Photograph Credit: iCLIPART
The mayhem is about to commence. During Thanksgiving week, stores are gearing up for deep discounts, crowds of customers, and money in their safes.
In preparing for the crunching numbers craze, I found these Black Friday and Cyber Monday survival tricks to make the best use of our time this shopping season.
Black Friday
- Tips – Yes, take the store advertisement with you.
- Store hours
- Apps – Without a smart phone, I cannot confirm the usefulness of these apps. However, I trust the source from which these recommendations came.
- Early online deals
- Amazon deals
Cyber Monday
- Tips – Consumer reviews are very valuable as I have been saved from a bad product many times by reading the reviews.
- Start at Ebates or Shop at Home
- Use Promotional Codes
Our 2012 Black Friday Experience
Though Black Friday is quite popular, our family has found Cyber Monday and on-line deals a better option. Last year, we missed a Black Friday deal for a 40-inch television priced at $250. We chose to spend time with our family rather than wait in long lines at the store.
Fast forward to a week before Christmas when Amazon put a better quality 40-inch television on sale, we snagged it at the $250 price. We received the television on Christmas Eve at our doorstep, and our television was one of our favorite deals of 2012.
As you scour the advertisements and find really great deals on items you or your family needs, know your bottom line. If the deal does not match your need or your budget, then let it go. There really will be other opportunities.
In using time wisely, use your knowledge and your Black Friday and Cyber Monday survival tips to maneuver through the deals to find the ones that best fit your needs. Happy hunting!
Question: For what item(s) are you searching this holiday season?