How To Save Money On Black Friday Deals
Black Friday Sales are getting more and more popular which means it is important to learn how to save money on Black Friday Deals!
Black Friday Sales seemed to have made the jump into Canada, although thankfully not quite to the level of the US.
For those unfamiliar with Black Friday, it is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States.
Black Friday kicks off the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the U.S., and most major retailers open very early and offer promotional sales. (source Wikipedia )
We’ve been in “save every cent” mode for a long time. We managed to pay off all our credit card debt. Yay!
This is why I love hunting around for sales, discount codes, flash sales, freebies, and more! All of these “savings” add up!
One of my goals to help you work and homeschool is to save you time and money, so let’s dig into how to save money on Black Friday!
Saving Money on Black Friday
These tips will work for any “sale season” such as Cyber Monday, Small Business Sunday, Back To School Sales, etc. Don’t you just love that?
Don’t forget many companies have sales until December 2nd!
1. Have A Black Friday Wish List
To keep yourself from being sucked into every single deal that you “don’t want,” keep a list of items you DO want to buy. Then stick to it.
I like to use a note on my phone, and I keep a list of larger items and gifts I want to buy. This allows me to check prices all year round as sales come and go.
Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Make the list shareable. For example, if you use Homeschool Planet for your homeschool planning, you can send that list to family.
This way, you can split up the shopping tasks, and you each know what was purchased.
And if you prefer paper, I created this Gift Planning pack for you!
2. Research Early
Make sure you know not only what you want but the size, brand, and features you are looking for.
Take note of the regular price. Some “sales” are actually higher than the regular price.
Knowing what the must-have items on your shopping list typically sell for allows you to judge how large your savings will be during Black Friday sales.
If the sale isn’t good enough, then wait. Something better might come along.
3. Shop Early
Some of the best deals happen before Black Friday.
This can be tricky because you aren’t sure if there will be a better deal later or not. I wish I could give you an answer but I can’t.
What I would do is ask these two questions:
- How much you wanted to pay?
- How much are you saving off the regular price?
For example, Kids Cook Real Food from November 10 – December 31 is running a Holiday Baking Challenge learn all the details here! You can grab it now and save yourself the stress.
Because it is open early, you have more time to check it out and see if it fits your family!
By the way, if you haven’t used Kids Cook Real Food before, you can read my full in-depth Kids Cook Real Food Review to get started.
4. Make Use Of Loyalty/Cash Back Rewards
If the item you want is on sale at both stores for the same price, take the one offering a cash-back reward.
We shop at a grocery store that offers Air Miles and one that offers a “points card” on certain items depending on the week. If an item we are going to buy anyway is the same price, we choose the one that gives us the most for our dollars.
By doing this, we’ve saved $260 dollars this year alone. On items we were going to buy anyway. It adds up.
This same principle will help you save money on Black Friday Deals.
Make sure if you are planning on shopping online to sign up for Ebates.
You can save when you shop online at all your favorite stores including Amazon and Walmart! This website actually pays you Cash Back every time you shop online, and it’s free to join! If you haven’t signed up click here and get started.
Also available in Canada! Rakuten works with over 750 stores that ship to Canada, including Indigo.ca, Amazon.ca, eBay, Old Navy, Forever21 and Groupon.
If you need help setting it up, check out my step-by-step instructions here.
5. Use Loyalty Apps
Make sure you download the app if you shop on your mobile device for any loyalty cards you may use.
You’ll know what sales are happening, collect points and these savings add up!
For example, right now, my Rakuten says Amazon has 71 Amazon Coupons Up to 6.0% Cashback, as you can see in the screenshot below.
Since I shop mostly on my computer, I use the Chrome Extension, which you can get after you sign up, as there is one for .ca and one for .com.
6. Make Social Media Work For You
Are you on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram? Use these platforms to help you find deals and discount codes to save even more money on Black Friday Sales.
Be sure to like and follow the accounts of your favorite retailers and bloggers. This will provide a “heads up” on sales.
Sometimes bloggers will be given discount codes to share with their readers ahead of time.
For 2024, here are a few examples of this:
- Cultivate What Matters is hosting a Prep Week Sale with up to 40% off sitewide! Stock up on wildcards, notepads, and all the essentials to kick off your new year strong. Don’t miss out—shop now for these incredible savings!
- Literary Adventures for Kids: Keep homeschooling relaxed and joyful with themed courses that bring learning into the holiday spirit—now 40% off. Plus, get a free planner and copy work to keep everything organized. Shop the sale here!
- Green Kids Crafts Subscription Box for kids: Green Kid Craft’s 2023 Black Friday 70% off sale Give the gift of learning:
- STEM and STEAM learning for kids ages 3-10+
- 4-6 screen-free, hands-on projects per box!
- Sign up for a 12-month plan & get 3 months free or a 6-month plan & get 2 months free! CODE: BESTDEAL
7. Do You Have An Alexa?
This was an interesting tip! According to Forbes.com, you can ask Alexa to tell you about Black Friday sales, and she will tell you.
Echo (4th Gen) | With premium sound, smart home hub, and Alexa | Charcoal
Echo Dot (3rd Gen, 2018 release) – Smart speaker with Alexa – Charcoal
So make sure to ask her before you head out. (source)
8. Use Wishlist Features Or Carts:
If you create a wishlist on Amazon, Amazon will email you when that item goes on sale. I know because both myself and my husband use this feature all the time to get sales.
You can see how I use Amazon lists for my homeschool shopping here.
Another idea is to put the items you want in your cart. Last year I put books in my cart at Christianbook.com and they emailed me to send me reminders and tell me about sales.
When using carts, some sites will see you’re sitting on an item. They just might send you a discount to encourage you to buy it.
By the way, Christianbook is hosting flash sales this year!! So be sure to check it out.
9. Use Apps to Save
Since most of us shop online, having apps to help us find the best deals going. We already talked about Ebates.
Other apps you might want to check out are:
10. Sign Up for Newsletters
When you sign up for newsletters, many companies will offer discounts or incentives to shop.
Some shops offer 10%, and some offer bigger discounts.
They will also email you directly about sales, which is a nice way to save time and money.
Pro Black Friday Tip:
As a blogger, I get tons of emails because I am on many email lists.
To keep my personal friends and family inbox from getting crowded, I created a “junk inbox” email address. You can do this too.
Both Hotmail and Gmail are free!
How To Save Money On Black Friday Shopping!
Do you know what is great about all these tips? They are perfect for year round, not just Black Friday.
I use most of these things every time I have something big I want, including my Instant Pot, vacuum, business courses and resources, or online homeschool curriculum.
Don’t forget to check all the Black Friday Sales here!
What is your favorite money-saving shopping tip?
These same tips can help you save money on the homeschool curriculum. For more information, be sure to read: You REALLY Can Homeschool on a Budget
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Hi, I’m Jen. I help working moms juggle their career and homeschool their kids by providing support, systems and tools. You are warmly invited to Join the Online Community Here!
