Over the years, Black Friday has changed a lot. We went from waiting in parking lots in the wee hours of the morning to stores opening on Thanksgiving Day. We’ve seen doorbusters that cause people to run toward black packaging and we’ve seen stores publish maps in their apps. In the last two years, deals have been both online and in person and a day of bargains has morphed into an entire month. How can you be sure to snag the best deals for Black Friday 2022? I’m so glad you asked.
Don’t Expect Prices to Be Their Best on Black Friday
I know it feels counter intuitive, but if the last two years indicate future trends, there were plenty of great deals that did not drop lower on actual Black Friday. So if you’re shopping and know what you want and the deal seems great, go for it. It may not drop any lower.
Know Your Store’s Price Match Policy
Because of this, some stores – most notably Target – are offering a price match guarantee during the holiday season. This means if you see an item you’ve already purchased at a lower price, then you can bring your receipt to customer service and receive the difference. Learn your store’s price match plan for the holiday season and all year long. For instance stores like Target, Walmart, and Lowe’s actually price match their own websites which sometimes can be lower than in store prices. This is another great reason to scan every item as you put it in your cart so you can both check online prices and for coupons at the same time.
Ads Are Already Online
We may see one or two stores drop deals as we go or at the last minute. But by and large those days of leafing through the paper on Thanksgiving are over. Many stores have their ads directly on their websites or apps (scroll to the bottom to look for “Weekly Ad”) which are much easier in my opinion to navigate than the “Deals” page especially on a larger site. Or you can see Ad scans on Black Friday aggregate sites like TheBlackFriday.com which is my favorite site to easily navigate between ads. This week’s Walmart deals will be released online on Wednesday and in stores on Friday.
Deals are Staggered Throughout the Month
Many big box and warehouse retailers actually began their Black Friday Deals last week and even in October. Walmart’s website is already flush with deals. Costco, Sam’s Club, Kohl’s, Macy’s, JC Penney, and Amazon all have deals running right now.
Know What You’re Looking For
We’ve talked about it before, but it bears repeating. It’s never wise to shop without a plan. Know how much you can spend – your budget. Know who you’re shopping for – your list. Have a good idea of what’s on sale – the ads. Keep in mind sizes, favorites, and wish list items – your smart list. Don’t forget that many retailers now actually post the locations of doorbusters on their apps and online deals. This helps you avoid aimless wandering. Shopping without a plan always leads to unnecessary overspending and likely a crankier version of yourself.
Track Your Spending
It’s easy to go overboard when we’re excited about savings. And while Christmas is a time to be generous, you still want to pay your bills in January. Probably the easiest way to do this is by spending cash only because when it’s gone, it’s gone. However, if you’re wary of toting too much cash on Black Friday through the crowds (I don’t blame you), then an app might be a better plan. I recently discovered Santa’s Bag – a free app that helps you track your gift list, budget, and spending. Even if you’re keeping a running total with pencil and paper, you’re better off than blindly spending.
The ways and days when we save money may change, but you can still get great deals on Black Friday. Follow me on Facebook for more bargains and ways to save.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission. All prices are subject to change.
