5 Tips To Navigate Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales Without Going Over Budget
Let’s chat about how to not lose your ish (aka paycheck) during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Or should I “NOT Black Friday Sales” or “The weeks of sales”...it’s kinda intense out there Boo.
A couple of years ago I confessed that I had finally purchased an Instapot on a Black Friday sale...and I never used it. Luckily, I now eat a lot of beans and that bad boy is really handy these days. So...I actually had an impulse purchase pan out.
With that said, I don’t want you to FOMO and YOLO your way through this “shopping” season.
So, let’s revisit my favorite tips for this season so you can avoid that January money hangover.
THERE IS ONE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW FIRST:
Those retailers KNOW that FOMO works my friend and they are positioning those ads to play those strings. AND, we’re in a different kind of season these days. Hence why the sales are no longer one day but weeks long. Knowing this...puts you ahead of the game.
Alright...let’s get started. Here are the 5 things you need to know before you step into a sale.
These are important friend because knowledge is power. And in this case, you gotta know before you log on. Know what you need, are looking for etc. If you want to make it out alive without a credit card hangover in January, pay attention!
#1. KNOW YOUR HOLIDAY GIFT LIST
Okay, I know. This sounds so silly but so many of us scribble out a list of people and call it a day. That means we end up coming back from our shopping trip with 1 gift and 5 things for us. This is what should be on your holiday list:
Who you are buying gifts for
The intention for the gift (what do you want to say?)
Ideas of what that gift could be
A budget
#2. KNOW WHAT THOSE GIFT IDEAS COST
This is where the sales can take advantage of you. Do your own research and compare prices to know what the item would cost if it wasn't on sale. Why? Because sometimes the marketing is so good, we think we are getting an awesome deal when we aren’t.
#3. KNOW WHAT YOUR % BREAK POINT IS
What the heck is that? In short, once you know what you want to buy and what it costs, determine how deep of a discount it needs to have before you will buy it. I know this sounds weird, but when we don’t know this…we end talking ourselves into spending more and that adds up. Know your boundaries!
#4. KNOW THE NON HOLIDAY THINGS YOU NEED
What!? I know...can you even believe I’m writing this? We all have things in our lives that we need to replace or we want to upgrade etc. but we don’t do it because they cost too much and it’s stressful to do the research. I think everyone should have a list (especially if you own a home) for things that you know you will need to replace, upgrade etc. This list should have the item, preferred brand (if you have one) and the average price. When you have this running list...it’s easier to see when there is a sale that fits your threshold. AGAIN, determine how much you are willing to pay for these items the same as you would for a holiday sale.
#5. KNOW IF YOU CAN PURCHASE WITH POINTS
I know ya’ll are racking up some points on those credit cards, ESPECIALLY since travel has been so sparse. It’s worth logging into your account and seeing if there are any deals going on. Recently, I was able to use my points and get 20% more bang for my buck on Apple products (I’ve joined the pod crew).
THE MORAL OF THE STORY….
You gotta go in prepared. Not going in with a plan is like giving your toddler a Sharpie sitting on white carpet and wishing them good luck.
If you find yourself saying “I’ve always wanted one of those...” or “I would probably use that someday...” abort my friend. Those are not strong enough reasons to make the purchase.
It isn’t how much you save, it’s how much you spend.
If you can’t pay for it outright or pay it off when your credit card statement comes, then my friend, you can’t afford it. And you actually aren’t getting the deal you thought you got. If you are putting it on a credit card that you can’t pay off...remove 20%+ off of your “‘deal” because that’s what you’re gonna be paying in interest.
YOU GOT THIS!
Livin’ & Lovin’
B
