Black Friday is the best day of the year for shoppers to find great deals on almost anything. Shoppers, though, need to be smart and prepared because even amongst all the alluring Black Friday ads and discounts lie some clever pitfalls that even the most experienced of them could fall into. Anyone planning on braving the chaos that is Black Friday should be well prepared. These tips will help get shoppers prepared for black Friday and in turn, get the most for their money.
Research Black Friday Ads
Black Friday ads start showing up online as early a few weeks before the day even comes. A smart shopper should prepare by looking at these ads and finding the stores and the items that interest them. Newspapers the week of Black Friday will be full of ads, coupons and doorbuster deals, especially the newspaper for Thanksgiving Day.
These should be looked over carefully. If there is a coupon for something that a shopper wants to buy then they should cut it out and organize it according to store. Well done research will bring the chaos level of black Friday down significantly.
Make a Black Friday Budget
After the research is done, a shopper should have an approximation of what they want to spend. Whether it is $100 or $500 or more than a shopper wants to spend, they should still have a budget. This will keep them from overspending. Set aside money for definite purchases that the shopper decided to buy while doing research and a little for things that catch the eye when arriving at the stores.
Keep in mind that while some deals may be too good to pass up, too much money could easily end up being spent if one does not have a budget.
Make a Plan
Next, a plan should be made of what stores one will go to and in what order. Most Black Friday ads will show the time that a store will open, some as early as 4 a.m. A shopper should consider many factors when making their plan: how early the store is open, how long the doorbuster period will last, what deals they want the most, how long they anticipate the lines will be and driving distance are a few. This will make shopping on Black Friday easier and less stressful.
Don’t Get Distracted
This is one of the most important tips. After all the work of researching ads, making a budget and making a plan, one wouldn’t want to get distracted. Sticking to the prearranged budget and plan will make one’s experience of Black Friday much more pleasant.
Abiding by these tips will take the craziness that is usually associated with Black Friday away and help shoppers get the most for their money.
Black Friday Shopping Tips for College Students
For college students, Thanksgiving break is a great time to catch up with family and friends and to take advantage of some study time for final exams. It’s also a great time to shop! For cash strapped college students, there’s nothing like Black Friday sales to help students save serious money.
What is Black Friday?
In the United States, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and the official beginning of the Christmas and holiday shopping season. For many families and consumers, it’s become a tradition to leave before the sun comes up to take advantage of bargains. Stores all over the country compete for consumer dollars by offering deep discounts on popular holiday gift items. Many of these items are only on sale early in the morning or for a limited number of customers, so shoppers need to plan ahead to get in line for the items they really want.
How do shoppers know what’s out there? Local newspapers publish a huge Thanksgiving edition that’s stuffed with circulars for major stores. Shoppers can also look online on Thanksgiving day to find out what’s on sale.
Black Friday Purchases for College Students
There are two reasons why cash-strapped college students should invest some time in the Black Friday shopping madness. First, they can save serious money on expensive items they need for themselves. Second, they can save serious money on holiday gifts.
Electronic items are some of the most popular items that go on sale during Black Friday. Students, this means serious laptop discounts! Discounts are also available on cell phones, video game consoles, and other student electronic favorites. This is also a good time to pick up electronics accessories, like laptop bags and cell phone holders. Of course, one strategy is to point out these deals to Mom and Dad and send them out for a holiday present!
Since most students have pretty limited budgets when it comes to holiday shopping, Black Friday can be a great way to stretch shopping dollars. This is a great time to find affordable gifts for college friends and holiday gifts for Mom and Dad. Spend some time doing some research on what’s on sale, and then hit the stores.
Black Friday Shopping Tips for College Students
Black Friday shopping requires planning ahead! There are way too many stores with deals to hit them all, and there’s a ridiculous amount of competition from other shoppers for deals. Shoppers need to:
- make a plan for exactly what they want to purchase
- choose which stores to shop at, based on sales circulars and online information
Here are some more helpful money-saving Black Friday shopping tips to keep in mind.
For college students in search of laptops and other electronic ideas, the trick is to get to the stores early! And early means really early, like possibly 3:00 a.m. or even earlier. Electronics often are available only in limited quantities. Students may be accustomed to sleeping late during days off, but Black Friday doesn’t offer that luxury.
For shoppers who are trying to save serious bucks, it’s also important not to impulse shop. Stores love young consumers because they are prone to impulse shopping. Prove them wrong by making a list and sticking to it.
Shopping on Black Friday is a little bit insane, but for students who take the time to do it well, serious money can be saved. Consider taking the time to plan a Black Friday shopping trip for school and shopping needs.
