Thanksgiving is fast approaching and along with the turkey, dressing, and all the fixings, there is something many of us are looking forward to even more…BLACK FRIDAY. Black Friday, referred to as the busiest shopping day of the year often offers great deals on everything from electronics and appliances to clothing and accessories. There are however a few tips to make your Black Friday experience the best one ever.
Tip 1: Be prepared. Wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing. This is the first place to start because often times participating in Black Friday means waiting in long lines. Dress in layers so if you get hot, you can take something off. Wearing comfortable clothing and shoes ensures you won’t tap out because your feet hurt or because you are too cold. You may even want to bring snacks.
Tip 2: Review the newspapers for sales in your area. Newspapers have been advertising Black Friday sales for the past week. Be sure to review them so you can find out who has what and where you want to go.
Tip 3: Do a little research for the best deals and compare prices. If you know you are in the market for a Notebook, check the different electronic stores to see who has the best pricing, along with the features you are looking for. I have heard HH Gregg will have Ipads for $199, but you didn’t hear it from me!
Tip 4: Categorize the stores you want to go to by the type of item you want. For instance, getting a new $199 laptop should come before getting a pair of $5 jeans. Many times with electronics stores they will give you a ticket to come back later to purchase your item and that frees you up to go to other stores.
Tip 5: Check out “Early Bird” specials or “Doorbuster” deals. Even look into stores that open on Thanksgiving Day. Many stores are opening on Thanksgiving Day and offer additional savings, including: Target, Wal-Mart, Staples, K-Mart, Kohl’s, JC Penny, Toys R Us, Macy’s, and others. Check online to see what stores are open in your area.
Tip 6: Check the internet for deals and you may find even better deals by purchasing your items online verses braving the crowd and waiting in long lines. Many websites for years have reported super deals on Black Friday and some have even crashed due to the high volume of traffic on the websites during Black Friday.
Tip 7: Set a budget. The worst thing you can do when Black Friday shopping is get caught up in all the excitement and spend more than you need to. Who wants to spend the remainder of the year paying back money they overspent during one day. Create a budget of exactly how much you will be spending and stick to it, no matter what. The best Black Friday will be the one where you don’t go into debt trying to satisfy yourself and others.
I hope these tips help you make the most of your Black Friday shopping and get, “The Best for Less and Still Have Money in the Bank!” Happy Shopping!
Lynesha McElveen is owner of Liberty Educational Group, a company that helps you, “Get a L.E.G. up on life through Life Coaching, Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Education, and Greatness Training. Lynesha is known as The Di$count Diva ™ who teaches people how to get the best for less and still have money in the bank. Lynesha can be followed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at: TheDiscountDiva and you can get additional money saving and financial tips by visiting her website at: http://LyneshaMcElveen.com.
Have a Black Friday story? Send them to: LyneshaTheDiscountDiva@gmail.com
