Holiday Hunger Games: Staying Smart Amidst Black Friday Madness

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Black Friday is a widespread corporate strategy to increase sales going into the Holiday season (“black” comes from the term for positive sales figures). Every year, on the day following Thanksgiving, stores make huge markdowns on much of their stock. However, the horror stories that surround the war zone that is Black Friday make it seem as though the only way to win is not to play.

You can come out on top and unscathed if you arm yourself with good practices. Shopping smart can mitigate potential trauma and help you navigate a seemingly endless sea of deals. At Scholar Hero, we are firm believers in minimizing stress and having productive endeavors, even when shopping. So, for those trying to furnish their dorm, upgrade their phone, or bring the complete theatre experience of watching The Hobbit into their home home, we have some tips on intelligent shopping.

1) Shop Online

The advent of the internet has ensured that web servers take the abuse and not you. Most Black Friday sales that are available in-store are also available online. All big name stores will offer attractive sales so keep an eye on their ads.

  • BestBuy.com – When purchasing electronics, Best Buy will live up to their namesake during Black Friday. Better still, their deals are available right now.

  • Overstock.com – With no brick or mortar stores, Overstock can offer great prices on just about anything.

  • Amazon.com – While not a traditional store, do not forget about Amazon. Keep an eye on their daily and hourly deals.

  • For a complete roundup of Black Friday ads and updates, visit theblackfriday.com

2) Budget

Black Friday is a great way to land the things you want for a price that you can afford. However, this point is made moot if you spend too much on items that you do not need.

  • Money – Determine what things you intend to buy before you do your shopping and stick to it, no matter what other bargains arise.

  • Time – Remember that time is a resource, too. Is it worth eight hours of your day to catch a specific deal? Create a time allowance for all of your purchases.

  • Health – We only have so much calmness, energy, and emotional well-being to give.  Do not overtax yourself. Take breaks. Get plenty of rest. Keep in mind that your health is more important than a new computer monitor (after all, you can live without the monitor).

3) If You Have To Go Out…

  • Does the store price match? You might not have to visit several location to get the best deal.

  • Park far from the store. Do not get gridlocked by the less savvy comers and goers.

  • Go early. There will always be a rush but there will not always be stock available.

Good luck. Be Smart. Be safe.

  Nathan Repp is a writer for Scholar Hero, Inc.

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