Black Friday and Cyber Monday have almost become their own holidays with the way that people talk about and actually come together to shop and snag deals. While these holidays are great you don’t have to forego family or time with friends to snag the best deals anymore! Check out small ways to spot the best deals on these major shopping days!
As we get closer to November, more and more stores will be starting their holiday sales. Whether or not you’re a fan of the sport that is Black Friday shopping, sometimes the savings are just too good to pass up. When you’re thinking about your holiday gift shopping, do a little extra homework before you head out and save yourself some money.
What Should You Be Looking For?
Another way to minimize the stress of Black Friday shopping is to stay super organized. Avoid stores that don’t sell what you’re looking for, and avoid going into stores just to browse without a gameplan. That’s how you get caught up in crazy long lines and spending money on stuff you might not need. If you’re trying to save on your holiday shopping, planning ahead of time is the way to go.
Start checking for deals ahead of the holiday
Instead of being overwhelmed on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, being looking at your favorite retailers now. Stores like Target and Walmart have even begin putting up some deals now or advertising for future deals. You can check circulars in addition to online deals. This way you’ll be prepared ahead of time and know exactly where to shop, or at least browse for deals. Many people assume that the deals on black Friday are exponentially better than deals throughout the entire holiday season. This is not true of all deals or all retailers however. If you have a shopping list pick a few places where the item is located and record the price now, especially electronics. One great place to do this for is Best Buy! Then return online at Black Friday and see where you can acquire the best deal, if it’s even on sale!
Don’t leave your house
Now that online shopping is extremely popular, you don’t even have to leave your house. Many online retailers such as Amazon are going to have amazing site deals that will be going through out the whole weekend. Check prices now for the items you want and see if the deals compare on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Additionally, brick and mortar stores with an online presence will offer deals online. Shopping online can save precious travel and searching time, so that you can score more deals in the same amount of time!
Don’t forget clothes
While many people will probably be shopping for bigger ticket items and electronics, don’t forget you can find some great deals for these items at department stores such as Kohl’s and JcPenney! The added advantage is that you will also be able to find great deals on clothing brands as well, so make sure to look for great deals on styles that you’ve been wanting!
Check popular and very competitive retailers
Big name sites such as Ebay, Walmart, BJs and those types of retailers will all be competing with prices to rival each other. Don’t limit yourself to your favorite retailers just because you’re used to shopping with them. Explore other big name sites to see what else is out there! Aside from that, check out smaller or specialty competitors as well. They also want to get some business and may price match or offer very great deals that can even outprice those of larger retailers. With all of this in mind, you may also want to look on Promocodes.com for some direction. You can examine which retailers have coupons that you want and narrow down your shopping. You can also see which deals apply from now or who will be offering potential Black Friday savings as well!
Technology
Black Friday is a great time to get yourself or your loved ones fun tech gadgets that you wouldn’t want to spend full price on. Best Buy and Target run huge Black Friday sales every year, and they’re great places to stock up on things like wireless headphones, Bluetooth speakers, an updated laptop computer--stuff you might not absolutely need, but would make life more fun and a little easier.
Big Ticket Items
Big expenses like appliances or furniture are sometimes hard to work into the budget during the rest of the year, especially if you need a full overhaul of your home. Black Friday is a great time to get deals on furniture and decor from your home from places like Macy’s--which starts it’s sale the night before!--or Overstock.com, so you can redecorate and update your home without breaking the bank.
Some Basic Necessities
It’s starting to get colder in a lot of places, which might mean updating your wardrobe to keep you toasting warm through the winter months. Really nice winter wear can get expensive quickly, so getting good deals on things like winter coats and boots can save you big in the long run. Someplace like Dick’s Sporting Goods has great sales on North Face, Patagonia, and all kinds of other winter apparel to keep you warm through whatever adventures may take you out in the cold this winter.
As with anything, doing some homework and making a list before you head out will save you time, money, and energy. Black Friday and other holiday sales are such a huge deal at this time of year that there are tons of resources available to you to help you get the most bang for your buck this holiday season.