Dos and Don'ts of Black Friday 2019
Ok, I have a confession. I’ve never actually been Black Friday shopping. As in, I’ve never left my house on the day after Thanksgiving and gone into crowded stores searching for good deals on things I probably don’t need. But I have done a lot of online shopping on Black Friday (because let’s face it, I still want to buy stuff, I just don’t want to go outside) and I’ve seen people in movies do it. So yeah, maybe I have no right to be writing about this, but upon careful observation of the most common destructive Black Friday behaviors (including my own), I’ve compiled a list of Dos and Don’ts for this year’s biggest day of shopping.
1. Don’t go in blindly.
Make a list of the specific items you’re looking for and stick to that list. Walking into a store or even going online and seeing discounted merchandise everywhere can make you think you just HAVE to have things you’ve never even thought about. That’s how you end up with those random, highly impractical pieces in your closet that don’t match anything you own. Blame it on your shopping alter-ego, because it totally exists.
2. Do set a fixed budget for the day.
This is just a sensible thing to do. I mean I’ve never done it before, but now that I am thinking about these things, it definitely makes sense. I would also add an allowed margin of error in case one item puts you *slightly* over budget.
3. Don’t buy anything without checking multiple sites/stores for better deals first.
Honestly, the worst feeling is buying something and then seeing it later at another store for a lower price. Not to be dramatic, but guilt, regret, and shame are some of the emotions that come to mind.
4. Do be realistic about the sales.
The prices you see on Black Friday can be deceiving. Stores have been known to jack up the price of items right before Black Friday so it seems like a bigger discount when they lower the price on the day of. And in other cases, even the initial retail prices of items are slightly higher in anticipation of future discounts.
5. Do think of others!
It’s the season of giving, and Black Friday is a great opportunity to shop for the people you love. Or even for people you don’t like, but for one reason or another you feel obligated to give them a gift and kind of resent having to spend money on them. This way, at least you know that whatever you got them was on sale.
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