Black Friday Strategy: How to Actually Save Money (Not Overspend)

The Black Friday Trap (How Retailers Play You)

Understanding the psychology:

Tactic 1: Fake discounts

How it works:

• September: Blender costs $80
• October: Quietly raise price to $120
• Black Friday: "50% OFF! Was $120, now $60!"
• Reality: You're paying $60 for $80 item (you "saved" nothing, lost $20)

Legal? Yes, in most states (no laws against raising prices before sales)

Examples:

• Amazon changes prices constantly (inflates before Prime Day/Black Friday)
• Department stores notorious for this (Kohl's, JCPenney)

Tactic 2: Doorbuster scarcity

"ONLY 5 TVs AT THIS PRICE! DOORS OPEN 5 AM!"

The reality:

• 5 loss-leader TVs (store loses money, gets you in door)
• Once inside, you buy other stuff at full price
• Waited in line 3 hours for TV that sold out instantly → compensate with impulse purchases

Psychological trigger: Scarcity creates panic buying

Tactic 3: "Limited time" urgency

"SALE ENDS TONIGHT!"

The reality:

• Cyber Monday has same deals
• "Limited time" sales return next week
• Urgency bypasses rational thinking

Result: You buy without researching, comparing prices, or considering if you need it

Tactic 4: Bundle "deals" that aren't deals

"Buy 2 Get 1 Free!"

The math:

• 3 items at $30 each = $90
• "Buy 2 get 1 free" = $60 (33% off each)
• BUT: You only needed 1 item ($30)
• You spent $60 to "save" $30 (you lost $30!)

Reality: Only a deal if you were buying all 3 anyway

Tactic 5: Black Friday "exclusive" models

TVs, laptops with different model numbers (only sold Black Friday)

Why:

• Can't price compare (model doesn't exist elsewhere)
• Often lower quality (cheaper components)
• Same specs, worse build quality

Example: Samsung 55" TV Model ABC123 ($400) looks like Model XYZ789 ($600) but uses cheaper panel

Pre-Black Friday Preparation (2-4 Weeks Before)

Strategy starts now:

Step 1: Make your list (only items you already need)

Ask yourself:

• Would I buy this in February? (No sale, no pressure)
• Have I needed this for 1+ months? (Not impulse)
• Is this replacing something broken? (Legitimate need)

If "yes" to any → add to list If "no" to all → impulse buy, skip

Example list:

• Winter coat (need for 2 months, current one has holes)
• Laptop (work computer dying, been researching models)
• Coffee maker (broke last week)

Not on list:

• "Might need" items
• "Great deal" items
• "Just in case" items

Step 2: Set TOTAL budget (not per-item)

Total you can afford to spend: $____

Example: $500 total budget

Allocate:

• Winter coat: $150
• Laptop: $300
• Coffee maker: $50
• Total: $500

Rule: If cart exceeds $500, remove items (no exceptions)

Write budget on sticky note, attach to credit card

Step 3: Track prices NOW (catch fake discounts)

Tools:

CamelCamelCamel (Amazon):

• Shows price history (3 months, 6 months, 1 year)
• See if "Black Friday price" is actually lowest
• Set price alerts

Honey (browser extension):

• Price tracking across sites
• Automatically applies coupon codes
• Price history graphs

Google Shopping:

• Compare prices across retailers
• Track price changes

Manual method:

• Screenshot prices now (October/November)
• Compare to Black Friday prices
• Real discount or fake?

Step 4: Research what actually goes on sale

Best Black Friday discounts:

Electronics: ✅ TVs: 30-50% off (best deals of year) ✅ Laptops: 20-40% off (good deals, especially older models) ✅ Gaming consoles/Games: 20-30% off (bundles common) ✅ Headphones/Speakers: 25-40% off ✅ Smart home devices: 30-50% off (Amazon Echo, Google Home)

Clothing: ✅ Winter clothes: 30-50% off (season-ending clearance) ✅ Activewear: 25-40% off

Home goods: ✅ Small appliances: 30-50% off (Instant Pot, air fryers) ✅ Bedding/Towels: 40-60% off

Worst Black Friday discounts (skip these):

Electronics: ❌ Apple products: 5-10% off max (they never discount much) ❌ New flagship phones: Minimal discounts ❌ High-end cameras: 10-15% off (wait for newer model release)

Other: ❌ Furniture: Discounts year-round, Black Friday not special ❌ Mattresses: Always on "sale," no real deals ❌ Jewelry: Marked up 200-300%, "50% off" still overpriced ❌ Toys: Better deals post-Christmas clearance

If it's on your list but doesn't discount → buy now, don't wait

Black Friday Day-Of Strategy

Execution time:

Rule 1: Shop online (avoid stores)

In-store problems:

• Crowds create urgency (panic buying)
• "Everyone's buying this" social proof
• Impulse purchases at checkout
• Physical exhaustion → poor decisions

Online advantages:

• Compare prices instantly
• Read reviews before buying
• No pressure, no crowds
• Easy to check budget
• Free returns (usually)

Exception: Doorbuster TV you tracked, confirmed best price, arrives early with plan

Rule 2: Start with your list ONLY

Open shopping site:

• ❌ Browse "deals" page (designed for impulse)
• ✅ Search specific item on list ("Winter coat women medium")
• ✅ Add ONLY list items to cart
• ✅ Move to checkout

If you see "deal" on something not on list:

• Close tab immediately (don't browse)
• Remind yourself: "Not on list = not needed"

Rule 3: Use the 24-hour rule for impulse items

See something tempting not on list:

Don't buy immediately

Instead:

• Screenshot it
• Save to wishlist
• Walk away for 24 hours
• Revisit tomorrow

Tomorrow:

• Still want it? Consider (probably don't)
• Forgot about it? Impulse confirmed, skip

Most impulse desires fade within hours

Rule 4: Price compare before checkout

Even during sale, compare:

Open 3-5 tabs:

• Amazon
• Target
• Walmart
• Best Buy
• Manufacturer website

Search same item, compare total cost:

• Sale price
• Shipping (free or $5-10?)
• Tax
• Total = what you actually pay

Example:

• Amazon: $80 + free shipping = $80
• Target: $75 + $8 shipping = $83
• Amazon wins

Tools:

• Google Shopping (shows all prices)
• Honey (auto-compares)

Rule 5: Apply coupons/cash back

Before clicking "buy":

Try coupon codes:

• Honey (auto-applies best code)
• RetailMeNot (search "[store] coupon code")
• Google "[store] promo code Black Friday"

Cash back:

• Rakuten: 2-10% cash back (adds up! $100 purchase = $5-10 back)
• TopCashback
• Credit card rewards (use card with best rewards for category)

Stack savings:

• Sale price + coupon code + cash back = maximum discount

Rule 6: Check return policy BEFORE buying

Black Friday returns often restricted:

• Shorter return window (14 days vs. usual 30-90)
• "Final sale" items (no returns allowed)
• Restocking fees (15-25%)

Read fine print:

• Can you return if it doesn't fit/work?
• How long do you have?
• Any fees?

If no returns allowed → only buy if 100% certain

Post-Black Friday: Price Protection

Your purchase dropped in price? Get refund!

Price protection strategies:

Credit card price protection:

• Some cards refund difference if price drops within 60-90 days
• Check your card benefits (Citi, Discover offer this)
• File claim with proof of purchase + new lower price

Retailer price adjustments:

• Target: 14-day price match
• Best Buy: 15-day price match
• Amazon: Sometimes (contact customer service)

How:

• See item dropped $20 within adjustment period
• Contact customer service with receipt
• Get $20 refunded

What to Actually Buy on Black Friday

Strategic purchases:

Best deals by category:

Electronics:

• Large TVs (55"+ see biggest discounts, 40-50% off)
• Last year's laptop models (30-40% off when new model released)
• Budget tablets (Amazon Fire, etc., 50%+ off)
• Smart speakers (Echo Dot $20, normally $50)

Home:

• Robot vacuums (Roomba 30-40% off)
• Instant Pot/Air fryer (40-50% off)
• KitchenAid mixers (30-40% off, rare discount)

Clothing:

• Winter coats/boots (40-60% off)
• Jeans (Levi's, Lucky Brand 40-50% off)

If on your list + tracked price + confirmed real discount = BUY

Items to NEVER Buy on Black Friday

Wait for better sales:

Skip these:

Expensive items without research:

• ❌ Mattresses (perpetual sales, no urgency)
• ❌ Furniture (Presidents' Day better)
• ❌ Major appliances (Memorial Day better)

New releases:

• ❌ New iPhone/iPad (minimal discount, wait for spring)
• ❌ Just-released games (price drops in 3 months)

Anything you haven't researched:

• ❌ Random "deal" you stumble upon
• ❌ "Doorbuster" items you didn't plan to buy

If not on list → don't buy (no exceptions)

Calculating REAL Savings

Did you actually save?

Formula:

Fake savings:

• Spent $600 on sale items
• "Saved" $400 (per receipts)
• But only needed $200 worth
• Real result: Overspent $400

Real savings:

• Planned to spend $500 on items needed
• Bought same items for $300 (tracked prices confirmed real discount)
• Real savings: $200

Real savings = Only items you would've bought anyway at full price

The "Did I Win Black Friday?" Checklist

After shopping, ask:

☑ Did I stick to my list? (No impulse buys) ☑ Did I stay under budget? (Total spent < allocated amount) ☑ Did I verify real discounts? (Price tracking confirmed) ☑ Would I buy these in February? (Legitimate needs) ☑ Did I price compare? (Got best available price) ☑ Can I afford this without credit card debt? (Pay off immediately)

If all yes → You won Black Friday If any no → Retailers won, you lost

Win Black Friday creating pre-need list 2-4 weeks advance asking "Would I buy this February without sale?" tracking current prices using CamelCamelCamel showing Amazon price history catching fake discounts (retailers inflate prices October dropping Black Friday claiming savings), setting total budget writing on sticky note attached credit card preventing overspending, shopping online avoiding in-store crowd panic impulse purchases, comparing prices across Amazon Target Walmart Best Buy including shipping calculating true total cost, applying Honey coupon codes plus Rakuten 2-10% cash back stacking savings, following 24-hour rule for impulse temptations (screenshot saving wishlist revisiting tomorrow when desire typically fades). Best discounts: TVs 40-50% off, laptops 30-40% older models, smart home devices 30-50% confirmed legitimate sales. Skip Apple products 5-10% minimal discounts, mattresses perpetual fake sales, anything not pre-researched list preventing buyer's remorse credit card debt.