So tomorrow’s the big day! By now many of you have your turkey in the oven and are baking pies in preparation for your Thanksgiving Day feast. But in the back of your mind you are counting down the minutes until Black Friday. We totally get you, and to help you out on this gigantic shopping day, here are some last minute tips for those of you who are going to brave the stores, to help make your Black Friday experience both profitable and fun.

Last Minute Black Friday Tips:

• Know where the sales are – By now you should already have a list of the things you want to buy and where they are on sale for Black Friday. It’s a good idea not to step blindly into the throng, but rather to have a plan of action.
• Carry store ads with you – If you found something that is going to be on sale, be sure to clip the ad out or print it off your computer and carry it along with you. Store employees are going to be very busy and mistakes in pricing could be made. This will ensure you get the advertised price on your item.
• Take advantage of credit card holiday specials – Often credit card companies offer holiday incentives, like discount fees, bonuses and extra reward points. Check with your credit card company in advance to see if there are offers like these that you can take advantage of.
• Ask for gift receipts–A gift receipt is for the person you are buying the gift for, in case they need to return it. The gift receipt will have the item information without the price.
• Make a list–Things are going to be loud and hectic, so before you leave home make a list of what you plan to buy. This will help save you a major headache once you begin your shopping experience.
• Be kind and courteous – Everyone who is going shopping on Black Friday knows beforehand that it is going to be crowded, and that there will be long waits in line. Remember that you are all in this together and display toward your neighbor and store employees the reason for the season, which  is love.

From the PJ team to all of our readers, we hope you have the best Thanksgiving ever and find loads of great deals on Black Friday!

And, with Cyber Monday just around the corner, be sure to check back here for additional savings opportunities…

Excitement is building as Thanksgiving Day approaches, but many of us are just as excited about the fact that we have a four-day weekend! If you are one of those lucky enough to enjoy four days of holiday enjoyment, you may be wondering how to best spend your time after the Thanksgiving festivities are over. A lot of you will have company — kinfolks like mom, dad, brothers and sisters, in-laws and other out-of-town visitors. So how do you entertain yourself and/or your company over the long holiday weekend?

Below are a couple of ideas for things to do. If you have other entertainment ideas for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, don’t hesitate to share. Just leave a comment to this post and let our readers in on your favorite things to do on the days following Thanksgiving.

• Go Shopping – You can’t navigate the internet or turn on the TV without being bombarded with posts, ads, and information on sales for Black Friday and the Thanksgiving weekend. Shopping over the holiday weekend is by far the favorite activity of many families. For those who love shopping, this is what the long weekend is all about. If this describes you, have fun, hydrate, be safe, and we hope you save a lot of money!

• Do crafts with kids – A lot of families will be spending the weekend surrounded by kids, whether it be your own or the children of family and friends. This is the perfect time for bonding and creating memories, and crafts are an inexpensive way to keep kids occupied and happy. Check out free craft ideas suitable for kids.

• Catch a flick – Taking in a movie over the Thanksgiving weekend is a big tradition for many families. Check local listings in your newspaper or online and enjoy the release that taking in a movie over the holidays can bring. Also, renting movies and watching them at home is another option. It’s a great way to pass the time and relax.

• Create dishes from Thanksgiving leftovers – If you love cooking, this is a great time to show off your skills. Take that leftover turkey and make soup, or experiment with new recipes (check out our friends at Yummly).

• Play games – What better time for playing board games or video games than when you have a captive crowd at your disposal!  Charades is a classic – and a wonderful way to laugh and have fun together without spending a dime.

• Watch Sports and Holiday Specials on TV – Forgive the cliche, but we’re guessing this is what the majority of guys will be doing over the long weekend, while their wives are shopping or cooking. That’s a traditional take on it, but many women also love sports, and often it’s the men who do the cooking. Either way, there are a lot of great sports events going on over the holiday weekend, as well as TV specials especially created for Thanksgiving and the long weekend.

• Buy and Sell Gift Cards at Plastic Jungle – Cash in gift cards you have (we pay out up to 92%). We also offer up to 30% off when you buy gift cards from over 400 retailers. If you are always working and haven’t had time to check us out, this is the perfect weekend to do just that!

• Rest – Ah..let out a huge sigh of relief and simply spend the weekend resting, reading, sleeping; just generally taking advantage of the chance for some much-needed downtime!

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year, a time to be grateful for what we have and to share, love, laughter and food with those we love. But what doesn’t get talked about often enough is how stressful Thanksgiving can be for those of us who don’t have a pocket-full of money. If you live on a tight budget, Thanksgiving can blow that budget all to heck and back if you are not careful, and the biggest thing you will be served is maximum stress.

However, there are many ways to serve a great holiday meal without breaking the bank. Below are tips on how to serve a great Thanksgiving meal on a budget:

• Make it a potluck – Many families opt for potluck dinners on Thanksgiving. If you have never been involved in a potluck meal, it means that each person brings a dish, with designations being made in advance for who brings what. For instance, one person is in charge of the dressing, another the turkey, someone else designated as the dessert person, possibly assigning special desserts to the best bakers, making it fun. What you end up with is a complete and bountiful meal that everyone took part in.

• Stay abreast of grocery store sales and use coupons – If you are smart and frugal, you can find great deals on turkey this time of year, and all of the fixings. Just keep up with the latest sales papers from your grocery store and clip coupons offered by grocery stores, both offline and online.

• Concentrate on vegetables – Most of us are trying our best to live healthier, so making vegetables the main attraction of your Thanksgiving meal rather than the meat is both healthy and acceptable. Using spices smartly, and being inventive with staple vegetables such as potatoes, green beans, corn, broccoli, and rice can provide a meal that is hearty, delicious and very affordable.  You will find a wealth of great recipes online for vegetables that delight. Eggs are always on sale this time of year too, and who doesn’t love deviled eggs?

• Prepare homemade desserts – Although rich folks pride themselves on buying luxury desserts delivered through the mail, and it is easier to buy pies and cakes at the bakery, homemade desserts can triple your savings and also show your guest that love went into the making of your pies, cakes, cookies, and homemade candy. Take a page from your grandmother’s Thanksgiving and create a baking wonderland that will be remembered forever, while pocketing great savings.

• Decorate from discount stores – No one at your Thanksgiving meal is going to know the difference if your centerpiece and place settings came from the dollar store, and neither will they care. Love is the object of this most grateful of holidays, so concentrate on this as you pay discount prices for Thanksgiving decorations.

What are you doing this Thanksgiving to save money on food and decorations? Share your tips and ideas with our readers. After all, every dollar saved on a Thanksgiving meal aimed to please means more money for Christmas shopping!

Don’t you just love October? The cool breezes carries the scent of Fall into homes everywhere. Looming in the distance, there is the faint but sure sound of the upcoming holidays. With a simple flip of the calendar our thoughts turn to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

It is never too early to begin preparing for the holidays. To help make your holidays more beautiful and less stressful this season, while saving your dollars and stretching your pennies, we have gathered a short list of discounted gift cards with suggestions on how to use them toward your holiday decorating to-do list.

1. No Fall dining table is complete without an ornate centerpiece, whether it is just for your own decorating enjoyment or for your Thanksgiving dinner. 1-800-Flowers.com has an awesome selection of Fall holiday centerpieces, and this gift card could be yours for 25% off.  You will also be able to find the perfect arrangement for your Christmas dinner table decorations.

2. Home Depot is a great place to buy pumpkins, carving tools and other items to make your holidays festive. These Home Depot Gift Cards won’t last long and when the time comes, you will be able to save up to 8% on your Christmas tree.

3. Deck the halls with beautiful decorations from Pier One Imports. Right now Pier One Imports Gift Cards are 15% off. But hurry, that discount is subject to change.

4. You are going to need juice to light up your pumpkins and also your Christmas tree. You can find all of your extension cords and electrical at Radio Shack. Save up to 9% on all your electrical supplies when you shop with a Radio Shack Gift Card.

Once you finish decorating for the holidays you are going to be tired. Why not treat yourself to a nice meal at a Claim Jumper Restaurant? Or you could take in a film at an AMC theater near you using this 14% off gift card. Decorating for the holidays should be a joy not a chore. Hopefully, these gift cards will make that possible.

If you have a gift card you would like to sell for up to 92% to Plastic Jungle to help with your holiday decorating expenses, we will gladly accommodate you.

What are your decorating plans for the holiday?

Written by Amanda Grossman author of Frugal Confessions

Arguably, the best way to stick to your normal budget during the holidays is to have diligently planned ahead, and to have bought most of your gifts, food items, and decorations throughout the year instead of waiting until the holiday season is here.

Don’t worry; there is no judgment here. We are not all Martha Stewarts, and sometimes planning way in advance actually takes the fun out of what is supposed to be the most emotionally satisfying time of the year. So how can you stick to your budget now that you’ve waited until the holiday season is knocking down your door?

Here are some tips to get you started.

Purchase Loss Leaders

Loss leaders, or products that stores will actually lose money on in order to attract customers into their stores, are not just found at the grocery market. During the holiday season you can cherry pick extra special promotions in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Make sure to only purchase these products (and read the fine print of ads, as a few stores say you can only purchase the product if you spend a certain amount of money with the purchase). By cherry picking from several different stores, you are bound to save a decent amount of money.

Grab a Cup of Hot Joe or Tea and Partake in Black Friday

There is a reason why millions of people come out of their turkey-comas in the wee hours after Thanksgiving, disheveled and dressed in layers: the sales just cannot be beat. If you are looking to do a large amount of holiday shopping with a very small budget, then Black Friday is for you. Purchase a newspaper on Thanksgiving Day, and check out online websites that list Black Friday Deals ahead of time. Sit down that Thursday night to print out coupons, gather up your gift cards (see below), make a list, and set your plan of attack for the next day. You might find yourself extremely tired by mid-day Friday, but you will have saved a load of money.

Layer Your Deals to Increase Discounts

An easy way to get a discount on everything you purchase this holiday season from groceries, to gifts is to purchase fee-free gift cards at a discount. Let’s say you have children and know that you will spend $75 at Sears this year. Purchase a $50 and $25 gift card to Sears from Plastic Jungle at a discount of 10%, and you’ve just saved 10% on your holiday shopping. Add in store sales, promotions, and manufacturer’s coupons on top of this, and you could be looking at over 30% savings! If you used this strategy for Black Friday, your savings could be even higher.

Between now and Christmas, I will be updating Frugal Confessions with a new great Amazon.com deal each week, so check out my blog for some great deals!

And remember, it truly is the thought that counts. If your thoughts are going to be filled with buyer’s remorse three months into the New Year, then you need to reevaluate your priorities and enjoy the season for what it is, whether that is celebrating your religion, or showing the ones you cherish the most how important they are to you.