OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) - Turns out, not all holiday deals should be shopped the same way.
According to expert saver Nicole McDonald, knowing what to buy is just as important as when to buy it.
"Black Fridays are best for kitchen appliances, game consoles and some off-brand TVs," said McDonald who blogs about couponing and saving money for the blog "Mom Saves Money."
The mother of three believes Cyber Monday is not only great for discounts, but also free shipping and some cash back rewards.
If you're a procrastinator, it might work to your advantage when it comes to toys.
As the year winds down, she says, stores are trying to clear their shelves off.
But trendy toy items like Fingerlings and L.O.L. Dolls might be hard to come by in the store, she told 3 News Now.
You might find them online, but she cautions buyers to be mindful of the vendors.
"Even the major retail giants are allowing third parties, so what you want to look for is that it's sold from Walmart or Amazon or Kmart," McDonald said.
However, she said not all third party vendors are bad, but some do take advantage of consumers by jacking their prices twice or three times more than the asking retail price.
Promotional offers or drawings can you work to your advantage, she said.
"Stores pretty much everywhere [are] going to have sort of gift card offer," McDonald said. "My actual personal strategy is places that I frequent on a regular basis - I go ahead and purchase the gift cards in December and use them throughout the year."
I don't even give them out as gifts, she said.
When asked how do you know a deal is no longer worth it, she offered common sense advice.
It's no longer a deal, she said, if it's not on your wish list - no matter the sale.
