November is here, which means Black Friday is just around the corner. If you’ve been keeping up with Black Friday news, then you probably already know that the madness has begun on sites such as Amazon. With the hype already starting then you can probably guess how intense this Black Friday will be. Don’t worry though, as there are a few things you can do to keep yourself sane and ready to save on some door busters during this time. So, don’t let the Black Friday news get you too hyped up, because a little patience and know-how can make the experience a little less stressful and a lot more frugal.
1. Co-Shop
One of the best things you can do for yourself during Black Friday sales is to bring along a shopping partner. May it be your significant other, a family member or a close friend, having support on such a busy occasion will help you keep your head on your shoulders when it comes to all of the deals. Shopping with a partner will also allow the two of you to split up, so you have better chance of getting the items you’ve had your eye on. Before you go shopping on Black Friday, make a game plan which will allow you to take a portion of the store and your partner to take another portion. Simply make a list for each person to grab and you’ll be all set to take on the crowds without losing out on the items you’ve wanted.
2. Pre-Shop
Before Black Friday begins, make sure to spend some time doing a little pre-shopping so you can make your day a little easier. Most stores begin to set up for Black Friday the day before or the day of Thanksgiving. So, if you have some spare time head to the store and scope out some of the displays that are going up. This will allow you to know exactly where the items are going to be that are on your shopping list. With this knowledge, you will be able to head directly to the item you want, so you won’t miss out on the deal, nor will you find items you don’t really need. You might also consider talking to the staff during this time to see if you can get any insights on sales or important information that can lead your shopping experience to be a bit more convenient.
3. Hire a Babysitter
If there’s one thing you probably won’t want to deal with during the Black Friday rush, it’s children. Black Friday sales are typically characterized by crowds, pushy people and those who have about zero concern for the well-being of your children and yourself. Not to mention, it’s really hard to get the good holiday deals on things for your kids when they’re right beneath your nose. It’s also a lot harder to get around with a cart during these sales, and if you have the children with you there’s a good chance you’ll also have a cart in tow. The best thing you can do is make money for the expense of a babysitter. This will help keep your kids safe, while making the Black Friday experience a little less stressful. Of course, if you have friends or family willing to take the kids then you probably won’t have to spend as much and you can stress a little less about the children while you shop til you drop.
4. Price Checker
One of the biggest complications when Black Friday shopping is knowing if you’re going to get the best deal possible. Often, you don’t have enough time to look up the deal on a competitors site as you will either miss out on the deal at that store or the store you’re currently at. One easy way to remedy this problem is to download a price checker app. There’s many of these apps available that can help you find the information you need so make sure to do some research so you find just what you need. A lot of major retailers will also offer price checkers of their own, which makes shopping a whole lot easier. These apps generally allow you to scan an item in any store and will compare it to other stores both locally and online. If there’s a better deal out there or if the sale isn’t exactly a sale at all, you can quickly find out with just the scan of a bar code.
5. Shoot for Door Busters
If you’re actually planning on going out on Black Friday then you may want to just concentrate on door buster items. These items will actually be advertised a couple of weeks in advance so you can start planning which items you want to grab. Some stores will have some of the same door buster items, so try to pick items that are going to be in the same store or within close proximity of one another. Some of the deals will also have time limits though, which is something to keep in mind when you’re doing your shopping. Many of the other sales in the store won’t actually save you as much money as you think they will. If you still plan on shopping for other items, then hit the door busters first and then look around to figure out what will actually save you money. You may be surprised as to how much of a store offers the illusion of a good deal. Most of the other items you’ll want will also be available during Cyber Monday though, so don’t stress the smaller stuff if you don’t have to.
6. Rewards Cards
When you hear to your favorite stores on Black Friday, don’t forget to lug around you rewards cards that each store gives you to use throughout the year. Typically, the rewards cards won’t do a whole lot for you when it comes to getting a greater discount on your items, although some stores will offer this. You should, for the most part, be able to rack up a lot of points if you intend on doing a lot of shopping at the store. These points can be used on discounts later in the year or will allow you to get freebies after some time. It doesn’t cost you anything to have the card swiped either, so there’s no reason not to do it. Make sure you know what your card has to offer though, so you can double check to ensure your points were calculated properly.
7. Bring a Shopping Bag
There’s no doubt about it, one of the keys to getting what you want on Black Friday is finding your way around all of the crowds. If you plan on getting a few items then a cart may be in your future, but this can really slow you down and it will leave all of your items at risk of being surfed through when you’re not paying attention to the court. Another option is to grab your favorite shopping bags and taking them with you. The bigger the bag the better as they will hold more without forcing you to worry about countless straps. These bags will keep your items closer to you, so you will be able to get by people without having to worry about a clearing for a basket. It will also prevent people from being able to go through your things. Another great thing about the sales bag is you can easily bounce from one line to another if a new cashier opens up, which could get you out of the store faster. Above all, the bags are ecofriendly, so you won’t have to worry about bringing home a bunch of plastic bags to deal with.
8. Price Protection
Shopping with cash can be a great idea when you’re trying to keep to a budget. However, you do miss out on some benefits when you leave your plastic behind. Many credit card companies are jumping on board with price protection, which does a world of good for shoppers on Black Friday. This benefit of your card will allow you to shop without having to stress about missing the best possible price. If the credit card identifies a better price within in a few days of your purchase, then you’re refunded the extra amount. Of course, you may need to look at your cards policy when it comes to this as some companies may require you to call in about a price drop and/or prove it in order to receive the discount. All the same, it could be well worth the trouble if the price change is great enough.
9. Store Policies
Before you choose to shop at a store during Black Friday, you may want to check out some of the store policies. For instance, some customers go into stores planning on using the store’s typical price matching policy. However, a lot of these policies are void when it comes to Black Friday. You may find yourself waiting for an overworked and cranky manager to tell you that you won’t be able to get the item at the price you wanted. This can waste both your time and the staffs’, so it’s best to know what you’re working with before you choose where you’re shopping. Some stores offer return policies that are a huge headache too. Between gift receipts and exchanging items, you may find that shopping at the store isn’t really worth it. This is one thing you’ll want to know before you have to spend hours in the return line, so make sure to read up on the policies before you pick a place to spend your time on Black Friday.
10. Bring Your Ads
You’ve probably already started receiving shopping ads in the mail, but if you haven’t don’t worry because they’re on their way. The ads you collect for your Black Friday shopping can be incredibly important when you actually do head out for the big day. First of all, the ads can actually serve as a guide, so you remember where all of the best deals are. You can easily make a game plan based on these ads too, which is sure to help save some time. If you find a store that has a price match policy, then you will need to have your ads in order to get the price you want. Some stores may not have an item priced as advertised too. In these cases, you will need to show a manager the ad in order to get the price as advertised. So, make sure to grab the ads for every store you plan on hitting, because you never know when they may come in handy.
Black Friday can be a bit of hand full when it comes to getting your shopping in while still keeping your sanity. These ten tips should help you get the items you need, so you can enjoy the holiday shopping without losing your cool or spending too much of your budget. With a little patience, you should be able to come out of the holiday rush on top.
