Score Gold On Black Friday: 10 Helpful Shopping Tricks

Do you love a good bargain? So does everyone else on Black Friday! This is the biggest shopping day of the year, and it's your chance to get some amazing deals. But in order to take advantage of all the savings, you need to know how to play the game.

You're obviously doing it wrong if you're not hacking Black Friday. After all, Black Friday 2015 is long gone, when the only way to get a deal was to get up at an ungodly hour and compete with the unshaven hordes for the last discounted 55" television.

The tactics and hacks you should use over Black Friday weekend have changed with the game. Here are nine Black Friday tips that will not only help you save money but also, oftentimes, allow you to spend time with friends and family while still finding fantastic deals.

In this blog post, we will give you 10 tips for savvy shopping on Black Friday. Follow these tips and you'll be able to save big bucks on the things that you want!

Hack# 1. MAKE A SHOPPING LIST BEFORE YOU GO.

Take the time to plan out your shopping list before Black Friday. Think about what items you need and want, and make sure they’re all on your list. This will help keep you focused while shopping and prevent you from buying things that aren’t necessary .

Say “Alexa, What Are Your Black Friday Deals?”

Try this before November 23rd and Alexa will tell you to be patient.

Ask her on November 24th and she’ll tell you about a bunch of exclusive Black Friday deals from Amazon that’ll save you a wad of cash. You’ll even be able to buy the item with your voice and not have to waste an ounce of energy.

Hack# 2. RESEARCH PRICES.

Retail prices are normally higher than usual on Black Friday, so it’s important to do your research on the products that you want beforehand. Compare prices from different stores and from online retailers as well. This will help ensure that you get the best possible deal for whatever item you’re looking for.

Know Which Products Are Cheaper Closer to Christmas

Don't let the advertisements deceive you; not all Black Friday discounts are equal, and most aren't the best bargains you'll discover this year.

Closer to Christmas, several well-known businesses that sell electronics, toys, clothing, and other items will actually have lower prices.

based on the discounts and coupons that we have received from Rather-Be-Shopping throughout the past 17 Decembers.

The days to shop this year in order to save the most money are shown below.

2022 Predictions:

• Christmas Toys: Saturday, December 10th.

• Stocking Stuffers: Wednesday, December 7th.

• Apparel and Shoes: Wednesday, December 14th. (Free Shipping Day)

• HDTV’s: Weekend of December 2 – 4th.

• Tools & Hardware: Friday, December 9th.

• Laptops/ChromeBooks: Saturday, December 10th.

• PS4 and Xbox: December 12th-15th.

• Winter Apparel: Wednesday, December 14th.

• Jewelry/Wedding Bands: December 4 – 25th.

• Fitness Gear: Monday, December 5th.

• Kitchen Stuff: Wednesday, December 14th.

In most cases, these days will definitely give you “better than Black Friday” prices.

Hack# 3. DON’T BUY ON IMPULSE.

When you see a deal that seems too good to be true, it probably is! If the item isn’t something you planned on buying, don’t be tempted by a seemingly great bargain. Stick to your shopping list and save yourself from buyer's remorse.

Dumb & Smart Black Friday Buys

First, the Dumb Buys:

• Name Brand (Quality) Televisions.

Don’t buy on Black Friday. Sure there are always some screaming deals on TV on Black Friday.

The problem is the brands you’ll find on sale are typically unrecognizable. Along with the 3rd tier brands are questionable specs and quality.

You should go out in the morning if you're a college student looking for a temporary TV from Best Buy for your dorm room.

You should search for discounts from the day after Christmas through the month of February if you want to buy a high-quality TV that will last for a long time.

The justification is that at the Consumer Electronics Shows in Las Vegas, new models are routinely introduced in late January. Additionally, around the Super Bowl, retailers frequently provide great bargains.

You can get a great discount on a premium brand like Sony, Samsung, or Panasonic thanks to both of these factors.

• Christmas Toys

Don’t buy on Black Friday. Instead, wait until 9-10 days before Christmas as that’s when prices are notoriously lower than on BF weekend.

Sure, you might see some deals sprinkled in the Black Friday ads but none as good if you wait a couple weeks.

Also, shop at Costco for toy deals, more on that later.

• Fitness Equipment

Resist purchasing on Black Friday. Always postpone your fitness equipment purchases until January.

Retailers are known for providing excellent discounts and incentives to people who want to lose weight as a New Year's resolution.

Look for products like elliptical machines, treadmills, and weight machines to be offered at up to 50% off in early January at Sports Authority and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

• Winter Apparel

Don’t buy on Black Friday.

Deals will NOT be abundant in late November as retailers take advantage of a cold and captive audience for jackets, hoodies, boots, and parkas.

When it comes to scoring deals on apparel, the general rule is that it is always the most expensive during the season it is being worn.

Wait until the last few weeks of winter and you’ll easily save 50% off that next coat or pair of boots.

• Large Appliances

Don’t buy on Black Friday.

In September and October, new models of refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens were on sale.

Due to this, you might be able to find a nice deal on models from the previous year during Black Friday, but new models are usually not heavily discounted.

Home Depot and Lowe's will be offering discounts on smaller kitchen appliances including blenders, mini fridges, and microwaves.

• Tools and Hardware

Don’t buy on Black Friday.

Unless you absolutely need them, power tools are a much better deal during the few weeks leading up to Father’s Day.

Our research has shown that Father’s Day coupons and sales on cordless drills, table saws, routers, and the like, are 30% better than Black Friday weekend.

• DSLR Cameras

Don’t buy on Black Friday.

Buy your high-end DSLR camera in February after the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas.

You’ll be able to score a sweet deal on last season's models as retailers discount them heavily in order to make room for the newest and greatest models.

Also, if a slick little ‘point and shoot’ digital camera is in your future, then there will be plenty of deals to pick from on Black Friday.

The Smart Black Friday  Buys:

• 3rd Tier Televisions.

Buy on Black Friday. Many of your door-buster BF deals are on 3rd tier HDTVs, also known as “off brand” televisions.

Last year saw some pretty crazy deals. 42″ HDTV’s in the $150 range. I have actually seen a couple predictions for Black Friday 2019 that included a 50″ 4K TV in the $125-$150 range. But be prepared to settle for brands you have never heard of in most cases.

A Best Buy employee actually just told me that most of the door-buster TV’s they get for Black Friday are specifically made for that day and are not of good enough quality to stock all year long. Yes, the deals are often amazing but know what you are getting. Buyer beware.

• Clearance Apparel

BUY. Every Black Friday weekend, retailers really start cutting their fall clothes lines.

At retailers like Old Navy, American Eagle, Kohl's, Macy's, and Lands' End, we're talking about discounts of around 65% to 75%. On Black Friday, my wife and I often buy supplies for our three children. A size or two larger will be purchased and stored until the following autumn. Savings in the region of 75–80% off just make sense.

Plus, if you prefer to stay at home on Black Friday and sleep in, just shop on Cyber Monday when you’ll see the best online coupons of the year at online clothing and apparel retailers.

• Budget Laptops (Chromebooks)

Buy on Black Friday.

Last BF we saw quality budget laptops from Dell ($150 at Best Buy) and the 14″ Chromebook for under $100. Look for similar, or better, deals this year.

These systems usually come equipped with a 14″ or 15″ screen and a dual core processor and RAM in the 2-4 GB range.

If you’re not doing any serious gaming, video editing, or going to be running a bunch of programs at once, they will definitely suffice.

• Tablets

Buy on Black Friday.

Tablets from brands like Samsung, Microsoft, and Lenovo have been a major draw in recent years and the deals have been pretty amazing. This year look for the Samsung Galaxy 4 tablet to drop to below $80 on Black Friday (currently $149.99 at Best Buy.com).

Also, Amazon.com will be running big deals on their Kindle Fire tablet.

Black Friday is an excellent day to score a deal. Also, look for the iPad Air Pro to be $100 off at Best Buy.

• Apple Products (Except the Newest iPhone)

Only one day in the year 2020 saw the almost universal selling of Apple products.

Who can guess? It was Black Friday, indeed.

Despite being small, the reductions were nevertheless notable: $41 off the iPad Air and iPad 2, $21 off the iPod touch, $101 off the MacBook Air, $101 off the MacBook Pro with Retina display, and $101 off the well-known iMac. Just be sure to avoid buying anything from the Apple Store since you'll find greater bargains at Best Buy and Walmart.

To entice Black Friday buyers, expect both retailers to give sizable gift cards with an Apple purchase.

• Home/Kitchen Goods & Decor

Buy on Black Friday.

Deals are always abundant on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Great time to stock up if you’re not brand specific. You might not find a screaming deal on All Clad and Calphalon but cheaper brands will really have their prices slashed.

• Xbox One and PS4 Games

Buy on Black Friday.

According to many gaming websites the single best day to pick up a screaming deal on new and older games is on Black Friday weekend.

Look for new titles to drop by 20-30% and older titles to really be cleared out and sold for up to 75% off.

Also, if you are cool with pre-owned titles Gamestop will probably offer the same offer as last year of “Buy 2 used products, get 1 Free”.

Perhaps you’d rather avoid the Black Frenzy frenzy altogether.

If you can afford to wait you’ll save some significant money.

Hack# 4. MAKE THE MOST OF COUPONS AND DEALS.

A lot of stores offer coupons and discounts to Black Friday shoppers. Take advantage of these deals by researching beforehand for any coupons or promotional codes that might be available. This can help you save even more money on your purchases.

Stay in Bed and STILL Score a Deal

The few days following Black Friday is probably my favorite time to shop on eBay in order to grab a deal. The cause is clear yet frequently disregarded. Many "aspiring entrepreneurs" may wait hours or days in line to purchase one of the VERY few door-buster offers.

They will then attempt to make a quick profit by listing their booty on eBay in hopes of selling it quickly in an auction.

But those familiar with supply & demand realize the market gets a bit saturated and thus you can buy the item for just a fraction more than if you stood in line for hours.

This works best for small electronics, laptops, HDTVs, Blu-ray movies, external hard drives, flash drives, and smartphone accessories.

Hack# 5. SHOP ONLINE

Don’t feel like braving the crowds? You can still take advantage of Black Friday savings from the comfort of your own home. Many stores offer online deals that are even better than in-store sales, so be sure to check those out too!

Shop Online…Then Hit Up Live Chat

When shopping online the week of Black Friday, and all the way through Cyber Monday (November 28th), you’re bound to run into a situation where the price, or shipping charge, is a little higher than you were expecting.

It’s times like this where you’ll be happy you stumbled upon this article. Simply hit up the live chat feature that many online retailers employ and politely ask the operator for a coupon for free shipping or a percent off your purchase.

Hack# 6. DON’T GET TOO EXCITED. 

With all the great deals on Black Friday it can be tempting to go overboard and buy more than you need. Remember that the purpose of Black Friday is to save money, not spend it! Don’t get carried away by all the excitement and stick to your plan.

Hack# 7. SHOP EARLY

The best deals are always gone first, so make sure you get in line as early as possible. Most stores open early on Black Friday, so if you’re hoping to get your hands on a particular item be sure to get there early.

Early Bird Gets the Worm

By “early bird”, I’m not talking about being the first one through the doors on Thanksgiving or Black Friday. I’m talking about shopping on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Black Friday and scoring a deal.

In many cases, you can get the same deal you’d get by camping in a ridiculously long line on Thanksgiving or the Friday after.

For instance, I recently spoke with a devoted Home Depot shopper who told me that she makes some incredible bargains there shortly before every Black Friday.

She claimed that on Black Friday, "teasers" are placed in the aisles towards the front of the store, and that the year before, she managed to grab a Ryobi Drill set for $99 (normally $149) and a mini-fridge for $98 (usually $159).

Shop early and avoid the crowds to receive the same discount as Black Friday customers.

Hack# 8. BRING CASH

Some retailers offer additional discounts for customers who pay with cash instead of debit or credit cards. Ask the store ahead of time to find out if they have any special cash deals.

Hack# 9. SET A BUDGET.. 

To make sure you don’t overspend, set a budget for yourself before you shop. This will help keep your spending in check and will also allow you to prioritize which items are most important for you to buy first.

Hack# 10. DON’T FORGET THE RETURNS.

The last thing you want is to spend your hard-earned money on something that doesn’t fit the way you wanted it to or that isn’t quite right. Be sure to check the store’s return policy before buying anything, so that if you do need to make a return it will be as hassle-free as possible.

Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to get the most out of your Black Friday shopping experience. Happy hunting and Happy Shopping! We hope these tips have helped you find the best deals this Black Friday. Remember to stay focused, set a budget and stick to it, look for cash discounts, and don't forget the returns policy. With these tips in mind, you can look forward to an amazing Black Friday shopping experience. Have fun and happy savings! 

JACOBS & CO. REAL ESTATE, LLC.

12923 Fitzwater Dr. Nokesville, VA 20155 

(703) 594-3800 | jacobsandco.com