Can you believe it’s the middle of November already?!? Know what that means? Yeah, seeing family and overeating on Thanksgiving. Know what else? Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping deals! These two days have turned into crazy whirlwinds of shopping and sales. Do your homework and you can score some great deals.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday:
-Make a list. What items are you looking for? Who are you shopping for? Put a list together of exactly everything you plan to buy. It’s easy to get lulled into all of the bargains you’ll see and without a list you may find yourself buying all sorts of stuff you don’t need because of the prices.
- Create a budget. Know exactly how much you want to spend for each item you want to buy. This is almost a part II fr making a list. By creating a budget you set up a dollar amount you are willing to spend. Without having exact figures you can easily find yourself going over budget and spending more than you can afford to. What’s the point of taking advantage of deals if you are going to end up overspending?
- Do your research before-hand. Look up a product’s ratings online. It’s easy to be taken in by a low price but that price may be low for a reason. Find items that are good quality and don’t fall for the crap that gets put on sale that looks good because of it’s price.
- Know what’s on sale. Many stores will list out what deals you can find. The internet is a powerful tool in helping you find the products you are looking for. Make sure what is on sale matches reasonably with what you want to buy. Two products may seem the same but can be vastly different and price may reflect that.
- Have a plan. Are you going out to stores on Black Friday? What’s your plan of attack? Many stores only have a small quantity of their biggest deals that sell out fast. you may have to get up before the crack of dawn to take advantage of a sale. Find out when the store allows you to start to line up. Some places may give out wrist bands before-hand. Bring a buddy to keep you company and to hole your spot in line should you have to step away (read: potty break). Bring food and beverage. If you’re hitting up more than one store know which stores are important to you and plan your trip so you aren’t traveling back and forth across town.
- Check the internet at intervals during the day. You may find different deals at different parts of the day. Check your cell phone for apps that might help you check deals.
- Consider more than holiday gifts. Most people are thinking of holiday gifts this time of the year but this may also be a great time to buy an item you’ve been wanting like a new computer or a TV (assuming you can afford it of course). This could also be a good time to get gifts for next year’s big days like birthdays and such.
- Don’t put yourself into debt. A great deal is awesome to come by but if it puts you in debt, or further in debt, then it’s not worth it. If you’re putting something on a credit card but you can’t pay it off in full then that deal quickly disappears as you accumulate interest charges on your credit card.
- Channel your inner zen monk. Black Friday can be a crazy day to be out shopping. Many prefer Cyber Monday so they don’t have to leave the house. Expect stores to be crowded and tempers to be short. Traffic around stores may be nuts and parking could be bad. It seems every year you hear about someone getting trampled or killed, fighting over a sale item. There will be rude people but do your best not to be one of them. Remember, it’s only stuff that’s getting bought. If things are getting hectic take a deep breath and relax. It’s not worth someone’s mental or physical health chasing after sales.
- You don’t have to spend. There, I said it. You don’t have to do any shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Some think that because items are on sale they have to go take advantage or forever miss out. Yes, there are great deals to be had. But if funds are tight or you don’t have the patience to deal with people then don’t bother. Really.
Here are some sites you can check for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and information:
Amazon
FatWallet
WalletPop
Black Friday 2009
BlackFriday.info
DealNews
CouponShack
Holiday Shopping: Tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Christmas Shopping – Black Friday , Cyber Monday , and Beyond
Black Friday Holiday Shopping: Just Say No to Coupons, Free Shipping, and Deals
Black Friday Shopping Tips: How To Get The Best Deals On The Things On Your List
Black Friday Shopping Tips: Become a Sales Pro
Black Friday 2009 Free Stuff
Black Friday Sales Are Here Again: A Quick History and Some Tips
Shopping Etiquette: How to Be Polite and Still Get a Good Deal on Black Friday
ING Direct Gets In On Black Friday Cyber Monday Action
Preparing for Black Friday
Are Black Friday Deals Really Worth It?
5 Things You Shouldn’t Buy This Black Friday
Will you be shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? What tips do you have?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Great tips! And thanks for including my post over at Moolanomy
Miranda´s last blog ..Will We See a Double-Dip Recession? Obama Thinks So — If We Don’t Get Government Spending Under Control
N problem! I got to include two of my favorite bloggers in one step!
Nice tips. I’ll be keeping them in mind.
Johanne´s last blog ..Back to School Savings Tips
Always have a plan and stick to it. That is why buying on line is better just because you will stick to your list. It’s much easier to go for impulse buys in store.
I think a person can get sucked into impulse buys anywhere. Online it’s easy to go page to page without crowds pushing and shoving. But it’s the plan that helps keep one in line.
The most important thing is to set a budget and sop with a plan. Otherwise you are sure to overspend, buy things you don’t need, and leave things off the list. Great tips.
Patrick´s last blog ..Write for Cash Money Life
If I don’t make a list I end up leaving store having spent a lot of money but having gotten nothing I planned on getting. I also think people should take into consideration the true cost of the product meaning the time and effort it’ll take you to fight the crowds. At lot of times, it may be worth the cost savings monetarily but not worth the annoyance.
Ashley´s last blog ..72% of U.S. Adults Fear Online Identity Theft
Once you have a plan and a budget…..don’t forget to look for non-Amazon products that still qualify for Free Super Saver Shipping. It’s an added bonus. I wrote about it here:
http://moneysavinghabits.com/2009/11/20/30-sec-to-save-20-at-amazon
Great tips, especially the one about checking the internet at intervals during the day. Many of the sites will be putting up really good deals throughout the day and you may be able to get great deals through the internet.
Prim @ 123bargains.com´s last blog ..Nintendo DS Lite + LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (DS) + Nintendo Expression Kit – $ 149.00 at (Walmart)
Personally i’m going to try to avoid the crowds this year and do most of my shopping online.
I found a good article with tips on how to shop online this year on Black Friday & Cyber Monday…here is the link:
http://www.covertsurfer.com/safeshopping.html
For Cyber Monday, Prescription Audio (www.prescriptionaudio.com) is making all of their products available at a 20% discount for one day. Use this code to get the discount: CYBER20
Pockets best deal online. For cyber Monday Online offer:
http://www.dealpocket.com/default.asp?search=2&catval=62&cattext=‘BF/Cyber Monday Sale’
Wow, when I really think about what the celebration of the birth of Christ has turned into, it’s mind boggling. Maybe we should rename it “Giftmas”?
Credit Guru´s last blog ..Do not get ripped off by credit consolidation con artists
Haha, Giftmas would be a lot more honest at least!
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