Despite an economy that’s still struggling, the majority of Americans are still planning to use their credit cards during the holiday shopping season – starting with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In a survey conducted by MarketLive and the E-Tailing Group released on October 19th, it was found that more than half of consumers surveyed intend to do their holiday shopping online (59% – up from 49% last year). The primary method of making payments for online purchases are credit cards.

Due to the increase in the number of online shoppers who are likely to use credit cards on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, here are some tips for using your credit cards wisely as recommended by BillShrink.com, the free online service that saves people money on everyday bills, has compiled recommendations on the best credit cards for different types of holiday shoppers, coupled with tips on how to how to avoid getting hurt by issuers’ sneaky fine print.

Skip the Retailer’s Credit Card Offers

The holiday season prompts retailers to increase marketing efforts for their store credit cards. If you’re shopping in person, don’t be surprised if at every check out you’re asked if you’d like to pay for your purchases with a new credit card. Most will have a 0% promotional offer, or will save you 20% off that day’s purchase – but don’t be tempted! A single late payment on this card can cause that 0% interest rate to jump over 20%; and the 20% you might save from today’s purchase will not make up for the amount you’ll pay in interest and fees over time if you don’t pay the balance off in full.

Take Advantage of your Credit Card Return Policy

If you’re a savvy shopper getting your holiday shopping done early, you may find that by the time your gift exchange happens you’re already beyond the retailers 14-30 day return period. If your credit card offers return protection, your card issuer will take back most items the store won’t accept, up to 90 days after the purchase date.

Pretend Your Credit Card is a Debit Card

While many people rely on credit cards when they don’t have the cash to shop – ideally you should make sure you have enough money in the bank to cover everything you pay for with your credit card. Keep track of spending just like you would your debit card, and you’ll know exactly how much your holiday shopping is costing you and whether you have enough money to afford what you’re buying.

Currently about 50% of American workers have employers that offer some form of retirement plan, whether it be a 403(b) plan, a 401(k) plan, the thrift savings plan or even a Roth 401(k), but there’s still a significant percentage of people that don’t have any form of employer sponsored retirement plans.

Employers that do offer a 401(k) plan often mandate that their employees make contributions at some level. Often employers will also provide a match and increase your overall level of contributions. Although these techniques can be a bit heavy handed, they do force consumers to be disciplined and save for retirement when they otherwise may not have.

There’s a potential danger with 401(k) plans. Often employees have their 401(k) plans tied up in their employer’s stock, which leaves the employee’s ability to retire at the mercy of the success of the company that he or she works at. There are also employers that automatically put their employee’s retirement savings by default into ultra-safe holdings which won’t keep pace with inflation over time. Employers will often take a conservative approach to avoid being litigated against for choosing investments that are too risky if the employer’s investment choices don’t pan out.

If you find yourself working for an employer that doesn’t offer a 40(k) plan or if you are self employed, you have to plan for your retirement on your own. Self employer individuals have options to set themselves up on a simplified employee pension (SEP) retirement plan. Almost everyone can set themselves up with an IRA or a Roth IRA. Typically most investment advisors will suggest that investors choose the Roth IRA option because it allows for decades of tax free growth.

There are many mutual fund providers that offer Roth IRA retirement accounts and can be opened for as little as a few hundred dollars. Some of these companies include Vanguard, Fidelity and T Rowe Price. Charles Schwab even offers an option where one can open up a Roth IRA for just $100.00

The day of the pension plan where your employer simply takes care of you when you retire is over. You’re responsible for your own retirement and making sure you can spend your golden years in comfort.

More of your personal information is available for potential employers to check on than at any time in history. Employers are checking social networking profiles, websites, and even credit scores to check out how their potential employees might perform.

Although there’s not any hard statistics available, the best guess is that anywhere from 40-50% of employers are running credit checks on potential employees, but a new study indicate that those efforts might be fruitless. Eastern Kentucky University released a study finding that there’s absolutely no correlation between credit scores and job performance.

Employers might be using the wrong tool to judge their potential employees, but you still need to keep your credit score in check. A recent report from the Los Angeles Times indicates that one in three credit reports contain some form of errors. Many of these are serious enough where it could mean the difference between getting a job or a loan and getting rejected.

With your credit score, the best offense is a good defense. You need to check your credit score on a semi-annual basis to lookout for errors. Fortunately, you can check out your credit report online for free at Annual Credit Report.com. Don’t bother with sites like FreeCreditReport.com, the only legitimate site to get a free credit report is AnnualCreditReport.com, it’s a site specially setup by the credit bureaus to meet the requirements of a piece of congressional legislation that required credit reporting agencies to provide consumers free access to their credit reports.

If you find that there’s something inaccurate on your credit report, you must dispute it with the individual credit bureau and the issuer of the credit. Send all of your supporting evidence via certified mail and tell the credit issuer that you’ll sue them if they don’t fix the mistake in a timely fashion.

Americans are remarkably resilient and adapter consumers, often times much more than we’re given credit for. As shoppers are looking for new and innovative ways, some have moved to planting their own gardens as a means to supplement their weekly shopping trip to the grocery store and have an affordable source of organic vegetables.

The problem with planting gardens is that all of your fruits and vegetables generally ripen within a period of a month or two and you find yourself with too many pieces of fruit or vegetables to eat during such a short period of time. To remedy this, some consumers are moving to bring back the practice of canning their own fruits and vegetables for use throughout the year.

Dow Jones recently released a report stating that sales of canning equipment have increased by 30% this year. There are also online communities centered around canning resources, including CanningAcrossAmerica.com.

Most people won’t take the effort to can their own foods, but there are some other ways for you to save on your grocery store. The easiest way to do this is by making a weekly grocery list, sticking to it, and printing off free coupons from the web. For example, CouponMom.com is an excellent source to learn free coupon strategies that will maximize your savings on every shopping trip.

Another strategy is to change where you shop. One store, Aldi, prides itself on telling consumers that they can save up to 40% on their grocery budgets on a weekly basis.

Looking for Black Friday deals? Kmart’s Black Friday list of deals has been released. Without further adieu, here are Kmart’s Black Friday deals. Items categorized as “Door Busters” have been marked with an asterisk.

Automotive
Comfort Cushion w/Heat Massage – $17.49
DieHard 10/2/50 Fully Automatic Battery Charger – $39.99
DieHard Wheeled Battery Charger/Starter – $69.99 *
Travel Mug Set – $7.49
WeatherHandler 44 Piece Emergency Kit – $9.99 *
Babies & Kids
All Kids Character Athletic Shoes – 50% Off
Athletech Kids Supreme Fleece Separates – $5.99 *
Basic Editions Kids’ Jeans – $5.99 *
Basic Editions Kids’ Sweaters Sizes 4-16 – $7.99 *
Basic Editions Kids’ Three Piece Sets Sizes 4-16 – $9.99 *
Basic Editions Kids’ Turtlenecks, Tees, Henleys, Polos or Leggings – 50% Off
Boys 3-for-1 Beanie and Long-sleeved T-shirt Combo – $7.99 *
Cosco Hi-Rise Booster Car Seat – B1G1F *
Disney Infants and Toddlers Sets – $3.99 *
Disney & Licensed Infants & Toddlers Sets – $7.99
Disney & Licensed Kids and Babies Cold-weather Sets – $3.99 *
Huggies Big Pack Diapers – $19.99
Huggies Wipes – $6.99
Kids & Babies Disney & Licensed Apparel – 40% Off *
Kids & Babies Outerwear & Cold-Weather Accessories – 50% Off
Kids Slippers – 50% Off
Licensed Kids & Babies Sleepwear – 50% Off
Licensed Kids Hoodies – $7.99 *
Licensed Toddlers Furniture – B1G1 50% Off *
Route 66 Kids’ Graphic Tees – $2.99 *
Small Wonders & Wonderkids Essentials – 3 For $10
Wonderkids Infants And Toddlers Dresses – $7.99 *
Wonderkids Infants & Toddlers Blanket Sleepers – $3.99 *
Wonderkids Infants & Toddlers Supreme Fleece – $3.99 *

Bed & Bath
Cannon 30″x54″ Bath Towel – $2.99
Cannon Bath Coordinates & Shower Curtains – B1G1 50% Off
Cannon Eco Memory Foam Ventilated Contour Pillow – $14.99
Cannon Heated Blanket – $19.99
Cannon Heated Twin Blanket – $19.99
Eclipse Kids’ 63″ Or 84″ Length Window Panels – $7.99
Essential Home Classic Standard Pillow – 2 For $4.00
Essential Home Easy Care Complete Bed Set Any Size – $29.99 *
Essential House Down Comforter – $19.99 *
High Pile Throw – $9.99
Holiday Doormats – $2.99
Jaclyn Smith Today Cashmere Blend Throw – $14.99 *
Jaclyn Smith Traditions 400 Thread Count Damask Stripe Sheet Set Any Size – $19.99 *
Juvenile Cuddle Wraps – $12.99
Kids’ Licenced Throws Or Bed Tent – $12.99
Kids’ Licensed Blankets – $14.99
Kids’ Licensed Sheet Sets – $12.49
Licenced Bath Coordinates Or Shower Curtain – B1G1 50% Off
Snuggie Blanket – $9.99 *
Twin Draft Guard – $9.99
Two Piece Accent Rug Set – $19.99

Blank Media
Maxell Color 6-Pack CD-R – $0.99
Maxell Color 6-Pack DVD-R or DVD+R – $1.49
Cell Phones
TracFone LG Bluetooth Camera Flip Phone – $19.99
Wireless Bluetooth Headset – $7.99

Clothing & Apparel
All Men’s Slippers – 50% Off
All Men’s Wrangler Jeans Footwear – 50% Off
All Pink K Women’s 2-Peice Pajama Sets – $9.99 *
All Team Sports Apparel – B1G1 50% Off
Athletech Men’s Basketball Shorts – $6.99 *
Attention Men’s Leather Jackets – $49.99 *
Attention Sweaters – $9.99
Attention Wool Coat – $19.99 *
Basic Editions Cozy Fleece – $9.99
Basic Editions Easy-Care Pants – $9.99
Basic Editions Luxura Sweaters – $7.99
Basic Editions Men’s Easy-Care Woven Shirts – $5.99 *
Basic Editions Men’s Flannel Shirts – $5.99 *
Basic Editions Men’s Jersey Sweaters – $7.99 *
Basic Editions Men’s Quitted Flannels – $9.99 *
Basic Editions Men’s Striped or Solid Sherpa Fleece Hoodies – $16.99
Basic Editions Mock-Neck Cardigans – $11.99
Basic Editions Pull-On Corduroy Pants – $6.99
Basic Editions Ribbed Turtleneck Sweaters – $7.99
Basic Editions Tees Or Turtlenecks – $3.99 *
Basic Editions Women’s Cable Sweaters – $8.99 *
Boxed Gifts – $8.99 *
Chic Pull-On Pants – $7.99
Family Hoisery – B1G1 50% Off
Fashion Scarves Or Hinged Wallets – $3.99
Fruit Of The Loom Men’s Boxer Briefs or Trunks – $7.99 *
Fruit Of The Loom Men’s Three Pack Boxers – $5.00
Handbags And Fashion Accessories – 50% Off
Hanes Men’s 3-Pack Tops or Multipack Briefs – $4.99 *
Hanes Men’s Five Pack Crew With Sock Trial – $8.50
Jaclyn Smith 100% Cashmere Sweaters – $29.99 *
Jaclyn Smith Cowl-Neck Sweaters – $14.99
Jaclyn Smith Printed Cardigans – $14.99
Jaclyn Smith Silk Shirts – $14.99
Jaclyn Smith Velour Shells – $5.99 *
Jaclyn Smith Women’s Leather Jackets – $49.99 *
Jaclyn Smith Wool Car Coats – $34.99
Joe Boxer 2-Pair Fuzzy Slipper Socks – $3.99 *
Joe Boxer Cotton/Spandex Panties – 5 For $12.00
Joe Boxer Fleece Tops And Pants – $4.99
Joe Boxer Men’s Flannel Pants – 50% Off
Joe Boxer Men’s Fleece-Lined Hoodies – $9.99
Joe Boxer Men’s Fleece Tops or Pants – $3.99 *
Joe Boxer Men’s Microfleece Pants – $6.99 *
Joe Boxer Sleepwear – B1G1
Joe Boxer Slipper Socks – B1G1
Joe Boxer Thermals – $3.99 *
Joe Boxer Women’s Furry Slipper Socks – $7.99 *
Juniors Tee & Tote – $5.99 *
Just My Size Boxed Bras – $10.00
Magic Gloves – $0.99 *
Men’s Musical Card Boxers – $6.99 *
Men’s Sweaters – $14.99
NCAA Men’s Mesh Pants – $17.99
Pink K Robes – 50% Off
Pink K Women’s Robes – $14.99 *
Piper & Blue Leggings – $4.99
Piper & Blue Sweater Dresses – $11.99
Playtex 18 Hour Boxed Bras – $16.00
Playtex Everyday Basics – $10.00
Plush Animal w/Socks – $3.99 *
Route 66 Cardigans – $15.99
Route 66 Henleys – $4.99
Route 66 Lace Cami – $4.99
Route 66 Skinny Jeans – $18.99
Route 66 Straight Leg Jeans – $15.99
Route 66 Striped Tee – $4.99
Route 66 Striped V-Neck Sweaters – $9.99
Route 66 Velour Hoodies Or Pants – $11.99
Route 66 Young Men’s Premium Fashion Jeans – $15.99
Rustler Men’s Jeans – $7.99 *
Women’s Cold Weather Accessories – 40% Off
Women’s Holiday Socks – $0.99 *
Women’s Licensed Fleexe Pullovers – $7.99 *
Women’s Mini Bag – $3.99 *
Women’s Sleepwear – 40% Off

Computers
Delstar 7 Inch Wireless Netbook 05 Windows CE – $119.99 *

Digital Cameras
Kodak CD80 10.2MP Digital Camera Bundle – $79.99
Samsung SL40 Digitial Camera – $79.99 *
Sony W180 10.1MP Digital Camera – $99.99

DVD Players
Magnavox DVD Player w/VCR – $49.99
Memorex 1080P HDMI Upconvert DVD Player – $29.99
Sylvania 7 Inch Portable DVD Player – $49.99 *

Electronics
Cobra Radar Detector – $29.99 *
Cobra Two Way Radio Pair – $19.99 *
Coby 7 Inch Digital Picture Frame – $29.99 *
Emerson 3-Handset DECT Phone Bundle – $39.99
GPX 2.1 Channel DVD Home Theater System – $39.99
iHome Dock – $9.99
iHome PC Accessories – $9.99
Jazz VGA 4X Digital Zoom 1.5 in. LCD Screen Pocket Digital Camcorder – $19.99
Phillips 4-Device Remote Control – $9.99
SmartPants 8.5″ Digital Photo Frame – $49.99
Sony Earbuds – $4.99

Food
Aquafina 24 Pack – 2 For $12.00
Arizona Teas 42 oz – 10 For $10.00
Assorted Soda 12 Pack Cans – 3 For $10.00
Chips Ahoy 16 oz – 2 For $5.00
Freefall 8.5 oz – 10 For $10.00
Fuze 18.5 oz – 10 For $10.00
Hershey’s Pot of Gold Boxed Chocolates – $3.99
Maxwell House Wake Up Roast 34.5 oz – $5.99
Pepsi 12 Pack Cans – 3 For $12.00
Pepsi 6 Pack Bottles – 3 For $12.00
Pot Of Gold Boxed Chocolates 8.7oz to 10oz – $3.99 *
Powerade 32 oz – 10 For $10.00
Vitamin Water 20 oz – 10 For $10.00

Games & Hobbies
48″ Air Powered Hockey Table With Electronic Scoring – $39.99 *
Bowlercade With Electronic Ball Return And Scoring – $59.99 *
GPS Navigation Systems
Magellan Roadmate 1220 GPS Navigation System – $84.99 *
TomTom ONE 130 GPS – $79.99
TomTom XL325S GPS Navigation System – $99.99

Health & Beauty
2-Pack Soniccare Elite Replacement Brush Heads – $24.99
Braun Series 1-150 Shaver – $29.99
Conair GMT182XCS Trimmer – $15.00
Conair Massage Slippers – $9.99
Image Essential Bath Gift Sets – $18.99
Norelco 6940 Shaver – $29.99
Norelco G370 Trimmer – $15.00
Remington PG350 Trimmer – $15.00
Remington R3130 Shaver – $29.99
Revlon Designer Series Beauty Appliances – $12.99
Selected Massagers (Conair, HoMedics, Sunbeam) – $9.99
Sonicare Essence 5300 Power Toothbruth – $44.99
TCW Beauty Palettes – $14.99

Home
Disney 3-pc Table & Chair Set – $17.99
Essential Home 7-pc Dining Set – $129.99
Essential Home Cherry Finished Jewelry Armoire – $59.99
Essential Home Manor Bath Towel – $1.99
Essential Home Oak-Finished or Two-Tone Handpainted Jewelry Armoire – $79.99
Essential Home Shiatsu Recliner – $169.99
Jaclyn Smith Today 4-Pc Comforter Set – $44.99
Joe Boxer Ultra Plush Sweet Dreamer Standard Pillow – $2.49
Kenmore Quick Clean Bagless Vacuum – $44.99

Jewelry
1/3-ct t.w. Certified Diamond Ring – $99.99
1/3 Ct TW Diamond Earrings 18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver – $49.99 *
1/3 Ct TW Diamond Necklace 18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver – $49.99 *
1/3 Ct TW Diamond Ring 18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver – $49.99 *
1.4-Ct T.W. Black & White Diamond Pendants – $49.99
14-Kt Gold and Sterling Silver Earrings – $39.99
1/7-ct t.w. Diamond Pendant, Earring & Ring Set – $49.99
1-ct t.w. Diamond Pendant, Bracelet Or Ring – $99.99
All Holiday Costume Jewelry & Jewelry Boxes – 50% Off
All Watches – 25% Off
Created Ruby and White Sapphire Pendant Or Ring – $29.99
Crystal Earrings 18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver – $9.99 *
Diamond Bracelet 18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver – $29.99 *
Diamond Dial Watch – $9.99 *
Diamond Pendant – $9.99 *
Diamond Pendant 18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver – $29.99 *
Diamond Ring 18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver – $29.99 *
Diamond Solitaire Earrings – 75% Off
Gold Earrings – 20% Off
Necklace w/Free Bracelet – $39.99
Three Pair Earring Set 18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver – $19..99 *
Kitchen & Housewares
30-pc Food Storage Set – $3.99
Basic Essentials 16 Piece Cookware Set – $24.99 *
Black & Decker 5-Speed Hand Mixer – $9.99
Black & Decker Extra Tall Can Opener – $9.99
Black & Decker Mini Food Chopper – $9.99
Black & Decker Smart Steam Iron – $9.99
Chicago Cutlery 15-pc Cutlery Set – $19.99
Conair Lighted Chrome Mirror – $19.99 *
Corelle 30-pc Winter Frost White Dinnerware Set – $29.99
Essential Home 10-Pack Banded Wine Goblets – $9.99
Essential Home 20-pc Banded Dinnerware Set – $12.99
Essential Home 21-Opening Collage Frame – $14.99
Essential Home 3-pc Stem Candle Holders – $14.99
Eureka Superlight Bagless Vacuum – $29.99
George Foreman Jumo Size Grill – $29.99
Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Programmable BrewStation – $19.99
Hamilton Beach 3L Deep Fryer – $29.99
Hamilton Beach 4-qt Slow Cooker – $9.99
Kenmore 1.1 Cubic Foot 1100W Microwave – $54.99 *
Kenmore Sewing Machine w/8-Stitch Functions – $39.99
Kitchen Kettle Multicooker – $19.99
Northwest Territory 6′ Fold In Half Table – $32.99
Oster 12-Speed Glass Jar Blender – $29.99
Presto Cool-Touch Family Griddle w/Bonus Utensils – $19.99
Proctor-Silex 12-Cup Coffeemaker – $9.99
Pyrex 14-pc Bake-And-Store Set – $19.99
Roomba 408 Robotic Vacuum – $99.99
Sylvania Three Pack 13W Compact Fluorescent Bulbs – 50% Off *
Sylvania Three Pack 23W Compact Fluorescent Bulbs – 50% Off *
Wearever Cook-And-Strain 10-pc Cookware Set – $49.99
Movies
Select Blu Ray Movies (Wedding Crashers, V for Vendetta, Constantine) – $8.99
Select DVDs (Hellboy II, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Semi-Pro) – $3.99
Select DVDs (Marley & Me, Mall Cop, Kung Fu Panda) – $8.99
Select DVDs (The Dark Knight, Wanted, Pineapple Express, Role Models) – $5.99

MP3 Players
Element 2GB Stick MP3 Player – $9.99 *
Sylvania 4GB MP3 Player – $19.99

Music
Select CDs (Bread, Aretha Franklin, Chicago, Ray Charles) – $3.99

Perfume & Cologne
Axe Three Way Gift Sets – $6.99
Barbie Jetting Beauty Set – $19.99
Halle Berry, Tim McGraw, Or Faith Hill Fragrance Gift Sets – $14.99
Image Essentials Bath Gift Sets – $2.99
Image Essentials Bath Gift Sets – $19.99
Old Spice Classic Collection Gift Sets – $4.99
White Diamonds Four Piece Fragrance Set – $24.99 *

Seasonal
All Trim A Home Wreaths & Garlands – 50% Off
Angel And Santa Cone Figures – $7.49
Angel & Santa Cone Figures – $7.49
Holiday Accessories And Decor – 40% Off
Holiday Candles – 40% Off
Holiday Kitchen And Bath Textiles – 40% Off
Holiday Tabletop – 40% Off
Licensed Soft Tinsel Outdoor Decor – $39.99
Martha Stewart Everyday Holiday 7′ Pre Lit Aspen Mountain Slim Tree – $79.99
Martha Stewart Everyday Holiday 9′ Pre Lit Aspen Mountain Slim Tree – $149.99
Marth Stewart Everyday Holiday 9″ Ribbon – $0.99
Outdoor Holiday Sculptures And Lights – 25% Off
Scotch 3-Pack Tape – $3.99
Scotch Gift Wrap – $3.99
Trim A Home 100 Count Heavy Duty Lights – $4.49
Trim A Home 150 Count Mini Light Set – $4.49
Trim A Home 16 Count Boxed Cards – 50% Off
Trim A Home 16-Ct Large Shatterproof Ornaments – $14.99
Trim A Home 18 Count Collectible Porcelain Village Set – $12.49
Trim A Home 18-ct Collectible Porcelain Village Set – $12.49
Trim A Home 18′ Rope Lights – $6.49
Trim A Home 28 Count Glass Ornaments – $4.99
Trim A Home 28-Ct Glass Ornaments – $4.99
Trim A Home 40″ Multiroll Gift Wrap – $3.99
Trim A Home 40″ Single Roll Gift Wrap – 50% Off
Trim A Home 42″ Fiber Optic Tree – $24.99
Trim A Home 7 Foot Unlit Heritage Pine Tree – $79.99
Trim A Home 8 Function Chasing Lights – $7.49
Trim A Home Chenille Lighted Figures – $49.99
Trim A Home Christmas Porch Greeters – 50% Off
Trim A Home Christmas Porch Greeters – 50% Off
Trim A Home Collectible Lighted Buildings With Music – $29.99
Trim A Home Collectible Lighted Buildings w/Music – $29.99
Trim A Home Five Foot Airblown Inflatable Lighted Outdoor Figure – $14.99
Trim A Home Inflatable Animals – $29.99
Trim A Home Shatterproof Ornaments – $4.99
Trim A Home Shatterproof Ornaments – $4.99
Trim A Home Tree Skirts, Stockings, And Stocking Holders – 50% Off
Trim A Home Wreaths And Garlands – 50% Off

Shoes & Accessories
100% Cashmere Gloves – $9.99 *
100% Cashmere Hats – $9.99 *
100% Cashmere Scarves – $9.99 *
Route 66 Kids’ Boots – $9.99 *
Texas Steer Workboots – $24.99 *
Women’s Boots Select Styles – $11.49 *

Software
Leapster Software – B1G1 Free

Sports & Fitness
16″ Boys’ Major Trouble Bike – $69.99 *
16″ Girls’ Major Flirt Bike – $69.99 *
26″ Men’s Or Women’s Upland Cruiser Bikes – $69.99
44: Portable Basketball Set – $69.99
4-pc Table Tennis – $99.99
All Hunting Accessories & Archery – B1G1 50% Off
Century Mixed Martial Arts 50-lb Bag Kit – $49.99
Door Jamz Basketball – $19.99
Fullerton 7″ Pool Table w/Table Tennis – $199.99
Kids’ 10″ Character Bikes – $24.99
Kids’ 12″ Dream Journey Or Uproar Bikes – $24.99
Mini Folding Exercise Trampoline – $29.99
Mongoose 20″ Girls’ Presto Or Boys’ Decoy Bike – $49.99
Mongoose Estes Dual Suspension Mountain Bike – $99.99
Spalding NBA Ball – $14.99
Weider Combo Bench w/Lat Tower – $89.99
Weider Stability Balls – $5.99 *
Weslo Pursuit E25 Exercise Cycle – $69.99
Xenon Electronic Dartboard – $14.99
Youth Basketball System – $59.99

Television
Element 26″ LCD HDTV (Model # 26LE30Q) – $249.99
Panasonic 42″ 720p Plasma HDTV (Model # TC-P42C1) – $549.99
Sony Bravia L Series 32″ Class 720p LCD HDTV (Model # KDL32L504) – $379.99 *

Tools & Hardware
Craftsman 1,600-psi Electric Pressure Washer or 120V Inflator – $69.99
Craftsman 42 Piece Tool Set – $19.99 *
Craftsman C3 Drill With One Hour Charger – $39.99 *
Craftsman Compact Dual Stage 22″ Snow Thrower – $419.99 *
Craftsman Five Drawer Tool Center Chest – $79.99 *
Craftsman Two Gallon Wet Dry Vac – $14.99 *

Toys
12 Foot Trampoline With Enclosure – $199.99
23″ Caterpillar Lights And Sound Crane – $24.99
Astounding Magic Set With DVD – $11.99
Astounding Magic Top Hat – $7.99
Bakugan Toys – B2G1
Barbie Camera – $19.99
Barbie Cash Register – $24.99
Barbie Fashion Fever Doll – $4.99
Barbie Guitar – $19.99
Barbie Horse And Carriage – $24.99
Barbie Mariposa Magic Wing Doll – $9.99 *
Barbie My Scene Hollywood Bling Doll – $4.99
Barbie Princess Doll – $9.99 *
Barbie Princess Doll – $4.99
Barbie Singing Star Karaoke – $19.99
Barbie Thumbelina Doll – $9.99 *
Barbie VW Beetle Ride On – $89.99
Batman Brave Dress Up Set – $7.99
Big Buck Hunter Pro Video Game – $29.99
Bubble Three Wheel Scooter – $29.99
Caterpiller Battery Operator Train Set – $24.99
Clone Wars Dual Action Light Saber – $19.99
Clone Wars Vehicle Assortment – $19.99
Crayola Beginnings Color Me A Song – $17.99
Crayola Color Explosion Glowboard – $17.99
Crayola Color Wonder Magic Light Brush – $17.99
Crayola Crayon Maker – $18.99
Crayola Glow Dome – $18.99
Crayola Glow Station – $18.99
Dance Maker Star Beat Dance Mat – $14.99
Disney Cars Lightning McQueen Bachelor Pad Playset – $9.99
Disney Gem Horse – $9.99
Disney Princess Electronic Bag Set – $9.99
Disney Princess Teapot – $9.99
Doodle Pro Classic – $7.99
DVD Video Games – B1G1
Easy Bake Classic Oven – $16.99 *
Easy Bake Mixes – 20% Off *
EyeClops Night Vision V2 Goggles – $39.99
First Act Adult Music Guitars – $79.99
First Act Discovery 30″ Acoustic Guitar – $19.99
First Act Electronic Tabletop Drum – $19.99
Fisher Price Smart Cycle – $79.99
Fisher Price Trio Building Set – $12.99
Flip Trix Bonus Pack – $9.99
Free Handy Manny Talking Toolbox With Any Repair Shop Purchase – $0.99
Free Motorized Batmobile With Any Imaginext Batcave Purchase – $0.00
GI Joe Ninja Figures – $12.99
Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker With Any Sweets Candy Jewel Factory Oven Purchase – $5.00
Gx Racers Motorized Multi Launcher – $29.99
Handy Manny Fix-it Motorcycle – $17.99 *
Hannah Montana Pogo Stick – $14.99
Hannah Montana Skateboard – $14.99
Just Kidz Sweetie Mine 48″ Rag Doll – $14.99
Kid’s Character Watches – $5.99
Koolaroo Six Piece Kids’ Construction Zone – $17.99
Lego Building Sets – B2G1 *
Licensed Character Kids’ Game Rug – $12.99
Light Up Scooter – $19.99
Little Learning Letters Laptop – $15.49
Little Miss Salon Tent Combos – $17.99
Littlest Pet Shop Around The World – $19.99
Lots To Love Twin Doll Set – $12.99
Master Pogo – $14.99
Mega Blocks 80 Piece Bag – $12.99
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Raceway – $29.99 *
Moon Sand Country Farm – $7.99
Moxie Girlz, BFC, Or Bratz Laptop – $26.99
Mushabelly Chat Pack – $14.99
My First AirZone Trampoline With Enclosure – $64.99
My First Craftsman Power Washer – $9.99
Nerf Dart Tag Fury Fire – $26.99
PixOs Deco Kit – $4.99
PixOs Starter Kit – $7.99
Play-Doh Dr. Drill ‘n Fill Playset – $7.99
Playskool Infant Classics Set – $19.99
Pocket Rocket Motor Bike – $229.99
Polly Pocket Limo – $9.99
Polly Pocket Sea Chic Boutique Bag – $9.99
Razor E100 Red Or Pink Scooter – $89.99
Razor Ripster – $34.99 *
Rock’em Sock’em Robots – $11.99
Shake ‘N Go Xtreme Speedway – $44.99
Skateboard And Helmet Combo – $19.99
Star Wars Four Pack Figures – $19.99
Sweet Pea Pocket Mod Motor Bike – $239.99
Tech Deck Big Ramp – $19.99
Tech Deck Skate Shop Bonus Pack – $9.99
Tommy 20 Dart Blaster – $12.99
Tommy Belt Blaster – $12.99
Tony Hawke 31″ Abec 5 Skateboard – $24.99
Toy Story Classic Track Playset – $9.99
Transformer 2 Power Bots – $14.99
Transformer 2 Voyager – $14.99
Transformers 2 Bumblebee Helmet – $29.99
Transformers 2 Robot Weapons – $29.99
Transformers Legends Four Pack – $19.99
Transformers Mini Con Two Pack – $19.99
Transformers Skateboard – $14.99
Uno Flash Game – $19.99
Uno Moo Preschool Game – $12.99
Wheel Pals Triple Track Tower – $9.39
Wooden Rocking Horse – $39.99
WowWee Alive Mini Cubs – $9.99
WowWee Radio Controlled FlyTech Bladestar – $14.99 *
WowWee Radio Controlled New Bright Buggy – $14.99 *
WowWee Tri Bot – $39.99
WWE Elimination Chamber Ring With Two Bonus Figures – $29.99
Yo Gabba Gabba Dancing Brobee – $14.99

Travel
Concourse Brayton Four Piece Luggage Set – $39.99

Video Games
$25 Nintendo Gaming Coupon w/Any DS System Purchase – $0.00
Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines Entertainment Pack w/Assiassins Creed II for PS3 – $199.99
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360) – $39.99
Ben 10: Alien Force Vilgax Attacks (Wii) – $19.99
Brutal Legend For PS3 – $39.99
Brutal Legend For XBox 360 – $39.99
Cars: Race O Rama (Wii) – $29.99
Dirt 2 (PS3) – $39.99
Dirt 2 (Xbox 360) – $39.99
Dragon Age For PS3 – $39.99
Dragon Age For XBox 360 – $39.99
Forza Motorsport 3 (Xbox 360) – $39.99
Game Party 2 (Wii) – $9.99
Game Party (Wii) – $9.99
Halo 3 OSDT (Xbox 360) – $39.99
High School Musical 3 Dance Bundle (Xbox 360) – $9.99
Left 4 Dead 2 (Xbox 360) – $39.99
Lego Batman (DS) – $14.99
Need for Speed: Shift (PS3) – $39.99
Need for Speed: Shift (Xbox 360) – $39.99
Nintendo DSi Bundle w/5 Pre-Installed Games – $169.99 *
Nintendo Wii – $199.99
Rock Band 2 Special Edition (XBox 360) – $99.99
Sandisk 4GB SD Card – $8.99
Select Wii Games – $9.99
Select Wii Games – $29.99
SpongeBob: Truth or Square (Wii) – $29.99
Spore (Wii) – $29.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up (Wii) – $29.99
Value Video Games – $14.99
World of Zoo (Wii) – $29.99
WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 PS3 – $39.99
XBox 360 Elite Bundle w/Halo 3 OSDT – $299.99

As Thanksgiving gets closer, bargain hunters are scouring the web for various “Black Friday” ads. Although most of the ads aren’t available yet, both Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW), Sears (NASDAQ:SHLD) and Old Navy’s Black Friday ads have been released in some form or the other.

Lowe’s is taking advantage of the Black Friday hype and posting some of their Black Friday deals directly on their website. Some of their deals include a ShopVac 14-Gallon, 4.5HP Wet/Dry Vac with Bonus Micro-cleaning Kit for $29.00, a Stanley 26-LED Bar-Flex for $14.97, a 7-Piece LED Flashlight Gift Set for $7.97, DeWalt 18-Volt 1/2″ Cordless Compact Drill/Driver Kit for $99.00 and a DeWalt 18-Volt 1/2″ Cordless Compact Drill/Driver Kit for $59.00.

Sears’ “Door Busters” include a KitchenAid 4.5qt Bowl-Left Mixer for $149.99 after rebate, a $399.99 NordicTrack elyptical, a Fuji J29 10MP 3X Zoom 2.7″ LCD Digital Camera Bundle – for $89.99 and a Kenmore 3.5-Cu. Ft. High Efficiency Washer + Kenmore 5.8-Cu. Ft. Dryer (Pair) for $579.88.

Old Navy also recently released their advertisement for Black Friday. Their deals include 50% off all outdoor clothing, sweaters for $15.00, performance fleece tops for $5.00 and graphic tees for $5.00

Other Black Friday ads are expected to be leaked or released soon.

An old scam is making its rounds again in the world of real-estate.

During an open house, criminals may work in tandem with one of the criminals distracting the realtor while the other rifles around the house looking for jewelry and other valuable items. Often, the criminals may arrive separately within minutes of one another and sometimes they may come pretending to be a couple.

The Washington Post recently reported on an instance where over $43,000 in jewelry was stolen during five open houses in Fairfax County, VA. A group of two men from Maryland traveled down to Virginia and worked in tandem pretending to be a father and son duo looking to buy a home. Police think that the two criminals involved had stolen from more than 20 different open houses.

When selling your home, the best bet is to avoid the possibility of theft in the first place. When selling your home, rent a safety deposit box off the home where you can stash away jewelry and other important valuables. Any important financial papers should also be locked up to prevent identity theft.

Most people that come to an open house at your home will be honest, hard-working potential buyers, but you do have to protect yourself from the few and far between criminals who aren’t. Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid this scam by securing easy-to-steal valuables, such as jewelry, cash, financial documents, small electronics and family heirlooms.

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case regarding the disparities in fees that consumers pay on mutual funds compared to largest institutional investors, but you shouldn’t wait for a court ruling to lower your investment expenses. Instead, review your existing investments and use these tips to save on your overall investment costs.

First, you should buy your investments directly from a brokerage, known as “no load” in the industry, rather than through a commissioned sales person, which is known in the industry as “load” or “loaded.”

Second, consider purchasing index funds, which contain a broad spectrum of different industries. This way, you won’t be paying fees to an investment analyst to choose stocks for you. In many cases, the S&P 500 outperforms managed mutual funds, so more often it’s better to get an affordable index fund. There was also a recent report from the Hammond Group that suggested that buying plain, boring, vanilla index funds and holding them for a decade will result in more total earnings for an investor than with most traditional mutual funds.

Just about every major consumer brokerage house, including Schwab, Vanguard, Fidelity, and T Row Price sell index funds.

On a related note, there’s also a lot of people that got out of the market some time during the last year because of the financial crisis that were afraid of losing any more of their money. Some are now questioning whether or not it’s safe to get back in the market. Unfortunately, now is not the perfect time to jump back into the market, because there never is a perfect time to get into the market. Your best bet is to invest into the market over time (using dollar cost averaging) to minimize the amount of volatility in prices that you pay per share.

The U.S. unemployment rate is currently somewhere between 10% and 16% depending upon what statistic you believe and many are hurting for work, but there are some people that are making it through the recession and general economic downturn without too much trouble, depending on their job situations and the industries that they’re in.

CNN money recently released their list of “Best Jobs in America” list for the year. At the top of the list was the title of “Systems Engineer”, which was followed by being a physician’s assistant, being a college professor, a nurse practitioner and being an IT project manager.

All of the jobs CNN included on its list require a significant amount of education, often times more than even a bachelor’s degree. As the economy flexes, we as workers should also flex our muscles, learning new skills, new trades and perhaps even more education to get a new profession if the one we have right now isn’t providing the wages or stability that we might like

It’s very rare that job training and skills that you have at the beginning of your entrance to the work force will carry you throughout a life time. Typically, a person will have four distinct careers throughout their working lifetime. This doesn’t mean individual jobs either. Most people will have over 15 jobs per person!

A new report from CNW Research indicates that car buyers have all bust lost any sense of brand loyalty they once had, dragging down profits of General Motors (NSE: GRM), Ford (NYSE: F) and Chrysler.

Historically, it was generally a given that new car buyers would likely buy the brand that they are already driving, but that’s changed in the last decade. Now only one in five shoppers during the last 12 months have replaced a vehicle with the same brand they previously had sitting in their driveway.

With an unprecedented amount of automobile research and information that’s available, consumers now have the ability to make better car buying decisions based on a particular make and model of a vehicle rather than a generally perceived level of quality and value for a given automobile manufacturer.

Another contributing factor is that almost all car buyers are now only looking for the best deal I in terms of quality and price, which has been very troublesome for the Detroit automobile makers.

Some Detroit newspapers have said that manufacturers are blaming their ad agencies and firing them for the lack of brand loyalty, but many would a argue that the real problem is that the market is far too competitive and vehicles are too good for any one brand to have a distinct advantage over another just based on the brand name.

Especially since the recession, consumers are looking for deals and value in everything they buy, and that’s bad news for dealers depending on consumers’ brand loyalty to come back.

Remember when purchasing a car, keep your emotions at bay and do your homework. Research multiple models from different manufacturers to determine the best deal you can get.