AuntieJul

You're the best, Brad, thanks!!!!

Got mine today! Thanks for the sweet hat, pens, paper, cards, and $5 gc to Amazon!!! Needed a new winter hat anyway...

I'm curious about L.L. Bean BF deals because they have a 20% off everything deal going on now until 11/15 and I'm wondering if I should wait to purchase the gifts I need or if I should do it now. I searched the BF archives and it appears that someone asks this question every year and no one seems to have an answer. Maybe someone this year does?!?

Knock on wood, hopefully not! But my BF toaster from Target lasted a long time, and my BF coffeemaker was also very good to me (until I received a coffee maker/hot water combo maker as a gift, although it's starting to go on the fritz - helped me warm up lots of baby bottles in the last four years!).

I always enjoy JC Penney, but I also find great stuff at Lowes and Home Depot (like batteries).

My ipad was refurbished and purchased from the Apple site, have had no issues, you'd never know it was refurbished.

DD maybe some of those fancy coloring books they sell at the craft store along with a nice set of coloring pencils; good old fashioned books (like a few in a series), a stylus for a tablet or smart device she might have, shutterfly or snapfish gc to print pictures she might have on facebook or instagram. Or one of those delivery services that sends makeup and beauty samples to you every month, like Birchbox. DH... Gc to barber shop or one of those delivery razor services, or grilling tools which no one ever thinks about in winter.

Gloves, scarves, mittens, shopping bags, gc to McDonald's or Starbucks for coffee, warm socks, travel mug... But basically anything is great.

I got mine yesterday! I love it! Thank you so much, Brad, for all that you do for us! I love entering the contests every year...

All right... thanks, everybody. I guess I don't have any reason to wait to make my purchases. Thanks!

Hey everyone - I finally have a little girl old enough to enjoy dolls and clothes, and she loves American Girl. I've never paid any attention to their Black Friday sales before - can anyone give me an idea of what I might be able to expect? I'm looking to buy a matching dress for my niece and her doll. Thanks!

I saw this for the first time on evine the other night. It was called a Swagway for $400. But it looked pretty neat! I'm still surprised that kids under 18 are required to wear a helmet while operating it. It's also heavy - 22 lbs. Good luck with BF deals for it!

An Osmo. Yes, you need an iPad. And yes, it's a little pricey. But how many times can you play Heads Up anyway? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JLGB2W/ref=twister_B0155T2G4S?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It wasn't exactly "secret," but in 2005 I remember Kmart having Friday, Saturday, and Sunday specials that were good only on those days. I remember it clearly because on Friday the people in front of us on the checkout line abandoned an artificial Martha Stewart Christmas tree because it was a Saturday-only sale (they didn't realize it), and in fact that model tree is the exact one that is still in use in my home for the season.

BonTon is great, but JCPenneys is always solid with sales and Kohls too, but I've waited in line that wrapped all around the store at Kohls and that cuts off my time spent at other stores....

I picked up quite a few toys at those big children's consignment sales a few weeks ago and have Christmas started in the attic!

50-75% of shopping on BF for me or my DH and the house.

JCPenney and Kohls, although they closed my closest JCPenney. If you'd asked me a few years ago KMart would have been on that list too, but they closed that too. Walmart is also a great stop. Our closest Walmart used to be really quiet on BF because it's rural and no one really went there, but they turned it into a super Walmart with groceries and it's always busy and there's no chance of getting door busters anymore.

Free breakfast at Sam's Club! It's not as big as it once was. At its heyday we grabbed bagels, granola bars, fresh fruit, and coffee for free. One time it was even Starbucks coffee. Oh, heaven.

I suppose I'm looking for tablets for the kids. Toys for them, too, though I can't think of any one big thing, but standard items like blocks and pretend baby gear. And I can't ever think of stuff to buy my parents except pictures of their grandkids, and that's a little overplayed... So, like someone else said, hoping the ads provide inspiration!

Photo 1: "You said you got this model at Cabela's during Black Friday last year? And it's on sale again this year? Heck, yeah!" Photo 2: Super Bowl XL is only twelve weeks away! Photo 3: Black Friday is a test of endurance. A test of strategy. And, sometimes, a test of dexterity.

I've noticed for some toys and clothes the best prices start to happen before BF - like right around now, in October. But even last year I felt like there weren't as many great deals for items I wanted on BF as in previous years.

What I'm worried about this year is a disparity between sales in store and online. With two little ones under three, I'm more likely to shop from home for convenience. But recently I noticed that TRU had advertised sales that were "in store only" with different sales online. I know that's nothing new, especially for BF, and I know retailers make their money getting you to ship impulsively in store, and I know there are a lot of places doing price matching, but I don't like it. To me, no retailer should ever have prices different online than in store.

I'm replying for a shirt too! A few days ago I was thinking, "Gee, I think the first bf ads will be out soon... I should check the boards!" Much to my chagrin I had already missed the first ad and this contest! How time flies!

Wow, thank you, I'm so excited! I'll be obsessively checking my mail over the next few weeks until I get it...