Thanksgiving is less than a week away! I will be touching on Thanksgiving, but this week I want to discuss another day that follows it. Black Friday. Now some of you might be jumping for joy, while others might be dreading it. My main focus is not going to be on just Black Friday itself. Instead I want to talk about Christmas (and general) shopping and saving!
As a college student I am on a very tight budget. I'm sure that some of you feel the same struggle as I do. I have a few tips that can help make your shopping experience easier, and even save you more money.
Don't Let Black Friday Fool You
Since I was in 8th grade, Black Friday shopping became something that my mom and I participated in. The deals were pretty sweet! Then in the past couple of years we kinda fell out of it. Did we lose out on all the deals? No way! Yes, Black Friday shopping does have crazy deals that are hard to pass up, but there are definitely other (and sometimes better) deals that will either come before or after Black Friday. That goes to my next tip...
Check Out The Deals Before or After Black Friday
One year, when my mom and I didn't go shopping on Black Friday, we thought we would go Saturday instead. I was shocked at how many deals were still going on up until Monday! Many stores extend their deals for the entire weekend after Thanksgiving. Some even have them before! What made me extremely happy was that the shelves had been restocked too. The lines were shorter, and the crowd actually was not bad at all.
Gift Card Granny Is Worth Looking Into
I heard about giftcardgranny.com the other day and decided to see what it was all about. On this site you can buy discounted gift cards for a higher price than what you pay for. For example, I buy the gift card for $18 and get it for $25. Some of the cards don't have a big discount, but when you're on a tight budget every penny counts! I actually bought a gift card from there the other day and saved $5. It is legit, yet I will throw out a sign of caution for newbies. This site takes you to a different site (like Ebay) where you actually buy the card. Just make sure that the site you buy from is verified!
Do Some Online Shopping
Anymore I find it easier to do shopping online. There's no waiting in line, no crowds to fight, and no waste of gas money. It's much easier to find what you like that is available in your size, too. Your options become endless when you buy online. But what about shipping costs? Well you're in luck, because when it comes to the holidays many websites are going to be offering free shipping. Remember to keep your eyes peeled for it! Also, Cyber Monday is always nice when it comes to great sales online.
Don't Spend Just Because There's A Deal
I know that many of us are guilty of this. We see something that's a great deal, but we don't really need it (or even like it) at all. This isn't just for ourselves, but for the people we buy gifts for, too. If there's something that you see that's a big deal but you aren't really interested in or need it, then it's better to save that money in your pocket. You can spend it on something else you like better instead. Otherwise, you just blew $50 on that faux mink fur coat that was marked down, and you didn't even like it.
I hope some of these tips were helpful to you! No matter what you do, remember that shopping smart can save you a lot of money in the long run!
