Like CDs and DVDs before them, the prices of Blu-rays continue to plummet, but only if you know how to find the best deal.

A great resource is www.dvdpricesearch.com. Their service sorts through a number of sites, providing an all-in-one search for prices on new and used Blu-rays.

A couple of things to keep in mind, however:

1. Shipping
   Buying Blu-rays over the internet is only cost effective if the shipping doesn’t markedly increase the total cost.  This may seem obvious, but how many of us have committed to buying something, only to discover delivery costs more than the item?  Some online retailers like Deepdiscount.com offer free shipping.
2. Used vs. New
   Used Blu-rays can be a great deal, but there are caveats.  First, make sure the store stands behind the quality of their inventory.  Nothing is more frustrating than buying a damaged, previously viewed movie (and not being able to get your cash back).  Secondly, the used market operates on different valuations than the new market, and sometimes a particular Blu-ray will be cheaper new than used.  The latest releases (ordered in bulk by mega-companies) are particularly prone to phenomenon.

Good walk-in stores for Blu-ray deals

Best Buy
Wal-Mart
Target
Costco

Online sources

Amazon *also offers used
Barnes & Noble
Half.com *also offers used
eBay * also offers used

Reputable used stores

Second Spin
For Your Entertainment (FYE)

If you find you don’t like your movie purchase as much as you expect, there are a number of resources for selling Blu-rays back, including DVDhunt.com, Wherehouse.com, Half.com and eBay.

Also, don’t forget that a number of streaming services offer high-def movies.  These include NetFlix, Amazon and Blockbuster.

First, oftentimes you can find out what will be on sale days in advance. When you decide a product is a must-buy, know when it goes on sale and buy early – before there’s even a chance it could be sold-out. Second, if you’re browsing and you find something you might purchase, add it to your cart. You’ll often have around 10 minutes to checkout, depending on the site. And third, know how to take advantage of discounts. Many flash sale sites will offer a $10 credit if you invite your friends and they buy something.

Fab.com

Fab.com Homepage

Apparently Fab.com started out as a social network for gay men, called Fabulis. With only 150,000 members as Fabulis, the site changed directions, and now Fab has a subscriber base of 1.2 million members and investors like Ashton Kutcher. Unlike its competitors, Fab focuses less on clothing and more on artwork, home décor and jewelry.

Felt Necklace Multicolor

Courtesy of Fab.com

This necklace is imported from India by Karma Living, and normally costs $135. Through Fab, if you snatched it up before its time limit expired, you could have bought it for just $49.95 (63 percent off the retail price).

Plumen Light Bulbs (Pop-Up Shop)

Courtesy of Fab.com

Like other flash sale sites, Fab always has a couple “pop-up shops.” For the most part, the discounts aren’t as good, but the deals stick around for weeks or months at a time. For example, these Plumen light bulbs are only 18 percent off ($98 instead of $120), but you’ll have more time to decide if they’re right for your living room.

Gilt Groupe

Gilt.com Homepage

Gilt Groupe focuses more on clothing, and boasts more than 3.5 million members. Founded in 2007, Gilt has also made the move into location-based deals with Gilt City.

Lyle Zip Front Hoodie

Courtesy of Gilt.com

Looking for a new hoodie? Gilt has great deals like this all the time, and you could have saved almost 50 percent ($45 instead of $88) on this Lyle hoodie.

Dolce Lou Bakeshop (Gilt City)

Courtesy of giltcity.com

Gilt City is a Gilt.com spin-off, available for Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC. Much like Groupon and Living Social, you can get daily discounts on city-specific products. Featured here is the Dolce Lou Bakeshop deal from Seattle, in which you can get a gluten- and dairy-free baked goods gift box for just $90 (half off the regular $180 price tag).

Rue La La

Ruelala.com Homepage

Rue La La possibly features more sought-after brands than anyone else, which means the price-range is a bit higher as well.

Courtesy of ruelala.com

John Hardy Silver 0.37 cttw. Diamond Earrings

You’ll find a lot of high-priced designer jewelry on Rue La La, like these diamond earrings for $549.90. Does that price sound steep? Consider the earrings go for $1,095.00 retail.

Courtesy of ruelala.com

9pc Starbucks Holiday Sampler Gift Box

While you can save about $20 ($45.90 instead of $65.00) on this Starbucks sampler, the real point is that Rue La La is a nice website to stock up on Christmas gifts. They offer “Guaranteed Christmas Delivery,” and when you pay for a $9.95 shipping fee just once, you get free shipping for up to 30 days.

Other Flash Sale Sites

Ideeli
HauteLook
MyHabit

Found any other flash sale sites? Have praise or a horror story about one that’s listed? Let us know in the comments!

Cozy Cuffs

Courtesy of www.shopcozycuff.com

Those cardboard sleeves at Starbucks are a waste, which is why “cozy cuffs” can be a perfect gift for the coffee addict in your life. Not only is each cozy cuff reusable and made entirely from wool felt, but it doubles as a bracelet. So, really, it’s two gifts in one.

Hand-Powered Paper Shredder

Baking all those Christmas cookies, that sixth trip to the mall in the last four days, the 24-hour “Christmas Story” marathon – it isn’t easy being green during the holidays. Most people’s carbon footprint could use a helping hand, meaning the $24 hand-powered paper shredder in the video above is a wonderful start.

Reusable Shopping Bags

Courtesy of www.reusablebagprices.com

What might seem generic can actually turn into a sensational gift for that sports fan that’s inevitably on your list. By New Year’s Day, they’ll be filling their reusable shopping bag with bratwursts and beer. Just search the internet for “reusable shopping bag” or “reusable tote bag” and you’re bound to find team designs ranging from the NFL to MLB.

Nature Babycare Eco-Friendly Chlorine-Free Diapers

Courtesy of www.ohdeedoh.com

These diapers are the ultimate eco-friendly diapers. Besides being chlorine-free, Nature Babycare also boasts that they’re “over 60 percent biodegradable in contrast to major brands” and don’t contain any oil-based plastics that might harm a baby’s skin.

Eco-Dough and Eco-Finger Paint

Courtesy www.whildchildgear.com

Kids get to stay safe and still have fun with both of these gifts from Eco-Kids. The Eco-Dough is handmade with natural and organic products, including fruit, plant and vegetable extracts. There’s even a gluten free version for just $6 extra. Meanwhile, the Eco-Finger Paint is powder-based and a gluten free version is available, too.

Natural Alternatives for You and Your Home: 175 Recipes to Make Eco-Friendly Products

Courtesy of www.kaboodle.com

Despite its enormously long title, “Natural Alternatives…” is a standout guide that offers up recipes ranging from fragrances to household cleaners. Moreover, instead of buying the paperback edition, how about gifting the book for the Kindle? Speaking of which…

E-Books and E-Book Readers

Courtesy of www.bloomberg.com

Save paper! E-Books and E-Book readers are all the rage these days, whether it be the Kindle, Nook or iPad. To find the most popular E-Books, just check Amazon’s bestseller list.

Eco-nique Cases

Courtesy of www.zimbio.com

There are a seemingly endless amount of cases for E-Book readers, mp3 players and tablets, but the cases by Eco-nique are truly green. According to the company, Eco-nique is affiliated with the “Climate Care” organization. Together the two aim to offset Eco-nique’s carbon emissions that are generated from the manufacturing process and transportation. Their line of cases ranges from those for the Kindle to those for the Samsung Galaxy Tab (pictured above).

Apple Tree-To-Be Kit

Courtesy of www.vat19.com

The Apple Tree-To-Be Kit comes with everything anyone would need to plant a real-life Apple Tree, and it’s only $22. This could be perfect for any young child – as they grow-up, so does their very own tree!

 “Larosé” Moss Bath Rug

Courtesy of www.dornob.com

Keeping with the nature theme, this beautiful bath rug isn’t going to be nearly as cheap as that Apple Tree kit – the look of the rug itself depends on which tree the moss has been collected off of. But if you’re really looking to impress that eco-friendly person on your list, $109 will get you the “Larosé” moss bath rug. Watering the rug is as easy as stepping out of the shower.

Do you have any other ideas for Green Monday gifts? Let us know in the comments section!

Though clothing chain Hollister had announced that they were opening their stores at midnight for Black Friday, one store decided not to participate.  Unfortunately, this mob didn’t get the memo. After waiting for a few hours in the New York deep freeze, a group of angry people decided they would open the uncooperative store via breaking and entering. The mob ignored store employees (who were stocking product) and the few security guards present. A videotape captures the mob leisurely shop-stealing, grabbing armfuls of sweaters, pants, and other clothing. By the time police arrived, looters had dispersed. To add insult to injury, the cops were called a little over twelve hours later to apprehend two shoplifters from the same store!

Wal-Mart seems to be a hot-spot for these occurances; there were three incidents, ranging from a slight injury to being flat-out shot.

(Via KGO Photo)

After finishing their shopping at the San Leandro Wal-Mart, a family was confronted by two armed robbers in the crowded parking lot. When one family member refused to hand over the family’s purchases, he was shot. Other family members were able to detain one of the robbers until the police arrived. The gunman fled. The shooting victim was hospitalized and is in stable condition.

(Via Youtube)

In Los Angeles, a woman used pepper spray on a group of twenty people in order to get her hands on a discounted XBox 360 console on Black Friday. After a day of search and speculation, the woman decided to turn herself in. She has subsequently been released but police continue to investigate her involvement in the incident.

(Via New York Post)

This grandfather was tripped to the ground and cuffed on Black Friday while trying to help his grandson through a mass of people at a Wal-Mart in Buckeye, AZ. While trying to lift his grandson out of the shopping mob , Jerald Newman temporarily tucked a copy of a video game in his shirt. The police saw this, causing them to cuff and arrest Newman for shoplifting. Newman, flailing and (understandably) uncooperative, fell to the ground where he smashed his head and started bleeding. Newman was arrested on site, but released Saturday morning.

(Via The Charleston Gazette)

On Black Friday in Charleston, West Virginia, a man had a sudden heart attack in a Target outlet. But customers, rather than helping 61-year-old Walter Vance, carried on with their shopping, walking around and over the struggling man.  Finally, he was reached by six nurses (and Black Friday shoppers) who performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Lynn Vance, Walter’s wife, told the media that her husband was a caring man who had decided to go out on Black Friday to find Christmas decorations for his pharmacy and church friends.

So, by now it’s no surprise to hear crazy stories about mobs and violence on Black Friday. But Cyber Monday? How does that work?  Like this…

This year, the FBI seized over 150 websites suspected of selling counterfeit products. The offending sites, caught by an FBI undercover investigation, were selling brand counterfeits such as sports jerseys and DVDs. OpSec Security, which works to protect brands from counterfeiters, released a number of tips on how to avoid counterfeit products. These tips include: logo awareness, product origin checks and model number validation.

Green Monday is coming, folks, so it might be worth your while to take a look at the information offered by OpSec Security!

Our favorite day of the year is finally here: Cyber Monday.

The best part of Cyber Monday is the fact that you don’t have to camp out in the freezing cold outside a Walmart, and then get trampled to death by ravenous shopper looking for 10% off video games.

The second best part, of course, are all of the incredible deals.  We’ve searched the internet high and low, and found out where all the best Cyber Monday Deals are for 2011.  Take a look here:

Department Stores with Cyber Monday Specials

• Sears
• JCPenney
• Amazon
• Target
• Overstock
• Walmart
• Kohls
• Macy’s
• Kmart
• Costco

Cyber Monday Fashion Deals

• Endless.com ($30 off $100, $60 off $200, $100 off $200)
• Zappos.com (Pre-holiday Markdowns)
• Lucky Brand (30% off Everything & Free Shipping)
• 7 For All Mankind (40% off Sale Items)
• Aldo Shoes (Extra 30% off Sale Items)
• Ann Taylor (50% off Everything in Store and Online & Free Shipping)
• Banana Republic, Gap & Old Navy (30% off)
• Chico’s (35% off)
• Coldwater Creek (40% off Everything)
• Bustedtees (20% off & Free Shipping)
• Express.com (30% off & Free Shipping)
• Guess.com (30% off & $500 Gift Card Giveway)
• Nine West (60% off Party Shoes)
• DSW ($15 off $74, $30 off $149, $50 off $199)

Cyber Monday Gifts, Games & Gadgets

• Brookstone (Free Shipping + Giveaway – 40 shoppers get their orders free!)
• Gamestop (Xbox Bundle Deal + Many More)
• Toys “R” Us (Up to 70% off)
• Mom Agenda (20% off & Free Shipping)

Cyber Monday Tech Deals

• Dell (Save up to 55%, Computers starting at $299, Special doorbusters)
• newegg.com
• Verizon Wireless
• T Moblie (Free TMobile myTOuch or myTouch Q + Free Shipping)
• Best Buy (Free $10 E-Gift Card)

Cyber Monday Specials- Home & Garden

• Crate & Barrell (15% off & Free Shipping)
• Pottery Barn (Free Shipping on Everything)
• Restoration Hardware (Save $100 on Every $500)
• Pacific Coast (Free Shipping on Everything)
• World Market (20% off Everything + Free Shipping on Orders Over $150)
• Home Depot (Free Shipping on 100,000 items + No Interest for 12 months)
• Lowes

Cyber Monday Pharmacy Specials

• CVS ($15 Today + 30% Coupon Later)
• Walgreens ($10 off $40)

Cyber Monday Deals- Office

• Staples (Multiple Deals + Free Delivery on Everything with no Minimum Purchase)
• Office Depot (Save up to 50%)

Cyber Monday Sports Deals

• REI (30% off)
• Cabela’s (5-Day Holiday Sale)
• Dick’s Sporting Goods (25% off Single Item)

Zestra Pleasure Pack includes:

But with this outlook comes a challenging question: how can you possibly afford to buy gifts for everyone on your list?

Luckily, Black Friday features many specials on great gifts for all under $5 apiece.  We’ve scoured the Black Friday ads for Target, Best Buy, and Walmart and picked out all the precious presents that can be had for just one $5 bill:

$5 Target Black Friday Deals

$5 Best Buy Black Friday Deals

$5 Walmart Black Friday Deals

TARGET Pre-Black Friday Tablet Deals

Nook Color: $199

The Wireless Nook Color by Barnes and Noble is available at Target for a great deal. The nook has been the best competitor for Kindle since it’s release. The Nook Color is still among the most accessibly priced tablets on the market.

Nook Color comes equipped with:

• Wireless computing
• 8G of memory for plenty of storage
• Touch Screen
• Gaming and Web capabilities

The Nook Color is also available at Barnes and Noble’s website for the same price but when you buy at Target your purchase comes with a $30 Target gift card!

Amazon.com Pre-Black Friday Tablet Deal

Kindle Fire: $199

Amazon.com is still the best place to purchase your Kindle and the Kindle Fire is no exception. With a beautiful touchscreen and vivid color, your reading experience is enhanced exponentially. With no camera or GPS system both the Kindle Fire and the Nook Color are available for a much lower budget.

Kindle Fire comes equipped with:
• Free Cloud storage for all your Amazon content
• Access to millions of books movies and magazines
• Wifi Apps like Pandora, Hulu and Netflix
• Super fast web browsing with Amazon Silk

Best Buy Black Friday Doorbuster Tablet

Asus Transformer : $249

The Asus Transformer is equipped with  

• 10” Touch Screen
• Front facing Web Cam
• 1280×800 resolution for crystal clear viewing

At $249, the Asus is a great middle of the road tablet with a huge ten-inch screen. It’s the perfect tablet to take on an airplane trip for the optimum movie watching experience.

Walmart Black Friday iPad 2 

iPad 2: $499

The iPad 2 is thinner and lighter than it’s older sister the iPad. It’s kicks out more power with a dual-core A5 chip and yet maintains its 10-hour battery life. Two-way cameras make it possible to have video chats and take photographs with a view screen. You can buy iPad 2 at many different vendors but at Walmart you get the choice of a free starter accessory as well. Black Friday sale only!

Buy.com Black Friday Motorola Xoom

Motorola Xoom: $429

Available at Buy.com is a great deal on the Motorola Xoom tablet just for Black Friday.

• 10” display
• Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS
• HD video and touch screen
• Thin and light
• Bluetooth capability for hands free devices
• Wifi networking

Office Depot Black Friday Blackberry Playbook 

Office Depot is playing host to an amazing Black Friday Deal on the BlackBerry PlayBook. 

• Small and light for fantastic portability.
• Built in Wi-fi for networking and online gaming
• Dual HD video cameras for video conferencing
• mid range price for a very popular gadget

So… it’s pretty exciting when retailers offer free shipping. And Cyber Monday is a bonanza of $0 delivery!

Cyber Monday Deals

If you’re in the market for an awesome vacuum cleaner, Dyson is offering to take it directly to you for the low, low price of zero! (Now there’s a number a person can get behind!)

Dig the luxurious products at Pacific Coast Feather©? You’re in luck. They’re not only offering down throws starting at $19.99, they’re gonna drop them at your house for free.

Lands’ End is offering free shipping on all orders over $50.

Need a new pair of jeans? Lucky Brand is offering 25% their entire site on Cyber Monday, plus free ground shipping.

For those of you looking for something athletic, Dick’s Sporting Goods is offering free shipping on all purchases over $99.

Home Depot will deliver new appliances at no cost – as well as remove the item that appliance is replacing.

Look nice for the holidays! Get free shipping and a free gift when you order $50 worth from Estee Lauder.

For the organizer in your life, momAgenda – a company specializing in planners and home journals – is offering free shipping on holiday must-haves.

Soul-inspiring home décor store Enchanted Garden Gift Store will all deliver orders over $50 for free. They also offer a gift-wrapping option.

A savvy shopper should check specific retailers’ websites for additional shipping deals – often they offer free or discounted shipping on specific items or departments (for example, Target is offering free shipping on select shoes, women’s and men’s clothes).

Happy e-shopping!

This year, they are anticipating many deals of 20% or more, including:

1.) 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor – TrueCar estimates it will be dropping in price a whopping 23.3% – from an MSRP of $29,109 to $22,334.

2.) 2011 Chevy Silverado 1500 – They expect a 22% drop off of retail, from $22,230 to $17,370.

3.) 2011 Chrysler 200 – Figuring a 16.5% fall from sticker, you can potentially land a 200 for $18,368 (down from $21,995).

According to autoguide.com, buyers should also look for good deals on the 2011 Mazda6, the 2011 Cadillac DTS and the 2011 Chevy Malibu.

Customers can often find the best deals on model year close-outs (2011s remaining as the 2012s come in) and design changes (the Toyota Camry has been redesigned for 2012, for example). With gas prices remaining high, trucks and SUVs usually offer the best incentives and discounts.

For those who like to lease, Volkswagon is offering its 2012 Jetta S for three years at $219 a month with a zero down payment.

And cars themselves aren’t all that’s on sale on Black Friday and Cyber Monday – also auto accessories like GPS, emergency road kids, sound systems and car cellphone chargers.

How to find a Black Friday car deal in your area
AOL autos offers a “Best Deal” program that will let you search for dealers in your area. You will be provided with a printable price guarantee that you can take to a participating dealer.

It is commonly known that buying a car at month’s end is often advantageous to the consumer. Black Friday promotions take advantage of this, as well as the kickoff frenzy of holiday shopping. If you’re in the market for a used – and especially new – car, you should seize this is a once-a-year opportunity.