Good morning to those of you who caught me on Sunday’s WTHR Weekend Sunrise!
Black Friday is one of my favorite days of the year to catch a good deal. If it’s your thing or maybe it’s not, I’ve got some tips to help you save money and your mind on what can be a very busy and costly shopping day.
Know the sales before they hit the papers. Many of the stores leak their ads days and even weeks before the actual sale. Walmart, Target, and most other retailers have already released their ads on their site as of this week. Don’t spend your Thanksgiving leafing through the paper. Get your homework done days or weeks ahead so that you can enjoy your turkey and pecan pie. I LOVE using the site BFads.net and the app Shopkick to leaf through ads for a number of stores.
Take cash. Have a spending limit or you’ll find yourself with way more than you need in your cart.
Take a friend. In our case, it’s a spouse that shares the late night/morning’s adventures. If you’re hitting a Big Box retailer, one of you can park the cart (we love the pharmacy because no one is there) and hang out while the other darts about to get the items you want. That way, you don’t end up in cart gridlock. If you’re somewhere like Old Navy, have one person get in line as soon as you get there. The lines tend to be long so while you’re waiting, the other person can snag all of the bargains. It works out almost perfectly. I find that female shoppers tend to help my husband more than me so I’m usually parked while he shops.
Have a timeline in mind and stick to it. You’ll be less likely to browse at things you don’t need if you know what times which stores open and hop from place to place. An end time is also great to keep your day in check.
Not all Black Friday Sales are about gifts. Kitchen appliances, bath towels, coats, and countless other items drop to their lowest prices of the year the day after Thanksgiving. Keep in mind that you might not see these items so cheap until next year. We’re more likely to camp out near the crockpots and towels than the hot toy or electronics deal.
Hit the ‘Net. If Black Friday isn’t your thing, know that many retailers offer their pricing online, too. And last year, Amazon pretty much matched things at each store price point to price point with great deals on shipping.
For more money saving holiday tips, check out these posts:
- Welcome WTHR Weekend Sunrise Viewers: Holiday Budgeting
- Royal Ramblings: Christmas & Your Marriage, Don’t Believe Kay’s Hype
- Frugal Flashback: Christmas Giving Strategies for Kids
- What Do You Do Wednesday? Teacher Christmas Gifts or What Your Teacher Doesn’t Want
What’s your best Black Friday Shopping tip?
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