Black Friday Guide

Buy what you need

There is a lot of stuff on ‘sale’ for Black Friday, but contrary to my Great Aunt’s beliefs, you aren’t saving money just because something is on sale. Get some Christmas gift shopping done, find a good deal on something you’ve been needing, but don’t get sucked into a sweet deal that you won’t use.

Factor in your time

Missing Thanksgiving dinner to be first in line at Walmart to save an extra $50 on that TV is probably not the best use of your time (or family relations). Even if you’re not camping out, the traffic and crowds can be quite a mess on Friday morning. Now I love a good crowd and the excitement of a busy store, but it’s still exhausting. There’s plenty of deals online that will probably work out just as well over time. If you have other plans Friday, there’s plenty of deals all weekend long, through Cyber Monday.

Do some research

This is really Dave’s specialty, but I do a lot before I make a purchase as well. The big Black Friday ‘deals’ aren’t always what they are cracked up to be. It might be an older or lesser model than you want or they only have one or two and you will end up being frustrated because you didn’t get what you wanted. There are some great websites that pay people to spend a lot of time looking at and tracking these deals, here’s a few we like:

• Wirecutter.com – One of the most thorough and well-respected review sites
• Clark.com – We learn a lot from Clark Howard and his team, they have a ton of Black Friday resources
• Thrifter.com – another site that spends a lot of time looking at all the deals
• Amazon.com – duh, they have some great deals and we do most of our shopping there. Plus you don’t have to leave your house.

Do some good

Don’t forget about those less fortunate than you and Giving Tuesday. Either skip one of those deals you don’t really need or use some of that money to support a cause. Maybe skip the shopping altogether and volunteer your time.

Enjoy yourself

Most of us have a long weekend and plans with family and friends. Evaluate how much you will enjoy the experience, some live for it, some loathe it. Whatever you do, make the decision that’s right for you, and those around you. It’s not worth putting a lot of stress on yourself.

No matter what you’re doing, load up a few episodes of the podcast to have a laugh and learn how to tech better.