Whether this is your first time going out on Black Friday, or you’ve been doing this for years, there are always ways to improve your shopping strategies. Planning is usually the biggest factor in having a fun and successful Black Friday, so be sure to work out your day in advance to maximize deals and minimize stress. If you have a few questions when it comes to organizing and budgeting then be sure to check out this simple guide to find answers to some of your questions.
How early should you get started?
Many stores are starting to open their doors as early as Thursday evening, so if you don’t mind cutting Thanksgiving night a little short, you can get a head start on shopping almost right after you finish your Thanksgiving dinner. If you want to spend as much time with family as you can, don’t fret. There are still a lot of stores that don’t open their doors until midnight or later. However, if there are specific items on your list that you are afraid will sell out quickly, you should plan to reach that store at least a few hours in advance to ensure you will be one of the first people in line.
Which stores should you visit first?
There are so many stores offering Black Friday discounts, it can be difficult to decide which ones to go to first. You can easily solve this problem by making a list of the items that are most important to you, then stake out those stores first. If you do not have a specific list of items and are going for the fun of it, check out the stores that open the earliest. Quite a few stores open Thursday evening or at midnight, so make your way to those, then see where the night takes you.
How should you budget?
If you are planning to primarily buy holiday gifts on Black Friday, calculate the total amount of money you can afford to spend this season. Since you can find a lot of great discounts on this day, set your budget to a little less than that number. Chances are, you won’t find every single gift in one day, so leave yourself some money to buy last-minute gifts at a later date. If you are simply shopping for yourself, come up with a budget that fits into your regular, monthly shopping budget. Just because prices will be lower doesn’t mean you need to spend more than usual; you should actually be spending less.
How much extra money should you bring?
There is always the chance that something may not go as planned on Black Friday, perhaps you see a toy that you know your nephew would love or a coat that your sister has been dying to have. It’s good to bring a little extra shopping money in case you find a great deal that you weren’t expecting, but don’t go over your budget. If you can afford it, $50 is a good amount of extra money to bring.
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