Are you really getting the best prices on Black Friday?

Whether or not your Black Friday shopping list is finalized or still in process (several stores have only recently posted their Black Friday ads), do a quick check against these money-saving Black Friday tips to make sure your Black Friday prices are actually the lowest ones you can get.

Lower Black Friday Prices by the Way You Pay.

Does your credit card offer a special cash back bonus for buying from a department or online store on Black Friday?  Does your credit or debit card automatically give you a percentage back for any purchase?  By buying discount gift cards with a reward-earning credit/debit card and then by paying with discount gift cards (which you got for less than face value) you can up, up, up your savings!  Be sure to pay with the most money-saving payment method to stack discounts.  Not sure your credit card offers additional savings?  There’s still time to get electronic discount gift cards so you can ensure you are saving with your payment method on top of Black Friday prices.  Several retailers, like Walmart and JC Penney allow customers to pay with electronic discount gift cards in store and online.  (Target, unfortunately, is not one of those retailers.)

Plastic Jungle has several electronic discount gift card brands in stock that are honored in store including Walmart, GameStop, Petco and more.  Discount gift card inventories change quickly based on demand, so if you see a discount gift card you want in stock, order it before someone else does.

Know Black Friday Store Hours.

You don’t want to be that Black Friday shopper who nearly pulls their hair out because your shopping priorities are not matched with your store sequence.  No, you want to be the Black Friday shopper who gets home after a fun rush of deals and celebrates all the money you saved on retrieving all the things you set out to buy.  If you’re going to take advantage of Walmart’s or Target’s Black Friday tablet offers, you need to get to the beginning of the line.  Map out your Black Friday shopping strategy based on the Black Friday sale starting time.  One of my Black Friday shopping buddies and I are going to Walmart before Black Friday sale prices start (8:00 p.m. for our area) so she can scope out the layout of the store (since some items are not exactly in the areas you’d normally find them) and I will be holding our place in line.  Meanwhile, two of our Black Friday team members will be holding a place in line over in the Target parking lot, as Target opens at 9:00 p.m.

*Black Friday sale prices and store times vary by region.  Be sure to check your local ads and store for details so you can save the most while Black Friday shopping.

Compare Black Friday Prices.

Sure, you can flip through all the ads and try to find several options for the electronic device, vacuum, or small appliance you are searching for and hopefully you won’t skip over the one that is the lowest price.  Or, you can let a free electronic database do the work for you.  From your computer, you can go to bfads.net and use the search bar.  If you like to have things in your hands, especially while Black Friday shopping, download the “bfads” app (free) and use the handy search menu to compare Black Friday prices for over 50 retail stores.

I have downloaded the mobile app version so I can easily stay up-to-date on the latest prices.  Instead of going to Target, I will be getting the same toaster oven that Target has discounted to $19 on Black Friday for only $17.99 at Sears.  We’re going to be at the mall taking advantage of Bath & Body Works Black Friday deals anyway.

Black Friday (eh hem… Thanksgiving night) is the biggest shopping day (night) of the year.  Take advantage of Black Friday savings with sales, coupons, discount gift cards, and bonuses offered through your credit or debit cards.

Stay up late, battle the lines, walk away with exactly what you wanted at prices that are only available once a year.  Black Friday in-store shopping can be both a feat and a thrill.  One of my favorite annual Black Friday traditions is waiting in line outside Sports Authority to get a free Sports Authority gift card.  I love that I get paid to wait in line and I can use the free gift card to pay next-to-nothing for my Black Friday Sports Authority purchase.

How It Works.  If you are one of the first 80 people (age 18 or older) who enter your local Sports Authority store on Black Friday you’ll get a special Sports Authority gift card worth $10-$500!  Doors open at midnight (which is HOURS earlier than past years) so be sure to plan ahead!

Before I get my hands on the free Sports Authority gift card, I like to have in mind what I will spend the free money on.  After all, the Black Friday Sports Authority Bonus Bucks are only valid on Black Friday and I don’t want to waste a free gift card.

Browse the ad, mark it up.  You might want to circle things like…

Fitness footwear.  Your kids need new running, soccer, or hiking shoes.  Your husband wants new golf shoes.  You want new walking shoes.  Get everyone new athletic shoes and save some serious cash by getting in on Sports Authority’s BOGO 50% off Black Friday sale.  Footwear for the whole family is marked down.  Get one pair at full price and get the second pair at half off.  Get two pairs at full price and get two pairs at half off.  The bigger your family or the more pairs of shoes you buy, the more you’ll save.  Stack Sports Authority’s Black Friday Shoe Sale with savings unlocked with Bonus Bucks (the free gift card) AND when paying with Sports Authority discount gift cards and you’ll save yourself at least an additional $10 + 15%.

Basketball, Football, Yoga Ball, Tennis Ball.  You name the activity.  As long as it needs a ball, you’re in luck.  No paying full price for you.  All balls are half off.  Balls are a fun stocking stuffer and also an oddly shaped gift to wrap.  Keep your family entertained for hours and active by replacing a worn out volleyball or getting your son more tee balls.  Increase Sports Authority’s 50% off Ball Sale by another 15% off when you pay with a discount Sports Authority gift card.

Sleeping Gear.  Round out or start your family’s camping gear or your husband’s hunting gear.  Sleeping bags are as low as $11.99 ($10.19 if you pay with discount Sports Authority gift cards!)!  Air mattresses for sleeping outdoors or hosting in-town guests are under $60 ($51 if you pay with discount gift cards!).

Have you begun organizing your Black Friday shopping list(s)?  With less than a week until Black Friday, stock up on discount gift cards to Target in the next week to get even lower prices on popular items.

This week Black Friday deals for several stores became public!  Now is the time to start putting your Black Friday list together.

Stocking stuffers, December birthday gifts, something for sister, mom… Black Friday prices are not to be missed.

Get Brave on DVD for more than 50% off retail price!

Beginning November 13, you can own your own copy of Disney/PIXAR’s Brave on DVD.  A great stocking stuffer or gift for your niece or nephew.  While Amazon.com currently charges $16.99 for this beloved Disney film, you can get this same movie one week later for only $9.50 at Target on Black Friday when you pay with discount Target gift cards.  Target’s Black Friday ad lists Brave on DVD for only $10.  You’ll save an additional 5% off this price with Plastic Jungle gift cards.

Capture memories on a dependable Nikon camera for under $100!

Record your children sledding, playing basketball, or acting in a school play.  When it comes to causal photography, there are really two respected camera brands: Nikon and Canon.  Investing in a nice camera can cost hundred of dollars.  Get both photo and video-recording capabilities for only $94.99 on Black Friday when you shop at Target and pay for this $99.99 Black Friday deal with discount Target gift cards.  Is this a good price?  Well… this same camera sells for $196.49 on Overstock.com.  I’m pretty sure over $100 off is a good deal!

Looking for more Black Friday sale details?

Some of our favorite places to get 2012 Black Friday deal leaks is bfads.net and Black Friday by BradsDeals.

Popular Black Friday Gift Cards

What costs less than a Black Friday price?  A Black Friday price paid with discount git cards.

Black Friday is only a few weeks away!  Get ready to maximize your day after Thanksgiving savings now by buying discount gift cards and following these helpful tips.

Use your smartphone to be a smart shopper.

Did you know Target is offering to price-match online prices for Black Friday and holiday shopping?  According to Target’s Holiday Price Match Policy, just show the lower internet price from your smartphone to a Target store employee and they’ll match the price.  The Holiday Price Match runs November 1 – December 24 and will be honored if found on selected websites such as Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com and ToysRUs.com.  You won’t have to wait for an online retailer to ship your purchases and you’ll pay less.  Sweeten the price-match even more by paying with discount gift cards.

Choose your Black Friday stores and save more.

If you’ve shopped on Black Friday before, you know there are dependable retailers who offer unbeatable deals year and year again.  Some of these stores are Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and Toys R Us.  If you know you’re going to be shopping at a retailer that Plastic Jungle has gift cards for, give yourself extra savings by buying discount gift cards to those stores now.  What if the gift card brand you want is out of stock?  Set up an Alert so you can be the first to know when they are back in stock.  A little planning today could mean getting more for less on Black Friday.

Turn unwanted gift cards into Amazon.com credit.

You don’t know why, but it’s just been really hard for you to part with that $50 gift card your mom got you last year.  It’s not for a store your regularly frequent [hence why you have not spent it] but you don’t want to hurt her feelings.  Okay… let’s be honest.  You haven’t used the card this ENTIRE calendar year.  I think it’s time to purge.  But… do a financially healthy purge by selling your gift card to Plastic Jungle.  You can convert the unused gift card into an Amazon.com gift card and unlock access to Black Friday online deals at Amazon.com.  I think your mom would be proud of how you got a good deal with a present she gave you.

Popular Black Friday Discount Gift Card Brands