Frugal Friday: Get weekend deals, avoid overspending

>>> a look at the science of shopping with consumer dos and don'ts.

>> dpoork.

>> is there really a science to shopping for big-ticket items.

>> a new study out of brigham young university and emorie university, if you're shopping for a big-ticket item like a big-screen tv, you shouldn't focus on the price. people who did spent 50% more. you're much better off thinking about what attributes do i want this product to have, whether it's a diamond ring or a big-screen tv, how big do i want it to be? what kind of resolution do i need it to have? do i want it to be a smart tv and then you can find one of those with all those attributes at the lowest price, works better.

>> seems like the best of those things with those attributes would have the biggest price, is that necessarily true ?

>> not necessarily in items like big-korean tvs where we're seeing a lot of them under $1,000.

>> let's talk about how to go about it. starting with popular books and something you call save on where we get great deals.

>> we're going to break you some great deals. these come from retail me not and led us to those deals. the folks at amazon led publishers across the country. not the best-sellers but the best books, 40% off kids books like the maxim ruby books, john meachem's new book, hunkered in this weekend you can find yourself something to read. 40% off.

>> also, papa john 's is running a special.

>> use the code 2 papa's but every one of their stores, you buy a beats yeah, spend $21 and the next pizza is on them and at macy's, a little red , white and blue, their election day sale, 20% to 50% off almost everything in the store this. travel pro suitcase from 280 down to 140, charter club sheets 170 down to 102 and this coat that i am coveting, 370 i believe down to 240.

>> and you get this online or you have to go into the store?

>> no, both, actually. the deals may be slightly different, they tell us, from the store to the website, but if you can't get out, hit the website no problem.

>> everybody is talking about the ipad mini. my problem with it is it's 330 bucks.

>> well, my problem is if you have an ipad already and you want to go smaller, some people like the smaller size in their hand, you can actually sell the one that you have and use it to buy the ipad mini, so the folks at cheapism did a little bit of a survey and looked at different websites, where can you sell your ipad, comparing prices on the third generation ipad 32 gigabyte. we found prices on all of these websites ranging from $250 up to almost $500, depending on the condition of your device, and if you're willing to do the leg work yourself on a site like craigslist you may be able to get more. one thing about those offers. if you're trading it in through apple or amazon, you may be getting a gift card .

>> okay.

>> which you should know if you're using it to buy the next.

>> as part of our frugal friday, want to recognize the shopper of the week. this week it's liz jenkins of philadelphia.

>> from right outside of philadelphia, and she started this very cool thing that she is calling a for later fund. for the last six months, every time she went to an atm she would take one $5 bill and mark it for later. she's been saving those.

>> now.

>> now this for later fund is become her christmas gift fund. she's got 265,000 -- i was going say $265,000. $265 and it's growing very quickly.

>> pretty good restraint. i'm impressed.

>> if you've got a frugal friend, if you've got a great shopper, you want to share a story with us, send it to our website because i'm looking that the.

>> i'm going to run out and get two pizzas.

>> requesting frugal friday," jean, thank you. share your great money-saving ideas on twitter with the #frugalfridays. we'll compile your tweets and feature them on today.com.