Black Friday is mere days away, a time of year when people reach into the depths of their pockets and farthest corners of their wallets. With so much money being spent, it can be difficult to come out of it with personal finances still intact. Especially when Black Friday is no longer Black “Friday.”
“Black Friday originally started as a single day and now it seems like it’s a week or a month, and the deals seem to come sooner and sooner,” the Better Business Bureau’s Josh Planos told KLIN News. “Unfortunately, a lot of the times, folks enter into this marquee shopping moment on the calendar without any sort of plan.”
To help with planning, the Better Business Bureau has released a list of tips to help shoppers stay out of the red this Christmas season:
- Know your budget, make a plan, stick with it: Acknowledge your financial situation before Black Friday and consider all your expenses, such as travel, charity, parties, and decorating. Come up with a figure you can spend on gifts and don’t veery away from it. Have a budget and stick to it.
- Take advantage of flyers and promotions: Be mindful of any small print you see on sales vouchers and coupons
- Look up and validate Black Friday sales: Scammers are especially active right now. See what others have to say about various stores and websites.
- Read product reviews on extremely discounted items: There may be a very good reason why this price seems too good to be true.
- Ask about price-matching: It’s a growing trend among retailers. See if any policies exist and if they match prices during Black Friday.
- Know the return policies: Can you give products back? Can you get money back or is it store credit only? Don’t be afraid to ask an employee if it isn’t clear.
- Always get a receipt: Save it in case the recipient needs it.
- Look up a store’s Better Business Bureau review to view their marketplace history.