Eating turkey on Thanksgiving is an American tradition. Eating crow on Black Friday is not. For most post-Thanksgiving Day shoppers, not getting the best deals on Black Friday can make you feel like a turkey. But we have some helpful Black Friday shopping tips that can help you shop smarter and save bigger.
For many of us, when we think of Thanksgiving Day, we think of the Macy’s holiday parade, football games, and of course, turkey with all the trimmings. Yes, Thanksgiving is a time-honored holiday that’s typically centered around food, football, and family fun.
But another time-honored tradition happens the day after Thanksgiving…Black Friday. Black Friday is considered to be one of the biggest shopping days of the year. According to CNN, more than 154 million people shopped in stores and online on Black Friday last year.
Traditionally, foot traffic at big box stores (such as Target, Best Buy, Kohl’s, and many more) is still brisk, but in recent years, consumers have been increasingly shopping online. In fact, the web is now the nerve center that drives box store bargains right to your computer or smartphone.
As in sports, the most prepared team has the best odds of winning the big game. In shopping, if you want to save big, you have to be prepared. Here are super suggestions on how to save big on Black Friday:
1) Stock up on gift card discounts – Big box discount gift cards are real easy to get and can save you money. Website such as Black Friday FM and Raise offer great deals online.
2) Sign up for e-mail specials – Most big box stores have “newsletter” sign-up features on their websites. Once you sign up, you can receive that store’s savings and discount coupons online.
3) Organize yourself – Make out a shopping list that is organized by A) who is the gift recipient, B) which store has the gift, and C) which coupons/discounts apply to each gift. It might also help to organize by retailer, in case you’re at a large shopping mall, so you can more quickly shop store-to-store.
4) Use online shopping organizer sites – Websites such as Penny Pinchin’ Mom and Retail Me Not can help you organize your Black Friday shopping safari.
5) Get a babysitter – If you’ve got children, leave them at home. If you need to hire a babysitter, do it. You’ll have a better chance of getting your shopping done in a timely fashion if you’re not distracted by a minivan full of finicky or bored kids.
6) Scan stores early – Some retailers put out holiday items online or in the stores before Black Friday. Don’t wait until the last minute to look online. Start mapping out your battle plan a few weeks in advance.
7) Shop early – Some of the best sale items will go as soon as the store opens, so sometimes it does pay to get to the mall early.
8) Know each store’s return policy – Some stores have a 30-day return policy. Some stores extend that policy beyond 30 days during the holiday season. But don’t assume. Find out what each retailer’s return policy is ahead of time. The best surprise is no surprise.
If you follow some or all of these shopping tips, you will have a much more enjoyable (and profitable) Black Friday.
