This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases at no additional costs to you. Please see the Policies pages for more info.
7 Ways to Save Money on Black Friday
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are known for their incredible deals, but without a plan, it’s easy to overspend. To save money on Black Friday while still taking advantage of the discounts, it’s important to approach the holiday shopping season with a strategy.
From setting a budget to making a prioritized shopping list, planning ahead can help you avoid financial regret and a large credit card bill in January.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to shop smart and stick to your goals, so you can enjoy the holiday season without breaking the bank.
Set a Budget Beforehand
Your budget is the key part to preventing overspending because it shows you exactly how much money you have available to spend. Shopping based on a budget gives you the peace of mind that you are purchasing within your means and not going overboard.
I suggest making 2 budgets when Christmas shopping; your normal monthly budget and a Christmas budget.
First, do your regular monthly zero-based budget. A zero-based budget means your income less expenses equals zero. To do this, list all your expected income for the month. Then list all your expenses. Be sure to keep in mind all the common budget categories for November and December.
You won’t necessarily get zero the first time you list your income and expenses. Adjust your expenses as you go by adding or subtracting to your categories until you have a zero-based budget.
Once you make your monthly budget, you will know how much money you have designated for Christmas gifts. You can then make a Christmas budget. You can break this down further and list a budget per person.
Make a Shopping List
It is easy to get sucked into the marketing and to buy something “because it was on sale.” I love a good sale just like anyone else (who doesn’t love saving money?) but don’t buy it just because it sounded like a good deal. Buy it because you think the person you are shopping for will truly enjoy it.
When we are buying things based on the store’s agenda and not our own plan, that’s when overspending can get out of hand.
When shopping make a list for each person you are shopping for, along with how much you budgeted for that person.
There are a few different ways you can make a Christmas shopping list:
- – Save items in an Amazon wish list
- – Use your notes app on your phone
- – Gift ideas page in a Christmas Planner
Not only will shopping off a list help you save money, but it will also help you stay organized while you’re shopping. Just like Santa, “make a list and check it twice.”
Research Deals in Advance
Spend a little time doing some research to find the best deals before you’re ready to shop. Originally Black Friday was always the day right after Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday was the Monday after Thanksgiving.
But the last few years retailers have combined and expanded those dates before the Thanksgiving weekend.
Check with your favorite retailers for their Black Friday Sale dates in mid November so you don’t miss them. Target has already announced their Black Friday sale dates run from Sunday, November 24, 2024 to Saturday, November 30, 2024.
Compare prices between a couple retailers to find the best deal. This is where your list will come in handy.
Use Cash Back Rewards Programs
To boost your savings even more while shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, use Cash Back Rewards. My favorite is Rakuten Cash Back Rewards.
Rakuten partners with thousands of retailers to offer cash back to customers. I have found that it is the easiest to use because of their Chrome browser extension and you earn cash back on the entire purchase, not just a single item.
It’s free to sign up and if you don’t have an account before you dive into Christmas shopping you are leaving money on the table!
To learn more about how you can earn money back during your Black Friday shopping, check out my post, Get Paid to Shop: Boost Your Savings with Rakuten Cash Back.
Limit Time Spent Browsing Sales
Have you ever gone down the dark hole of online browsing and an hour later you don’t know where the time went? And your cart total says $200.
Mindless browsing happens to the best of us. We want to see all the things. But when we see all the things we can be tempted by all the things. Then we start adding to cart.
Give yourself a time limit (yes, set a timer on your phone) for online shopping. A timer will help you stay focused so you can purchase what you intended to buy without wasting a lot of time and money. Use your shopping list and keep your budget in mind.
Use a Christmas Planner to Stay Organized
Having a specific planner just for Christmas not only helps you budget and plan for Black Friday shopping, but it also helps you budget for decorations, entertainment and food.
My Festive Lights Christmas planner is an instant PDF download that will help you plan and budget for all the fun the holiday season brings!
My favorite part of the Christmas Planner is the Gift Tracker. When the Amazon boxes are piling up in the closet, I know exactly what I purchased and who I purchased it for. Having the list right in front of me saves me time from digging into all the boxes to try to remember what I got. The gift tracker also has a budgeted amount at the top of the page as a reminder of how much I’m planning to spend.
Stick to Online Shopping
Although there may be a time and place for shopping in stores, personally Black Friday is when I want to steer clear of the stores!
As long as you are sticking to your list and budget, shopping online could also save you money on Black Friday! You may be less tempted by impulse buys and you won’t use any gas to get to the store.
As an added bonus, you will avoid the crowds, which will save you time.
A lot of stores will offer free shipping to stores if you can’t get free shipping to your house. This will allow you to take advantage of the deals but you can go to the store the next day when it’s not so chaotic.
Bonus Tip: There might be better deals online than in stores. I learned this first hand when I was recently in Target and was looking at the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryers. When I looked at them online prior in the week I knew they were around $30. I was shocked with I got to the store and the tag on the shelf said $68! I went into the Target app and it said $36.99 “online only”. About a $30 difference!
I ended up at the customer service desk and they said they would price match the online price in the store. But I would have never known that if I didn’t ask! So, always do your research first, purchase online if you can, and be willing to ask for price matches. Some stores may even price match competitors. Doesn’t hurt to ask!
Conclusion
By planning ahead and sticking to a budget, you can enjoy Black Friday and Cyber Monday without the worry of overspending. Remember to work off a list, do a little research and take advantage of cashback rewards to maximize your savings.
To make your holiday season even more organized and budget-friendly, check out my Festive Lights Christmas Planner! It’s packed with tools to help you create a holiday budget, track gifts, plan festive activities, and much more. Grab your copy today and enjoy stress-free holiday shopping!
Related Articles
Make a Budget: 5 Simple Ways to Get Started
The Best Christmas Planner for a Stress-Free Holiday
6 Tips on How to Avoid Overspending at Christmas
