We all have those shops that evoke memories of our childhood and growing up. I remember JC Penney, Mervyn’s, Sears, and Montgomery Ward being where we would do our back to school shopping. Claire’s is where tweenage Yaya and her cousins would go buy their accessories. And Lowe’s is one of those shops that reminds me of my parents, and I think always will.
Sadly, some of the stores I mentioned are no longer part of our malls but that seems to be more and more normal nowadays with the rise of online shopping and the iffy economy. If you consider yourself to be financially prudent or a savvy shopper then Black Friday is more about getting good deals and buying what you need anyway than about just spending money on the run up to Christmas.
I’ve never been what you would call your “traditional” Black Friday shopper. I don’t like pushing through the crowds and fighting for the last TV or whatever the fad of the moment may be. But I do like being savvy and taking advantage of shopping for the things that I need when the sales are on.
Home improvement items, appliances, and tools tend to be some of the most expensive items to shop for. In this post I want to share with you my tips to make the most of Black Friday and get your money’s worth!
Shop out of season
I love shopping out of season. Unless I need to buy a new bathing suit, or shorts, in the height of summer I will wait until the mid-season and end of season clear out sales. It makes sense to do this with your clothes, so it makes even more sense to do this with your home improvement, appliances, and tools as these are big purchases.
I was checking out the Lowe’s Black Friday ad, for example, and there are a lot of things that are on sale that are out of season. I saw a really nice ceiling fan that is $99.98 down from $159.98!
Take Advantage of Seasonal Sales
By the same token, there are some seasonal sales that are worth taking advantage of. I don’t buy a lot of Christmas decorations annually but I do end up buying bits here and there to add to my collection. I find that you can never have enough strings of lights just in case. So if you’re looking for good quality items that will last you for years then take advantage of buying them during the seasonal sales, like Black Friday, and get your hands on better quality goods at a discount price.
Save for Big Ticket Items
Whether you’re looking for a new washing machine, or a new refrigerator I suggest buying these during the sales as you will save a lot of money. Yes, there are times when you are desperate to replace your refrigerator, for example, as it’s stopped working completely. But if you can hold off, then try and save your money to buy expensive house appliances during sales as you can save hundred, or even thousands of dollars!
Use Coupons!
The last, and best tip I want to share with you today has to do with taking advantage of even more savings by finding the best Black Friday coupons! I love taking advantage of any additional savings but being aware of what discounts are available in what store can be time consuming and not offer much sometimes. That’s why it’s good to use sites that give you the best offers and best Black Friday coupons all in one place.
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