Playing "Black Friday," 2010

How to Buy a Cheap Flat Panel TV Before Christmas

Don't worry, this isn't a(nother) dire post about the stock market.

It's about how to buy cheap electronics between now and Christmas.

Strategy #1 is to wait for Black Friday -- traditionally the day after Thanksgiving, when Christmas shopping kicks off -- and get up at 4 a.m. to wait in line for whatever stupendous deals the stores announce this year, then risk that they'll have already run out before it's your turn.

Strategy #2?

Buy whatever you want now, when supplies are ample and the lines are nonexistent; keep the receipt; then check back in 30 days to see if the price has dropped.

If it has -- and it probably will -- most stores will rebate you the difference.

In fact, given that Black Friday keeps moving up each year (as retailers maneuver to get the jump on each other), you can likely buy something anytime past mid-October and still be within the 30 day "check-back" period.

Just check the fine print -- this one seems obvious enough that it's possible that the retailers have put the kibosh on it.