Dear Readers,

You’re receiving this BuyBetter newsletter five days early. That’s because we wanted to send it to you ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We’ll be sharing some great holiday deals. But, we also want to tell you a bit more about why we do what we do, including answers to common questions from BuyBetter readers, like why we link to products on Amazon, what we think about items made in China, and why we don’t discuss thrifting and local shopping more often. Another question: 

*What does “affiliate marketing" mean? It’s a system where merchants pay commissions to affiliates (usually publications or influencers) for the visits, sales, or sign-ups that the affiliates generate. If you buy something, you pay the same amount, and we may make a small commission.

That means that you can support Bluedot by clicking on the links in this newsletter. It’s almost like donating to us, and we really appreciate it. Your support helps us bring you stories without charging you to see them.  

So I’m including links to some e-commerce sites that see a lot of activity this time of year. If you’re already planning on shopping with any of these stores, you can support us by clicking the links below to visit their sites. (Thank you!)

Even if you already have items saved in your digital carts, you clicking through via this email may give us a piece of the pie and help fund our journalism. 

In fact, if you know you’ll be making a big purchase at a company not listed above, you can even email me at Elizabeth@bluedotliving.com and I’ll see if I can make you an affiliate link. (If you’re planning on buying a $1,500 bracelet at David Yurman, for instance, you could be sending $150 our way!)

So, please click on these links before shopping to support Bluedot! This email contains just a sneak peak of our favorite Black Friday deals. Click here for a massive round-up of Black Friday deals. And feel free to share.

This Thanksgiving, we at Bluedot are grateful for you. Happy shopping! 

–Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor