Predicting the hottest kids toys each Christmas is a particular parental nightmare. Fortunately, major merchants are worried we'll spend even less this year, so they're discounting an array of toys for kids they expect to be the biggest sellers

Reports began in August that Target was shortchanging coupon clippers nationwide due to scanner problems. The mass merchandiser instructed cashiers Saturday to hand-process customer coupons and skip the scanners altogether.

This is the day, team. We're going out there for Black Friday shopping and we're hitting the gridiron mercilessly. The following 21 plays are carefully crafted for this veritable Super Bowl of holiday shopping. They are made for triumph.

Ten hup, Black Friday mall maggots. It's time to get those boots on the ground for some serious shopping. Now grab a cart and shove...and push...and reach...and OWN that register!

Facebook is at once a monumental achievement, incredible time-suck and generational buzzword. But with the addition of Facebook credits, the site is evolving further and moving beyond mundane life details to become a one-stop shop for consumers and merchants.

Black Friday -- the storied king of holiday shopping events -- is poised to lose its crown. The majority of consumers will forgo early-morning crowds this year in favor of online shopping, spurred by predictions of season-long discounts.

Deal of the day stores riff off modern man's love of a tantalizing deal and fear of nagging regret. They tap into these conflicting urges by featuring one heavily discounted item at a time, displayed anywhere from a couple minutes to an entire day. Once the deal is pulled, sold out or otherwise snuffed, it's replaced by another item.

The exponential growth of Groupon clones has created a unique dilemma: How do you resell group buying vouchers you don't really need?

Spooky lights, inappropriate costumes, and sugar-induced comas somehow create warm fuzzies when we think about the end of October. If we can ignore the general weirdness and occult history surrounding this holiday, trick 'o treating is a really great time to spend with friends and neighbors. Regardless of your beliefs, this time of year can serve as a big community builder. But don't ignore the inevitable. While Halloween is all fun and tasty games for the kiddies, who gets stuck with the bill?

Because dogs can smell Halloween excitement, some pups particularly appreciate owners who involve them by creating homemade dog costumes.