I know it’s hard to think about, but if we’re gonna be honest… Black Friday is a tad under a month away. And if you want to have a successful Black Friday, it’s time to start getting prepared. Don’t worry. You don’t have to have tons of money, but you do have to get prepared. If you haven’t read it yet, check out this post I posted a few months back where I shared how to start saving up your coins to prepare for the Holidays.
If you haven’t been able to really add to your savings. That’s okay. You still have time. But it’s time to be aggressive. Here’s just a few suggestions:
1. If you’re like me and couponing has become your least favorite chore, then suck it up and put forth the effort again. You know it’s worth it, so just do it. {talking more to myself here!}
2. Take your lunch to work. So much money is wasted on eating out. If you must eat out, then use coupons to get the best deal. But if you can make it work with some basics, not only will you save money in food but you will also save some money in gas.
3. Meal Plan. So you didn’t thaw out the meat and you don’t know what you’re gonna whip up for dinner. Grocery shopping at 5:30 pm isn’t a great idea. Neither is pulling into the drive-thru and spending upwards of $15 for non-filling food, and that’s if you have a small family or small kids. Idk about you, but my kids are starting to need more food than your standard kids meal can provide.
4. No more movies until after the holidays. No more extra-curricular activities. Cutting down on your entertainment expenses can really add up to money saved up.
The bottom line is that every cent counts. These are just a few suggestions, depending on your lifestyle, I’m sure you can find a variety of ways to save up some coins so that you can provide a nice holiday for you and yours.
Now that you’ve found some areas to save your coins, there are some other ways to get prepared for Black Friday.
Make a list, or two or three. You’ll be checking it more than twice J Any reason to buy a notebook works for me! But now’s the time to make your lists for who you’re shopping for and what you’re getting. You can’t go into Black Friday winging it. Nope. You need your lists, and back up lists. Unless your phone has a great battery life, I suggest writing your list on paper and keeping it on your body.
Make your budget. Now’s the time to look at what you already have to work with, project how much you will bring in within the coming weeks, and decide what are your must haves and what can wait until after Black Friday. If it has come down to it, and you have the credit and can afford it, then yes, look at your current lines of credit as well. For many people, Black Friday isn’t just a time to get wants and gifts, it’s also a time to buy items for the home. Items like kitchenware, bedding, and appliances. For some it’s time to stock up on kids clothes. If you’re expecting a baby or one in the family then it’s a time to buy for those needs at the lowest prices of the year. For some it’s a time to get great items to donate to those in need. I say all of that to say, make your budget and be honest with yourself and your finances.
Make your game plan. Follow my Black Friday Series to get ad breakdowns for the most popular stores. I’m here to share the deals. Upon finding what stores have what are on your lists, determine where you’re going and when and with whom. If you can get a group together that’s great. The buddy system is ideal. Last year I did go out by myself, but I only went to one store and the security level and well-lit parking lot made me feel safe.
These are just a few of the ideas I’ve come up with in getting prepared for Black Friday. You have a few weeks to prepare. Black Friday is fun, thrilling and awesome as long as you’re prepared. If you’re not prepared, it can be one of your worst experiences ever. Be sure to subscribe to my posts so you don’t miss out on the BlackFriday Series. Starting pretty much immediately because there are already a few leaks coming out! I’m excited!!!
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