4 Things To Keep In Mind On Black Friday
On Thanksgiving morning people would pick up a copy of the weekend paper and spend the afternoon looking through the Black Friday ads for great deals as the holiday shopping season kickoff was upon us. That’s changed quite a bit over the last few years as retailers have started to make their ads available online well in advance of Thanksgiving day.
Many shoppers have already formulated their Black Friday shopping plan. They know what stores they want to hit, and in what order, as well as what items they’re looking for at each stop. There are opportunities to save some money, but there is also the risk of ruining your holiday budget.
If you are participating in Black Friday, keep the following things in mind:
Stay On Budget
Know what you have to spend, and shop within that amount. If interest charges are incurred because items were bought with credit, that great buy suddenly becomes more expensive.
Black Friday is Not A Competition
Black Friday is not a contest to see who can buy the most stuff. Remember, buying something not on your list isn’t saving money, it’s spending MORE money. Buy what you planned to buy, no more.
Beware of Impulse Purchases
Black Friday is the epitome of impulse shopping. Doors open, and crowds rush in, jogging up and down the aisles looking for specials. You may see a display for a product that seems like it’s a great deal. You put the item in your cart because you don’t want to miss out. You’re on your way to making an impulse purchase you may regret later. Even if you do put the item in your cart, re-evaluate everything in your cart before you enter the checkout lane.
Have Fun
For some people Black Friday has evolved into a traditional group activity. For others, it brings out their inner deal seeker. If you fall into either of these categories, this is the event you’ve been waiting all year for. Have a great time!
Black Friday does offer specials that can help your holiday budget. But don’t let the frenzied environment cause you to throw all your financial common sense out the window. Be smart, and go find those deals!
Brought to you courtesy of Brock
Some great tips here. If I buy anything on Black Friday, it’ll be bought online so I can avoid the store madness!
Oh, impulse purchases.. I really have a problem when it comes to impulse buying, especially when I saw some promos like “buy 1 take 1”!
@Nicola – I’m a huge fan of online shopping…too much traffic and congestion in the parking lots AND the aisles this time of year! Thanks for stopping by!
@Clarisse – Those buy 1 get 1 sales can be tricky…they can get you to buy things you wouldn’t have normally purchased. That’s NOT a sale!
Only ever buy something in the sales if you genuinely need it. It’s not a bargain otherwise.
@James – True story…..if you buy something on sale you weren’t going to buy anyway, you didn’t save any money!