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Think Long Term When Shopping Black Friday and Cyber Monday

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When you do your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping don’t just think of things for the upcoming holidays — think long-term!

Many sales are at their best on these days.  Black Friday kicks off the big end-of-the-year holiday shopping frenzy and lots of people use it as an opportunity to stock up on gifts for the coming season.

But you can also take advantage now and buy items for events and purposes throughout the year.  That’s right, you should think long-term when you plan out your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping.

Many a time has passed where I thought I’d see an item on sale again but it ended up not being as good as the Black Friday or Cyber Monday price.  Damn!  Missed out.

Of course, for this to work you have to have money in your budget to buy extra now for the rest of the year.  It’s silly to put great deals on credit if you are going to end up paying credit card interest later on.

If you think out it and plan well, buying now can save you money, and time, for the upcoming year.

Here Are Some Great Occasions to Shop for On Black Friday and Cyber Monday:

Think long-term when shopping Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Birthdays

We all have people we need to buy birthday gifts for.  Why wait until the last minute?  Plan out what birthdays you want to buy for and see if you can’t get gifts now at reduced prices.

Anniversary

Who can put a price on love?  Maybe you can’t put a price on it but that doesn’t mean you won’t end up in debt!

Consider shopping now for an anniversary gift.  You can get something special for your spouse at a reduced price.

Does that sound cheap?  It shouldn’t.

But you can look at it another way — you can get more value for your money.

Maybe instead of one great gift, you can get one big one and a couple of small gifts?  Also, buying a gift now means you won’t forget or wait until the last minute.


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Valentine’s Day

So if Black Friday has lower prices where do retailers make up for the sales?

One time is Valentine’s Day where prices get jacked up to take advantage of consumers who need to buy something romantic.

Don’t fall for that. 

Get a valentine’s gift now when prices are reasonable (prices drop the day after Valentine’s Day but don’t try explaining that to your significant other!).

The classic chocolate-filled heart may not be found but that doesn’t mean you can’t find other great, more original gifts.

Home Office Supplies and Software

Think long term when you do your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping and take advantage of great deals.

Take advantage of low prices to stock up for the coming year.  If you think you may need to upgrade some equipment or furniture then get in on the lower prices.

You can usually do well with office supplies at the start of the school year but Black Friday has great deals too.  I like to use Leuchtturm journals.  Just about every year they have some Black Friday deal that I use to stock up for the year.

Another example I’ve used in the past is upgrading software I use.  I’ve gotten great deals on plugins, themes, hosting, and more through Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals.

Work Wardrobe

How are your work clothes?  Could you use a suit in the coming year?  Maybe pants, shirts, sweaters, shoes, socks?  (I hate buying dress socks by the way.)

Black Friday and Cyber Monday make for a great way to improve your work wardrobe at lower prices.  (For example, I’ve found khakis dirt cheap in Black Friday sales).

Kids Clothes

Know what’s annoying with kid’s clothes?  They either wear them out or they quickly outgrow them.

You think you have enough then the next thing you know they have nothing that fits or is presentable.

Stock up now on clothes.  But don’t just buy for now, buy for later.  See what you can get in the next size up or even a couple of sizes up.

Here’s How I Think It Out

I keep a mental list if a few items I know will be useful for the year.  Usually, this is clothes for me or something work-related.  If I’m out shopping on Black Friday (yes, I’ve gone out and lived to tell about it) I’ll keep an eye out for great deals.  Otherwise, I’ll see if there’s anything really good online.

But I’ll only buy if 1) I can afford it, and 2) it’s an excellent deal I don’t expect to see again.

I’m only looking for things that are useful to me and they are cheap.  That’s it.  There are lots of tempting deals out there but without guidelines, like a budget, it’s easy to go overboard and end up with a bunch of stuff you really don’t need.

Final Word On Planning Long-Term for Black Friday

So when you start out on that crazy, hectic day known as Black Friday, keep more than the holidays in mind when you do your shopping.  Get creative as you see the great deals rearing their heads.

Use Black Friday as a way to save for the whole year!

What other purposes can you think of shopping for on Black Friday?

About Glen Craig

is married and the father to four children that he spends the day chasing as a stay-at-home-dad. He took an interest in personal finance when he realized most of his paycheck was going toward credit card bills. Since then he's eliminated his credit card debt and started on a journey towards financial freedom.

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Comments

  1. ctreit says

    Great idea. It is like getting something on sale in the supermarket and you decide to stock up except that Black Friday is most likely not “limited to 1” for any item on sale like it often is for supermarket sales.

  2. Monroe on a Budget says

    Definitely break out of the Christmas gift box mindset when you are looking at those ads. I’m seeing a LOT of birthday-worthy and even everyday household items in the Thanksgiving and Black Friday ads this week: jeans, sneakers, sports team hoodies, winter jammies, cookware, dinnerware, even coffee machines!

  3. Aloysa says

    Great ideas. But I’d rather stay home than wake up at three in the morning and get into a crowd, and run to a store, and fall and get stomped, kicked and maybe even killed. 🙂 The artciles is very good, though. Happy Thanksgiving!

    • Glen Craig says

      Wow, you make it sound like some concerts I used to go to back in the day!

      You really have to have the energy to hit the stores on Black Friday. With three kids, we’re looking to stay home. Still, if you can hack it, there are great bargains to be had.

  4. Jenny Gore says

    When it comes to kids clothes, cheap is a false economy. Things won’t last more than a wash. For girls, tunic dresses can often switch to tunic tops with leggings if you buy an appropriate width. Ultimately – use existing bits to re-cycle into new stuff with the help of a sewing machine! 2 small tops can make 1 which fits, and you get something unique. You can involve kids in the making process to.

  6. Jon says

    Great tips. Definitely a great day to shop. Also, just a tip: if you guys want to regular lightbulbs–apparently they will be illegal to buy come January. Just a suggestion and stock up. The LED lightbulbs are fantastic, but they can’t be dimmed. Which is a major downside if you have a light that is a dimmer.

  7. Mrs. Frugalwoods says

    I like the idea of shopping out of season on Black Friday. In general, that seems to be the way to go–I’ve gotten great deals on wool coats in June and lawn chairs in November. The key is to wait until the “wrong” season rolls around so you’re not paying a premium for seasonal items everyone is clamoring to buy.

    • Glen Craig says

      Yes, we’ve done well getting things like winter coats just as the season is ending (and the stores are already getting the Spring stuff out).

    • Glen Craig says

      Amazon is super convenient, isn’t it? I love me some Amazon Prime! But even Amazon has Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals you can take advantage of.

  10. DeAnna B says

    Last year I went online on Black Friday & I bought needed clothes for the kids & household items, all at rock bottom prices. Now, I pay all the bills first, then I set a budget & I stick to it. There was a time I didn’t pay the bills & spent the money on Christmas presents. I got really scared when the electric was almost shut off in winter after I spent the money & couldn’t pay the past due balance. Then I discovered your newsletter, which changed my mindset and spending habits.

  16. website says

    Thank YOU for posting that it could be just the thing to give inspiration to someone who needs it! Keep up the great work!

  18. moving says

    Great tips. Definitely a great day to shop. Also, just a tip: if you guys want to regular lightbulbs–apparently they will be illegal to buy come January.

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