday deals can be great, but your family and friends don’t want you to go in the hole.
Love Christmas Music? Check out this link:
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