Thanksgiving may be a time for being appreciative, but few shoppers are truly grateful for Thanksgiving deals. Instead,
most shoppers are eager for Thanksgiving to pass so that they can jump right into Black Friday. But what I’ve learned over the years, however, is that there are plenty of great Thanksgiving deals that you can enjoy with shorter lines and thinner crowds. In fact, pre-Thanksgiving shopping can really be a great opportunity to stock up your pantries or your gift stash for future use. Here are some oft-overlooked pre-Thanksgiving deals that are definitely worth a second glance.
Cookware – Target has a few great deals this week, including a 6 quart stock pot for $10 and an 8 piece cook set for $20. This may make a great wedding gift or as a holiday gift for friends who can stand to upgrade their kitchen ware. I love it because it will also be helpful for anyone preparing Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re looking for something a bit more high-end, Overstock.com has an Analon 13 piece set for under $150, but the price is set to expire at the end of today so you’d better act fast.
Airfare – You may think that the holiday season is an expensive time to fly, but you’d be surprised at what great deals can come up. Farecompare.com has a holiday fare finding tool that will help you find the best deals around the holiday season with a single glance.
Cosmetics – Believe it or not, women want to look good all year round, and cosmetics deals often start before the holiday shopping frenzy. Keep an eye out for free gifts with purchase (consider getting your sister or mother cosmetics as a holiday gift while you keep the free gift!)
Food – You may be struggling to complete your Thanksgiving menu before thinking about your Christmas or Hannukah feasts (or avoiding the stores entirely if you’re not hosting Thanksgiving dinner), but your admirable focus may actually be missing out on some great menu ideas for the future. As always, it’s worthwhile to check out what printable coupons are available this month so that you can already start planning your December holiday menu. Some of my favorite sites are RedPlum.com and Coupons.com. It’s also a good idea to purchase an extra turkey while it’s on sale (or, in many cases, free) during the Thanksgiving shopping rush, so that you can feed your next crew. Finally, remember that pumpkins have quite a long shelf-life, so if you want to have pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie in December, you may want to buy an extra one now.
Furniture – If you find it hard to think about decorating when the holidays are in the air, you’re not alone. Furniture retailers recognize that this is a ‘down’ season for furniture shopping, and many are willing to offer shockingly low prices to drum up some business. Check out Macy’s and Overstock.com for all types of furniture, and Jennifer Convertibles for couches that are priced-down for their upcoming Veteran’s Day sale.
Good luck with your pre-Thanksgiving shopping!





If you’re reading this post, you’re probably worrying about the upcoming Father’s Day which is only 3 days away. Chances are good that if you’re still searching for Father’s Day deals, you haven’t yet found that perfect gift…or any gift. But fear not! Even though there are only a few hours to go, you’ve still got plenty of time to take advantage of great Father’s Day deals. OK, you may not have plenty of time, but you definitely have some – so read on and get to work!
what can I do with that dreaded unwanted gift? Is there a way to get something out of it? To dispose of it without hurting the giver’s feelings? Here are some things that I’ve tried in the past, as well as some new suggestions from some of my clever friends. Hope they help you turn an unwanted gift into a welcome item.
1- While some gift-givers may feel like a gift card is a cop-out, I have no doubt that everyone loves receiving a gift card. There’s nothing quite like splurging on yourself (with someone else’s money) or appreciating not having to pay for something that you’d otherwise have to shell out for. Some of my favorite gift cards are to restaurants, gas stations, bookstores, or even the coffee bar you know your loved one frequents.
Instead, enlist your children to find pinecones, beautiful leaves or other free items to decorate the table with. If you don’t mind going for a homemade look, encourage your children to create holiday art projects or hand-drawn cutouts to sprinkle across the table. If you don’t have young children, consider decorating the table in unexpected and inexpensive ways- scatter a handful of jelly beans across the table to create a splash of color, light up some tea lights or simply drag out your fancy napkin rings to create interest at the table.
Chemistry allows users to view up to 5 potential matches a day. Just think about it- with 15 days until New Years, that’s 75 potential suitors, and only one of them needs to be of interest.