NFCC Financial Education Blog ? Black Friday Deals& Some Tips to ...

By Lauralynn Schueckler

Black Friday is right around the corner, and while there are good deals out there consumers have to be more cautious this year because retailers will still try to get more out of the consumers to increase their bottom lines. We are going through some hard economic times right now, and it?s no different for the retailers. They can feel the economic impact just as much as the rest of us.

Black Friday shopping is NOT for the faint of heart. Shopping on this day has gone beyond the normal holiday sales. Stores are opening at midnight with big door buster deals, and other ways to entice the consumers. Limited numbers of items are available at reduced prices that send shoppers to the stores on Thanksgiving night to wait in line. The deals can be lucrative, but you don?t have to give up your turkey to save?some money.

If you?re going to shop on Black Friday start your research now. There are numerous Black Friday emails, websites, and smartphone apps that offer sneak peeks at retailers? Black Friday deals. This will help you not only compare prices, but also determine your shopping list.?

Your gift list should be as detailed as possible. Include everyone you?re shopping for, what you plan on buying, the store where you plan on buying it, and the price listed in the ad. In your pre-shopping research you should be able to compare prices and find what store has the best deal.?

The next step in your strategy should be to determine where you?re shopping, and in what order you?ll be hitting the stores. Are there any door busters you?ll be buying? If so, be mindful of the time the prices will be available.?Stores will usually only give door buster deals between certain times, i.e. 11pm-midnight.

Okay, so you have your list now, and you have the order in which you?ll be visiting each store. There is still some more research to be done. Get a newspaper on Thanksgiving Day, and review the published ads. Look at the printed ads to determine if you?re still interested in the items on your list, maybe the price has changed. Also, take the ads with you when you go shopping.

Here?s some practical advice on executing your Black Friday shopping plan:?

• Be prepared for long lines! In very popular stores it can take hours to get to the checkout.?
• It?s worth the wait for a shopping cart. Don?t try holding everything in your arms.
• Dress appropriately and in layers. You may have to wait outside, and with all those people crowded around it could become rather hot in some stores.
• Do a quick review of the store?s layout beforehand. Is it possible to pick up the items you want while you are waiting in line? This will keep you from wandering around and it will save you time!
• Be pleasant with your fellow shoppers. Have fun! If you?re stressed out, Black Friday shopping is not the place for you. Try shopping online on Cyber Monday (Monday after Thanksgiving).
• Do lots of price comparisons before you head out to the stores including price-checking reputable online retailers. Know exactly where you want to go, and for what before you head out the door. There are a lot of great Smartphone Apps for Black Friday!
• Make sure to keep your cash and/or credit cards in a secure location, and never leave your purse or wallet unattended!

Black Friday shopping may not be the place for you. If not, in some cases stores will offer the same deals online, but there may be shipping costs. If you plan on doing some online shopping it might be better to wait until Cyber Monday. Usually retailers offer special online only deals on that day, and sometimes they even include free shipping.

Whatever your shopping method may be remember it?s the not the gift you give or receive that make the holidays special?it?s the time spent with family and friends.

Lauralynn Schueckler is the Online Marketing Specialist at Advantage Credit Counseling Service. She is the author for Advantage CCS?s Blog called Dollars & Sense. Advantage Credit Counseling Service is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Contact Advantage Credit Counseling at 866.699.2227, or visit them online at www.advantageccs.org.

Views expressed are the personal views of the author, and do not represent the views of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, its employees, its members, or its clients.

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Source: http://financialeducation.nfcc.org/2012/11/15/black-friday-deals-some-tips-to-keep-in-mind/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=black-friday-deals-some-tips-to-keep-in-mind

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