The biggest shopping day of the year is almost upon us and while many are busy making lists and checking them twice, there are a few things you may have overlooked but shouldn't. The following off-the-wall items may be some of the best unexpected deals this Black Friday.
And while it's doubtful they'll be gifts for a loved one, you and your home will appreciate the bargains. That seems to be acceptable these days -- a deal is a deal, right? Deal News has reported that 44 percent of shoppers surveyed admitted to shopping for themselves on Black Friday. For shoppers who intend to be the recipient, here are four items that may be worth more than a second glance.
1. Vacuum Cleaners.
True, a vacuum cleaner probably isn't on your list of wants this year, but we've seen definite deals on this unexpected gift while sifting through Black Friday ads. One particularly enticing offer is the Hoover WindTunnel 2 Pet Rewind Bagless Vacuum. Normally retailing for $100 and above, it's going for just $69.99 at Sears on Black Friday.
2. Big Appliances.
While the long lines on Black Friday will be filled with folks waiting to grab discounted TV's and tablets, one of our writers scored an amazing deal on a refrigerator and gas oven combo a few Black Fridays back. This year is no different when it comes to appliance sales. We spotted numerous advertised deals on washers and dryers, refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers. Our favorite unexpected Black Friday catch so far: the Frigidaire 26-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator with ice maker in a stainless steel finish on sale at Lowe's for $849, marked down from the original $1,149.99.
3. TV Wall Mounts.
Okay, this may be able to pass as a gift for a loved one. If you're planning to buy a TV anyway (a very popular Black Friday purchase), a wall mount may be a nice extra to throw in. TV wall mounts are expensive and we were pleasantly surprised to see several with discounted prices in Black Friday ads. The best deal we found was at Sears: a Sanus Super Slim Wall Mount that can accommodate a 32- to 70-inch TV for just $49.99, which is 50 percent off the original price. We also noticed a cheaper model at Walmart that could hold the same 32- to 70-inch TV for a super low $29.99, but no further details were provided about the product, not even the brand.
4. External Hard Drives.
Here is something that pretty much everyone needs (or should have), but few want to spend money on. An external hard drive isn't exactly gift worthy, but you sure will be thankful for the backup if something were to happen to your technology. We found the same external hard drive deal at both Office Depot and Office Max. For $84.99 you can get the Toshiba Canvio 3TB Desktop External USB 3.0 Hard Drive, which saves you a hefty 30 percent off the normal retail mark of about $120.
Share with us your favorite off-the-wall finds in the Black Friday ads.
