Spending

4 Things To Keep In Mind On Black Friday

On Thanksgiving morning people would pick up a copy of the weekend paper and spend the afternoon looking through the Black Friday ads for great deals as the holiday shopping season kickoff was upon us. That’s changed quite a bit over the last few years as retailers have started to make their ads available online well in advance of Thanksgiving day.

Many shoppers have already formulated their Black Friday shopping plan. They know what stores they want to hit, and in what order, as well as what items they’re looking for at each stop. There are opportunities to save some money, but there is also the risk of ruining your holiday budget.

If you are participating in Black Friday, keep the following things in mind:

Stay On Budget

Know what you have to spend, and shop within that amount. If interest charges are incurred because items were bought with credit, that great buy suddenly becomes more expensive.

Black Friday is Not A Competition

Black Friday is not a contest to see who can buy the most stuff. Remember, buying something not on your list isn’t saving money, it’s spending MORE money. Buy what you planned to buy, no more.

Beware of Impulse Purchases

Black Friday is the epitome of impulse shopping. Doors open, and crowds rush in, jogging up and down the aisles looking for specials. You may see a display for a product that seems like it’s a great deal. You put the item in your cart because you don’t want to miss out. You’re on your way to making an impulse purchase you may regret later. Even if you do put the item in your cart, re-evaluate everything in your cart before you enter the checkout lane.

Have Fun

For some people Black Friday has evolved into a traditional group activity. For others, it brings out their inner deal seeker. If you fall into either of these categories, this is the event you’ve been waiting all year for. Have a great time!

Black Friday does offer specials that can help your holiday budget. But don’t let the frenzied environment cause you to throw all your financial common sense out the window. Be smart, and go find those deals!

Brought to you courtesy of Brock

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Brock Kernin

Brock is a software engineer by day and personal finance blogger at night. He is a fitness junkie and enjoys grilling and smoking meat. Married with two children,  Brock strives to improve his skills as a husband and father, and is always on the lookout to stretch his family’s budget as far as he can.