By: Emily Mikolay | Staff Writer
With the Halloween season exiting for 2020, most of us tend to focus on the next holiday… Thanksgiving! With glorious food and family gatherings, it is a favorite time of year for many people. Some individuals, however, consider the following day to be one of the best days of the year. That’s right, Black Friday!
With the Coronavirus Pandemic in full swing, the typical scene of crowds of people and lines out the doors of shopping malls may look different then normal. However, many stores are offering weekend-long Black Friday deals to ensure everyone’s health and safety.
If you get the chance to head out yourself to some stores on Black Friday, here are a few tips and tricks to help you get the best deals and have the best (and safest) day!
- Start Early
Honestly, the earlier you can get to the store the better off you will be! Try to arrive at the store right when it opens, so when you are allowed in, you will have the best chance of getting what you want (plus, in whatever size or color you want it in too!).
2. Try Shopping Online
Many retailers this year are offering online shopping as a means to lessen crowds in stores. If you feel uncomfortable going to a store in-person, or even don’t want to get there early, online is the perfect option! Just make sure that you are on the website right when the deals launch, or you may miss out!
3. Join Loyalty Programs Prior to Black Friday
Loyalty Programs for companies can be your best friend! Many companies offer programs that you can sign up for where you will get free shipping and returns, special deals, and early access to new launches. Numerous loyalty programs give members early admittance to sales, especially around Black Friday. Plus, some companies even give you “points” per dollars spent that you can redeem for money off your purchase (ex. $5.00 off, etc.).
4. Know What You Want
Regardless of where you are going, have a general idea of what you are looking for. It is best to know your clothing size, shoe size, or even what model iPhone you want before going on your Black Friday shopping spree. The people who get the best deals on Black Friday know what they want before they even get into the store. So, don’t stop and look around, get what you want and go!!
5. Make a Budget
With all the deals and limited-edition holiday items, many of us can be distracted by the price tag, only to be disappointed when we get home and realize how much money we spent. The best thing to do before the big day is to make a budget of how much you want to spend in the store; and don’t go over it! If that is too difficult for you, then you can even get a gift card to each store that you are going to visit (but make sure they sell them or take the card that you are buying), and put the amount that you want to spend at that store on the card. Then, you are “forced” to spend only the amount on the card and are not influenced to spend a few extra dollars. You will thank yourself later!
I hope that these tips help you out in preparation for Black Friday! Any of these can be modified to be done in store or online but do what makes you feel the safest. Happy Shopping everyone!
Images: Carts1-resized-1 by Gary Millar on Flickr is licensed under Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
“NMAH Black Friday Crowds” by Mr.TinDC is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
