Do you have a lot of Christmas shopping to do? Christmas is still a couple of months away, and if you are like most people, you probably haven’t even started your Christmas shopping yet. But, as we all know, Black Friday is right around the corner, and you can save a lot of money by taking advantage of some of those deals. So we are going to show you some of the best Black Friday savings hacks for 2019 and help you save the most money you can this year.
This post is sponsored by CreditRepair.com. All opinions are mine alone and are honestly conveyed.
Look through Black Friday ads ahead of time
Always be prepared. I know this is the motto for the Boy Scouts of America, but it also applies here. If you want to find the best deals and save the most money that you can, you need to do your research ahead of time. You used to have to wait until the newspaper came out just before Black Friday with all of the store ads. Now, you can look up leaked Black Friday ads online or use a Black Friday app. This way, you will know what stores are offering the best deals on the items that you need or want. It may not seem like a huge deal, but saving five or ten bucks per item, can really add up.
Create a schedule, based on store opening times
Every store opens at a different time and has different “door buster” specials, so if you want to try to get in on some of the biggest savings, you may need to be there in the earlier hours of the sale. So, the easiest way to do this is to write down the time that the store opens and then put your schedule together so that you visit the stores in that order.
Prioritize your Christmas shopping list
When deciding which stores to visit and which deals you want to get, make sure to look for these two important factors:
- Decide which items are the most important to you. If you really want to get one of the televisions that are on sale at a particular store, then you are going to need to be willing to stand in line for that, and potentially sacrifice being able to pick up some other deals that you may want.
- Figure out which items are saving you the most money. It is probably better to wait in line for an item that will save you $50, rather than going first to get the item that will only save you $5.
Take advantage of “additional gift with purchase” deals on gift cards
This is my absolute favorite time of year to stock up on gift cards! Many stores and restaurants offer “free” gift cards with a gift card purchase. For instance, a restaurant may offer an additional $10 gift card with the purchase of $50 in gift cards. So essentially, you are getting free money when you purchase the gift cards. Obviously, you can use the gift cards as gifts, or if you know that your own family will spend money at the particular restaurant or store, then you can buy the gift cards to use on your own purchases and take advantage of the “free money.”
Stick to your list
Just like your monthly budget, you need to set a budget for Black Friday shopping and then stick to it. It is really easy to overspend or buy things that you really don’t need, but just can’t pass up because they are “such a good deal.” Looking through the ads ahead of time and formulating your list is a must. Don’t worry about getting everyday items on Black Friday—the lines are way too long for that! Typically, there aren’t any surprise deals that haven’t been advertised. So, it is easy to shop for just the Black Friday deals.
Use the envelope method: Set aside cash to avoid overspending
Even if you have a list, you still may be tempted to overspend. However, if you use my envelope method, you can make sure that you only spend the allotted amount of money at that store. It’s the same basic envelope method that you may use to budget any other monthly items—such as groceries, eating out, or entertainment.
- Use one envelope per store
- Write down the items that you plan on buying at that store
- Write down the cost of each item and total it up
- Only put the total amount of cash in the envelope that you plan on spending at the store (plus a bit extra for tax), but no extra!
Use store cards or coupons when possible for additional savings
Some stores may offer additional savings if you use a coupon during a certain time period or if you put the purchase on a store credit card. This is a great way to save a little extra money, on top of the Black Friday deals. However, you do need to be aware of how much you are charging on credit cards because even though you don’t have to pay for those purchases right away, you do still have to pay for them. Laying down the plastic can be really painless—until the bills come due. Also, keep in mind that if you don’t already have the credit card, it may not be a good idea to open a new credit card, just to save a few dollars. Every time a potential creditor pulls your credit, it can affect your score. And too many credit pulls within a short period of time can actually hurt your credit. So, especially if you are in the process of trying to repair your credit, you don’t want to do anything to work against that.
Stock up on clothing basics (sweatshirts, socks, underwear, pajamas)
Okay, so these aren’t typically big dollar, door buster items, but you can save a lot of money on these types of necessities that you may need throughout the year. Many stores have these types of “stocking stuffer” items for a fraction of the cost of what they normally are. I mean, if you can pick up a sweatshirt, fleece, or some pajamas for five bucks… why not?!
Look for deals on electronics, tech, and appliances
These are the big-ticket items that you can get, and literally, save hundreds of dollars. It is definitely worthwhile to wait in line for these more expensive items because the savings can be huge. Now, obviously, a great deal on big screen TV is only a great deal if you actually need a new television.
Check out the online deals starting on Thanksgiving—you may not even need to go to any stores
Since you have the Black Friday ads to check out well in advance of Black Friday, you can see if there are any good deals online before you have to actually head out to the stores. With ecommerce being such a huge market, retailers are increasingly offering deals online that rival in-store deals, so you may be able to get in on some savings right from the comfort of your couch…
Related article: Having a Minimalist Christmas can Increase Your Credit Score
If you didn’t get the Black Friday deal you wanted, look for Cyber Monday deals
So what if you miss out on all the good door buster deals on Black Friday? Well, don’t worry… you may still be in luck. Cyber Monday has become a big day for picking up some deals as well. Online retailers, as well as brick-and-mortar stores that have an online presence, often have Cyber Monday sales that rival the deals that you can get on Black Friday.
Leave a Reply