Black Friday & Cyber Monday Tips & Deals
Now that we’re all full of turkey and have spent an entire day with the family, we are ready to get in the holiday spirit by getting some great deals. But, not so fast! To really get the most out of this epic shopping weekend you’ll need to follow my sage advice below. And, I threw in some special deals at the bottom for you too. Get your shopping finished early so that you can enjoy the holidays for what they truly are…a time to celebrate friends and family.
My cardinal rule for navigating the biggest shopping weekend of the year: “Remember that a great deal isn’t always a great gift.”
Black Friday Tips:
- Remember that a great deal isn’t always a great gift. Make sure that you also have a list of who you are shopping for, a budget for each person, and some clues to help you find the perfect gifts. I like to put a few adjectives that describe the person I’m shopping for on my list, and maybe a category of product or favorite store of theirs to help me stay focused while being tempted by sales. Giving a thoughtful gift is always better than getting a great deal. But, if you play your cards right on Cyber Monday & Black Friday, you can do both!
- Save your receipts, I like to bring a zipper pouch or use a wallet with a separate zippered section where I can store my gift receipts. You don’t want to lose those or your giftee could be in trouble if they want to return something.
- If the item has a rebate option, make sure to save original packaging so that you can send in the UPC. But, don’t send it in too soon! You have to make sure that the giftee likes the present because you could end up having to return it anyway.
- Get to the Outlet malls early if you plan to tackle them. They tend to be extremely crowded and parking can be terrible. I suggest carpooling with someone and using a big car so that you can share a parking space and still get your loot home.
- Check local newspapers for deals and map out your plan of attack based on what time stores open & who has the best deals.
- Check online for coupons, free shipping, and other deals while you’re out at the stores. Sometimes it’s cheaper and easier to buy the gift, have it wrapped, and delivered to the giftee without having to do any lugging at all. You still get the luxury of checking out the product in person before purchasing too!
- Search for ‘online only’ specials so you don’t have to leave the house, use up gas, or get frustrated by crowds.
Navigating Cyber Monday:
- Make sure that you also have a list of who you are shopping for, a budget for each person, and some clues to help you find the perfect gifts. I like to put a few adjectives that describe the person I’m shopping for on my list, and maybe a category of product or favorite store of theirs to help me stay focused while being tempted by sales. Giving a thoughtful gift is always better than getting a great deal. But, if you play your cards right on Cyber Monday & Black Friday, you can do both!
- Look for coupon codes at your favorite stores prior to shopping so that you can best stretch your dollars. Keep the list next to you while you shop online and plug in the codes as needed. If you see something you like at one store, but have a code at another, double check to see if that other shop sells it too.
- Pay for gift wrapping (usually it’s free during the holidays). The added cost of having something shipped to you so that you can wrap it and ship it elsewhere just doesn’t add up. Paying for gift wrapping still ends up being a smarter spend.
- Create a “holiday gift receipts” folder in your inbox where you can file your receipts in case anyone would like to return their gift.
- Be sure of the site you are purchasing from to make sure it is safe to pass along your cc information. An easy way to tell if a site is secure is to look at the URL it should always begin with https:// the “s” makes it secure. If it just says http:// then your information is not secure and you should think twice about buying from this store online.
- Check for free shipping options! Cyber Monday and Black Friday are the perfect time to take advantage of free shipping. Lots of retailers offer free shipping to encourage early shopping and to avoid the last minute shipping crunch. Take advantage!
Black Friday Deals:
Sears – “Shop Your Way” members get early, exclusive access to shop Thanksgiving, Black Friday Doorbusters
Kmart – Doorbusters started at 8pm on Thanksgiving
Walmart – Started sales at 8pm on Thanksgiving.
Target – Online “price match” policy to match online prices in stores and they are promoting their “Lowest Prices Ever” deal
Eddie Bauer – 30% off of everything, plus free shipping off of orders for $49 or more * exclusions apply
Cyber Monday Deals:
Reebok – 40% off sitewide with some exclusions on Cyber Monday
Eddie Bauer – 30% off everything plus free shipping on all orders
Sharper Image – Free Shipping and 20% Cash Back on Orders Over $99!
Petitie Lemon – 25% off site wide for 24 hrs beginning at 12am PT on Monday, Nov 26
Cloud9Living – CyberMonday 20% off all Gift Certificates
80s Tees – Free economy shipping on orders over $75
Wine.com – Free Shipping on all orders all season with Wine.com’s Steward-Ship 30 day Free Trial
TastingRoom.com – Buy 3 Get 3 50% Off
CafePress – $12 custom iPad Cases & $34 custom Photo Canvas
SpaFinder – Customers can get up to $150 in a free gift card
Bold Loft – You’re Irresistible Pillowcases MSRP $36.00 Sale $24.95
iRobot – Free Shipping on All Orders
Landsend.com – 30% off entire store and offering doorbuster deals
GelaSkins – 20% off everything site wide
*sale image from The Real Estate Coconut
Online “Black Friday” Deals
Just Another Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday Discount Round-Up!
