Thank you Justx for the URLs.

Very interesting.

You are welcome. I just saw 2 laptops advertised at Circuit City but they say "in store" and I guess it depends on if your store has it or not, or even if it's open today! $299 for a Compaq and $399 for a Toshiba. Not bad.

PepBoys has a Mio 220 GPS for $78, about 1/2 of the other sales prices, although I've read it's not a great GPS device. The Garmin Nuvi is also on sale for a great price.   All the ones with text to voice, so you hear the street name, are over $200. There is one online for $159 (never heard of the brand, but it comes with an AC wall charger only which doesn't make sense to me.   The only reason I would buy one is if I need to do extensive traveling for hours. Anyway, the big difference in price that I see for all the units is (1) street specific directions (text to speech ability) and (2) Bluetooth capatible. Makes a big difference on price.

The Best Buy package I mentioned is now sold out. (makes ya wonder) and they are now advertising another package (Compaq desktop, HP LCD monitor, printer) for $399. Still a good deal. Some of these sales are avail online and some will require going to the store.

Walmart is advertising laptops, but not giving the brand name. They had an Acer for $348 2 weeks ago as a "pre-season" special, but I missed it. I actually don't want one, but many jobs require it. My Toshiba Satellite is only 2 years old and the monitor started having problems after only a year. It's perfect if I don't move it. (kinda defeats the whole purpose of having a portable computer!)

So far, the only sale I've taken advantage of is that Walgreen's has Bush's Baked Beans for 79 cts.

I'm trying not to buy stuff I don't need, but it all looks so good. Some of those stores are opening at 4 a.m. The Wii is what I want. Come on another 50 cent straight hit online.

I know what you mean. I can't afford to blow money (it will all be on plastic) and I keep saying "oh, just one more number!!"   I got 3/5 in Fant 5 for $9 and 4/5 would have been around $800.

3/5 out of Fantasy Five is good. One day you will get that big lick.   I might get a raffle when they come around but for the most part I don't play jackpot games. Pick 3 and 4 are instant rewarding for me. I know a lot of people shoot for the big one in jackpot games but when you hit pick 3 and 4 you have that bird in the hand and it's not in the bush.   

I'm kinda lucky with the numbers and all MY (ones in my name) credit cards have -0- balances. I broke down and ordered 4 big items online from Toy r Us. I thought "I ain't trying to be hauling big packages tomorrow and so what if I MIGHT save some money. Because they have special items on sell and the toy market took a big hit with that lead. I went for convenience.

But I'm gonna get a Wii with my next 50 straight hit and it might happen today in California. Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving. I will have my pepper spray ready for Black Friday.

Good luck. People are lining up already from what I've been told. Lots of online deals too, but they're sold out very quickly.

I do my Christmas shopping throughout the year. Sometimes, I pay a little more than what I might have if I'd waited for the holiday sales but, on the upside, I don't have to do any last-minute shopping. You won't catch me within ten miles of a Wal-Mart, Target or BestBuy store on the day after Thanksgiving. I stay at home, where I'm safely out of the way. It seems to me that people lose any self-control they might ordinarily exercise when holiday sales are announced. Is a game console really so important that it's worth someone's life, just so you'll be the first among your friends to have one?
   I worked at Wal-Mart as a bicycle assembler while I was going to college following my retirement from the Navy. The most popular toy at that time was the Furbie (remember those?). I was locked in the store (all by myself) overnight to build extra bikes. I put some Aerosmith on the radio and cranked it up to get myself motivated, and by the time the manager showed up at 5 am, I had built 80 bikes. I went to the cafeteria at the front of the store for a cup of coffee, and I could see a crowd of people outside, which seemed to fill the entire parking lot.
   Now, here's the part that I found particularly disgusting: When Chad (our manager) unlocked the doors at 6 am, the waiting customers literally tore the doors off the tracks trying to get into the store, and Chad's arm was broken when they trampled him because he couldn't get out of the way in time. An ambulance took him to the emergency room, but I volunteered to give him a ride home once he had been treated. When I got there to pick him up, his arm was in a cast, and he had bandages on his face, his other arm and on both hands. He suffered numerous lacerations and a broken nose because these people had stepped on his FACE trying to get a Furbie!
   My method of buying gifts throughout the year might cost me a few extra bucks in the long run, but if I NEVER witness another display like that, it will be worth every dime. People who are unable to control their desires are no better than animals, in my opinion; especially when they don't give a second thought to harming someone over something as mundane as a child's toy.
   Jim

Did you guys see the news today about various instances of trampling other shoppers while they stampeded into the stores this morning? It looked like the Running of the Bulls in Spain.

I agree with Jim...saving a few bucks isn't worth an Emergency Room visit.

Jim, what a terrible ordeal for that man! I don't understand people who act that way. I'm pretty patient as long as someone doesn't do his scratching at the lottery counter. LOL
Rick, that's why I like to do my shopping online. I don't shop much anyway, but if I buy something at a store like Circuit City or Best Buy, I just order it online and pick it up at the local store. I think it also depends when you go. Those 3 or 4 hour teasers are crazy, but I understand people got some great bargains. I didn't see a lot of people shopping around here, but I also didn't go out at 5 in the morning to shop.

Nancy, for the last couple years I've been doing all my shopping online also. It is extremely convenient.

Anyone wonder if some of these "sales" are real? I suppose there are millions of people shopping, but everytime I find a good price on something I want to buy, it's out of stock!

just like the 'ol cabbage patch doll fights moms used to have in the 80's.