Black Friday 2010: How to Avoid Impulse Buys

If you have been paying attention, you may have noticed that Black Friday keeps getting bigger and bigger each year. What started in the mid 70s after the New York Times came up with the phrase has truly become one of the biggest shopping days of the year. While saving money is a good thing, you want to make sure you don’t get swept up into marketing tactics used to make you buy items you don’t really need.Tips for Day After Thanksging ShoppingThese are some simple tips and advice that should help you for Black Friday 2010 and future years as well.Plan Ahead – The best thing you can do is gave a game plan before you leave the house. Know where you want to go and how long you have to spend at each location.
Want vs Need – In order to help plan ahead, one of the things you should do is separate up front what you actually need and what you want.
Be Aware – When shopping on Black Friday it is very important to be aware of marketing attempts that are everywhere. By looking for manipulation attempts, you can have a better chance of avoiding them.
Have Fun – One of the most important things to remember about Black Friday shopping is that it is supposed to be fun. If it’s not – you’re doing something wrong, no matter how much money you save.There are other things you should do, of course, but these should get you headed in the right direction when it comes to shopping on Black Friday.Black Friday Alternative – Cyber MondaySay hello to Cyber Monday – the shopping day for the rest of us – the ones who don’t like big crowds and public places. Online shopping has been growing since the Internet started, but over the last few years, Cyber Monday has be popular. It is the Monday after the day after Thanksgiving.In recent years there have been tragic accidents, with numerous people getting hurt by crowds rushing for deals the day after Thanksgiving. While Cyber Monday may not be in direct response to that aspect of Black Friday, it’s good that it’s around. For one thing, it allows people to enjoy their time off before going back to work on Monday.If you like to sleep – who doesn’t – then remember that shopping online is a great alternative – even to the few dollars you might save on Black Friday.