Black Friday Hacks To Get The Most For Your Money

Black Friday comes every year, and plenty of people are ready to get their hands on deals, but what about the ones that might be too good to be true? How are we meant to get the most for our money without buying things we could save more on throughout the rest of the year?

In 2022, global Black Friday sales grew by 3.5% to $65.3 billion. In fact, sales in the US alone increased 12% year over year. Thankfully, the best Black Friday hacks to get the most for your money could be all we need.

Follow your favorite stores to learn about deals

Before you even think about buying anything on Black Friday, you might want to make sure that you’re following your favorite stores on social media and sign up for any email subscriptions you can. Why? These can be where some of the best Black Friday deals can be found, as companies love to use free advertising.

In fact, nearly 12% of mobile Black Friday traffic came from social media in 2022, marking a 23% year-over-year increase. Even though social media only made up 3% of sales in 2022, it’s still a 24% year-over-year growth, with some companies offering earlier deals to their followers than those just using their sites or stores.

Check out online Black Friday deals as well as those in-store

Black Friday is one thing, but Cyber Monday is another place where we can earn some incredible deals over the weekend. Even then, plenty of companies offer incredible online deals on the Friday, making this a great place to go if you don’t want to battle through the crowds to get your hands on a deal.

Of course, you might want to factor in extra time for your online shopping, as the average Black Friday sees online traffic increase by 1.5x than a regular day. In fact, the first week of November 2022 saw 47% more online traffic, but it can be worth it for those wanting to beat the crowds.

Get to stores early if you have something particular in mind

If you’re someone who’s already used to staying up late, you might want to use that to your advantage when it comes to Black Friday. Plenty of stores open at midnight, meaning shoppers can be greeted with everything in stock before the rest of the rush makes their way to the store. This can have huge benefits.

After all, if you have something particular in mind, you could find that it’s already sold out by the time you get to the store if you plan on heading later in the day. Be sure to check if something has limited stock or if it’s limited edition before heading out, and you should find just what you’re looking for.

Have your Black Friday purchase delivered to the store or a safe location

Not everyone is ready to battle their way through a store to get their hands on a Black Friday deal. However, there are ways that we can save on shipping costs without having to head to the store. After all, there have been over 100 reported injuries since 2–6 when it comes to Black Friday crowds, so why risk it?

All you need to do is order what you want online and simply choose to pick it up in-store or from a safe location. Plenty of companies offer lockers where they’ll deliver your items and keep them locked away until you’re ready to collect them. Of course, this isn’t available everywhere, but it can save a lot of stress.

Create a wishlist of things you want in the sale

Before you even think about heading to the Black Friday sales, think about what you really want to get. Oftentimes, we can see things we like only to never be able to find them again. Instead of risking forgetting about something when the day rolls around, make a note of everything you want to buy ahead of time.

If you want to take things one step further, break this list down into the things you absolutely want to get and the items that would be nice to find but aren’t a necessity. After all, if you plan on heading to the stores, you might find that things start to disappear quicker than you can find them.

Make a budget for yourself, and be sure not to go over it

Knowing what you want in a Black Friday sale is one thing, but making sure you don’t overspend is another. One of the best ways to ensure you don’t go over the top is to set a budget for yourself and be strict when it comes to your spending. After all, it can be easy to get carried away.

In 2022, spending was up 8%, with the average consumer spending $325.44 on holiday-related purchases throughout Cyber Week. Cyber Monday was also the day that saw people spend the most, with people averagely spending $218 on the day compared to $205 on Black Friday in 2022, so be sure to set aside enough to cover everything you want.

Check to see if the Black Friday deal is actually a deal

It can be easy to assume that Black Friday sales are the best deals you’re going to get all year long. The issue? A lot of the time, those deals might be too good to be true. Which? conducted an investigation and found that only 1% of products price-checked on Black Friday were at their cheapest.

The rest? They had all been offered at lower prices in the six-month build-up to Black Friday. Sometimes, retailers will massively up the prices to make it seem as though they’ve been hugely reduced when it comes to Black Friday. Be sure to check big-ticket items in the build-up to the sales to ensure you really are getting a deal.

Try using Costco if you plan on using Black Friday to buy toys

When people think about getting toys in Black Friday sales in preparation for the holidays, they might think about heading to the likes of Target, Walmart, or Amazon. However, you might want to add Costco to your list if you want to get the most for your money. That’s because they often have name brands at huge discounts.

In fact, in some cases, toys can cost between 15% and 40% less at Costco than at Amazon. If the past is anything to go by, there could be even more savings this year, too. After all, the average discount on toys in 2021 was 19%, a number that jumped all the way up to 34% by 2022.

Avoid online lines by bookmarking specific items you want to buy

Although some still love the thrill of heading to the stores on Black Friday, plenty of people would now rather do their shopping online instead. In fact, an average day in October 2022 saw 22 million online shoppers, while Black Friday saw that number jump to 66 million. Even then, 6% of traffic was down to bots.

How are you meant to avoid the lines? Plenty of websites have virtual lines to ensure their site doesn’t get overwhelmed and crash. However, if you plan ahead and bookmark specific items you want from each site, you might find you’re able to bypass the line on the homepage and go straight to the item you want.

Take time to research other deals before making a purchase

Black Friday shopping isn’t all about getting somewhere as quickly as you can and buying everything in sight. Sure, there are plenty of ways that planning ahead can really help the day, but impulse purchases might not be the best idea if you want to get the most for your money. Sometimes, it’s all about doing some research.

Start by finding the item you want to buy. Then, use a price comparison site, such as Google Shopping, to see if you can find it cheaper anywhere else. Here, you can organize things by price but pay close attention to any new customer deals that could offer further discounts just by using a particular store.

Learn to be patient when it comes to Black Friday deals

It can be tempting to buy those items in the Black Friday deals as soon as you see it because it seems great and you don’t want to miss out. However, it can really pay to be patient when it comes to this time of year. After all, Black Friday is no longer just one big sale day each year.

Plenty of stores now have Black Friday deals that stretch multiple days, and even if they don’t, Cyber Monday is just around the corner. Oftentimes, there can be even better deals to be found by just waiting for Cyber Monday to come. Of course, this does come with the risk you won’t get a bargain, but it can pay off.

Pay attention to marketing tricks to get you to make purchases

If there’s one thing retailers want to do, it’s bring in as much money throughout the holiday season as possible. That’s why plenty will use trucks, such as telling you there’s only a certain number of items left or that it’s been selling fast. This isn’t just limited to online sales; sometimes stores have signs advertising limited stock.

This can lead plenty of people to buy things merely because they think it’s now or never. Many get that feeling of missing out and will part with their money just to be a part of the bargain, but don’t be fooled. While this can be true, there are other times when it’s merely a retailer trying to scare buyers.

Use Google Alerts to ensure you don’t miss an online deal

Google can really be your best friend when it comes to getting the best Black Friday deal. If you have something in mind that you want to get in the sales, why not use Google Alerts to let you know when big deals hit the internet? All you need to do is set up Google Alerts to get started.

From there, type in keywords related to what you want to purchase, such as “Black Friday laptop deals” if you have a new computer in mind. Then, as soon as reports related to that topic hit the internet, you will get an alert and can be the first on the scene to get your hands on a bargain.

Read the latest reviews before buying to see if there’s a reason it’s on sale

Black Friday can be a great money-making opportunity for retailers. After all, mobile shopping is becoming more and more popular, with 47% of consumers in the US using their cell phones to make holiday purchases in 2022, a number up from 43% the year before. How are you meant to know if an item is worth it?

This can be tough when shopping online as you can’t see the item before you hit add to cart. However, you can cover yourself a little by reading the reviews. Is that camera reduced by 70% because it’s a great deal or because it’s been selling poorly, and the store wants to get rid of any leftover stock?

Cashback websites can earn even more Black Friday savings

Plenty of us have probably seen the commercials by now. You know, the ones that promise to give us money back every time we shop online? They can often seem like they’re too good to be true, and sometimes, that is the case. After all, some require us to pay a monthly fee or spend a certain amount each month.

If you don’t shop online that much, this might end up costing more. However, the ones that offer cash back or vouchers for specific stores that you use all the time can offer some big savings. If you plan on doing all of your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping online, this could have some huge benefits.

Create a game plan before heading to the store on Black Friday

If you plan on heading to physical stores for your Black Friday shop, be sure to go in with a game plan if you want to make it out the other side without spending too much money. Of course, everything inside will be designed to make you spend as much money as possible - not great if you’re on a budget.

That’s why thinking about what you want - and the things you don’t need - is vital before you head to the store. It’s not just gifts and big-ticket items that can save you a lot of money; several stores also offer deals on grocery staples. Just be sure to know if you need something before spending money unnecessarily.

Consider how much use you’ll get from something before purchasing it

The temptation to buy something just because it’s cheaper than other times can be a huge downfall to those looking to stick to a budget. The question is: do you need something in your life, or are you only interested because it’s more affordable now? While an occasional treat can be great, they can be costly, too.

Before buying anything in the Black Friday sales, ask yourself how much use you will get out of something, if you have the space to keep it at home, and if you still think you’ll enjoy the purchase this time next year. If you answer no to any of those internal questions, you might want to reconsider things.

Team up with friends and family members to make the most of Black Friday

If some of us could be in five places at once, we would. However, that’s just not possible and can lead many of us to feel overwhelmed and stressed by Black Friday. Just because we can’t split ourselves into multiple places doesn’t necessarily mean we have to wait in several lines throughout Black Friday. Instead, it’s about recruiting help.

If your friends and family also want to go shopping during the Black Friday sales, why not create a list and send everyone to different stores to be as efficient as possible? This way, one person can get what everyone wants from one store while the others do the same at other locations. Sometimes, work smarter, not harder.

Make use of new customer discounts on top of Black Friday sales

Different stores have different ways of enticing customers in. Some rely on return customers in the hopes that people will be back time and time again once they have established a good reputation. However, others want to bring in new customers, particularly around the busiest times of the year for shopping. This can be a huge benefit to some.

If you’ve never shopped at a store that relies on the latter, you might find them have introductory offers for new customers. This can be things like free shipping or a certain percentage off your first purchase. The best bit? These can sometimes also be used with other Black Friday deals, meaning even more savings for you.

Use a price tracker to keep track of any Black Friday deals

Price trackers can come in helpful throughout the year when you want to make a purchase. However, they can be even more useful at certain times of the year, such as around Black Friday. Not only can you see when prices start to drop, but you can often look back at previous sale prices, too.

Not all Black Friday deals are equal, meaning something could have been cheaper at other times of the year. In fact, the price tracking website Alertr claims that deals are better two weeks before Black Friday than on the day itself. Instead, many stores raise the prices then lower them again to make savings seem better and get more sales.

Double-check every website before making any purchases

Plenty of stores now offer price matching, meaning they will match a lower price if you find items cheaper somewhere else. This can be incredibly helpful when looking for big purchases, but you want to get something from a certain store. All you need to do is a little bit of research before you part with your money.

Take some time to shop around and see how much something costs across the rest of the internet before heading into a store to make your purchase. If you find it cheaper elsewhere, either take advantage of that discount and buy your item from there instead or take proof and see if you can get something price-matched.

Unsubscribe from emails if you know you’ll be tempted by Black Friday deals

Trying to save money around the holidays can almost feel like you're fighting a losing battle, especially if you’re someone who is known to be tempted by all those offers flooding your email inbox. If that sounds familiar, it could be time to take some action before you find yourself sucked into the Black Friday sales.

Take time to go through your emails and unsubscribe from newsletters that you know will send you Black Friday deals. This way, you won’t know about them and won’t be tempted to see if there’s anything you want to buy. It takes some self-control, but unsubscribing ahead of time really can go a long way toward saving money.

Create a dedicated shopping email address if you will forget to unsubscribe

If you want to know about Black Friday deals and can’t bring yourself to unsubscribe from all those email newsletters, why not have a separate email account just for shopping? Having multiple email addresses can already have huge benefits, as you can separate important emails from marketing ones, but this can also save you a lot of money.

After all, you now have to log into a certain email address to see Black Friday emails you might have missed instead of seeing them straight away when you check up on the rest of your inbox. Plus, you should find your inbox is a lot cleaner than before, which can really help the feeling of being overwhelmed.

Use known publications to find deals you might otherwise miss

Stores aren’t the only way we can learn about the best Black Friday deals on offer. Most of the time, trusted publications have long lists containing everything we might have missed - and the best of the best without us having to do any of the work. Take a look at publications you trust ahead of Black Friday.

Then, simply head to those sites when the time comes to see a roundup of the best deals on offer. Places like CNET, Huffington Post, and People magazine usually have extensive lists of various discounts, such as electronics, home goods, or anything else you could imagine. The best bit? You shouldn’t be tempted by everything else on sale.

Keep an eye out for extra discount codes

Black Friday deals might not be the only way we can save money on the day. Oftentimes, websites use other deals throughout the year, and these might just apply to the huge savings we can often find on the day. Just be sure that you can use vouchers and savings codes on already discounted items before getting your hopes up.

Banners across the top of the page are a great place to start looking, as these might have discount codes just waiting to be enjoyed. Then, there are various coupon sites that have all kinds of offers that can be used on a host of websites. Whatever the case, it can lead to some pretty incredible extra savings.

Look for staple items to create savings further down the line

It can be easy to think that Black Friday is all about getting your holiday gifts in order and buying the big-ticket items you’ve been waiting to enjoy throughout the rest of the year. However, they’re usually not the only things on sale for the day. After all, plenty of grocery stores offer their own Black Friday deals.

This can be a great time to stock up on staple items, especially non-perishable items, that you can buy in bulk and enjoy throughout the year. Of course, you need to have the room to store everything and might need to spend more at once, but the savings you can enjoy for the months to come can be huge.

Avoid buying certain items in Black Friday sales

Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to buy it. After all, some items might not offer the longevity we want from a Black Friday sale. Things like TVs tend to be unknown brands that come with questionable specs and lack quality. Holiday toys can also be a risk in terms of savings.

After all, they are usually priced much lower around ten days before Christmas. Fitness equipment is another to add to the list, as many retailers use the idea of New Year’s resolutions to offer bigger discounts than Black Friday. Then, there are power tools that usually see the biggest discounts in the build-up to Father’s Day.

Check local stores to see if they’re offering better Black Friday deals

Big-name stores can seem like the places to be when it comes to Black Friday sales. After all, these are usually the places offering the biggest discounts - or are they? After all, they typically have access to millions of dollars to spend on advertising to ensure they get as many people through the doors as possible.

However, we could be overlooking some huge deals at our local stores that might not have as much of a budget to advertise their sales. If there is something you have in mind and know there’s a local store that could stock what you need, why not call ahead and ask if they plan on holding any Black Friday sales?

Know your sizes and use this to your advantage

There’s often nothing worse than scrolling through everything on a site only to find the perfect item - that’s not in your size. That’s why it pays to plan ahead. Take a look at your other clothes and shoes from certain brands and see which sizes work. If you’re worried, it could be time to take some measurements.

This can be particularly helpful if you’ve never bought anything from a certain brand, as you can use their online size charts ahead of time to figure out your perfect size. From there, you can usually filter by size on websites, meaning you can look at everything available instead of scrolling until you’re lucky enough to find the right thing.

Make sure your online accounts before Black Friday rolls around

Believe it or not, but online retail traffic declined in 2022, dropping 7% year over year. Still, millions of people head online to avoid having to head out for Black Friday sales. This can lead to busy websites and slow loading times as you try to put in all your information - only for things to go out of stock.

Instead of waiting things out, why not create your accounts ahead of time? All you need to do is think about where you want to make your purchases and sign up with your email address, shipping information, and payment info. Now, once you know what you want on Black Friday, you should be a few clicks away from checking out.

Take notes when shopping for future Black Friday sales

We live in a world where it can often feel like we have to buy something now or we will miss out forever. While some have learned how to control that feeling, others are still getting there. Taking notes about how to tackle Black Friday for years to come might sound like a waste, but it can have huge benefits.

After all, we can see when stores start to advertise their Black Friday savings, how busy stores get, the things we did wrong, and how easy it was to stick to a budget. With all of this in mind, it can make Black Friday shopping next year a lot more straightforward. After all, you’ll be even more prepared.

Create an online shopping cart, but don't check out

Sometimes, we need to trick the retailers - something they seem to be so good at doing when it comes to their customers. One thing plenty of people don't know is that many stores will actually offer you a discount if you plan on buying something but never make it to the checkout process. Plus, it's super simple.

While it doesn't always work, sometimes making an online cart of all the things you want before shutting your browser can lead to discount codes. Just be sure you have an account with the site, you're logged in so they know where to send the code, and check back every now and then to see if it worked.

Read the fine print before buying anything

If there’s one thing many of us have learned, it’s that the small print can be the place companies hide all kinds of terms and conditions that we have no idea about. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you read everything if you plan on spending a lot of money on something on Black Friday.

This could be that a price is only available for a certain amount of time, they don’t offer a warranty on certain goods, or that you won’t be able to exchange Black Friday purchases for a refund. Whatever the case, you could save yourself a lot of trouble by merely reading the fine print before making any purchases.

Have something to eat before you head to the store

Have you ever heard that you should have something to eat before you go grocery shopping? The idea is you will be more likely to spend more money if you shop hungry as you won’t have as much restraint when it comes to all those snacks and delicious-looking meals. It turns out the same goes for any shopping.

Science Daily claims that a study in rats proved they were more likely to make less rewarding and more impulsive decisions if they were hungry than if they had something to eat. It appears the same can be applied to the way we shop, with people more likely to spend more in the sales if they forget their snacks.

Ask for a gift receipt with each Black Friday gift purchase

One thing plenty of people have in common is using Black Friday sales as a way to do all of their holiday gift shopping. After all, it can be a great way to get it all done at once while - hopefully - saving some money along the way. However, you might want to be sure to get a gift receipt.

Why? There’s a chance someone might need to exchange an item, and having all of your purchases lumped together in one receipt can be a real pain if that’s the case. This makes returns and exchanges a lot easier than before and means all that waiting in line wasn’t wasted when someone can’t exchange their gift.

Check the returns policies for big-ticket purchases

It can be easy to get caught up in the thrill of shopping, with plenty of us feeling buyer’s remorse. After all, 13% of all purchases throughout the holiday season were retired in 2022. That comes to around 1.39 billion returns, marking a 63% year-over-year increase from 2021, but there can be ways to help.

The best thing to do is check the returns policy before making any large purchases. After all, spending hundreds on a big-ticket item only to find you can only get store credit might hit a little harder once the thrill of buying it in the first place has worn off. The same goes for anything you plan on gifting others.

Use live chat when shopping online to see if you can get more deals

Cyber Monday is a great way to make use of Black Friday deals without having to leave your house. Now, it seems that using the internet could also give us access to a host more discounts that we wouldn’t get to enjoy if we headed to a physical store. The answer is simple, too: the live chat function.

Sure, this Black Friday hack doesn’t always work, but there’s a chance you could land yourself an extra discount just by asking. All you need to do is click on the chat feature and politely ask if they have any extra discount codes or free shipping coupons you can use. After all, you’ll never know if you don’t ask, right?

Keep an eye on shipping costs if you buy anything online

Black Friday isn’t the only way to get your hands on some deals at the end of the year. Cyber Monday can be a great way to take advantage of those online-only stores or deals that you might not get in physical stores. However, there‘s another issue that comes when we shop online: shipping fees.

Sometimes, these can feel even more expensive than the things we’re buying, especially if it’s something large. If the shipping cost seems extreme for what you’re ordering, it could be time to look at another retailer to see if they offer cheaper rates. Sometimes, getting free shipping is merely a case of spending over a certain amount.

Check that you’re buying from national companies - not international ones

Black Friday started as something reserved for the US, but it quickly spread across the world, with many nations now offering huge discounts on certain items. While this can be great for others, it can be dangerous when it comes to spending an unexpected amount. To be safe, try to see where you’re buying from.

After all, international shipping fees can quickly rack up if you’re not careful, but that’s not all. There’s also a chance you could face some huge bills to pay at border control, meaning those sale items don’t work out so cheap after all. Unless it’s something you can only buy abroad, using national sellers might be safer.

Use a credit card to ensure you’re extra covered with purchases

There are times when using a credit card can be a great way to work toward a positive credit score. Of course, this is only if we use it wisely and always make our repayments to show future lenders we are responsible with money. However, using a credit card during Black Friday could come with even more benefits.

Getting a credit card with a 0% interest rate means you don’t have to pay the cost of all your purchases at once. Then there’s the fact credit cards usually offer protection over purchases. If you accidentally find yourself on the wrong end of a Black Friday scam, your bank might be able to help a little easier.