6 Tips for Getting the Best Black Friday Deals
The kitchen’s been cleaned, the pumpkin pies have been demolished and you more than deserve to kick back and relax—but, unfortunately the race for prime holiday shopping deals starts…now. Don’t stress out yet. Below are some genius tips for saving money and staying sane while navigating the holiday shopping madness.
RELATED: All the Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals to Shop This Year
Don’t Wait Until Friday
Remember the good ol’ days when no stores would be open until the actual morning of Black Friday? These days, the deals are already available to shop—lookin’ at you Amazon—so feel free to kick off the shopping spree right now.
Do Your Research
Retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond and Amazon often repeat the same deals year after year. (Think: $30 off Keurig or 40 percent off all tablets.) Spend time looking up past discounts so you know what you're getting into. (Or check out this year's deals that have already leaked.)
Shop Around
In the market for a highly-discounted 4K flat-screen TV? Peep multiple stores’ pricing before committing to that line outside of Best Buy. Visit sites like PriceGrabber, PriceWatch and Google Shopping to scan your options and make sure you’re getting the absolute best deal. A word of warning: Many larger retailers apply a special model number to their most-discounted items to avoid getting compared, so be sure to also check their websites for accurate info.
Sign Up For Loyalty Programs
Signing up for loyalty programs and email lists now can reap huge rewards come holiday season, since brands love to send out the Black Friday price alerts ahead of time, plus bonuses like coupons, free shipping codes and extra promotions. (Don’t worry: You can always unsubscribe once the holiday madness dies down.)
Hit Up Social Media
Brands like Nordstrom, Target and Lowe’s love to gain new shoppers buy using platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to blast out exciting sale info, special incentives and, in some cases, even secret shopping codes. C’mon, it’s not like you’re not constantly checking your feeds anyway.
Make a Budget
Don’t be the woman who went in for a washer and dryer, and came out with a new smartphone, outdoor BBQ and Sonos speaker system. Decide ahead of time how much you want to spend and stick to it—we mean it!
