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Would you believe me if I told you Black Friday is just a mere FIVE MONTHS away? I didn’t want to believe it at first either. Summer seems to be flying by quicker than it began and for some, it’s already time to start planning for the best shopping day of the year.

Last year there was huge buzz about how early Black Friday sales started.  This year, it is rumored that Black Friday sales could start even earlier! To ease the stress on the day after feasting, you could do a few things now to get prepared:

1. Make your list early.
Start thinking now about items you may want to buy or track the price of.  Yes, even start listening to your kids’ hints (we know they start in February) and start watching ads and sales. The best advice we can give is to keep an eye on prices all year round, so that you know what kind of deal you’re getting when the prices drop.

2. Don’t be afraid to start shopping earlier.
It isn’t uncommon for stores to offer Christmas in Summer sales. Tiger Direct has been having a Black Friday Sale every Friday. If you already have your list made, it is really not a bad idea to start hoarding gifts a few months ahead. If someone on your list asks for a new Wii game and you see it on sale for a great price in July, pick it up now!

Another great perk to shopping early, is the extremely satisfied feeling of getting something first. Popular toys and other items are going to sell out. We see it every year; a huge price drop turns into a huge sellout. Get a heads up on a sale, plan for it and get it before anyone else can.

3. Take a peek at last years’ prices.
Use last years’ prices as a goal for this year. We saw a Westinghouse 40″ LCD HDTV for $298 at Target.com last year, perhaps this year your goal should be to either match that price or find an even better one. A great resource would be our Black Friday 2010 Ads. We still have these available for viewing and they will help you brush up on last year’s sales.

4. Think about new releases.
If you’re going to buy a new electronic item, do a little research on whether or not there will be a new model coming out. Apple is especially known for this. They will introduce their new items in the fall, like the upcoming iPhone5, rumored to be introduced this fall, in order to up their sales for the holiday season. This is great for shoppers, as older models may drop in price or may be easier to find.

5. Look at spending predictions.
In 2010, we saw stores doing everything they could to get buyers’ attention. If spending predictions are down, retailers are more apt to drop prices lower to entice customers to buy. If you notice trends like “spending down from forecast/predictions”, you should be on the lookout for better deals in upcoming sales. Retailers want you to spend, if you’re not spending, they’re going to try to make you by offering deals you just can’t refuse. Keep an eye out for them.

Let the countdown begin! We are already excited for this upcoming  Black Friday. Keep checking back for news, updates and predictions.