Tuesday, November 27, 2012
The initial day dedicated to giving back after the biggest shopping days of the year arrived with massive online attention.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Jessie Gable
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Tuesday, November 27, 2012
First there was Black Friday. Then we had Cyber Monday. Now, there's Giving Tuesday, a day designed to giving back to charities after the intial buying spree of the Christmas season. The Giving Tuesday website states that, like Black Friday opens the shopping season, Giving Tuesday will kick off the giving season: It’s a simple idea. Find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to join in acts of giving. Tell everyone you can about what you are doing and why it matters. Join a national celebration of our great tradition of generosity. The #GivingTuesday hashtag took over Twitter on Tuesday with groups tweeting links to donate to their cause. A blog from the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and…
Saturday, November 24, 2012
See what's on sale at Carolina Personalized Gifts.
After a day of going to major retailers, shoppers are encouraged to spend Saturday at small businesses. In honor of Small Business Saturday, Carolina Personalized Gifts on Sparkleberry Lane is offering several sales and deals. Did you go? Tell us in the comments.
At least 200 people made our video.
Were you in line at the Best Buy on Harbison Blvd. around 11 p.m. Thursday night? At least 200 of you were! We caught most of the people on video, so be sure to look and see if we spotted you. If you see yourself there, tell us in the comments.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Did you get the best deal in the Midlands? Prove it.
We know the 32 and 40-inch TVs were good deals, but how did you combine them to get the best deal. Upload a photo of your swag and how much you paid to this gallery. We'll get you started.
The new business gives a free cupcake and cup of coffee to people with the "name of the day" every weekday.
Calling all Alicias, Tracys and Donovans. If you stop by Sweet at the Village at Sandhill today, you can get a free cupcake and coffee. The bakery presents a treat to the "Name of the Day" every day, Monday through Friday, according to their Facebook page. You must show your ID to claim your cupcake. Spelling doesn't matter, and it can be your first or middle name.
Grey Thursday/Black Friday shoppers agreed that the deals they scored were worth the hours and days of waiting.
Patch braved the crowds of Walmart and Best Buy on Harbison Blvd. to see the major sales and crowds. In all, people were delightfully friendly, offering coats and kindness to other shoppers. At both places, the Columbia Police Department had officers stationed. Walmart employees were checking receipts, though they said they hadn't had any trouble with shoplifters. The big ticket deals were TVs and tablets. To see our coverage of the line at Best Buy, check out this story. For more on Black Friday, check out this story.
Charities often need the same items that are discounted on Black Friday.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Jessie Gable
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Friday, November 23, 2012
In the wake of hard economic times, the aftermath of a hurricane and other tragedies, charities have been hard strapped for several items--some of which are on sale on Black Friday. While you're out, pick up a few extras of these items and drop them off at your favorite charity. Regardless if you see any of these items, don't forget that Toys for Tots is taking new toys throughout the season.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Patch met with some of the people who have been waiting outside for a week at Best Buy.
A group of shoppers has been camping outside the Best Buy in Northeast Columbia since Sunday with plans to be the first ones to get the deals. Several had Thanksgiving dinner delivered and others took shifts to take time off. Stay tuned for more Black Friday coverage.
I’ll proudly be going to stores tomorrow to cover the lines and probably pick up a few items. I challenge you to think before you rush to judgment on how everyone is so “materialistic.”
Last year on Thanksgiving, one of my guy friends had a meltdown about his clothes (they really were bad) and decided we needed to go shopping…the next day. So we went and his eyes were opened to the whole Black Friday hoopla. We laughed and I played personal stylist and we had a pizza lunch to keep me from being homesick. In other years, I’ve always gone to Black Friday with my mom and had pizza for lunch. My first Thanksgiving away was tough, but softened by the shopping trip and planning of his makeover. I’ve always gone to Black Friday and I usually buy something for myself. And you know what? I don’t feel bad about it. If there’s something I need, I’m going to buy it no matter what. If I can save money on those items, great. That’s the…
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Want to get the best deals this Friday? There's an app (or five) for that.
Bells err...phones will be ringing this Christmas. But while you're checking out your swag on Black Friday, you can score some more deals by using your phone. These are the top five Black Friday apps: Nextag Shopping, free, allows customers to scan a bar code of an item and compare prices to other stores. Black Friday Survival Guide, also free, blends social media and shopping by allowing easy sharing of shopping lists and ads to Facebook. Black Friday App by Dealnews is also free and sends "leaked" ads to your phone. TGI Black Friday sends push notifications when an ad is leaked as well as price comparisons and links to items that are available online before they are in stores. If you're working with a group to get items on a list…
FugitiveSquirrel
8:56 am on Saturday, November 24, 2012
How refreshing it would have been to see articles about how folks (like you) give back to their community, or service projects that youth do, or a piece on traditions and where they come from, on how and why to make special gifts rather than succumbing to the Buy More mentality, rather than chasing the "bargain" that bleeds your humanity dry. Essential services should be in force (with huge … more ›