10 Minimalist Shopping Tips for Surviving Black Friday
It’s the most expensive time of the year! But we are all saving soooo much money!
Have you ever found yourself spending way too much money because of all the great deals on Black Friday? Are you always scanning sales ads and saving money yet overspending on credit cards?
You are not alone! Even I, as a self proclaimed minimalist, can get suckered into buying stuff I don’t need because the deal seems too good to pass up.
Why?
Because when you genuinely need something it’s AWESOME to get a great deal! But that need can pull you in and all your wants can tie you down.
That’s why I put together 10 minimalist shopping tips for surviving Black Friday and all the other “GREAT SALES” you will run across. Keep reading to learn how to avoid overspending with tips for black friday shopping that will keep your wallet healthy and your home clutter free!
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Why Do You Need Minimalist Shopping Tips for Surviving Black Friday?
First of all, let’s find some motivation!
You might think that if you are minimalist all year long it’s okay to splurge on Black Friday. Maybe your whole family is doing it and you really enjoy splurging once a year.
That’s understandable. But like any kind of splurge, a shopping splurge could lead to a shopping hangover and consequences you regret, including a bunch of debt.
Here are some reasons to shop like a minimalist, EVEN on Black Friday:
- Most clutter comes from stuff we genuinely thought we needed but didn’t properly research.
- Spending money doesn’t save money. If you don’t buy something you get 100% off!
- Your money could be better spent on things that will make a bigger impact.
- Christmas season debt is REAL! Many Americans get at least $1000 in debt each year.
- Noone wants you to hurt your finances to give them a gift.
Ok, now that we feel motivated lets figure out how to conquer the beast that is otherwise known as “THE DOORBUSTER!”
1: Make a List
Sales can tempt us into purchasing things we wouldn’t otherwise want. There are tons of retail tricks that are designed to get us to buy stuff we don’t need and the “limited time offer” is one of the best ones out there!
But there’s good news! When it comes to Black Friday you have the advantage. You know exactly when it is coming. Before you buy anything you can think ahead and make those sales work for you.
If you need a vacuum, a coat, an appliance, or a new TV put it on your list. Those are definitely the kinds of things you can find great deals on during Black Friday. When you use this shopping “holiday” to your advantage and get practical you can score great deals on things you can be genuinely proud of.
As far as Black Friday shopping for gifts goes, write a list for that too! Every time you think of something that would be a great gift for someone put it on the list and you will have a real plan when it’s time to shop instead of randomly buying stuff you hope will make sense when the frenzy rubs off.
2: Gift Experiences
Speaking of gifts, maybe you don’t want to buy stuff at all. There is a better way to give gifts and it doesn’t create clutter!
Instead of buying another pair of pajamas for your nephew and another dust cathing knick-knack for you mom choose to give an experience. When you choose to give experience presents you will help your friends and family create great memories.
How do you find experience gifts? Simply take a moment to think of the person’s favorite hobbies and then think about how you can give them time or tools to enjoy those hobbies. This could mean a gift card for a massage or the bowling alley. It might mean a consumable good like cookies and tea. Or perhaps you can gift a subscription to something like Audible, Masterclass, Amazon Music, and more!
Amazingly enough, those kinds of things sometimes offer Black Friday sales too so keep an eye out. My husband and I scored a great Hulu deal last year.
Click here for more ideas of how you can find awesome experience presents!
3: Do Your Research
Ok, here you are with tons of great ideas about things to look for deals on during the Black Friday sales. Instead of going into it blind you are going to be hunting for specific things. What could go wrong?
Well, a lot actually! You can still get caught up in the moment and pushed into buying things that aren’t as great as they could be. What can you do to prevent that?
DO YOUR RESEARCH!
Whether you are buying a coat, earbuds, bath soaps, or subscription you can always do your research ahead of time.
Look up reviews online to decide which brand of an item you might want. Take a turn around some of the stores and try on the coat you want to buy so you get it in the right size when you order online. You can even Google the name of an item or brand and add the words Black Friday to see if there’s any buzz about the kinds of deals you can expect and which stores have the best price!
When you do your research ahead of time you can be a lot more confident that the things your spending your money on really will fit the bill!
4: There’s NO RUSH
There has been another development in regards to Black Friday in recent years and it’s in your favor!
Have you noticed how the big rush has been almost eliminated? A lot of the “Black Friday Sales” are now available for the whole month of November or at least the whole weekend through Cyber Monday.
That means there is no rush. There is no panicked frenzy. You don’t have to wait in some atrocious line freezing to death and you don’t have to make panicked decisions you will regret.
You already have a list and you have done your research. Now you can look around for the right sale and the right thing in a completely sane way. You can enjoy slow shopping even for Black Friday. What a relief.
And guess what? If there’s something you thought might be good to look for but isn’t an emergency you don’t even have to get it during Black Friday. This past year I thought I might pick up a replacement puffer jacket but I didn’t see anything I loved so I decided to wait. There will always be sales in the spring, and if not then, I can make it to next year.
5: Don’t Get Emotional
Now that you have all the tips above you should be a Black Friday ninja right? Well, I wish I could say that all this logic and preparation can overcome the programming our consumer society has encoded us with all our lives but it’s just not true.
If you find yourself in a store that smells like kettle corn, sparkles everywhere, and is playing all the old songs you are very likely to get emotional. You may get sentimental. Maybe you will want to treat yourself to something that is just too goofy to pass up. And probably as you get tired, decision fatigue will set in and your judgment and impulse shopping till start.
So how can you learn how to avoid overspending with all these temptations?
The only way I can arm you against these emotions is to give you three simple reminders. Stuff is not love. Stop shopping when you are tired. And don’t do online shopping after a glass of wine or a bad day!
6: Save Money by SAVING MONEY
There are other ways to train your mindset so that you don’t buy junk you will later regret owning. One of the biggest ways to condition yourself is to look at all the clutter in your house that you need to get rid of and remember: ALL THIS STUFF USED TO BE MONEY!
Oops! You accidentally converted money into junk! Where would your life be if you had that money? Why did you think spending money on this stuff was a good idea in the first place?
Do you know how that happened?
I guarantee an “Amazing Deal” was involved!
So whenever you are lured by the 40% or 50% or 70% off signs remember this. You don’t save money by spending money. You will save 100% by NOT BUYING IT!
7: Think of Bigger & Better Things
Now if you really are itching to spend money it’s time to THINK BIG! You could buy a bunch of small junk that’s is forgettable except for when you are dusting it or getting rid of it in a few months. Or…you could spend your money on bigger and better things.
Black Friday can be a great time to scope out travel deals for the next year, bigger investment purchases that aren’t strictly practical like a kayak or a bike, and even yearly subscriptions and sign ups to things like the gym or the zoo or a local museum or even a streaming service.
You don’t have to buy lots of little clutter for your friends either. Think of better experience presents as we talked about above.
And if none of that sounds like something you want to spend money on (WHO ARE YOU?) then at least look for less but better. Black Friday is great time to get higher quality goods that will last you for years at AMAZING prices.
8: Stick to Your Budget!
The most important Black Friday tip I can give you is to stick to your budget! You do not want to have any regrets. After all no THING is really worth the stress and anxiety that debt can bring.
Before you even start making a list, doing your research or scoping the sales decide on a reasonable amount of money that you want to budget for this years sales. Use money you have or just don’t shop at all.
If you are the type of person who can’t control your credit card get some cash out and take just a portion of it for each shopping excursion.
Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT go over budget! If you go into debt to buy stuff on Black Friday you are just gifting yourself a lot of stress and your family will probably get a side of resentment. It’s not a happy place to be so just don’t do it. Less or nothing is better than spending money you don’t have.You can always make cookies (or tamales) for your family.
9: Reevaluate and Return
Even after the big shopping day is over you aren’t stuck with your purchases. Before a week has passed take the time to look at the things you have bought to reevaluate whether or not you want to keep them.
If you bought clothes for yourself try them on again and make sure they fit and look the way you want them too. When you buy gadgets play with them and make sure they work for you. If you bought gifts but ended up with multiple options for the same person decide if you want to give them all of them or just the best of the best.
It’s very important to reevaluate and return your purchases right away because if you keep them and find out you don’t actually like them that much they turn into clutter. If you return them they magically turn back into money!
10: There Are More Exciting Things to Do Than Shop
Last but not least, Black Friday does not have to be a huge holiday for you. There are lots of things to do that are more fun than shopping.
If you have a plan for things to buy look and see if you can snag them online real quick or you can run in for what you need and then be done for the day. All the tips above should streamline the shopping process so it takes much less time. And as I mentioned before, a lot of the Black Friday sales last either all month or at least through the weekend.
Instead of spending Black Friday shopping you can find fun things to do with family that are visiting! Last year we went to escape room with my sister-in-law and her husband. But you could also take a hike, watch movies all day, bake something yummy, do something crafty together and so much more.
Shopping can and should be the least fun thing you do on Black Friday.
10 Things I Keep My Eye On Around Black Friday:
As you know, I am a minimalist and I am always encourage you to reduce consumption. However, living the minimalist lifestyle doesn’t mean that there aren’t things I look for on Black Friday. That would be a lie. Black Friday is a GREAT TIME to get deals on things you NEED, IF you need them.
Here are some things I always keep an eye out for on Black Friday (if I need them):
- Ipads or phones
- Kindle Paper White
- Kindle Fire
- Bluetooth headphones
- Smart speakers and accessories.
- Fitness watches
- Vacuums
- Coats
- Dress shoes, tennis shoes, and boots
- Subscriptions to streaming and music services
- Audible subscription
I hope that helps! For more great products that I truly feel make my life easier check out my resource page.
Minimalist Shopping Tips Make Black Friday BETTER THAN EVER!
I really hope that all these tips for Black Friday shopping help you enjoy getting great deals you actually need. More than that, I hope these tips help you shop like a minimalist so you can avoid regret and stress, get your shopping done faster, and have more fun with your family.
Remember, in the time of distractions and business the greatest gift we can give to each other is our PRESENCE, not presents. Taking time to give your loving attention to your loved ones, being a better listener, and doing things to serve others will always be more satisfying than shopping!
