Morning Deals: Tea, digital readers & electronics

Deal Of The Day:

Tea: Free tea from Golden Tea Company

Other Morning Deals:

Digital Readers: Sony and Bookeen digital book readers for very affordable prices

Electronics: 17 media electronics with huge price drops of up to 66% off at OnSale.com

No. 1: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season, is around the corner. Can't get into the gift-giving spirit?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

Click here for more Black Friday videos.

No. 2: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season, is around the corner. Can't get into the gift-giving mood?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

If people run like this everyday, we won't need campy shows like "America's Biggest Loser." When it comes to Black Friday Sale, people are strapped on with their running shoes. Beware Usain Bolt!

Snag a free car-history report from eBay Motors

Looking to buy a used car or truck? On eBay, consumers can snag a free vehicle history report thanks to Experian's AutoCheck.

Buying a used vehicle can be tricky and over the years consumers have been known to complain of rebuilt lemons and cars with "secret" histories. And eBay isn't trying to exclude rebuilt cars or vehicles with different histories. All eBay is trying to do is let the vehicle's real history be known.

According to a New York Times article, Nicholas Franchet, senior director at eBay Motors says, "Previously such vehicle background reports were offered by some sellers, but now eBay will provide them on all used vehicles after the 1981 model year."

Experian's AutoCheck places an emphasis on the importance of consumer awareness and knowledge, especially when it comes to the history of vehicles for safety purposes.

However, some don't believe the disclosure is actually useful. Anthony Giorgianni, an associate finance editor for the Consumer Reports Money Advisor newsletter states, "Don't trust it. Don't trust it." Giorgianni has evaluates many services that check vehicle identification numbers and histories. What has he found? Numerous flaws.

Franchet argues that “the history on a used car is not a perfect science." But he says that he believes the Experian information can be a great help to buyers. “In our experience it is very, very good data,” Franchet adds.

What does the consumer learn from the report? Mileage, any damage the vehicle has accrued and a history of where the vehicle has been registered. This is certainly valuable information, however the information cannot be trusted 100 percent.

The best advice for consumers? Check out a range of resources and educate yourself in order to have total confidence when making a purchase.

Morning Deals: Calendars, toothbrushes & Listerine

Deal Of The Day:

Calendars: Free calendar from Betty Crocker

Other Morning Deals:

Toothbrushes: Buy the new Supersmile toothbrush, and get $20 off your order at drugstore.com

Listerine: Save $2 off 1 Listerine Total Care at drugstore.com- ends November 28, 2009

No. 3: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season, is this week. Can't get into the gift-giving spirit?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

This clip shows how employees keep their spirits high when it comes to working late at night for Thanksgiving Weekend sale. Spare a thought for the sales girls!

Morning Deals: Fabric softener, flights & hotels

Deal Of The Day:

Fabric Softener: Free fabric softener sample from Seventh Generation

Other Morning Deals:

Flights: Lowest airfare guarantee on all winter flights at CheapOair.com and save $10 instantly by using coupon code WINTER10

Hotels: 4-star hotels at 2-star prices- save up to 55% with low Hotwire rates!

Bizarre cellphone pricing baffles economists

Cellphone companies offer strange pricing that baffles economists, while U.S. consumers spend more and more each month on mobile phones.

Apple and AT&T's $199 iPhones are on sales upswing and U.S. consumers won't have it any other way. $399 iPhones with a $20 a month fee ended up costing $4o less, however sales were slacking. Cellphone companies' strange price plans are confusing as well. Barry Nalebuff, an economics professor at the Yale School of Management says, "You pay $60 to make your first phone call. Your next 1,000 minutes are free. Then the minute after that costs 35 cents."

Confusing? Entirely.

Here are a few more confusing pricing schemes:

• Phone companies charge 20 cents per text message...double what they were in past years. They cost the phone company less than a penny to deliver.
• Sprint offered free calling to any mobile number, and customers then switch to more expensive plans.
• Web is provided for a flat rate on iPhones and BlackBerries.
  

So why are U.S. consumers buying? It's all about instant gratification. A New York Times article reports, "Consumers often put immediate gratification and the avoidance of unpleasant surprises above their long-term interests."

This behavior is difficult for economists to predict. In other countries, consumers buy a phone and then purchase minutes. When they run out of minutes, they buy more. No contracts, no ridiculous charges, and no economists searching for a model that can't be found.

U.S. consumers' need for instant gratification pressures cellphone companies to subsidize phones in order to increase sales. The iPhone that is $199 meanwhile costs AT&T $550. The increased monthly charge is in order to cover the subsidy.

Philip Marshall, an anayst for the Yankee Group says, "Service providers don't have a good measure for their costs. They don't have the ability to say if they are going to make money" on any particular plan. So basically, phone companies want to get the most money they can possibly get out of you and hope that they have made enough money to cover their costs.

No. 4: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season, hits this week. Can't get into the gift-giving mood?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

For clip No. 4, folks are falling head over heel on Black Friday at Wal-Mart in 200. Literally. This clip is like the running of the bulls in Spain.

Click here for more Black Friday videos.

Morning Deals: Movies & electronics

Deal Of The Day:

Movies: Sign up with Redbox and get one night's rental free

Other Morning Deals:

Frames: $33 OFF! GiiNii Shomi 7″ digital photo frames only $26.99 (was $59.99)

Cameras: $45 off Polaroid i1236 12.0 Megapixel Digital Camera- black only

Hard Drives: $21 off Toshiba 320GB Portable USB 2.0 external hard drive with NTI backup now EZ for PC, NTI Shadow 4 for Mac ONLY $68.99

No. 5: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season, is around the corner. Can't get into the gift-giving mood?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

All hell breaks loose when there's only a limited supply of on-sale products. In this festive clip, revel in the spirit of the season when folks indulge in spirited WWE Smackdown moves to get their favorite electronic item.

Click here for more Black Friday videos.

No. 6: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season, is around the corner. Can't get into the gift-giving mood?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

Shoppers are lined up from 2.37 am at this Best Buy store. The employees are gearing up to handle the crazy crowds by downing energy drinks and finally the early birds are welcomed to the store like royalty.

Click here for more Black Friday videos.

No. 7: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday season, is around the corner. Can't get into the gift-giving mood?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

A serpetine line of deal-crazy shoppers braving sub-zero temperatures and a few hours of sleep forms outside of Target in 2006.

Click here for more Black Friday videos.

Morning Deals: Shower gel, travel guides & tickets

Deal Of The Day:

Shower Gel: Free Philosophy Gingerbread Man shower gel

Other Morning Deals:

Travel Guides: Buy one product, get the second half off at Lonely Planet

Tickets: Buy one movie ticket on Fandango and receive a second ticket to the same show free when you use your Visa Signature card

Morning Deals: AmericanHeart.org, wreaths & projectors

Deal Of The Day:

AmericanHeart.org: Free bracelet and journal/planner

Other Morning Deals:

Wreaths: Great deals on holiday wreaths at Flower.com

Projectors: Get the Eyeclops Mini Projector for $74.99 ($45 off!) and watch holiday movies all winter long!

No. 8: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season, is around the corner. Can't get into the gift-giving mood?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

For clip No. 8, crowds are pushing and shoving to get into this Circuit City in Delaware back in 2007. It's amazing how fast things have changed. In 2008, the cash-strapped Circuit City has voluntarily filed for Chapter 11.

Click here for more Black Friday videos.

Free samples at Nature Valley

Sign up and get a free trail mix bar plus their new granola nut clusters

Check out our twtQpon here

No. 9: Video countdown to Black Friday 2009

Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season, is around the corner. Can't get into the gift-giving mood?

Don't fret.

Consumer United Advocate plans to unveil its favorite Black Friday video clips to shock you into the spirit.

For clip No. 9, watch frenzied shoppers pile into a Best Buy in Wes Lafayette, IN to snag discounted laptops and XBOX 360s.

Click here for more Black Friday videos.

Morning Deals: Nordstrom, Nexcare & toys

Deal Of The Day:

Nordstrom: Free gift tag print outs for the holidays!

Other Morning Deals:

Nexcare Cream: Spend $25 on Nexcare, Buf-Puf or Titrilac and get a free Nexcare cream ($15.99 value) at Drugstore.com

Toys: Save up to 40% on the newest and hottest toys of the season at Drugstore.com!

Layaway makes a comeback for the holidays

Low on cash this holiday season? Layaway, a way to purchase an item without shelling out the entire cost at once, is back in style.

Americans are still struggling with last year's Christmas credit card debt... a whopping 13.5 million consumers according to a recent holiday poll by ConsumerReports.org. Combating that debt is making layaway look pretty attractive this year.

So what is layaway and how does it work?

When you bring your item to the layaway department, you put a deposit down on the item, and a service fee to the department for holding your item for you. The good news? Layaway isn't a credit card... so there are no interest payments. You get to keep the item once it is fully paid for. With layaway, you usually put down an initial deposit between 10 and 20 percent. And you usually have between 30 and 90 days to fully purchase the item.

Let's say the item you put on layaway goes on sale shortly after. ConsumerReports.org reports that Kmart won’t make any price adjustment after seven days from the date put an item on layaway, however Sears will give customers 30 days. And before you leave, get a copy of the layaway contract in writing, just so you and the salesperson are on the same page.

Want to know more about layaway? Check out a video from the Atlanta Bargain Hunter here