Confessions of an Internet Shopaholic

Okay, I'm not quite a shopaholic, but I am definitely an Internet shopping enthusiast. I've pledged allegiance to the lazy era of Internet shopping. You see, I've never been one to stand in lines to buy anything. I want to walk into a store and buy what I want when I want. I don't want to schlepp out in the wee hours of dawn to bag a bargain.

It's not that I don't like bargains. I do. I just prefer sleeping in to rousting my unwilling body out of bed to go stand in a line with a few hundred other bargain hunters. One of my daughters-in-law on the other hand is a Black Friday veteran. She, her sister, and their mom plan their after-Thanksgiving attack like combat veterans planning a preemptive strike. They hit the drop zone, snag the bargains, and take no prisoners. Four in the morning? No problem. An hour after midnight after a day of cooking and consuming mass quantities of Thanksgiving goodies? No problem.

Finally, lazy little me can compete with them in the bargain arena because I've discovered Black Friday 2008, a website where you can get the same bargains without the hassle. This year on November 28, I'll take a big mug of hot coffee to my study, sit in my comfy chair in front of the computer and let my fingers do the walking on a keyboard in search of fabulous deals and bargains. All I'll need is my gift list.

A gift for my husband is usually the hardest because he's got just about everything. Last year he got a big honking flat panel television. This year I'm giving him something connected to golf, hunting, or fishing so I can pry him away from his TV. Dick's Sporting Goods will make that an easy task.

Black Friday offers email alerts to let you know when new ads are posted. This consumer friendly site has stores from AAFES and Ace Hardware to Value City and WalMart. In total, there are 59 stores listed. Even my daughter-in-law and her crew couldn't cover that many stores on Black Friday!

Takeaway Truth

It's better to give than to receive. The Internet makes it easy to give - and save money.