This year has changed the way we do so many things, including the way we shop! So we’ve put together a special guide containing our BEST Black Friday tips for the year 2021.
This guide will help you get the most out of your holiday shopping experience by saving more money and stressing less. Many of the tips in our 2021 guide are tried and tested, but we’ve also given special attention to navigating some of the unique challenges that have come as a result of COVID-19.
With so many changes this year, we can’t look at holiday shopping exactly the same as previous years. It’s important to take certain things into account such as small merchandise production, delayed shipping times, lower store inventories, and higher demand with online shopping.
But the good news is that Black Friday is NOT cancelled! So let’s jump in and help you prepare to find the best deals this holiday season.
The BEST Black Friday Tips for 2021!
Make Your Christmas List NOW!
This seems pretty obvious, but this is where it all starts! As they say, “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” Missing this crucial step could mean missing out on the hottest toys or lowest prices.
With so many families putting off vacations and other special events, a lot of effort will likely be focused on making Christmas 2021 EXTRA special. That means that if you wait, the best stuff may sell out much faster than you think.
Have a list, prioritize it, and knock it out early and quickly!
Research Black Friday Ads
We may see some unadvertised deals pop up, but the majority of retailers want you to know what they’ll have on sale for Black Friday. To help you get the best deal, you’ll want to compare price to see who has the deepest discounts on hot ticket items.
Start your research by browsing ads from major retailers at one of our favorite sites: BlackFriday.com.
Don’t Wait on Black Friday for the Best Deals
Each year, retailers race to sell you the biggest ticket items as early as possible. You’re going to see a lot of retailers go “live” with their Black Friday Ads as early as October.
If you see something in your price range early on, GRAB IT! The best discount is NOT always on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. And, if you hold out to save another 5% off an item, you’re risking the chance that the item may be completely out of stock at that time.
Many retailers have extended return policies during the holidays. So, for example, if you buy an item in early November, but then find a better deal on Black Friday, just return the more expensive one you purchased!
Expect to Make Adjustments for Shopping in Person
Shopping in person can be a rush, and it’s so much fun to do it with friends and family! But plan to make adjustments this year with the changes that 2021 has brought to the world.
The rush of staying up all night on Thanksgiving to hit the stores at 3am may be a thing of the past. Also, many retailers are now planning to close their doors on Thanksgiving day. And expect a LOT more restrictions with things such as store capacity limits, physical distancing, etc.
Start Buying your Gifts NOW!
As mentioned earlier, Black Friday starts much earlier than you may think. And due to delayed shipping times, many retailers are still struggling with low inventory on popular items.
Now is the time to cross things off your list. Holding out for the best deal, this year more than previous years, may actually cost you more money and stress in the long run. The early bird will definitely get the worm this holiday shopping season!
Do Your Homework to Ensure You’re Getting the Best Deals
Just because something is “on sale” doesn’t mean that it actually is. You’ll need to do a bit of price comparison to guarantee you’re getting a fair price!
Some retailers are notorious for increasing prices on items as the holidays are approaching and then marking them back down to make the discount appear better. Don’t fall for it!
Know your price points now. And use sites such as camelcamelcamel for Amazon to know the full pricing history of the item you want so that you can grab it when it’s truly a rock-bottom deal.
Buy Gift Cards to Save Extra Money
Retailers like to offer gift card promos around the holidays such as “Buy $50, get $10.” These promos are a fantastic way to save the most money during the holiday season!
Another popular way to save on gift cards is to use your Target REDCard to save 5% off gift cards!
One of our favorite money saving hacks for Black Friday shopping is to buy discounted gift cards that people no longer want! We love to use Raise which is a legit source for discounted gift cards on the cheap that are automatically delivered to your inbox upon purchase! Sign-up here and get $5 off your first Raise gift card purchase!
Use Money Saving Apps and Browser Extensions
Don’t wear yourself out doing all the work for saving money on Black Friday! Let technology do the work with some of these popular online shopping apps to help save you money for Christmas:
- Paribus is a retail watchdog. They help to ensure that you get the refunds you deserve whenever there’s been a late shipment or price adjustment on a recent purchase.
- PriceGrabber is a great site for searching out deals across a ton of different retailers. Pop on over to their site, search for the product you want, and like that, you’ll have access to listings from major retailers like Amazon, Home Depot, Wayfair, and more.
- ShopSavvy is a great app for making sure you’re getting the best deal with doing a bit of in-person shopping! Once you’ve downloaded the app, all you have to do is scan a barcode, and you instantly get access to prices for that same product from online stores and big box retailers.
Let Us Do the Work FOR You: Join our Deals Group!
We have a very active Facebook group that brings the BEST deals right to you!
We have the inside scoop on exclusive discount codes, giveaways, personal shopper threads, and of course the BEST deals from all of your favorite retailers.
>>> Join our deals group: Hot Deals from Everyday Thrifty! <<<
Without a doubt, this year had been challenging. It has tested us all in different ways and has giving us some obstacles to overcome.
We hope that you’ve learned some of the BEST Black Friday tips to prepare for a low-stress holiday shopping season!
Let us know in the comments below: Are you planning to go BIGGER this year? Keeping things about the same? Or scaling down?
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