Buy Early or Buy Later

November is a notoriously huge shopping month - besides getting ready for the upcoming holidays, including buying everything from decorations to cooking supplies to Christmas presents, there are all those tempting Black Friday deals where you can splurge on yourself and grab some of the best bargains of the year. But how do you know where you can find the best deals, and which sales are really just holiday duds? After all, some of the popular items featured in Black Friday sales will be even cheaper if you wait until after the holiday season. Here are just a few of the best things to buy in November, and what to wait for. Jewelry We all know jewelry is one of the more popular holiday gift ideas, but good luck finding a good deal when the demand is so high. With customers beating down the doors, jewelers have little to no incentive to offer up discounts this time of year. Great news for online jewelry shoppers, though! AOL Shopping has exclusive deals on lots of great jewelry for the 2010 holiday season, so we've got you covered for this year. Next time, though, shop for jewelry in the summer! Charcoal Grills Unless you live in a warm climate year round, there's not really a market for charcoal grills after summer, and retailers don't want to store these items for six months. Sending them back to a warehouse costs money, too -- they'd rather just sell them to you at a deep discount and not have to deal with them over the winter. Televisions Electronics like big screen TVs and laptop computers are always among the hottest buys on Black Friday. But did you know that the best deals are still to come? Dealnews predicts that Black Friday will bring great deals on no-name brands, but if you want the top brands, you'll find better deals in December and January. You'll have to stand in long lines to get the best of the Black Friday deals, but you can find great prices on televisions all November long. Dealnews also predicts that in big screens, your best buy will be a new 55" HDTV -- if you have room for it in your home! Over-The-Counter-Health-Products The end of the year will be here before you know it. Did you know that upcoming changes will impact the use of Flexible Spending Accounts to buy many over-the-counter health products including such products as Advil Advanced Medicine for Pain, which you won't be able to buy anymore? Think about getting many of your go-to over-the-counter buys now to maximize your FSA savings. A good place to start is drugstore.com's FSA store. They've put many FSA-eligible items on sale already. Skin Care Products Cold, dry weather can easily wreak havoc on your skin, so you'll want to make sure you're stocked up on good skin care products for the cold months ahead. Spa themed gift sets with lotions and bubble baths also make great holiday gifts -- check out some AOL Shopping deals from AVON to pamper yourself or your loved ones. Wine You'll find the best selection of wine available now, right after the fall harvest season. It's a great time to get your hands on the rare vintages in high demand, or just try some new tastes. Wine makes an excellent holiday gift for the person who has all the stuff they could ever want, as well as the perfect gift for your host(s) this Thanksgiving. What not to buy in November It's a given that you're going to be bombarded with special offers and advertisements for the rest of the holiday season, but some of these deals get a lot sweeter if you wait until the end of the holiday shopping season. Don't be tempted by lukewarm deals on these items this month... Apple Products -- If you've been coveting an iPad for months, you may think a Black Friday sale is the perfect excuse to treat yourself, but hold off on rushing to the check out just yet. Despite rumors of huge Black Friday deals, Apple's holiday specials have been lackluster over the past few years, and Dealnews predicts more of the same this year - if you're lucky you just might score free shipping. You might find better deals after the holidays, but don't hold your breath for big discounts. If just cannot wait any longer, you can always pick up an iPad for $579. Jeans -- Stores will advertise great savings for your holiday shopping in November. Starting around Thanksgiving, you'll find this season's hottest denim trends for about 20-30% off in most stores. Sure, it's a discount, but if you're buying jeans for your teenager's Christmas gift, wait until closer to Christmas. You'll find jeans marked down more like 50% in late December.