4 Easy Tips for Your Black Friday Budget
BY Jeffrey October 12, 2022
There’s a certain glee associated with finding exceptional deals. Seeing that giant TV you’ve been wanting suddenly sport a 50% off sign is enough to make you jump in your car and buy it immediately. During Black Friday, these deals are everywhere and include everything from clothes and electronics to appliances, media, food and more. There’s a reason most retailers call it the Shopping Event of the Year; almost everything is on sale and the deals don’t stop coming. To help you maximize your shopping experience, we’ve put together a quick list of Black Friday deal hunting tips.
Set Your Budget
Black Friday deals have exploded over the last 10+ years. What once took place over 2 days now eats up almost the entire 2nd half of November. It’s easy to lose yourself in all the deals and discounts. Prep yourself (and your wallet) by creating a special Black Friday budget. How much can you afford? Does it play into your Holiday Shopping budget? Can you shift items around to allow for more shopping? However you end up creating one, a Black Friday budget can do wonders for focusing your efforts on a handful of the best deals, instead of an overwhelming amount of ok deals. You’ll also avoid dipping into savings or other amounts that were reserved for other purchases. That’s a win!
Start Looking Early
Nothing quite compares to the feeling of snagging a lightning deal or being one of the first to rush into a store to secure a doorbuster promo. During Black Friday, finding the best deals almost always means being the first to get them. One thing you can do to prepare is start scouting out deals early. Follow your favorite retailers on social media to receive updates on deals and discounts. Don’t be so quick to throw out mail that may have info on Black Friday discounts. You can even look at trending deals from last year to get an idea of what to expect this year. Make a list of all the things you’re interested in and start locking in prices and locations as soon as you can. When Black Friday arrives, you’ll be all set to hit the ground running.
Shop Online
Some people love the thrill of waking up early, braving cold weather, and fighting though crowds of eager shoppers in hopes of snagging and elusive deal. If that’s you, be safe and we wish you the best of luck. If that’s NOT you, consider the convenience of online shopping. Almost every deal you can find in-store can also be found online. Even more, some retailers are putting their doorbusters up on their websites in addition to their store floors. That means all you good folks of the “I really don’t want to stand in line for 6 hours” variety can stay at home! In bed, wearing jammies and drinking cocoa, if you’d prefer. And still shop for the very best Black Friday deals.
Price Match
Even outside of Black Friday, price matching is an excellent way to save money on the things you need. Keep in mind, though, many retailers have very specific terms and restrictions when it comes to price matching a product from one of their competitors. These restrictions usually increase during Black Friday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still shop around. When prepping for your big shopping adventure, be sure to check which stores do and don’t allow for price matching. Don’t give up if your favorite store doesn’t allow it! Many other retailers will offer price matching as an incentive to get you through their doors/on their website. Don’t be afraid to ask any and all retailers if they can price match. A little insistence can go a long way when securing those Black Friday discounts.
Jeffrey