The busiest shopping day of the year is just a few days away. While some deals will be the best bargains around, others just might not be worth the hassle. Check out these tips for shopping smart on Black Friday:
Check the Weather
The last time I went shopping on Black Friday, I waited in line at Wal-Mart for 4 hours in about 3 inches of snow. The weather in my home state of Michigan can be pretty unpredictable; however, it appears that we will not have snow for this Black Friday’s shopping experience. What about where you live?
Make sure you check the weather and dress accordingly. While most stores will make shoppers form a line outside the store, stores like Wal-Mart have recently changed their Black Friday shopping policy. Be prepared to stand outside for lengthy periods of time.
Get in Line Early
In 2008, an employee of Wal-Mart died after bargain hunters breached the doors to the store. To help prevent another accident, Wal-Mart has changed their Black Friday shopping policy. Wal-Mart will open at 6am on Thanksgiving Day and will remain open throughout Black Friday. According to the New York Times, shoppers will be able to enter the store at any time and line up at merchandise displays for the must-have items on their lists. However, shoppers will still have to wait until 5am on Black Friday to purchase the special deal merchandise. We could see a new trend of shoppers waiting in line for 24 hours.
If you plan to shop at a store other than Wal-Mart, plan to wait in long lines outside the store. In many cases, it’s a good idea to arrive at the store location at least four hours before the store opens.
Look for Item Limits per Store
After all that waiting in the snow at Wal-Mart, can you believe I still was not able to get the item I wanted? Most stores will have limits on items that are considered a bargain. Check your local papers ahead of time to see what the quantity limits are per store. If you’re looking for a $200 laptop and each store can only sell a limit of three, chances are if you’re the 150th person in line, you probably won’t be getting that item this holiday season.
Shop at Stores with Voucher Systems
To avoid accidents at all costs, most stores will offer tickets or vouchers to shoppers prior to the store opening. A few years ago I went to Best Buy on Black Friday and was given a voucher for the item I wanted. Stores typically match the number of vouchers they give out to the number of items they have in-stock. If the store runs out of vouchers for your item, then you can get out of line and go on with your Black Friday shopping trip. Call the store you’re visiting and ask them if they have a ticket system.
Research Items before Shopping
While the item you’re looking to purchase might be a bargain, the quality of that item may not be so great. Take the time to read reviews and research the model number of the item you’d like to buy. CNN Money and Yahoo Finance report that some items may be a “derivative” of another model. While the model you’re buying may seem like a good deal, it may have lower specifications than the model that is sold outside of Black Friday. For instance, the image contrast ratio for a television may be 20,000 in a derivative model versus 30,000 in a standard model. Be sure to compare the model number of the sale merchandise with the original model number.
Smart money management is important all year-round. For more money-saving tips and tools, check out Quizzle.com, where you’ll find out your potential for credit improvement and get the most affordable credit monitoring on the web.
Looking for more holiday money saving tips? Check out the QuizzleWire:
- Save like Scrooge: Money Saving Ideas for the Holidays
- 55 Money Saving Tips (Your Wallet Will Thank You)
- Protect Your Credit during the Holidays with these 7 Tips
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