Black Friday is just a few days away! I don’t know about you but I am beyond excited for this super sale day! I know that some people have mixed feelings about this day but I love it because I can save SO much money. There will be so many amazing deals going on at so many different stores it may be hard to resist buying everything you see. Well, take control of your credit card (debit card) and make Black Friday work for your penny pinching pocket by following these 10 important tips.
10 Ways to Conquer Black Friday
1. Make a budget and stick to it
This is the very first thing you need to do even before you start looking at all those tempting ads. Look through your bank account and set a strict limit on the amount of money that you are going to spend on Black Friday. Take into consideration who or what you are buying for (I’ll talk more about this below in Plan Ahead) and factor that into your budget.
The most important thing is don’t give in to those tempty temptations! Stick to your budget! You can do it! You will be so happy when you do. Trust me! For me my goal is to buy all of our Christmas gifts (that includes everyone!) for under $150. I haven’t looked at any ads yet but I am know that I can do it!
2. Plan Ahead
Because of the different stores that will all be having simulations sales there is going to be many frugal opportunities for many different types of products. If you can think of something you need, it will probably be on sale on Black Friday.
So think of events or needs you and your family or friends may have in the next few months. Birthdays, graduations, new vacuum, clothes, shoes, sporting goods, furniture, the list really doesn’t end. So factor those into your budget and make a “need list” of items and find the stores where you can get the best deal. For us, both of our kids have birthdays in March so I plan on doing birthday shopping on Black Friday.
3. Have a game plan
With your budget set visibly beside you on your right and your “need list” on your left start looking through all of the Black Friday ads. Circle and tab all pages you find good deals on. This way if you find the same item at a different store you can compare prices quickly without having to search the entire ad again. This will also come in handy if you are at a store that will price match.
Now you know which stores you need to go to. Pay attention to the fine print. Some stores have select items on sale for only certain hours. Now you are ready to map out which store you will go to first through last.
4. Read the fine print
Some stores take manufactures coupons and some don’t. This could be a deal breaker so be sure to know the stores coupon policy before adding it to your shopping map.
Some sales will actually start Thanksgiving night. Not my favorite thing about the shopping season in the past few years but pay attention to the sale date. Some sales will only be available on Thursday or only on Black Friday.
5. Have a Black Friday Buddy
Having someone to shop with not only makes it more fun but also is very helpful. One thing I have done in the past is take turns shopping with my buddy. One of us will keep a spot in the crazy long line while the other searches the store for their shopping list. Once that shopper is done we would switch. This works if the line is pretty long, if its not then there really isn’t need for a line saver and you can enjoy sale shopping together.
6. Stack coupons onto sales – This is where you save the big bucks!
This is usually the best way to save the most money on any shopping trip but especially during Black Friday. Some stores will have coupons specific to their store. Kohl’s is a great example of this. Their store usually has out 15%-30% off entire purchase coupons if you use your Kohl’s card. Well if the product you are purchasing also has a manufactures coupon (coupon distributed by product brand) you could use both on the same item. Again, make sure to check the stores coupon policy because not all stores let you stack coupons.
Quick tip: Kohl’s doesn’t always have the best Black Friday sale prices but their coupons make it worth going for just a few items. In the past two years they will have a % off coupon plus a $ off coupon during Black Friday and you can use both on the same purchase. Some cashiers might not think you can do this but in the past the writing is right on the back of the coupon. It says something like “can be combined with other coupons” and usually says $ off coupon needs to be applied first. Last year I got a $150 worth of gifts for about $15. Well worth my wait in line!
7. Smile
Be really nice to all store workers. No matter how grumpy they may seam you still need to be extra nice to them. Not only is this good for your own self worth (wink) but if you need help with something or are trying to use a bunch of coupons, they will be much more likely to help if you are nice to them
8. Be a courteous shopper
We have all seen those crazy Black Friday videos of people literally trampling over someone just to get into the store. I personally have never been in a store where there has been this kind of madness but let it be a reminder to us that we don’t need to be “that person.” Oh there definitely will be other shoppers that have one goal in mind and don’t want to let anyone get in their way. But just remember that it really isn’t the end of your frugal world if you don’t get that one thing. Chances are it will go on sale again before Christmas. The nice thing about Black Friday is that everything is on sale at the same time but doesn’t mean that one thing won’t be on sale again.
9. Make sure it’s a good deal
Just because it’s a “Black Friday Sale” doesn’t mean that it is absolutely the best price. Do your research. Pay attention to prices throughout the year so when the big black day comes you will know if it is worth working into your budget.
10. Have fun
Don’t forget! Shopping can be fun. Don’t let other peoples attitudes affect yours. If you start to feel worn out our bugged out by other shoppers then take a break. Grab a yummy hot chocolate and put your feet up for a few minutes. We may be on a hunt for the frugal price but we need to keep our composure. We are chic ladies after all. Refocus, be safe, and have fun!
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