By Jackie Leffner
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the day after Christmas are all extremely popular days to spend a lot of money. We are here to help you avoid overspending on all three of these days. First, let us start with the Dos.
To-Dos:
Set a Budget: Consider your income, expenses, and savings goals to create a budget that is realistic. You can divide your budget into categories like clothing, electronics, and gifts to help keep you organized.
Make a Shopping List: A list helps you prioritize needs, avoid impulse buys, and stay focused on what you need to buy. You can also assign a budget to each item on your list depending on how specific your budget is.
Use Price Comparison Tools: Compare prices between retailers to avoid paying more than you should.
Check Return Policies: Understand the store’s return policy before making a purchase. If you are going to be buying it as a gift, you want to make sure the person will be able to determine if they like it and return it, if necessary.
Use a Cash Back Credit Card:If you are responsible with your money, we recommend using a cashback credit card for these types of purchases and then clearing out the debt by the end of the month, or immediately after spending it, to avoid interest charges.
To-Don’ts:
Do not Fall for “FREE!”: We all love “FREE!” items, but we do not always NEED that free thing the store is offering. When we pick up these miscellaneous “free” items they tend to lead to clutter in homes. So, it is not rude to decline that free item.
Do not Let FOMO Win! “Only 5 items left” “maximum one per customer,” or “Pre-order only” Do those sound familiar? Those are some top tactics that companies use to make you feel like you are going to miss something if you do not buy it today. “Scarcity Marketing” is a real thing in the retail world, and you DON’T want to be someone that falls for it. So, unless it is something that you have a place for in your home, was a planned purchase, or you have someone that you are gifting it to, leave it on the shelf.
Do not Go in Without a Game Plan: Make a list of must-haves, set a budget for the things you need, do your research beforehand (do this sound familiar…. Like the list above😉) You do not want to go into Black Friday with no plan – it will lead to spending more money and having more clutter in your home.
Do not Prioritize a Good Deal Over Quality: IT does not matter how good the deal is if the product just is not working. Investing in quality household essentials will pay off overall as these items last longer and result in less turnover of items and clutter in your home. If we have learned anything from being able to buy things on TikTok Shop, from Temu, or from Amazon, it is that you get what you pay for. If there is a $2 sweatshirt, you are going to get the quality of a $2 sweatshirt. Although we are all looking for deals on these special spending days, be smart about where you are looking for and maximizing deals.
Do not Buy Things for Your House That Do Not Have a Plan: Our friends at The Home Edit have said that any purchase that was not planned or does not have a place in your home is an irresponsible purchase. Now, we know there can be some impulsive purchases that do positively benefit your home; however, we have learned that unless you have a plan for where it will go in your home – it often enters a pile of items “looking for a home” which results in not ever using it. So, if you are going to purchase something, ask yourself, “Do I know where this is going?”
If you would like to turn your home into functional, beautiful, organized spaces, we are happy to talk through your space with you and dream with you to produce your perfect solution! Fill out our free consultation form on our website and schedule a discovery call today!
