Tips to Keep Online Scammers Away on Cyber Monday

How to tell deals from scams this cyber Monday.

Black Friday: News and Updates

Find the latest on Black Friday lines, deals and news as it happens. If you see something we should know about, send us a tip at Maggie.Rotermund@patch.com or tweet @UniCityPatch.

It's the biggest shopping day of the year. Share your stories with Patch.

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Black Friday West County Wrap: Here's What's Open And When

If you plan to partake in the bounty of Black Friday sales, here's a breakdown of what stores are opening early for St. Louis sale seekers.

A number of stores and malls are beginning Black Friday sales earlier than ever before in the St. Louis area. Simply click on the links below for more details. Are you heading out to brave the crowds this Black Friday? If so, where are you shopping? What are you hoping to find? Tell us in the comments. If you know of a Black Friday sale we forgot to mention - please post it in the comments below!

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BBB Advice For Black Friday Shopping: Set A Budget, Research Deals

Be safe shopping this black friday.

'Black Friday Creep' Spurs Online Petition Drives to Save Thanksgiving

Thousands are signing an online petitions against Black Friday store opening hours that have been pushed into Thanksgiving Day.

The trend for stores to open earlier and earlier to take advantage of Black Friday sales—even to the point of opening in the evening on Thanksgiving Day—has prompted an online petition drive to give Thanksgiving back to employees and their families. The original petition was reportedly created by a Target employee upset that the retail giant is opening on Thanksgiving and requiring employees to work instead of spending time with their families. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were more than 190,000 signatures on the petition. (Check out the petition here.) A press release from Change.org reported that they have seen dozens of new petitions pop up about Black Friday hours. "Following a Sears announcement last week that the company would open…

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Black Friday Shopping in St. Louis to Start Earlier Than Ever in 2012

Walmart announced a Thanksgiving Day start to its sales. Target, Toys R Us, and Best Buy aren't far behind.

Serious shoppers know Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the day for bargains. Retailers are opening earlier than ever this year with sales to entice more holiday shoppers. Walmart has set the bar at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day for 2012 sales to start. Will other stores follow? Macy’s, Target and Toys R Us are among a growing number of shops kicking off Black Friday sales at midnight, the St. Louis Business Journal reports. Area mall doors will open at various times, though some of their stores may or may not be open then. Many sales haven't been announced yet. Target offers a signup to receive text messages of sales, and previews a 40-inch Toshiba TV, a Samsung laptop computer, a Playstation 3 and other sale items on its website…

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Moms Talk Q&A

Moms Talk: Holiday Gift Spending for Parents

What factors will guide the amount of money you spend on your children this holiday season?

Now that the holiday season is underway, Patch wants to know how St. Louis parents will approach gift-giving this year. While shoppers turned out in droves for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the U.S. economy is still struggling.  So onto this week's question: Will you indulge your children with holiday gifts this year, or will you pull in the reins somewhat? What principles will guide your spending?

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Martha Baur

7:43 pm on Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Every family has different values when it comes to gift giving. I keep a number in mind as to what I want to spend for each child. One big gift might meet that budget or it might take a few gifts. It's easy to get carried away, so I make a list and stick to it. What's more important than presents is fun family tradition. That's what the kids will remember forever! Christmas Eve church service, …   more ›

Viewfinder: A Look at Black Friday in the St. Louis Area

Shoppers have been at it since midnight. Some have waited in line for days.

Lines snaked around big box retail stores as early as Tuesday afternoon until doors were opened at the stroke of midnight Friday. People ran to scoop up a steal on a $600 TV and the hottest Justin Bieber doll. Some lines were shorter than others proving you don’t have to wait in line 60 hours beforehand, miss your family’s Thanksgiving dinner or risk hypothermia to score some sweet deals. Behold the sights of long and short which will help you begin mapping out next year’s day of dark deals.

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