The (early) Black Friday deals I think are actually good

PLUS: One of the best soundbar deals EVER and a Deal Secrets exclusive: Breathe easier when you save $160 on a Dyson air purifier

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links included herein are affiliate links (usually those in bold blue type), meaning if you make a purchase via one of them, I may get a small commission. I promise you, now and forever, that I won’t choose deals based on whether there’s an affiliate option available.

---

SPONSORED

Do you suffer from allergies, pet dander, or other airborne irritants? An air purifier may help. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Deal Secrets readers can get the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 Smart Air Purifier and Fan for $290. That’s after applying promo code DSDYSON at checkout. (It more than offsets the few bucks you’ll pay for shipping.)

This HEPA H13-certified machine lists for $650 and normally sells for around $450; the sale prices I’m seeing elsewhere right now are mostly $350. So this is pretty much the best deal on the interwebs. Plus, you get an extra filter, which itself would cost you $80 if purchased from Dyson proper. (Good news: After you exhaust those two, third-party filters are available for around $30.)

It comes courtesy of Meh, a company I’ve worked with for years and wholeheartedly recommend. (Plus I’ve always loved the tongue-in-cheek name and hilarious product write-ups.)

---

QUICK HITS

Rounding up some pre-Black Friday deals I think are worth your time. Note that some of them require an Amazon Prime subscription…

Yesterday I published a big roundup of what I consider the best soundbars. Lo and behold, my top pick, the Hisense AX5125H, just dropped to an all-time-low $250. That’s $100 below the regular price and an absolute steal for a system with a subwoofer, wireless rear speakers, and Dolby Atmos baked into the soundbar. Check out the Yahoo story here and grab that deal while you can.

Similarly, I recently reviewed the new Sansui 55-inch OLED TV and found it to be pretty great. It also just went on sale: $600, an historic-low price for an OLED TV of that size. (It was previously $700-$900 depending on where you shopped; already a killer bargain.) Click through to that review for more info — and hop on this quick, because it’ll absolutely sell out.

---

It may seem hyperbolic to say that cookie scoops changed my life, but that’s exactly what they did. (My cookie life, anyway.) And they’re so cheap; right now you can get this cookie scoop 3-pack for just $7.99 (reg. $14.99). You get three sizes, all designed to give you perfectly sized/shaped dough-balls. They’re useful for scooping batter as well, like for muffins and cupcakes. I’m telling you: game-changer!

---

What’s better than an Egg McMuffin? Not much. And they’re a cinch to make at home, provided you’ve got the right device. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Target has the Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker for $19.99; reg. price $34.99. If your local store has it in stock, you can pick it up; otherwise you need to hit $35 to score free shipping (unless you’re a Circle 360 member).

I have one of these, and I really love it. (Actually, I have the double version, which isn’t discounted nearly as much.) Great for you, great gift for someone else.

---

---

I’ve made no secret of my love of Ember heated mugs, woefully overpriced though they may. However, a recent update to the Ember app has seriously soured me on the product. So if you’re looking for one for yourself or to give as a gift, check out the VFZO Self Heating Coffee Mug instead. It’s an all-time-low $79.98 right now (for Amazon Prime subscribers), down from $129.98, and it has a charging coaster that doubles as a wireless charging pad for your phone!

It comes with a lid to better extend battery life (Ember charges extra for one), and you can adjust mug temps via touch controls or an app. (Ember requires the latter.) Lots of great colors to choose from, too. I’ve tested this one; it works well.

---

A portable monitor is a great way to extend your workspace, whether at home or on the go. (It’s great for mobile console gaming as well.) For a limited time, and while supplies last, Amazon Prime subscribers can get the Anyuse 15.6-inch Portable 1080P Monitor for $49.99. Built-in speakers and kickstand, USB-C and HDMI connectivity… pretty sweet!

If you’d prefer a touchscreen monitor, this is arguably an even better deal: The Innocn PF15 Portable Touchscreen Monitor for $79.99. It’s regularly $200; this is the lowest price on record, by a lot.

---

The secret to scoring discounted UPS and USPS shipping rates…

I’ve talked about this before, but at this time of year in particular, it bears repeating.

If you need to ship anything via UPS or USPS, Pirate Ship should be your first stop. The service offers discounted rates and makes it easy to compare the prices and options of the two carriers. When you’re done, it spits out a label for you to print.

Oh, and did I mention it’s free? (The service, not the postage. Duh.)

Free, and also hassle-free: Once you sign up for an account, you just enter the recipient’s address (much of which it will auto-fill), then choose the service you want to use. The interface is breathtakingly easy to use and the rates are indeed lower than what you’d get via UPS or USPS proper.

How? Don’t ask questions. (Specifically, don’t ask questions I don’t know the answers to.) I’ve used Pirate Ship for years, and it has saved me considerable time and a good deal of money to boot (or should that be “booty”?), both for business and personal shipping.

…and if you ship even a few items, it’s worth buying this label printer for just $45 (save $22)

You can print a shipping label on any printer, cut it to size, and then tape it to your box. But what a pain! Instead, grab a dedicated shipping-label printer, like this one for $44.80 (with Amazon Prime) when you clip the 20%-off coupon. I own something similar; it’s incredibly convenient and a major time-saver. (But mine doesn’t support printing via Bluetooth; this one does.)

Between Pirate Ship and this thing, I can get something ready to ship in under two minutes. (Seriously — I clocked it.)

Hey, want to go see the new pirate movie with me? Careful: It’s rated Rrrrrrrrr.

---

PLAYLIST

📺 The last couple weeks I’ve been desperately seeking funny things to take my mind off the desperately unfunny world we live in. Thank goodness I remembered Conan O’Brien Must Go (Max), the short but riotous travelogue series. I’d watched the first episode months back, then got sidetracked and forgot about it. Now I’m resuming and it’s comedy gold.

Ironically, I never cared for O’Brien as a talk-show host (I was more of a Letterman man), but I adore this series. (His podcast is reliably hysterical as well, especially the new spin-off with Jordan Schlansky.) The first COBMG season was just four episodes, but a second one is coming and it’ll have six. Guaranteed laughs, my friends. Rick’s Rating: A-

📺 Mrs. Cheapskate and I are not the target audience for Extraordinary (Hulu) — that would be the Gen Z crowd, I think — but we’re loving it all the same. (We’re just really cool, I guess.) Great premise: Every person on the planet gains a superpower by the time they turn 25 — except for Jenn. But just as Friday Night Lights wasn’t really about football, this isn’t about superpowers; it’s about friendships and life and all that good stuff. Plus, it’s pretty funny. Alas, only two seasons, and just eight episodes apiece. Rick’s Rating: A

---

Thanks for reading Deal Secrets! Questions? Comments? Hit me up on Twitter or Facebook, or shoot me an e-mail. I’ll do my best to respond to all inquiries! Want to show your support? Buy me a coffee! You could also buy my book: Everything I Need to Know, I Learned Playing Pickleball. Makes a great gift! ;)