Smart Shopping: Black Friday

WSVN -- For some, Black Friday is a family tradition.

"Excellent Deals. Some of the stuff is like 50 percent off of retail, so it works out good. We get to buy more toys for less money."

But, before you head out the door or plan on an overnight storefront stay, look through your newspaper for store ads and compare deals.

Andrew Lopez, Best Buy: "The Black Friday ad comes out either on Thanksgiving or the day before Thanksgiving. That's when you'll be able to say, 'Hey, look, you know this lap top or this TV is going to go on sale.'"

Best Buy has an inside tip for smart shoppers. Get there early.

Andrew Lopez: "The people that are here the earliest are going to be the people who are going to get the best specials."

And to avoid the parking mayhem.

Andrew Lopez: "Go ahead and maybe car pool with somebody."

If shopping at a big retailer, such as Macy's, keep an eye out while walking through the store.

Ivonne Amor, Macy's Florida: "You might want to look for prominent displays such as the tables in the aisle ways. Those are great holiday gifts and a lot of merchandise with great value."

And while waiting in line, you can think about writing a wish letter to Santa.

Ivonne Amor: "This year, Macy's has what we call, 'Believe Stations.'"

Ivonne Amor: "For every letter to Santa that gets sent to the North Pole, Macy's will donate a dollar, up to a million dollars to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and that will help children with life-threatening diseases."

Now, make sure you are getting deals versus duds by looking up your must have items on web sites like bizrate.com or shopping.com. Also, take a shopping buddy to help you hunt for the best bargains, and don't forget to check to see if there are bonuses for using a store credit card at checkout.

Ivonne Amor: "You'll get an extra added savings bonus every time you use your card in certain cases, and also, our customers receive other benefits such as free alterations and free gift wrap."

BizRate
www.bizrate.com

Shopping
www.shopping.com