Black Friday… it’s coming! This Friday in fact, just a few days away. You’ve probably already been bombarded by ads on television, social media, email, and your mailbox. You name it, it’s out there. But you don’t have to let the promotions overwhelm you. Let’s talk about five important steps I recommend you take to so you can enjoy Black Friday success.
Turn Off, Tune Out
The first thing you could do is just go off the grid. Turn off or avoid checking your email for the next few days. However, a lot of companies are doing early Black Friday sales, so your inbox is probably already flooded. Turning off other social media apps as well might help you avoid all those ads trying to convince you that you need to buy this or that product.
Delete and Unsubscribe
If avoiding your email or other social media is not an option, there’s also the option to unsubscribe from a list or an app. Yes, you can just delete emails for promotions that don’t interest you. Furthermore, if a company is being overly aggressive about repeated messages, then it might be time to unsubscribe. If a company’s products or services don’t interest you, you’re free to unsubscribe from the list. You can always go back and find the company again if you’re interested in the future.
Set A Budget
Set your holiday shopping budget and stick to it. This might not sound very exciting and might not seem very festive, but it’s important not to overspend. There is always going to be more that you could buy. Whether your budget is big or small, whether you need a lot of little things or a few bigger purchases, you need a budget. When you reach the end of your budget for Black Friday, then it’s time to head home or get off the computer! If you see something you can’t pass up but didn’t include in your budget, check to see if you can redirect surplus funds from another category to cover it.
Make A List
Santa isn’t the only one that needs a list for Christmas–you do too. All these advertisements coming your way from e-mail and social media look really enticing. Yes, that promotion might be the best sale there has ever been, but if it’s not something you need, then it doesn’t matter. If you don’t need what they are selling, you can end up not getting what you do need and getting a pile of stuff that you don’t really need. That’s why it’s helpful to have a list to guide you.
Stopping The Shopping
When you exhaust your budget and check off your list, the final tip I have is to STOP. Don’t keep “looking.” Your job is done. Now it’s time to go home or log off the online shopping sites. Put your jammies on, grab some cocoa, and settle in to watch some of those holiday specials. Pack the kids in the car and drive around to see holiday lights. Now is the time to relax and enjoy whatever makes you happy (that isn’t shopping). You’ve achieved your goal.
Putting It Together
These tips all work together to reduce your stress and overwhelm. Avoiding, deleting, and unsubscribing from e-mail and social media means you aren’t going to be distracted by every shiny object you see in those ads. Looking at your budget and your list helps curb overspending and over-consuming. Stopping when your list and budget are complete helps you enjoy the season.
Black Friday sales can be a great time for getting good deals on items that rarely go on sale. If one of these promotions that you let through all your filters is offering something you need, then add it to the list and plan for it in your budget.
Don’t forget to stop when you’ve accomplished your goals. You don’t want to overspend or end up with stuff you won’t use. There is always going to be something more you could have or some product or service or thing you could sign up for. There are lots of great offers but ask yourself whether they are a great offer for YOU. You don’t want to be out money that you could have used for things that would be more meaningful to you just because you got distracted by a great sale.
Dealing with buyer’s remorse or a stack of boxes filled with items you have to return adds more stress to an already busy time of year. If we’re not careful, we can get sucked up in the buying frenzy, and the holiday shopping season can overwhelm us. I hope these five tips will help you create a plan for your shopping so that you can allow yourself the gift of enjoying the holiday season.
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