The Curvy Girl Guide’s Guide to Black Friday 2011

There is nothing more American than turkey on Thanksgiving and shopping on Black Friday, the day after. Named “Black Friday” to indicate it is the day that retailers go from the red (debt) to black (profit), it has become as traditional as sweet potatoes. This year retailers are opening even earlier (some on Thursday night) and we are here to help you shop ’til you drop and check everyone off your list before December 1st.

Doorbuster deals, only for those who get in the door first and grab the few available items at the reduced price, online only specials and all around great prices are everywhere this season. To help you out, Amber and I have compiled an exhaustive shopping list for all you deal seekers and doorbusters:

Best Buy: If you have any electronic needs this holiday season Best Buy has deals for you. Doorbuster deals include a Sharp 42 inch LCD television for $199.99, and a Toshiba smart Blu-Ray player for $39.99. Front-loading washer and dryers are all the rage, and Best Buy has LG front-loading washers and dryers for $549.99. If your kids are begging for an iPod touch, you can get an 8GB model for $194.99 after using the $50 Best Buy gift card it comes with. If someone on your list is constantly lost, grab them a Garmin with a 4.3 inch screen for $84.99 - it comes with lifetime maps. Best Buy also has a huge selection of DVDs, Blu-Ray movies and memory cards at great prices. Doorbusters begin at 12:00 a.m. on Friday, and tickets will be handed out 2 hours prior to opening to get in the door in the first group.

Toys ‘R’ Us: If you’re eager to get your shopping started, head on over to Toys ‘R’ Us. Their doorbuster deals begin on Thursday at 9 P.M. If an Apple iPod Touch is on your list, they are offering a $50 Toys ‘R’ Us gift card to all customers who purchase one. For the budding gamer in your life, the Leap Frog Leapster 2 is on sale for 50% off at $24.99. You can also snag a 7 inch Android tablet or netbook for half the price at $74.99. If your kid wants it, Toys ‘R’ Us has got it and they are selling tons of toys for 50% off. You can sneak a peek at the rest of their deals here and begin planning your method of attack. Toys ‘R’ Us opens at 12:00 a.m. on Black Friday.

Costco: The big-box members-only savings giant has tons of great deals this holiday season. The KidsKraft Majestic Mansion dollhouse is marked down to $139.99, and the JBL iPod docking stage is $20 off on Black Friday. The Transformers Optimus Prime ride-on truck is $99.00 and the Dyson Animal Ball upright vacuum is $100 off. The Canon Elph 310HS digital camera is $199.99 on Black Friday. Costco has a multitude of great electronic deals that vary around the country, so if you are looking for a DVD or Blu Ray player, a flat screen television or a digital camera, Costco has plenty on sale. Costco has no special holiday hours posted at this time, so refer to your local store for opening times.

Etsy: If you want to avoid the crowds and mayhem or if you simply want to support the handmade community, you can find a one-of-a-kind gift crafted by an Etsy artisan from the comfort of your living room instead. Just use the search term Black Friday Etsy or Free Shipping Etsy to find the merchandise of participating shops. Make sure you check the shop’s homepage for any special codes you may need to enter. You can also narrow your search to crafters in your area and support local businesses!

Target: It’s must-stop on the itinerary for Friday morning because it’s a place where you can scratch off a wide variety of items from your shopping list. Pick up an Element 40 inch LCD television for $265 or an Acer Aspire One notebook for $157. For the photographer in the family, make sure you grab the Nikon L105 12.1 megpixel camera for only $99.99. If you need a gift for a movie lover, Target will have a ton of recently released DVDs and Blu-rays on sale starting at only $3.99. Clothes and apparel for the whole family will also be on sale. You can pick up everything from pajamas to fleece hoodies at drastically reduced prices. They are also having a four day pre-black Friday sale with discounted prices and free shipping on select electronics, toys, video games, and more, for those who want to get their shopping started early. Target opens at 12:00 a.m. on Black Friday. Learn about unadvertised deals by texting “MORE TVs” to “Target.”

Lowe’s: The home improvement store carries much more than nails and staple guns. On Black Friday you can find bar stools (with backs) for just $49.50 and a wood burning fire pit for $99.00. Lowe’s has lots of holiday decor on sale on Black Friday, so you can stock up on holiday lights (100 count LED Energy Star lights for $11.47 a strand), trees, (6.5 foot faux Walden Pine with white lights for $128.00) or a poinsettia plant for $4.98.  They also have a huge assortment of appliances such as dishwashers, microwaves and refrigerators on huge Black Friday markdown. Lowe’s opens at 6:00 a.m. on Black Friday.

Old Navy: Old Navy is one store where you can buy clothing for the whole family (maternity, baby, adults, kids and even long length pants!) that everyone will like. Old Navy has a variety of printable coupons and special deals on Thanksgiving, Black Friday and the Saturday after. On Thursday they will have kids jackets for $20 jeans starting at $15 for adults. Thanksgiving deals can be found online. For Black Friday, you will find graphic tees for the whole family and adult wool-blend pea coats for adults for $25. On Saturday Old Navy will have their super-comfy PJ pants for $8 a pair for the whole family and sweaters starting at $15. On Black Friday stores open at 12:00 a.m and a free Kodak Easyshare Sport waterproof digital camera bundle with $40 purchase (while supplies last).

Wal-Mart: Get a little something for everyone on your ‘nice’ list at Wal-Mart’s Black Friday sale. They have deals on everything from electronics, items for the home, jewelry, toys, sports and fitness equipment, and more. For that person that has trouble reading maps, pick up the Magellan GPS Roadmate for $69.99. Bring your truck and pick up a GE 7 cubic foot freezer for only $159 for that relative with an overflowing fridge or buy the love of your niece or nephew with this limited edition blue Nintendo Wii for $99. For just $99 you can have fun on four wheels on Christmas morning with the wide variety of motorized Power Wheels vehicles on sale. Have a cook in the family that rivals Paula Deen? How about picking up a 20 piece Paula Deen cookware set for only $86.44? Wal-Mart will also have tons of movies on sale starting at $1.96 and classic board games for those family fun nights beginning at $3.88. Doors open at 12:01 A.M.

Kohl’s: Kohl’s has over 500 Black Friday specials but the highlights include 50% off an entire assortment of kids toys and down blankets for $26.99. If a special someone needs some sparkle in their life, Kohl’s has 1/4 carat diamond earrings and select Bulova watches for $99 and  a sterling silver 3 carat (total weight) tennis bracelet for $249. If you are shopping for a single-serve coffee maker (like a Keurig), their selection is 10-20% off with an additional 10% off on Black Friday. Kohl’s also has select video games for $7.99 if you have a gamer to shop for. Kohl’s opens at 12 a.m. on Friday.

JC Penney: If you’re in the market for a new pair of boots, JC Penney will have over 100 pairs to choose from at $29.99 and 50 pairs for $19.99. If kitchen gadgets are on your list, pick up a Cooks slow cooker for $7.88, a Sunbeam stand mixer for $99.88, or a Cuisinart grind and brew coffee maker for $69.88. For the lady in your life, pick up a new best friend with 1/2 carat diamond earrings for $199. JC Penney is also offering discounted prices on clothing and bedding. Their sales begin at 4 A.M. and end at 1 P.M.

Amazon: If leaving the house isn’t your thing then look no further than Amazon. Amazon is featuring a week of deals, so check in on their Black Friday page to see what is going on each day during the countdown, especially if you are looking for DVDs and Blu-Rays, electronics, apparel and even baby monitors. Many of their sales only run for a few hours, but they have email alerts and other ways to make sure you stay on top of what you want to order. They even have an iPhone app for you to stay on top of deals. If you sign up for Amazon Prime (free with a student email account!) you can get free two-day shipping on most items!

All Around: Not all of our favorite stores have special Black Friday items marked down, but they are all having great sales store-wide. REI has many brands and items marked down 20%, Macy’s has store-wide markdowns up to 50% off. Michael’s has store-wide savings for the crafter on your list.

Please note that all deals have been verified to the best of our ability, but the Curvy Girl Guide cannot vouch for regional or store specific price or supply differences. This post is not sponsored in any way and just contains stores we enjoy shopping at during the holiday season.