Don't be a Black Friday Sucker: Chillax and read these 6 things

Chillax about Black Friday, it’s not even the cheapest day to buy.  However there are some real tips that can help you save more.

"Thanks to you I did my Black Friday / Thursday shopping online at 4 p.m. No elbow bumps needed. :)" - Dori Olmos, 6 p.m. producer, KYTV

This was me, getting suckered last year.

Listen, I’m not a Black Friday expert, but I do interview them from time-to-time.  I recently interviewed Jenny Martin, the founder of Southernsavers.com.  I shared these tips on the TV side, but now that Black Friday is in full swing, I wanted to give you some tips.

First.  Chillax.

1.  The thing is, Black Friday is not even the cheapest day of the year to buy; we just think it is.  A good portion of the doorbusters this weekend have actually been cheaper earlier in the year.  Often a great time to buy is in January when stores unload their inventory.  So… the real question is… can you push back your family Christmas dinner?

2.  There are just as many online deals this year.  So, unless you enjoy camping out, elbowing people in the aisle, or being disappointed when the store runs out of its doorbusters… then stay home.  That being said, there are a few “store only” deals I’ve noticed, but to me, they’re not incredibly awesome. 

(Jenny said Target was a prime example – on its ad, the store said their deals were just as good as online.)

3.  If you DO head to the stores, then take your smartphone with you and use a barcode scanner app.  Jenny uses Amazon.  She says chances are, you’ll see a price comparison and realize that the deal isn’t as great as you thought it was.

4.  If you missed Black Friday when the gettin’ was good, don’t forget about Cyber Monday.  Jenny says her team has looked at the deals come Monday, and most of them are repeats of Friday.  So… thanks to the stores’ lack of creativity, you can likely snag the same deals in the upcoming days.

5.  Don't discredit any store.  Jenny says CVS actually has a ton of good deals this Black Friday.  She found a way to get paid $12 for buying $140 worth of stuff.  Did you read that right?  Yes, you did.

6.  And, another good time to buy?  Try December 17th.  That is National Free Shipping Day.  Retailers will have good deals, and it will be the absolute last day for you to order something regularly to get it to its destination. 

Personally, I get cabin fever.  I like to eat, nap and shop.  But, I’m not in it because I think I’m going to get a great deal.  I once waited foolishly in line at Best Buy at 5 a.m. to buy a scanner for $9.99 (this was circa 1999)… what a waste.  But, if I’m feeling spunky, you may see me at Target with a girlfriend in the wee hours of the morn.  Still… shop smart!

Here's an interview I did via Google Plus (this interview wasn't really for public consumption, but you can watch it... I ended up using pieces of the interview for broadcast purposes.)

Circle Worthy:  Southern Savers