7 Easy Hacks To Stop Overspending On Black Friday Deals
Black Friday is coming and we all know what that means - a hectic frenzy of wild shoppers flooding all your local malls, fighting for TV-sets and clothes on discounts. Some people prefer not to leave their homes entirely, with hundreds of shoppers getting injured in queues and crams every year.
It's very easy to get caught in public hysteria and start binge-shopping out of sheer greed. Black Friday sales offer unbelievable discounts and that lead to purchases we didn’t even consider the day before. As a tradition, millions of people regain consciousness and start regretting their choices the next day.
Worried about overspending and cramming your apartment with stuff you never even needed? Here is a list of useful tips on how to avoid the lure of Black Friday deals and shop wisely keeping your head cool and your wallet full!
1. PLANNING IS EVERYTHING!
Having a shopping list is always the answer. Is there a birthday next month? Are you prepared for Christmas and New Year? It sure is handy that all those holidays come neatly after Black Friday.
Start by simply planning out all possible purchases and listing them on a shopping spreadsheet. Got all of the Christmas presents planned out? Having a wishlist on hand is one of the easiest ways of not only saving money but actually sparing yourself the headache of choosing the right present.
2. DO YOUR RESEARCH!
Plan out your offline and online shopping sprees. Online resources are highly competitive and offer the craziest Black Friday deals on exclusive bargains not available instore. Most online shops also provide free shipping - you won’t have to drag that fridge to your home, you will have it right at your doorstep!
In addition, it’s really useful to find out more about the products that get a Black Friday discount. You might just grab something in a hurry but will probably resent it however cheap the price gets.
3. MODERN ECONOMY DEFIES LAWS OF PHYSICS
You may think that Black Friday hours start on Friday but that’s not the truth anymore. Online retailers start their Black Friday sales long before the day itself - sometimes at noon on Thanksgiving Day, while their offline shops open at 6 AM the next day.
4. EARLY BIRDS GET IT ALL - DON'T FORGET ABOUT EARLY BIRD SPECIALS
If you believe that the world revolves around night owls, you are actually wrong! Many stores offer special Black Friday deals for the first hundred shoppers or during the hours when other people just got out of their beds. There might also be doorbusters available for a limited amount of customers so you’ve got to queue up as early as possible.
On the other hand, night owls can get their piece of the pie by staying up until the early hours of the night - many online retailers start their Black Friday discounts late on Thursday night. Order stuff on your shopping checklist for cheap and pick it up later from the store!
5. USE ADS TO YOUR BENEFIT
We are taught to dismiss leaflets and coupons, diminishing them to a pile of glazed paper that block your mailbox and pile your doorstep. In the age of spam, we forgot that these coupons are actually a good deal.
These coupons, however, may actually help you with planning your Black Friday shopping route: Black Friday deals and sales are time-specific and unique for every retailer. Some stores play it dirty - the price in the add may differ from the in-store prices. Print the online add out or bring a leaflet with you to back up your argument. Don’t be shy to demand what you were promised! Even in a modern store, we still have the bargaining power - it’s not even bargaining, to begin with, it’s your customer’s rights we are talking about!
6. USE IN-APP NOTIFICATIONS
There are tons of useful apps that can help you to find the best Black Friday deals. You could subscribe to get mobile notifications from biggest retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy and all best Black Friday sales and offers will come directly to your phone.
7. PLOT OUT THE ROUTE
Whenever you hit the road, there's always a game plan for all of the sightseeing or public events you want to visit. A Black Friday shopping spree is no different. Take your shopping lists, leaflets and coupons before heading out. Black Friday hours on the ads can help you plan where to start first and where to go next. Make stores that have the best Black Friday deals your priority. Check what stores are located close to each other, which have convenient parking lots and entrances to the specific floors that you need.