Tag Archives: Cyber Monday

How to Stay out of the Red on Black Friday

Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year. But there are different tricks you can use to keep from overspending.

Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year. But there are different tricks you can use to prevent overspending.

Most of us can’t resist a good sale. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving filled with massive sales from retailers nationwide, is still on the rise with its popularity.  Almost 250 million people visit stores on Black Friday, with another 130 million shopping online on Cyber Monday.

These big sale days are actually a great time to get holiday shopping done or at least started, but how do you resist the temptation to buy more than you should?

One word: BUDGET.

Here are a few savings strategies for those committed Black Friday shoppers this year:

  • Find savings before hitting the store- sit down with a newspaper, look at deals on the “official” Black Friday website or download the Black Friday app!
  • Compare ads- the first price you find for an item may not be the lowest, so be sure to peruse the ads for lower prices.
  • Make a specific list for each store- find what you want and buy ONLY those gifts. Map out your route based on store hours and locations.
  • Use cash- if you absolutely can’t resist the urge to overspend despite doing all the above strategies, use cash.  Figure out the total amount you want to spend, get that amount in cash, and leave your debit or credit card at home to avoid going over the limit. Don’t forget about the money deposited from your Christmas Club Savings account in October!

Many serious Black Friday shoppers have developed creative ways to save. Hopefully whichever strategy you use will help you to spend smarter and actually save money.

Most importantly, First Security State Bank wants you to stay safe this Black Friday. Drive carefully, park in well lit and populated areas and don’t leave purchased items in plain sight in your vehicle. We hope all goes well and look forward to seeing you soon in our Cedar Falls or Evansdale locations!