Black Friday, every shopping lover’s favourite date in the calendar, is just 23 sleeps away. And whether you spend those nights sleeping soundly or staring at the ceiling in despair will largely depend on two things; your state of mind regarding shopping and the state of your bank balance.
Splurgers and spendthrifts beware; Black Friday and its tech-obsessed cousin Cyber Monday can be fraught with fake deals and dodgy discounts that turn out to be anything but. As such, the day requires a sensible, cautious approach if you’re to end up with the best bargains.
But for those with a frugal state of mind, these two days can be an enjoyable endeavour that may just result in a great deal. For the latter, here are 5 tips for bargain lovers to save money on Black Friday and beyond.
PAY IN CASH
Perhaps the most important tip for a bargain lover is also the most simple; pay in cash. Various studies have shown that when you have a set amount of physical money to use, you will generally be more conscious of what you spend and will be able to avoid the danger of overspending.
Most shopaholics tend to forget how much they have spent when paying by credit card or debit card. In fact, they usually buy more when they have a credit line or overdraft facility granted to them by their bank. Instead, try to budget a set amount and take out the equivalent amount of cash to use. Sometimes, seeing the physical amount of money and holding it in your hand can remind you starkly of just how much you’re spending.
If you’re doing all your shopping online for Black Friday, Cyber Monday or even Christmas, then it’s a good idea to use only the money you have in your current account (on your debit card) rather than going into an overdraft or using a credit card.
SEARCH FOR COUPONS & ELICIT DISCOUNTS
As anyone who has searched for a ‘deliveroo discount’ on a hungover Sunday will attest, discount codes and coupons have become increasingly ubiquitous in the online shopping world in recent years.
If a simple Google search doesn’t yield a free discount code or coupon that actually works, then the discount and deal experts at Super Saver Mama coupons tell us that there are a couple of tricks you can employ to elicit the offer of a discount from online retailers.
A popular trick is to fool them into giving you a code by abandoning an online shopping basket mid shop. You’ll notice that shortly after you close the shopping window, an offer will have appeared in your email inbox.
Or, why not take to Twitter and tweet publicly @ the company you’re targeting, and request a discount code? They may well decide that the positive PR from granting one publicly is worth the cost of the discount they send you.
Alternatively, you could just use a website which sifts through the offers to find the best discount codes, like those discount experts we mentioned earlier.
MAKE USE OF LOYALTY CARDS
Before paying cash on something you’ve deemed essential, check if you can get a discounted gift card on the item and get instant savings. Several gift card shops, such as High Street Vouchers or Card Yard, sell discounted gift cards and e-gift cards that save you a whopping 5-16% on high-end stores.
So, while it may seem long-winded, it’s super thrifty to invest in a gift card for a store you’ll likely be doing your Black Friday or Christmas shopping in, at this discount price, and then buy your desired items using it.
BUY OFF-SEASON ITEMS
Off-season items are usually cheaper than those found during their respective season period due to lower demand. For example, many people buy sweaters and jackets during the winter months due to cold weather conditions. However, during spring and summer, these items will likely become less sought after as people tend to wear lighter clothes in these seasons.
It means that if you buy products during the off-season, you can save a good amount of money in the process. Make sure not to wait too long as seasonal products tend to become popular again as soon as they enter their respective season period.
SIGN UP FOR PRICE ALERTS ON ALL YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTS
Finally, if your steely focus has fallen on a specific product, then it’s well worth manually signing up for price alerts across a variety of retailers and platforms.
Alternatively, you can now even outsource this task, by signing up to a price tracking tool. You can do this on the Google Shopping Tool, or on a dedicated app, such as CamelCamelCamel, Price Alert for Amazon, Honey, Keepa, and WikiBuy.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Thrift and frugality shouldn’t be reserved only for Black Friday, Cyber Monday or Christmas, but rather, it’s a year round, full time profession when you do things properly and comprehensively! By paying in cash, using discount codes and coupons, making use of loyalty cards, only buying off-season items and setting up price alerts, bargain lovers can snag great deals at any time of year. Good luck!