Black Friday Survival Guide
Here are a few tips the good people at Vocal Pointt put together:
Isn’t it ironic that a holiday devoted to giving thanks for what we have is followed immediately by the biggest shopping day of the year? But it’s hard to deny that Black Friday brings a ton of deals—and in an economy like this, every little savings can add up. At the same time though, you don’t want to give up your sanity. To protect your peace of mind and your budget, here are some of the best Black Friday shopping tips we’ve come across.
Separate needs from wants. Before you even look at a flyer, sit down with a cup of coffee and list what family and friends could really use . Buying needs rather than wants saves money, minimizes waste, and (assuming you’re not just giving Jockey three-packs) appears even more thoughtful.
Search for a deal. Once you have your list and the commitment to stick to it, start looking for the sales. You can do it the old-fashioned way with a newspaper and store flyers, or you can visit one of these sites: BlackFriday.info, Black-Friday.net, bfads.net.
Make sure it really is a deal. Just because the store says it’s a “door-buster” doesn’t mean it is. Compare its Black Friday deal with other retailers’ prices. The easiest and most comprehensive way to do this is on comparison-shopping sites such as pricegrabber.com, shopping.yahoo.com, and nextag.com.
Sweeten the deal. Three options here: 1) Check coupon sites such as dealcatcher.com or retailmenot.com; 2) Search for rebates on manufacturer sites, and; 3) Become a new customer (many stores give additional discounts to first-time online buyers or if you sign up for their credit cards).
Buy early. Check the retailer’s website to see if it allows Thursday or even Wednesday purchases at Black Friday prices. Or, if store policy allows, buy the item at regular price early in the week, then return it on Friday for an instant refund of the difference.
Hire a sitter. If there’s no option other than getting in line at the store the night before, hire a neighborhood teen to camp out for you. Even subtracting the sitting fee you’ll pay, you may still come out ahead.
Shop as a team. If you must go into a store, try not to do it alone. Have your hubby stand in line while you get what you need. Or, if your phone isn’t web-enabled, have him man the home computer so he can quickly search and compare unadvertised specials that you call him about.
Try to price-match. If you get shut out of the item you wanted, don’t give up. Take the store’s advertisement to a competitor with a price-match policy.
Buy ’em all gift cards. If this sounds like more hassle than fun, gift cards may be your salvation. We like the ones that can be used anywhere (as opposed to at specific stores). And avoid those that either depreciate over time or carry hidden fees. With a gift card, every day is Black Friday.
Watch out for that shopping cart!
Isn’t it ironic that a holiday devoted to giving thanks for what we have is followed immediately by the biggest shopping day of the year? But it’s hard to deny that Black Friday brings a ton of deals—and in an economy like this, every little savings can add up. At the same time though, you don’t want to give up your sanity. To protect your peace of mind and your budget, here are some of the best Black Friday shopping tips we’ve come across.
Separate needs from wants. Before you even look at a flyer, sit down with a cup of coffee and list what family and friends could really use . Buying needs rather than wants saves money, minimizes waste, and (assuming you’re not just giving Jockey three-packs) appears even more thoughtful.
Search for a deal. Once you have your list and the commitment to stick to it, start looking for the sales. You can do it the old-fashioned way with a newspaper and store flyers, or you can visit one of these sites: BlackFriday.info, Black-Friday.net, bfads.net.
Make sure it really is a deal. Just because the store says it’s a “door-buster” doesn’t mean it is. Compare its Black Friday deal with other retailers’ prices. The easiest and most comprehensive way to do this is on comparison-shopping sites such as pricegrabber.com, shopping.yahoo.com, and nextag.com.
Sweeten the deal. Three options here: 1) Check coupon sites such as dealcatcher.com or retailmenot.com; 2) Search for rebates on manufacturer sites, and; 3) Become a new customer (many stores give additional discounts to first-time online buyers or if you sign up for their credit cards).
Buy early. Check the retailer’s website to see if it allows Thursday or even Wednesday purchases at Black Friday prices. Or, if store policy allows, buy the item at regular price early in the week, then return it on Friday for an instant refund of the difference.
Hire a sitter. If there’s no option other than getting in line at the store the night before, hire a neighborhood teen to camp out for you. Even subtracting the sitting fee you’ll pay, you may still come out ahead.
Shop as a team. If you must go into a store, try not to do it alone. Have your hubby stand in line while you get what you need. Or, if your phone isn’t web-enabled, have him man the home computer so he can quickly search and compare unadvertised specials that you call him about.
Try to price-match. If you get shut out of the item you wanted, don’t give up. Take the store’s advertisement to a competitor with a price-match policy.
Buy ’em all gift cards. If this sounds like more hassle than fun, gift cards may be your salvation. We like the ones that can be used anywhere (as opposed to at specific stores). And avoid those that either depreciate over time or carry hidden fees. With a gift card, every day is Black Friday.
Watch out for that shopping cart!