On Black Friday, hit the grocery store

Julie Parrish, CEO of hotcouponworld.com, has some unusual advice for Black Friday shoppers: Go to the grocery store.

“Not everyone will do it, but my savings at Albertsons and Safeway beats the heck out of the $5 I'm going to save chasing the 4 a.m. sock sale at Fred Meyer,” Parrish said.

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According to Parrish, many stores on Black Friday knock down the price of perishable holiday foods -- like roasts, fresh turkeys, baked goods and produce -- that didn’t move out the door before we all sat down to gorge ourselves on Thanksgiving.

This could be a huge savings if frozen turkeys are put on sale, considering that the big bird is already remarkably cheap this year.

For instance, The Columbus Dispatch in Ohio reports: “Giant Eagle and Kroger are selling frozen turkeys weighing at least 18 pounds for 29 cents per pound with a $30 purchase. Meijer is selling its birds weighing at least 16.1 pounds for up to $18 off with an additional $20 purchase.” As you’ve probably heard, Wal-Mart has the $20 Thanksgiving meal deal that includes a turkey for 40 cents a pound.

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Overall, the American Farm Bureau Federation -- which tracks the cost of a typical Thanksgiving feast each year -- says Turkey Day dinner will cost $1.70 less than the $44.61 spent last year.

It makes sense to look for deals at the grocery store on Black Friday so you can fill up the freezer for Christmas -- or later. Here’s how Parrish does the math:

Whole prime rib roast normally sells for $9.99 per pound or more. On sale the week of Thanksgiving for typically $4.99 per pound or less. Marked down the day after Thanksgiving to 50% or more off the sales price. Total savings is upwards of 80% off the retail price.

We don’t shop on Black Friday because, well, we don’t like to shop. Facing the crowds would make an already unpleasant experience more like torture. Plus, we’re irritated by retailers’ Black Friday tricks -- advertising very limited supplies of hugely discounted items with no chance for a rain check, or selling derivatives of electronics -- “models that have a few less features than a standard model in that product line,” CNNMoney.com says.

(Although, according to CNNMoney, Black Friday is a good day to buy a car.)

We’ll be at home planning the fate of all the food already in the fridge, with some help from Kris at Cheap Healthy Good and her “38 cheap, healthy recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers.” (Still planning the big meal? Check out Kris’ “100-plus Thanksgiving recipes and links: The only Turkey Day post you’ll ever need.”)

Does your local grocery store offer huge discounts on Black Friday?

Related reading:

• Holiday spending guide
• Black Friday: Sears ad a snooze
• Black Friday: Target’s ad full of bargains