(BPT) - Pretty much every American knows that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are big days for sales. But for many, Black Friday is more than just a chance to save big; it's a tradition in its own right.
And this isn't a trend that's going away anytime soon.
In fact, the age group that is into Black Friday the most is millennials. Sixty percent of people between the ages of 18 and 34 say they are excited about shopping on Black Friday, according to a recent Flipp survey conducted by Ipsos. Clearly, shopping great sales is as hot as ever with this younger generation.
This year, we'll probably see even better deals, and more people than ever will be flocking to the stores. This means that you'll need a strategy to get the things you need at the price you want.
To help you do this, here's a game plan to follow from Lauren Greutman, Flipp App Savings Expert.
- Create a budget. On average, shoppers plan to spend $475 over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday time frame. Create a budget outlining how much you want to spend on high ticket doorbuster items, or if you're buying gifts, make a budget for each person on your list. This way, you stay on track of your spending and don't fall for every deal in-store.
- Go digital. Rather than shuffling through dozens of paper circulars searching for the best Black Friday deals, join millions of others by using the free shopping app, Flipp. This ingenious app brings hundreds of digital circulars right to your phone. Search for products by name and Flipp will show you all the deals in your area, or build an in-app shopping list that automatically shows you deals for everything on your list, making it easy to plan ahead and save.
- Focus on the big items. There's a secret to shopping that often holds true: the bigger the item, the bigger the savings. So if you have a long list and don't know where to start, look to the higher ticket items, like electronics. This is where you'll catch the biggest windfall, and your bank account will thank you!
- Check out the store before Black Friday. Check the store websites for 'Store Maps' the days leading up to Black Friday, so that you can find where the doorbuster deals will be in-store and plan your route. Keep in mind that stores keep their best deals in the back of the store.
- Research store policies in advance. Once you've mapped out where you need to go, be sure to call the stores in advance so that you clearly understand their policies on price matching, returns, exchanges and gift receipts. A little planning in this department could save you a lot of headaches!
- Buy gift cards. To save even more money, buy gift cards at your grocery store the days before you shop. This works great if your grocery store offers gas points for money spent at the store. Many stores offer additional gas points for gift card purchases in the days leading up to Black Friday.
- Know the 'best' deals aren't always the best. This may seem counterintuitive; after all, Black Friday is all about deals, deals, deals. But keep in mind, just because you get a monster discount doesn't mean you're getting the best product. It's all about doing your research beforehand so you don't end up buying a super cheap, low quality item.
With so many opportunities to save money and items to cross off your shopping list, the excitement that comes with Back Friday can be a little overwhelming. Using a free shopping app like Flipp, can help you stay organized, plan ahead and stick to your game plan.