Thanksgiving and Black Friday are lurking just around the corner, and students are buzzing with shopping plans. Major stores and retailers like Walmart, Target, Sephora, Forever 21, and Best Buy are having incredible sales that students will definitely want to take advantage of. Black Friday could be considered the Olympics for shoppers, so diving in headfirst without a game plan isn’t a very good idea. With that in mind, the following tips can ensure that students will be able to shop ‘til they drop successfully on Black Friday.
Check the Black Friday ads for each store you’ll be shopping at. Some retailers mail physical ads to promote their sales, but you can also look up each store’s discounts online to see what they’ll be offering on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Write down a shopping list! When you have a shoestring budget, you’ll understandably want to take advantage of every deal possible. However, you need to keep in mind that you don’t want to purchase something you don’t need simply because it’s being offered at a great price. The week before you go Black Friday shopping, make a list of the items for those on your gift-giving list. You should also include items you might need for yourself, such as a new laptop or a new pair of shoes.
Starting the week before Black Friday, plan your shopping trip. Decide which stores you’ll need to visit first, starting with the one that will be selling your must-have items. You can then map out which stores to shop at afterward, which can be based on your shopping list or a specific route.
Shop with friends or family! Not only will it be more fun to shop with a friend, but it can also help you accomplish more. You can work together to find the must-have items on your list. Your friend can visit the electronics department to find the new phone or video game you want while you run to the toy aisle to find the doll your niece wants for Christmas.
Base your Black Friday budget off of your personal everyday budget. Shoppers can easily spend hundreds of dollars on Black Friday and Cyber Monday because they take advantage of every deal possible. However, you shouldn’t spend grocery money or next month’s rent on makeup or a new winter coat. Using strictly cash for these purchases could help you stick to your budget. When you’ve spent all of your cash, you’ll know that you’ve done all of your spending.
If shopping in stores on Black Friday isn’t your thing, or if you’d rather spend Thanksgiving at home with your family, keep in mind that many of the in-store deals will be available online! Cyber Monday will also be a virtual savior. If you can’t find everything on your shopping list in stores on Black Friday, most of the same sales can be found online on Cyber Monday. The only items you won’t find online are doorbusters.
To make the most of your Black Friday shopping experience, just follow these tips! Good luck and happy shopping, students!
