JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 15

We’ve focused on gaming news and reviews in the past (see our #FF on Video Games), but with all of the video game talk of the last month (E3) we thought it would be good to revisit the topic.  This time, instead of simply wetting your appetite with information, we’re gonna give you some details on saving money on video games, consoles and accessories.  After all, video game setups can get quite expensive if you aren’t careful.

The XBOX360, PS3 and Wii are all currently in their prime and new toys are on the way for summer and Christmas.  The problem for the big three is that disposable income is not what it was 2 or 3 years ago, competition is at an all-time high and people only have so many hours in a day.  That creates the perfect storm for the consumers.  Deals, deals and more deals are everywhere you turn.  Today’s list focuses on some of the best places to find these gaming deals, so you can spend less and own more.

LogicBuy.com is one of my favorite bargain-shopping sites.  We’ve talked about finding deals on LogicBuy before, but did you know that they have an entire area of their site dedicated to gaming? LogicBuy employees and site visitors hunt down the biggest bargains of the web and post them here for everyone to enjoy.  Amazon, Steam, NewEgg, Buy.com, Dell, GameFly…. The list of sites represented goes on for days.  If there is a bargain out there, LogicBuy has it.

One of the best features of LogicBuy is the ability to set Deal Alerts.  Do you know a specific game, console, accessory or item that you want, but aren’t willing to pay full retail?  Set up a Deal Alert and get up-to-date information on deals, coupons and more delivered right to your inbox.  I did this when we first bought a Wii and saved $100’s on new games and accessories.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LogicBUY (not specific to gaming, but gaming deals are included in feed)
Web Site: http://www.logicbuy.com/categorydeals/20/Gaming.aspx
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/LogicBUYcom (again, not specific to gaming)

Just Look at These Deals!!!!!

Cheap Ass Gamer (CAG)

CAG is also giving away 5 brand new XBOX 360 250GB Slim consoles.  Follow them on Twitter, create a wish list, check out deals, etc. to earn entries into the contest.  This is a great way to get familiar with the site while getting your name into the drawing.  What do you have to lose?  I earned 7 entries into their contest in under 30 minutes.

CAG also allows you to create a “collection list” of games that you currently own and might want to trade or sell.  Other CAG users can offer up their games for trade or make you an offer.  If you are sick of losing out on trade value at your local game shop, simply pay the price of shipping to swap games with others throughout the country.  This could really save you some cash in the long run.

Web Site: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/
RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cheapassgamer
Twitter: http://twitter.com/videogamedeals

Cheap Ass Gamer Has a Top Notch Site

Amazon.com offers several ways to save on your gaming needs.  There is an area dedicated to Video Game Deals, A Deal of the Day (one or more gaming products at a very special, low, one-day only price) and Warehouse Deals (used games, consoles and accessories).  Patience and a Prime membership could mean big savings on purchases for past and upcoming games.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of being a loyal Amazon.com customer.  Case in point, I just pre-ordered the game Crackdown 2 for XBOX 360.  Amazon was offering $4 off, FREE shipping (on release day) and $10 off of my next game purchase.  Also, I didn’t have to pay sales tax.  Total up the savings and I saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $25.50 on this purchase. (4 + 10 + 7 + 4.50).  The next game I buy or pre-order might offer a similar deal, so I’ll keep the savings rolling with each and every purchase.

Finally, did you know that you can trade in your games on Amazon?  Look up your games, print a shipping label (for FREE) and receive an Amazon.com Gift Card that will be deposited into your account upon receipt of games.  The offers seem to be fair, when compared to other retailers like GameStop.  You can always use the tools on Cheap Ass Game (links above) to compare values between the two.

Web Site (Video Game Deals): http://www.amazon.com/Outlet/b?ie=UTF8&node=40956
Web Site (Deal of the Day – Gaming): Click Here
Web Site (Warehouse Deals): Click Here
Twitter (AmazonGames): http://twitter.com/amazongames

Amazon.com Offers Up Great Deals

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

Below is a list of ways to obtain your FREE tickets to see Toy Story 3.  Before we get started, there are a few things you need to know about the options listed:

1. These offers are not from JumpstartMyPC and we in no way guarantee the tickets, offers or programs.
2. You are going to need a printer, or at least access to one, to print out the FREE tickets.
3. You must take advantage of these offers and print the tickets quickly (most expire at the end of August).

Offer 1: Buy the Original Movies

If you already own Toy Story 1 and 2 (Blu-Ray), then go check your cases for the “Magic Codes” that might be included.  According to the official Toy Story 3 Movie Ticket Offer page, the discs must have been purchased between 3/23/10 and 7/31/10, but I received my copies at Christmas and both copies came with the FREE movie ticket offer and a code.

If you don’t own the first 2 parts of the Toy Story Trilogy (on Blu-Ray), then there is no better time to buy them.  Run out to Best Buy, Target or purchase them online from Amazon.com and have your codes well before Friday.  Here are some prices we dug up from around the web:

• Amazon.com = $41.98 for both movies! – Purchasing both movies (Toy Story and Toy Story 2 Special Edition) from Amazon gets you a hefty discount.  $41.98 (and it looks like shipping is FREE) buys both movies, which include the following:
  • Blu-ray copy of the movie
  • DVD copy of the movie
  • FREE Movie ticket offer
  • Disney Movie Rewards points (earn points with Blu-rays & DVDs then use them for rewards from Disney)
  • BONUS: Amazon is going to also give you $4 worth of eligible movies and TV shows from Amazon Video On Demand for each purchase.  Buy both and you get an extra $8 to rent or buy movies and/or TV shows from Amazon.
• Target = $29.99 each – Target will cost you more than Amazon.com, but you would have the discs in hand today.  These are the same 2-Disc Special Edition copies from Amazon.com, which include the Blu-Ray and DVD copy, but you pay more and you don’t get the $4 in bonus cash.
• Best Buy = $29.99 each - Best Buy is matching the Target pricing on this one.  Same edition, same discs, same price.  You can earn some RewadZone points with this purchase, but that is still a high price to pay when Amazon can have it at your door by Wednesday for much cheaper.

Offer 2: Energizer Battery Purchase

Who doesn’t need batteries?  Whether it’s the remote control, the kids’ toys or hurricane season, you need to stock up.  Energizer is offering FREE movie tickets for Toy Story 3 or any Disney/Touchstone movie with the purchase of certain Energizer MAX packages:

• Energizer MAX AA-10, AA/AAA-12 – 1 offer code each
• Energizer MAX AA-20 – 2 offer codes each

** Note that it takes multiple codes to equal a free ticket, but 2 codes will get you $6 off of your ticket price.

You’ll need to make sure these battery packages have the ToyStory 3 logo on the package, so ordering online might not be the safest bet.  Here are a few local prices, to give you an idea on what you’ll be spending:

• MAX AA-10 = $7.49 (Best Buy)
• MAX AAA-12 = $11.86 (Sam’s Club)
• MAX AA-20 = $12.49 (Best Buy)

Offer 3: Kellogg’s Offer

Purchasing specially-marked Kellogg’s cereals can earn you points that you can redeem for great stuff, including movie tickets, inspired by Toy Story 3. There are about 14 different cereals that will earn you 1 point each and 6 points equals a FREE movie ticket.  If you are a cereal eater, check your pantry and just purchase what you need to make up the difference in points.  Much like the other programs, you only need to enter some codes online to print your tickets.  This means that it is not too late to get the codes and get the tickets before the weekend.

If you would like to see more information on the Kellogg’s offer, simply head on over to their Free Stuff site.

Right Now

Currently, I am a DirecTV prisoner.  What started as a comparable bill to local cable service has turned into a monster and I now pay over $100 a month for cable.  With taxes, my last bill was $105 and here is what I got for my money:

• 2 HD DVR Receivers
  • HR10-250 – TiVo bought 5 years ago – In the living room and NOT capable of recording HD stations since DirecTV decided to shut down my last 10 stations last month
  • HR21-200 – In the bedroom – capable of recording HD, only it is not a TiVo.
• HBO
• Pay Per View – movies are available for $4.99 – $5.99, but only at scheduled times

I have investigated upgrading the HD DVR in the living room to a newer model, but that would extend my contract another 2 years and require that I pay for the new box.  On top of that, I have to pay a lease fee for the box and a new fee to share information between the two.  Yes, you read it correctly, even if I go out and find another HR21-200 for $99, I will pay a monthly lease fee to DirecTV for the box, which they technically still own.  Failure to return the box at the end of my contract will result in major fees (several hundred dollars each).

The Change – Idea 1

My first thought was to cancel my DirecTV service and simply purchase season passes to the shows that we watch.  Season Passes are available from iTunes and Amazon.com for fairly reasonable rates.  On average, a TV show will cost you about $40 a year (HD quality) and then you own the download.  My first thought was “how many shows do we really watch?”  As it turns out, we have about 35 shows that we enjoy.  That includes the programs that my wife watches that I really don’t care for.

Unfortunately, there are some major drawbacks to this idea, starting with the fact that 35 shows would cost over $1,400 a year.  Since the idea is to lower the monthly bill, this just won’t work.  Apple has been investigating the idea of selling monthly subscription fees for all of the major stations (estimated around $30/month), but so far we have heard no announcements that this will happen any time soon.

There Has to be a Better Way

After some brainstorming and research, I figured out the answer.  Before you read any further, know that I have not officially made the switch yet. I am looking for the possible problems with this solution and would love input from anyone who has attempted a similar idea.

The idea is simple: Dump DirecTV and switch to 2 TiVo Premiere units.  Since TiVo announced it’s new Premiere model (Series 4), I have been itching to try it out and see how it works. Luckily for me, that meant I also researched it from all possible angles.  Here is why switching will add functionality to our current entertainment setup (cable) and save us money.

Functionality

• FREE Local HD – TiVo Premiere units have ATSC tuners that allow the DVR to record up to two channels at once from digital over-the-air broadcasts in full HD.  That means I only need an antenna (which I already have) to get FREE HD broadcasts from the local stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW).
• Downloads/Streaming- TiVo Premiere units connect to Amazon.com and Netflix (along with premium providers) and allows me to purchase TV Shows and movies, including season passes.
• Sharing – TiVo Premiere units can share programming between one another, so I can watch any show I want from either the living room or bedroom.
• Transfers – Many shows and movies can be shared to my PC and/or mobile device, so I can take my shows with me on my iPod Touch or PSP.
• Energy Savings – The newest TiVo units are Energy Star Compliant, which should cut down on the electricity bill each year.
• Expandable - External hard drives can be added for more recording space.

Savings

The math is simple and the first year will be slightly higher than my current setup, but every year after that will mean MAJOR savings for our household budget.

Year 1: Purchase 1 – TiVo Premiere XL ($499), 1 – TiVo Premiere ($299), 2 – Yearly Subscriptions ($129 + $99) and the remaining shows that are not broadcast over local HD stations ($295)
Cost: $499 + $299 + $129 + $99 + $295 = $1321

Year 2 and All Years After: 2 – Yearly Subscriptions ($129 + $99) and remaining shows ($295)
Cost: $129 + $99 + $295 = $523

Compare that to the cost of my current DirecTV “service” ($1200 a year) and the savings happen within the first 15 months.  From there on out, I will be saving $56.42 per month on my cable bill.  If I wanted to increase my savings, I could purchase lifetime subscriptions for both units and never pay a monthly or yearly service fee again.  The only problem with that is the out-of-pocket costs that I would be hit with today.

See what happened when I took the plunge and made the switch:

• Buh-Bye DirecTV, Hello TiVo – How I Ditched Cable
• Buh-Bye DirecTV, Hello TiVo – How I Ditched Cable – Part II

Related Articles:

• Finding a Cable Alternative – Dumping DirecTV for TiVo (posted on KilltheCableBill.com)

Print Server

I recently stumbled onto an article from Amit Agarwal (a blogger at digital inspiration) titled How to Make Your Wired Printer Wireless.  In the article, he outlines 3 wireless print servers that help connect your printer to a wireless network, so you can relocate your printer or simply print from anywhere that your wireless signal will travel.   In the blog, Amit explains “Wireless print servers are small devices (they look like mini routers) that have a USB port. You just have to connect the printer to this wireless print server using a regular USB cable and the printer will then become available to all other computers in your wireless network.”

The article also highlights 3 of the most popular wireless print servers:

• Netgear WGPS606 – available on Amazon.com for $62.
• Linksys Print Server – available on ecost.com for $17. ** Sold elsewhere for $75 – this is an amazing deal!!
• HP Wireless Kit – available on Amazon.com for $90.

Using Existing Hardware

I am often surprised to find out that the equipment I already have might be capable of handling a new issue or need.  In an ongoing effort to save money and help you get the most out of your PC, I investigated some ways of using existing equipment to “unwire” your printer.

Some wireless routers have a USB port for sharing printers and storage devices.  Amit even recommends the Netgear WGP606, which is technically a router, as a solution.  Maybe your current router offers this same support.  Check the back of your router or visit the manufacturer’s web site to find out.

The D-Link DIR-655 has Support for USB Devices

You can also use your desktop PC or laptop as a relay to enable wireless printing.  The process, known as printer sharing, is different for each operating system, but we found some “how-to” documents on other sites to help you out:

• Windows XP – Printer Sharing on a Home Network
• Windows Vista – Share a Printer

Maybe it Would Just be Easier…

Depending on your comfort level with computers and the amount of free time you have on your hands, you can probably get any printer setup and ready to print in an hour or so.  If you are not very comfortable with this kind of “exploration” then you might find it is time to just break down and buy a new printer.  There are many options available and some of the entry level printers have Wi-Fi capabilities built-in.  The prices for new printers have dropped dramatically over the years, meaning that you can now get a new printer for as low as $55.

I have not researched or owned any of these, but a quick search on Amazon.com revealed a few cost-effective entries for “wireless printers”:

• Lexmark Z2420 Color Printer Wireless – $54.39
• HP Officejet 6000 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer – $84.45
• Epson Stylus NX510 Wireless Color Inkjet All-in-One – $69.99

Groupon.com is a “daily-deal” type site, but with a twist.  The deal is a coupon for a local business that is only valid when there is enough interest from the group (thus the name Groupon).  Luckily, for the majority of our readers, Houston is one of the cities featured on the site.  Here is how it works.  A new “item” is posted each day and site visitors can decide whether they want the deal or not.  When enough people commit to a purchase of the item, “the deal is on!”  The time counts down (since the deal is only good for one day) and anyone else can jump in before it expires.  The idea is fabulous, but the execution is even better.  Here are some of the top reasons that Groupon.com is a must-add for your favorites:

• The site is very clean, organized and easy to follow.  Check out this screen shot of today’s deal (below)
• Sharing is easy.  Use Facebook, Twitter or email to share the site/deal with friends and family in seconds.
• The deals are good, local and varied.  Don’t see something you like today, check back the next day.  See some of the recent deals here.
• Keeping up with the deals is easy.  Simply sign up to receive them by email, or follow Groupon on Facebook or Twitter.
• Logging in is easy.  If you are already a Facebook user, you can use Facebook Connect to login right there on the Groupon page.
• This is not some fly-by-night site.  They have already sold 1,144,423 coupons, and counting.

Notice the deal for today.  $30 for a “One Month Fitness Package” at Body3 Fitness Center.  The discount is huge (85% off their normal price) and timely.  I am sure that more than one of our readers is already contemplating that New Year’s resolution to head back to the gym.  What better way than Boot Camp?  I can attest that these boot camps often run close to $200 a month (without a gym membership), so you better grab this deal while you can.

BONUS: Also, as part of their “Resolution Motivation” week, Groupon.com is offering $10 in Groupon Bucks to anyone who makes 2 separate purchases before midnight on January 3rd (this Sunday).

Disclaimer: I am not paid by Groupon.com nor was I compensated in any way prior to writing this article.  I did however, selfishly include links to the Groupon.com site that would yield my a $10 bonus, as part of their “refer a friend” program.  You can do the same if you want to share the site with others.  Just look up at the top for the “Refer Friends” link.

Blister Pack 1 - Person Opening 0

Well, today is a BIG day.  According to every web site I have been on (that is a lot), today is the last day for you to make any online purchases and have any chance at all of receiving the item(s) before Christmas day.  For all you procrastinators out there, it is your time.  Time to step up or you’ll find yourself fighting the masses at the brick-n-mortar stores.  I do NOT envy you if you decide on the second option.

In case you have purchased or will need to purchase any holiday gifts for that “techie” in your family, there are some things you might want to be aware of, before you actually hand over the gift for unwrapping.  I, being a techie myself, was unaware that anyone had put any real thought into this, but it turns out that my friends over at CNET (fantastic site for any computer  lover) put together a little video for you to review.  Check out the video “Top 5 Worst Holiday Tech Gifts.”

In case you couldn’t see the video, here is a recap of those top 5 items:

• Twitter Peek - a pointless device aimed at one thing (Twitter) that doesn’t even show all 140 characters.
• a Tube TV – if you can’t get them a flat screen (LCD or Plasma) then get them something else
• HD DVD – Blu-Ray won the battle.  Unless your recipient owns an HD DVD player already, don’t get them any HD DVD movies.
• Progressive wake alarm clock – Not sure what model or store, but to be safe, avoid them all.
• Blister Pack – This is that horrible, impossible to open packaging that some manufacturers use.  Amazon.com has outlawed it and you should too.

We would not be doing our job here at JumpstartMyPC.com if we didn’t offer you some alternatives to these top 5 gifts, so here are some of our recommendations for those tech-lovers in your gift-giving circle:

1. Netflix – If your friend or loved one does not already have a subscription, get them one.  The best part is you can buy it online now and Netflix gives you several gift-card designs to pick from and print out on your home printer.
   Netlfix ($8.95 – $170)

1. iPod – No knockoffs.  No other brands.  Just iPod.  Apple.com is offering FREE next-day shipping on a lot of their items right now, including the iPod touch.  Don’t hesitate, just do it. 
   Apple ($59 – $400)
2. Screen Protectors - Every techie has gadgets, but for some reason not every techie protects them.  It’s on their to-do list, but they have gotten around to it.  Stuff their stocking with some gadget protection. 
   Amazon.com ($3.99 – $20)
3. Flip Video Camera – Flip is taking the world by storm and their products are great.  There are several models to choose from and Flip.com is offering FREE overnight shipping today, until 9pm (PST). 
   Flip.com ($149 – $229)
4. ZipIt Blister Pack Opener – As much as we hate them, blister packs are going to be around for a while.  What better way to say Happy Holidays than “Happy Gift Opening!”  Amazon.com has them and they offer 2-day and next-day shipping.  Amazon.com ($26.37)

No matter what you decide to do, Good Luck and Happy Holidays.  Hopefully we made your last minute gift purchases just a little bit easier.

LogicBUY.com is a compilation of my favorite money saving ideas from the web.  Daily deals, coupons and sharing.  Much like deals.woot.com (which we shared a few weeks ago), LogicBUY.com is a deal page where users can share the bargains they find anywhere on the web.  There are however some key differences that send LogicBUY.com straight to the top of my WOW list.  Why should you visit LogicBUY.com?  Here is what makes the site so great.  numbers correspond to the areas on the screen shot below

1. BIG savings -  The home page highlights the biggest savings on the site and shows you the sale price as well as the original price on the site mentioned.  Hover over the item with your mouse for a pop-out window containing more information on the product or follow the Get Deal button to go directly to the site and make your purchase.
2. Popular stores – The biggest names in online shopping are here, including Amazon.com, Buy.com, Dell.com, NewEgg.com, etc.  I still can’t tell if the information on sales from these sites is provided by LogicBUY.com or the users, but I happy either way.  Currently, if you wanted the hottest deals from Amazon.com (Gold Box) and Buy.com (Daily Deals) you would have to visit both sites and receive their daily emails of the latest deals.  LogicBuy provides all of this information in one visit.
3. Categories – If you are looking for something specific, you can run a search or start narrowing down your selections by picking a category.
4. Voting – After becoming a member (see below) you can add your own deals and/or vote on your favorites.  Those with the most votes move to the front page and everyone benefits.
5. Become a member in seconds – If you are already a Facebook user, you can join LogicBuy by filling out 3 pieces of information and they will sync up with your Facebook account.
6. Alerts – Looking for something specific but didn’t find it in your search?  You can create alerts based on your own key words and LogicBUY will email you when a new deal is submitted/found.  It’s like they are shopping for you.

So, maybe you have an idea for that next gift or maybe you don’t.  Either way, you should get the best deal on it and you should limit the time you spend shopping and deciding where to buy it.  LogicBUY.com can help you satisfy all of these needs.  Jump on over to the site today and see what great bargains you find.  The site is completely FREE, so you have nothing to lose.

Keep checking back here (just follow the link to the full article) or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for instant updates on amazing deals found all over the web.

Also, if you are looking for anything specific, let us know and we’ll keep an eye out for it.  Be specific and we’ll find the best deal possible for you.

Happy Holidays everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DEAL 1: XBOX 360 and Guitar Hero World Tour (with all the instruments) for $199.99 delivered!!!!  CLICK HERE

Details: The deal here is not displayed very well.  You have to know it is there.  Look closely under the Video Games Lightning Deals and you will see the explanation on how to get this deal.

For today only, when you purchase a Xbox 360 Arcade you can get Guitar Hero World Tour Band Bundle for free*.

Offer valid on November 25, 2009, 12:01 AM – 11:59 PM Pacific time, when shipped and sold by Amazon.com. Limit one per customer. To qualify, place both of the qualifying items, listed below, in your cart. The discount will be reflected during checkout.

DEAL 2: Up, Monsters, Inc. and Cars on Blu-Ray for $30.97 delivered.  CLICK HERE

Details: Save big when you order all three – Buy the Up Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and both Monsters, Inc and Cars on Blu-ray and save $26 off your total purchase at checkout.
To receive the $26 discount, enter the promo code PIXARBLU at checkout. Please note that this offer can’t be combined with the UPBLURAY offer.

BONUS: Purchase this deal and get a $5 credit on TV shows  at the Amazon Video on Demand store.  You’ll receive an email after you complete your purchase.

DEAL 3: Garmin nuvi 205W Portable GPS for $99 Delivered CLICK HERE
added 11/25/09 at 12:22pm

Details: No special codes or tricks.  Simply follow the link above, add it to your shopping cart and check out.  Deal is $100 off retail and at least $35 better than any deal we found on the internet 2 days ago.  This is a brand new item (not refurbished) and these make great gifts.

This is the very item we discussed in our article on Monday (Stay Home on Black Friday – Get Better Deals Now).  Turns out you don’t have to stand in line to get this deal.  Go on line now, before they are all gone.

DEAL 4: LG BD270 Blu-Ray Disc Player for $89.99 (when purchased using Discover card) CLICK HERE
added 11/25/09 at 12:52pm

Details: You have to add this item to your shopping cart to see the price, which is currently $99.  Then, if you check out using a Discover card, you get an additional $10 off.   The normal price on this item is $199.99.  You get it for $110 off of retail.  WOW!

Discover Card checkout details: For a limited time, when you spend $50 or more on select items sold by Amazon.com in Apparel, Electronics, Software, Video Games, and Computers you will get $10 off when you pay with your Discover Card. This item qualifies. Here’s how (restrictions apply)

Yesterday, we talked about comparing Black Friday ads with online deals in our article titled Stay Home on Black Friday – Get Better Deals Now! Today we will focus on a different kind of bargain shopping.  In the event that you don’t know exactly what you are looking for, there are some sites that have great bargains on a range of items.  By watching/checking these sites regularly you might find a unique idea for that special someone this holiday season.

• deals.woot.com – This site is fairly new but is brought to us by the originators of the one-day deal woot.com.  Unlike other sites that will be promoting their own items, deals.woot is a community where users share great finds with one another.  Become a member today or use your woot.com login information to access the site.

review: At first, the site looks as if it only offers a few deals.  At the top, you have a sponsored area, where retailers have paid for the links and pictures.  If you take the time to scroll down to the community deals area you will find the user submitted information.  The numbers to the left of each item indicate the number of votes that item received.

• Amazon Black Friday Deals Week – We mentioned this site in the article yesterday.  I didn’t know much about it at the time, since it was just released, but have had some time to study it.  The items are all featured on Amazon’s web site, but are being offered as an alternative to Black Friday deals found elsewhere.  In other words, Amazon.com is watching the ads and trying to get your business before the other retailers do.  This is a win-win situation for you.

review: There are some awesome deals to be had (including a Nintendo DS for $97), but navigating the site is a bit confusing.  Amazon.com already had their Gold Box deals (offered daily just like woot.com) and now this additional site.  The confusion is worth it if you are willing to watch the site all day, but you have to act quickly, as these deals sell out fast.

Do you have a great bargain site that you want to share?  Let us know and we will add it to the list.  And don’t forget, you can share this page with friends and family by simply clicking on the ShareThis button below.  They’ll thank you for it!

If you are planning on heading out on Black Friday, you will  most likely purchase a newspaper with all of the local ads on Thursday.  This will give you and the family a chance to look through all of the ads and decide which store you should go to.  The only problem with this is you won’t be able to do much comparison shopping between Thursday and Friday, so do you know if you are even getting the best deal?  What if a web site had the same deal or better and could keep you from waking up at 3am and standing in the cold or rain (it is going to be 45 degrees on Friday morning in Houston, TX)?

We decided to do a little investigative shopping, just to show you what we mean.  Here is our experiment with one item.

Store: Best Buy
Item: Garmin – nuvi 205W Portable GPS
Price: $99.99 plus tax

Conclusion: This deal is UNBEATABLE! You should stand in line if you want the best deal on this item.

• blackfriday.info – type any item into the “search” area and they will return any matches from the 2009 Black Friday ads.  (screen shot below)
  **Also, notice the orange RSS feed link (upper right).  Click this and subscribe to get updates on new links as they come out.

• bfads.net – again, type any item into the search area to see a list of matches.  bfads.net goes a step further and returns close comparisons (other models) as well.  Maybe a different model will suffice

• eBay! – Don’t ignore the deals you can find on eBay.  Run a quick search for any items that are available via Buy It Now and put them in order using Price+Shipping: lowest first.  You might find an item with FREE shipping and no tax.

• mysimon.com – mysimon.com is a comparison shopping site.  Put in your item information and they search 100’s of sites for you in a matter of seconds.  They don’t search every site, but just think of how long it would take you to search 100’s for a single item.

BONUS: Looks like we weren’t the only ones looking to save you some time and money.  Amazon.com has put together a web page that “meets or beats” the Black Friday deals of other major retailers.  Their deals start today and run all week.  Amazon.com Black Friday page