Black Friday Survival Guide

It’s Black Friday! And even if you’re reading this article after the sun has come up, here are some tips on how to save some cash on one of the biggest shopping days of the year without sacrificing your well-being.

Have a plan

If you haven’t already done so, set your budget and decide which items are most important as well as which ones are likely to go quickly. Map out your route to minimize wasted travel time. Then, after that, make a backup plan. There may be a few times when the deal you want won’t be available. If you don’t have an alternate option, you may take too long to decide, and you could lose out on yet another deal.

Divide & conquer

Don’t bring your young children with you, they’ll only slow you down. Find another adult friend or two and split up the list. They can visit the toys section while you shop electronics. Or you can visit entirely different stores on opposite sides of town. Just make sure that you’re in constant communication so you don’t accidentally double-buy something.

Price check

Don’t automatically believe that every discount you see is the best deal. Take a moment to look online for similar items at other locations. If you find a lower price elsewhere, determine whether the difference is worth the cost of going to another store. Also, make sure to check the return & exchange policies on any bargain you may encounter, just in case you find a better deal elsewhere.

Shop virtually

Many retailers offer the same deals online that they do in-store. You can do your Black Friday shopping from the comfort of your own couch while wrapped in a blanket and sipping hot cocoa. You can even choose the store pick-up option if you want to get out of the house and people watch for a little bit. Just make sure that you only make purchases from trustworthy sites.

Don’t panic

Yes, there are lots of so-called doorbuster deals on Black Friday, but many retailers offer week-long or even month-long discounts in the weeks preceding Christmas. And you may find that they rival the ones offered on the evening of Thanksgiving. If you don’t want to stay up late, wake up early, or battle the unruly crowds, consider visiting stores another day.

There’s always next year

If you couldn’t snag the stuff you wanted this year, learn from your mistakes. Start making a plan of attack, which may include following specific stores and brands on social media and signing up for emails and mailing lists, so you can be notified as soon as items start to go on sale for the next Black Friday.