Holiday Shopping Survival Guide

The two most popular shopping days of the year are not far away. Black Friday, on November 24, is the day after Thanksgiving when brick-and-mortar retailers entice shoppers with exceptional deals. Online retailers offer a second round of shopping on November 27. As sellers start to bombard you with ads and emails, here are ideas to help take advantage of these shopping-day spectacles.

Create a list before you shop. This can help cut needless and thoughtless purchases in-store or online. Consider breaking your list into groups, like: 

• Necessary purchases
• Gifts
• Nice-to-have purchases

Create a budget and stick to it. If you take time before you shop to see what deals are out there, you'll be less likely spend more than you wanted to. After you make your budget, stick to it.

Start looking at ads early. Give yourself plenty of time to check and compare ads. Remember, stores are competing against each other for business. This means there could be equivalent sales and deals at multiple places, including online. Once you find the best ads, you can create a shopping plan.

Find the best way to make your purchases. Check both in-store and online sales. Figure out the best way to make your purchases, even if that means buying some things at conventional stores and waiting to take advantage of other deals online.

Make sure the deal is worth it. Do your homework. This means you should check the price history, verify the make and model of products (especially for electronics), and read reviews. Make sure there's an actual discount, not just an increased price with a coupon attached.

Double-check the return policy. One way to avoid buyer's remorse is to know the return policy for in-store and online purchases. Every business has a unique return policy, which can change for Black Friday deals. Know the return policy, no matter how big or small the purchase.

Don't stress out. Try not to let enthusiasm turn into stress and worry. It is easy to make a bad purchase decision caused by the chaos these annual sales events create. Remember, you'll always have more options, no matter what happens this year on Black Friday. Most businesses have seasonal holiday sales in stores and online, so there's ample time left for holiday shopping.