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HOW TO: Shop on Black Friday

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That’s a wrap. You’ve had your second piece of pie, you’ve packed up the turkey for tomorrow’s sandwiches, and the tryptophan is kicking in. But before you fall asleep watching football (and football!), make your plan for slaying Black Friday and Cyber Monday!

Because last year so many companies struggled to keep shelves stocked for the holidays, many erred on the side of caution this year by overordering. This means warehouses are full and many companies are slashing prices to clear their inventory. Here are a few tricks for finding deals and landing those must-have gifts:

  • Remember that you get what you pay for. Black Friday is a good chance for retailers to unload items that aren’t selling well (perhaps for a reason). Do your research, know what you want (and what you are willing to compromise), and don’t get sucked into buying an inferior product just because it’s cheaper.
  • Join loyalty clubs. Brick and mortar and online shops often have loyalty clubs that alert you to big sales, allow you to put holds on hard-to-find gifts, and offer discounts if you sign up.
  • Install a discount app. Installing an extension like Rakuten, Honey, or Capital One to your search engine applies discounts and coupon codes automatically and lands you a rebate check as savings accumulate.
  • Sign up for email/text alerts. Most online shops offer a 10-15% discount on the first purchase if you sign up for notifications. Do your shopping, collect your discount, and then unsubscribe or reply “stop” to texts.
  • Set daily alerts to seek out specific gifts. According to Adobe, for the best daily deals, shop Thursday for electronics, Friday for TVs, Saturday for toys, Sunday for sporting goods, and Monday for laptops.
  • Start early and follow up. Many sales have already kicked off so start “windowshopping” and don’t be afraid to make a purchase. Most online shops’ customer service will refund the difference if the price drops.

As inflation has made almost everything more expensive this year, hunting for bargains and being smart about purchasing is a great way to save a few bucks this holiday shopping season. Just remember to make a budget and stick to it, stay safe amidst the chaos, and treat yourself to something nice at the end of the day!

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