Some people think Black Friday is fading away. Me, I think it’s simply spreading out.
Gray Thursday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are on the way whether you like it or not — and you can bet that Saturday and Sunday will have their own forms of deal-mongering, too.
Don’t want to shop on Thanksgiving or Black Friday? Prefer to buy locally? Do what works for you. But this week’s giveaway is designed to provide a little help for shoppers of all stripes, plus a little entertainment afterwards.
Up for grabs are:
A $10 Starbucks card. Whether your caffeine of choice is coffee, hot chocolate or tea, let me buy it for you. The most frugal approach, of course, would be to use the card toward buying the ingredients at Starbucks and fix them at home. Which brings me to the second item…
An insulated travel mug. Sip while you’re shopping online from the couch in your PJs, or use it to keep warm while waiting in line for a store to open (or to keep yourself peppy while you shop). This 18-ouncer is courtesy of Vanguard by way of FinCon14 — and apparently Vanguard agrees with me about frugality because printed on the outside are the words, “Caution: The contents of this mug are extremely cost-effective.”
A Black Friday T-shirt. This BFAds.net shirt was donated by my daughter, who blogs at I Pick Up Pennies. It says “Black Friday 2013” on it, which means that it’s vintage. Bonus: Since it’s (of course) a black T-shirt, no one will be able to tell if you spill coffee on yourself.
A $10 Fandango gift card. Once you’ve finished your shopping — or as a way to avoid shopping — go see one of those movies that opened on Thanksgiving. Or wait until closer to Christmas. Or give it to someone as a holiday or hostess gift, thereby trimming your expenses somewhat. You’re welcome.
If you’re feeling daunted by all the ads — which are already leaking, and which BFAds.net will send to your inbox if you choose — then you should let technology do the legwork. For example, the FatWallet Black Friday app compares deals from among more than 1,600 stores; type in what you want and the app pping app do all the work for you. The app also provides info on discount codes and whether or not free shipping is available.
Plenty of other BF apps are out there, including Retail Me Not, Shopkick and Brad’s Deals. Since these and other apps are free, you can try as many as you like until you find one that works best for you.
Again, you don’t have to shop on Black Friday — or shop at all — to enjoy this week’s giveaway. The winner might prefer to sleep in, go out for coffee and then go see a movie, and to wear the T-shirt the next time s/he has to paint a room. To enter:
- Leave a comment below
- Subscribe via e-mail or Feedburner
- Sign up to follow Surviving and Thriving on Twitter or Facebook
If you do any (or all!) of these things, please leave separate, additional comments to get credit for each entry.
Edited to add: The contest is closed due to vacation brain. That is to say, I drew the winner and notified her, um, a day early. See what happens when you go visit your daughter, watch way too much “Archer” and eat pumpkin pie? Total loss of timeline, that’s what.
But what happened was actually very sweet: The winner asked that the prize be given to a reader who is currently out of work. Wasn’t that nice? I’m sending the original winner a separate prize.
Cool gift pack!
I subscribe to you via e-mail…
And I follow you via Facebook.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I am a Facebook follower.
this is so needed. i don’t have a job and need any break i can get. thanks!
i follow Surviving and Thriving on Facebook
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Cool giveaway. Thanks! I follow you on Facebook!
I hope I win
Great giveaway!
Nice kick start to the Holiday Buying spree!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Nice giveaway
Awesome assortment, as always Donna! This Jersey girl wants in! 🙂
I’m also a subscriber of your fine musings!
Wonderful giveaway!
Thank you, I would love to win!
thank you!
I need this!
I’m an email junky.
Still stalking you on FB!
What a generous giveaway.
I follow you on Facebook.
Thanks! Black Friday movies are a family tradition.
Also a facebook fan.
Love the giveaway. I’m spending less on the holidays this year,so every little bit helps
Im a facebook fan
I receive you emails too.
Always up for a fun giveaway. Thanks!
Love your giveaways. Thanks for hosting them!
I follow on facebook.
I follow on twitter!
Looking forward to a relaxing BF this year. Thanks for the giveaway!
I subscribe via feedburner
I follow your tweets (moeyshay)
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& I follow by feedly (I don’t want to miss a post!)
Nice giveaway
Mmm, Starbucks!
I subscribe via email.
And I follow on FB, too.
That’s a useful set of stuff
I will sometimes go to drugstores on Black Friday. They are not very busy at all!
That’s probably where I’ll be: Walgreens. Other than that, I’m pretty much done shopping. However, DF is looking hard at snowblowers and there’s a decent price for a Consumer Reports Best Buy model in one of the leaked Black Friday ads. Because of shoulder issues I’m not going to be much help with shoveling this year so I’m encouraging him to go for it.
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I subscribe to your feed on my yahoo page. Fperkins2000 @ yahoo.com
I always enjoy your articles.
I’ ve been a reader for years . I’ve loved your many articles and good frugal advice! Very nice give aways!
Thank you for the fun giveaway!
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Thank you so much.
cool. fandango gift card 🙂
I have you bookmarked & checkin pretty much everyday. I also read your guest posts elsewhere.
Love your blog. Thanks for giving internationals an opportunity to win something.
Coffee always sound good!
I follow on FB
And I get you blog by email 🙂
I would love to win (just like everyone else) — thanks for the opportunity!
I follow via email too
on Black Friday instead of shopping I will have a cup of coffee and go to the movies!!!
I am a loyal face book follower
I follow on twitter
I get your emails………..
What a fun giveaway! I’m still not sure if I’m going shopping on Black Friday…but if I do, I’ll wait till the crowds die down.
Thank you!
I am an email subscriber
I follow on facebook
I would gift the cards, helping me to reduce my Christmas budget, and would turn the shirt into a scarf, probably. I’ve been sewing lately – so frugal!
…”if it’s free…it’s for me!”…DD2 is a big Starbucks fan…
Crossing my fingers.
I subscribe via email.
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Great prizes!!
What a thoughtful and useful package! Please count me in, and thank you for the opportunity!
love the giveaway!
On twitter, too.
I am everywhere, email, too.
Black Friday? Won’t catch me shopping! Most of my shopping is done–all but two gift cards.
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Lastly, I catch you daily on FB. Enjoy the links to your other articles.
Yay hooray for gift cards! I subscribe by email, and love your topics! Thx
Love your blog and your giveaways! I subscribe by email.
Looking for great deals on Black Friday!
I’m a subscriber.
Follow on Facebook.
Always such fun giveaways!
Cyber Monday is my favorite way to go
Starbucks to give me energy for all that early morning shopping. I get your emails
I subscribe by email
I subscribe by Facebook and would love to win
Thanks for the giveaway1
Love your articles. I subscribed to email!
i would love to win this!
Good giveaway!
i signed up for emails
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i follow you on twitter @oshkoshbgosh321
Oh my Goddess, you are so funny!
Love how competitive black Friday is becoming can find the same deals on some stuff earlier!
i sub via email
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Thanks Donna! If I win, please give my prize to Lisa below who lost her job. Been there girl! Hope things turn around fast!
thanks, Valerie. what a sweet person you are. this is so kind, i’m determined to pay it forward when/how i can, thanks for renewing my faith in people. best wishes and with a heart of gratitude…Lisa
I also subscribe via email. 🙂
Nice giveaway! My daughter loves Starbucks, so If I’d win, I would probably give that to her. Years ago I did BF, but now, no way! I can’t hack all those crowds! I will either go after or watch for online sales. Thanks!
free is always good!
I try to stay out of the stores on Black Friday. I’d rather relax at home.
I subscribe via email. Thank you.
Sounds good. I’m in!
I subscribe via email…
Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me! 🙂
Thanks for the opportunity!
Thank you for the chance to win these goodies. I love your website so much!!! Always great ideas to save money.
I follow you on Facebook.
My sister-in-law heads out Thanksgiving night to maximize her budget for the 4-H tricky tray come spring and my son has taken to going with her. It will give him war stories to tell his grand kids. I did my share back in college when I worked for Macy’s.
Great prize!
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I follow you on Facebook as Mary Happymommy.
I follow Surviving and Thriving on Twitter and Facebook.
Would love a starbucks gift card!
I subscribe to and read your emails!
I would love the giveaway as I am always making college care packages and it would be a great start!
Sweet! I already know who I could gift the Starbucks & Fandango gift cards to. 😉
Love the chance to win-thanks!
I subscribe by email
I follow on facebook and twitter
I’ve avoided Black Friday for years, but I’d love to win this giveaway!
Great giveaway!
I follow via email.
I follow via twitter.
I follow you on fb. Thanks!
I’m an email subscriber!
Ooh, fun giveaway!
I subscribe via RSS
I follow you on Facebook too!
I subscribe thru e-mail
Enjoyed black Friday when kids were young, and even older. Now they and we don’t need anything. Still enjoy black Friday, I sleep in! Always enjoy your thoughts.
Thank you for the chance to win.
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Not a Black Friday-er, but still appreciate the opportunity!
Email follower.
Facebook.
Vintage! I love it!
I try to watch for deals all through the year even Black Friday .TY
I follow you by email.
I also like on face book…TY
Love to win this gift package. Follow on facebook.
Follow by email.
Nice gift pack–thanks!
Also a Facebook follower.
…and a Twitter follower!
My favorite way to shop …. sipping hot chocolate, perusing my favorite online sites. I usually try to have most shopping done earlier in the month (my adult and almost-adult kids are patient and accommodating to my list requests in Oct.) We save Black Friday for heading north to cut our tree.
I don’t shop on Black Friday, but I love this giveaway!! I prefer to sleep in. And I find that our past Black Fridays were all purchases for ourselves on things we didn’t really need anyway.
I subscribe via Feedly, but just signed up for email notifications too.
I also am following you on Facebook!
Nice gift pack1
What a great giveaway! Thanks Donna!
I subscribe to emails
I follow via Facebook & twitter
I’d love,love,love to win!
Hi, Donna!
Hi, Ellie!
Pick me!
I’m always up for a freebie! 🙂
We enjoy Black Fridaying. We get up the same time as if we are going to work/school. Treat ourselves to breakfast out and split a platter. Usually we shop Kohls for gifts, Sam’s Club for discount ITunes cards and then Ulta for the $1 items.
Thank you for introducing me to Bradsdeals:)
Really cool giveaway. Daughter and I enjoy the day together.
This Is a great giveaway, Donna! I’d love to win.
I follow you on Facebook.
I’d like this!
I follow on twitter
And email! (But my “less official” email
Very cool items!
Thank you for the giveaway!
I subscribe via email.
I also follow you on FB. 🙂
What a nice giveaway!
I liked you on FB.
Thanks for the chance to win something!
Thanks!
I think Black Friday is fun!
Subscribe via email.
I’ve never ventured out on Black Friday. Maybe this year …
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LOVE FREE COFFEE !!!
This sounds like a great prize. Thanks!
I don’t mind black friday, but I dislike the idea of shopping when it’s still actually Thanksgiving.