Black Friday Shopping Guide

There are a lot of good deals to be had on Black Friday. However, with almost every retailer advertising some kind of discount, it can be hard to decide whether you should actually brave the crowds to save a little bit of money. Here’s a quick guide that will help you determine how to get the best deals and not get overwhelmed on Black Friday.

Prepare Ahead Of Time

Chances are you will probably be waiting in line for extended periods of time on Black Friday. Make sure you plan accordingly by bringing water and snacks and your tablet to pass the time. Also, map out the store beforehand so that you know where to go and aren’t wasting precious time searching for an item. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes as you probably will be doing a lot of walking.

Do Your Research

You might be tempted to grab every item that is on sale, but remember, not everything will be a good deal. Some retailers will hike up their prices just before Thanksgiving so that when they lower their prices on Black Friday will it look like you are saving a lot of money, even though you could get the item for the same amount or even cheaper by going to another retailer. To avoid this, make a list of items you wish to purchase on Black Friday and research various retailers to see how much these items are currently selling for.

Price Match

Many people don’t realize that many establishments do offer price matching. This means that if an item you want is sold out at one retailer, you may be able to go to another store and get it for the same price. Most stores, like Walmart, require that you bring the competitor’s ad with you to show proof that the price is actually lower. Before Black Friday, check with your local retailers to see what their price matching policy is. If you can, get this policy in writing just in case you need to refer to it.

Bring A Buddy

If you are trying to get several “hot” items at one store, you will run the risk of them selling out if you can’t get to each of them in time. For this reason it’s good to bring a buddy along with you to help out. In many case, items that are high in demand on Black Friday will often only be available in very limited quantities. By bringing someone with you it will allow for a better chance to get everything that’s on your list before they are all snatched up.

Shop Online

You don’t have to wait until Cyber Monday to save money while shopping online. A lot of stores will have very good deals on their websites on Black Friday. Some of these deals actually start on Thanksgiving night. What this means is that if you still want to get a bargain, but don’t want to deal with the stores, you can sit back in front of your laptop with some apple pie in hand and save some money on a lot of great items. Just remember that other people might have the same idea so be patient as websites may tend to be slow thanks to all this extra web traffic.