Skip to site content
The Show

Black Friday 2011

It’s that time of year again…Black Friday is just around the corner, and the Money-Guy is here to make sure you have everything you need to get the best deals this holiday season.

A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that Black Friday will be creeping into Thanksgiving Thursday in 2011.  Apparently, many big store chains, including Target, Macy’s, Kohl’s, and Best Buy, are planning to open at midnight after Thanksgiving this year in hopes of getting a jump on the competition.

It seems that every year, retailers go to higher extremes to compete for shoppers’ cash.  All the while, most of us hate crawling out of bed at 4 a.m. (or now, midnight) to fight in line for the hottest new item.  The tips we cover in today’s show reveal how to handle the Black Friday deals without giving in to the mania.

The November 2011 edition of Money Adviser includes some great advice for surviving Black Friday:

  • The deals won’t disappear:  While the weekend following Thanksgiving is considered prime shopping time, many of the deals continue throughout the holiday season.  Be careful, though.  Many retailers hike their prices up immediately after Christmas in anticipation of shoppers using gift cards.  If you receive a gift card as a present, you should wait until prices fall back to normal to use them.
  • Is it worth breaking down the door?  The best door-buster items are typically limited.  If you decide to take your shot for the half-off computer, be prepared to wait in long lines and brace yourself for disappointment.
  • Sniff out appealing specials in advance:  There are many websites you can use as a resource for Black Friday specials.  Fatwallet, Gottadeal, TheBlackFriday, Bizrate, and Nextag are all mentioned in the Consumer Reports article.  We also recommend RetailMeNot, Pricegrabber and the TGI Black Friday App.
  • Sign up for e-mail alerts:  Many stores offer special sales and coupons if you sign up for their newsletters.  If you hate receiving loads of e-mail, though, use the apps and websites to directly search for your deals.
  • Look for a price guarantee:  Some retailers offer a refund if you buy an item that goes on sale right after you purchase it.  In addition, many will offer a price match if you find an item for a lower price elsewhere.
  • Check return policies:  Make sure you know the return policy, especially since many DVDs, video games, etc. can not be returned if the seal is broken.  Some retailers require that you have the receipt for returns, while others will only offer store credit.

A few other tips from the Money-Guys:

  • Utilize UPromise to do your holiday shopping and save money for college at the same time.
  • Pay with your rewards credit cards in order to get some money back.
  • Check for warranty packages offered as an added bonus through your credit card.
  • Before you go shopping, make a list and try to stick to it.

As you can see, it is possible to take advantage of holiday deals from the comfort of your own home.  We would love to hear any Black Friday shopping tips that you guys have.  Feel free to share them below or on our Facebook page!

Enjoy the Show?

Where You Can Watch and Listen:

Subscribe on these platforms or wherever you listen to podcasts for new episodes every Friday, live streams every Tuesday at 10am CT, and new highlight clips throughout the week.

Related Content

Free Resources

Financial Order of Operations®: Maximize Your Army of Dollar Bills!

Here are the 9 steps you’ve been waiting for Building wealth is simple when you know what to do and…

View Resource

Tax Guide 2024

Updated for 2024! Ever wonder what the highly trained professionals use to tax plan? Wonder no more! We’ve assembled the…

View Resource

Got An Old 401(k)?

Deciding what to do with your old 401(k) can be a pain. We're here to make it easy.

View Resource

Articles

Is a High Yield Savings Account Still the Best Place to Keep an Emergency Fund?

, ,

Read More

Are We Financial Misers for Investing 60% of Income in Your Mid-20s?

, ,

Read More

Why Are Credit Card Interest Rates So High?

, ,

Read More

Financial FAQs

Courses & Tools

How about more sense and more money?

Check for blindspots and shift into the financial fast-lane. Join a community of like minded Financial Mutants as we accelerate our wealth building process and have fun while doing it.

https://moneyguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/accent-icon-book.png

Millionaire Mission (Brian’s Book)

Buy Now
https://moneyguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/accent-icon-math.png

Know Your Number Course

Buy Now
https://moneyguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/accent-icon-pencil.png

The Money Guy Net Worth Tool

Buy Now

Recent Episodes

It's like finding some change in the couch cushions.

Watch or listen every week to learn and apply financial strategies to grow your wealth and live your best life.

1M by age

Retiring With $1,000,000 By Age

Watch Now
ASK 12.3 IncomeSlashed 1

I’m Losing 50% of My Income – What Now??

Watch Now
homeownership

Is Home Ownership The Best Path To Wealth?

Watch Now