That's right; Black Friday is coming! Every year we anticipate it, watching for the unveiling of those epic annual deals and door-busters the current year brings. And there's no better time to start checking off our wish lists and get some much-needed holiday shopping done!
Some planning never hurts when getting ready for your Black Friday shopping extravaganza! So we are sharing some tips and tricks to help make this Black Friday less stressful and chaotic. And you can feel confident that this Black Friday will be nothing short of a shopping success!
Click here for some upcoming deals that have been announced.
Create a List & a budget
Before the excitement of shopping begins, and your eyes grow wide as your wallet shrinks smaller, it's always a good idea to create a list of what you are looking to buy and a budget. Doing this will help assure you stay within your spending limits. This can also prevent you from those notorious impulse buys, which, more often than not, can result in the terrible nag of "buyer's remorse."
There are apps that help organize your list, keep you on task, and not overspend. One of our favorites is SantasBag, this keeps track of each person you want to buy for, what you have already bought, and the total budget you have left to spend!
Look up items now
Knowing what you're saving while spending always makes purchasing more enjoyable, exciting, and something to brag about later! An excellent idea is to view the current asking price for those must-buy items before your Black Friday shopping experience begins. This will help you feel satisfied that you are genuinely getting a discount worth taking advantage of or if a "sale" price isn't too far from the item's regular sticker price. Also, this year, in particular, many stores already have their Black Friday sales going live or are, at least, giving a sneak peek of what kind of deals you can expect!
(Provided are some ongoing deals. You can discover some now by clicking here to view them.)
Sign up for emails or messaging
If there is a particular favorite store you enjoy shopping at or a favorite store for a special someone you were shopping for, it is recommended that you sign up for that store(s) emails or text messages. This is one way of being reminded about any upcoming sales or "deals of the day" they will be having, so you will not miss out!
Start shopping now to avoid delays
As we said, many stores have already started having great deals this year! Some stores may even have better deals going on now rather than the anticipated "Black Friday" deals. Many companies have learned that this allows them to avoid the ship-out congestion previous years have brought with online shopping becoming more popular. So, if your eyes are set on something currently on sale, it may be ideal for snagging that item now versus waiting since waiting can, unfortunately, bring on shipping delays and back orders.
In addition, many tracking apps help you keep organized and know when your items are on their way. Click here to view nine of the best shipment tracking apps for iOS and Android users.
Remember Cyber Monday!
Was there an oversight during your Black Friday shopping extravaganza, and you forgot to buy that one person something they wished for? Don't be discouraged; Cyber Monday is here to save your day! Most online retail stores will have additional sales on the Monday following Black Friday (Cyber Monday)!
Also, (if you haven't already), you should check out the Honey app! It is a great resource to help you save money during online shopping!
Click here to find more.