Circuit City filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday and is in the process of liquidating at least 155 stores nationwide. If you are in the market for a new TV or camera this Christmas, then Circuit City should be on the radar right behind the “Black Friday” deals.
As of today, Circuit City plans that they will continue to operate in hopes that they will survive the Christmas season and rebuild in 2009….but I wouldn’t bet on it. Save money by turning down any offers from the register clerk selling Circuit City warranty upgrades (most of the time this extra expense isn’t worth it even for Best Buy.) Make sure to check the manufacturer’s warranty so that you are still covered if Circuit City becomes history.
That goes the same for Circuit City gift cards. Unfortunately, the economy has narrowed consumer confidence in retailer-backed gift cards to just Wal-Mart and Target – the only retailers (crossing fingers) that probably won’t go bankrupt this January.
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If you’re currently budgeting your annual back-to-school shopping, you can save a bundle by taking advantage of “sales tax-free” state holidays!
For certain weekends in August, several states are offering sales tax-free weekends on purchases that include clothing, backpacks and school supplies. Visit www.taxadmin.org for participating states.
There are also some qualifying tax-free weekends on other types of purchases like energy and water efficient appliances.
Remember that the best place to buy school supplies are discount retailers like Walmart or Target. Avoid buying these items at grocery stores since they tend to charge a higher margin.
Community Garage sales are the best! These are when dozens of people from a single neighborhood or community coordinate one big garage sale in a 
central location on the same date.
It is a win-win situation. Since community garage sales tend to get more traffic, residents can sell their old stuff quicker while shoppers get the most ”bang for their buck.” Buyers can now be able to shop several vendors without having to spend gas and time visiting different home garage sales.
If you love to shop yard sales, be on the lookout for community garage sales in medium to higher income communities. Some of the sellers at these events tend to have quality items that they want to get rid of to clear some space in their homes.
To get the latest information on these events, visit free classifieds sites like Craigslist and under “garage sales,” type in the key word “community.” This trick will usually list all the community garage sale events in your local area.
Happy bargaining!
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“Back to School” season is back so, if a new computer is on your list, August is the best time to buy. This also includes any other related items like computer accessories, office equipment, printers and software.
Even certian popular electronics like cameras, stereos and MP3 players tend to go on sale in order to appeal to “Back to College” shoppers. Although brand name iPods never go on a discounted sale, many retailers may offer a gift card with purchase around this time. The Apple store online is currently offering “educational” discounts on computers for students and teachers along with a FREE iPod (rebate) with purchase.
Check out big-box electronic retailers like Best Buy, Circuit City and even Walmart for great discounts.
If you’re not in the market to buy a computer now, ”Black Friday” (the day after thanksgiving) also offers door busting steals for computers.