5 Helpful Tips for Black Friday Shopping

Black Friday is the term for the day after Thanksgiving. It’s a big shopping event when most retail stores offer the lowest prices of the entire season. With the holidays coming up, this is the perfect time to snag the best deals on items and start your holiday shopping early. Whether you’re planning on picking up a gift for a loved one or simply treating yourself, you’re sure to find some great finds this Black Friday.

We listed 5 tips below to help you navigate and have a successful Black Friday shopping trip:

  1. Create a budget: it’s easy to go a little overboard on your spending with the amount of sales you’ll see on Black Friday. The best advice for you (and your wallet) is to set a spending limit and to only buy what’s on your shopping list. Try to think about whether you actually need an item and avoid impulsively buying it simply because it’s on sale.
  1. Start early: most major retail stores are closed Thanksgiving day and reopen at night; this has been a common practice for the last few years in an attempt to lessen crowds and avoid shopping frenzies. If the item you want is a hot commodity, it may be worth it to hit the stores in the early morning, or even on Thanksgiving night after your festivities, to buy your item to ensure it doesn’t sell out.
  1. Have a shopping list: knowing what you want to buy before shopping will save you lots of time. Come prepared with a list in mind filled with particular items you want to purchase or if you’re not sure of specifics just yet, a list of people you intend on gifting so that you could search with intent and avoid aimlessly browsing around stores.
  1. Compare prices and discounts: some retail stores might mark up the “normal” prices of items on Black Friday and subsequently slash them to trick you into thinking you’re getting a bigger discount on the item (when you actually aren’t). Some stores will also offer Black Friday discounts that are equivalent to sales that are offered throughout the year. In these cases, it’s ok to wait to purchase and you shouldn’t feel the need to rush to buy an item on Black Friday.
  1. Skip the in-store sales: instead of heading to the stores, opt for online sales instead. Most online sales will last through the weekend and are usually extended until Monday, otherwise known as “Cyber Monday,” so you’ll have more time to shop. Some retail stores may offer steeper discounts in-store versus online, however there are many benefits to shopping online. Inventory may differ and you may have a better selection of items when shopping online. Another added bonus is getting to shop from the comfort of your own home and avoiding large crowds.