As the holidays are approaching, not only do we look forward to stuffing ourselves on Thanksgiving, but burning all of it the day after black Friday shopping. Thanksgiving takes place the 4th Thursday of November, and the following day has become a holiday on its own. Black Friday is the Americanized term coined to the one day all year that stores drop prices to raise their overall sales. Every year the procedures and sales vary. Malls open at different times and each store has their own set price. Here is a list of tips on how to have a successful and chaotic free Black Friday:
1. There are never too many discounts. No matter how good the sale, a good deal can get even better if you shop with discounted gift cards and coupons. Get all those junk letters from your mail and find some value. Not all deals are good deals so it’s always best to shop with a little help. Most stores tend to just raise the prices beforehand only to drop it to its original one the day of. Check for the original price of the item and compare it to what they are offering. If you know you will be spending a certain amount at a store in the final purchase, fish for those “ $15 off $50 purchase” coupons you never thought you’d use.
2. Prioritize your shopping cart. When entering such a chaotic ‘holiday’, it is best to keep your mind set on exactly what you’re looking to shop for. First, decide on what store you would rather go to because it could get quite hectic and the line could get rather long. Next, make a list by item of most needed to then most wanted.
3. Try to carpool or get dropped off. Not only will the mall be packed with helpless shoppers, but so will the parking lot, hence why it is always best to either go early or limit the use of the car. Aside from the parking hassle, there are also increased theft rates as people tend to break the windows of cars to steal merchandise.
4. Wear something comfortable and easy to get out of. With limited time and space it is always best to go shopping in something comfortable as you will most likely be walking around for a long period of time, so anything from comfortable sneakers to flip flops will do wonders. Also, try to wear something like a dress that will be easy to slip out of in the changing rooms in order to save more time for the lengthy lines.
5. Never shop alone. It is always best to go Black Friday shopping in company, whether it means having someone to save the spot in line or to have someone to talk you out of making a terrible purchase. Regardless no one likes to shop alone.
6. Know the mall. It is always best to know exactly where you are and where the stores you want to visit are located. Don’t shop hard, shop smart! Don’t be afraid to look like a tourist. Its better to walk up to those map stations than lose valuable shopping time wandering around!
7. Start on Christmas shopping. It is never too early to get a head start on your Christmas shopping and what better way to celebrate the holidays than to save on those gifts? You can especially save on big items such as technology or household objects, after all Black Friday is once a year for a reason.
8. Visit the stores earlier in the week. Some stores tend to start dropping their prices the week before Black Friday in order to get a head start on selling their inventory. Even if you won’t buy at the moment, just scan through to see what it is you will be hustling for the day of.
9. Choose a destination. Some people tend to go to the mall, while others rather take a more practical approach and stick to big department stores such as Target, Marshalls, Best Buy and JCPenny to get a good deal on more than just one type of merchandise. Macy’s is another common destination, as people skip from home decor to clothing all the way to makeup and skin care. It is possible that one can get all their shopping from just one place.
10. Black Friday is not all year. Avoid stores that tend to have annual sales or that tend to get over packed on underrated prices, such as Walmart. These stores tend to always have cheap products and the best deals as is.
11. Set a spending limit. It happens to the best of us as we get carried away, and we may forget that our bank accounts even exist. The smarter way to shop (without making your bank account hate you), is to use cash, that way there is always a limit!
12. Ask for the return policy and make sure to keep those receipts !!!! It is very important to ask for the return policy because each store is different and most of them are final sale because of the date, meaning it cannot be returned. So if that jean skirt ended up not fitting, make sure to keep the receipt!
13. Browse the web. Search the web for gift ideas and to have a pre-set shopping cart and budget of what you need to get more organized. It helps to even search up the best deals this year and the hottest item that will be available.
14. The early bird gets the worm! In this case the early bird gets the best sales, make sure to head out early in order to have a fun, safe and very successful Black Friday. The sooner you go, the sooner you leave.
15. Bonus Tip: Cyber Monday If you didn’t find anything worth your while or are not about the ‘shop till you drop’ lifestyle, do not be discouraged because there is still Cyber Monday to account for!