Have you ever shopped for something only to see it again a few days later at a lower price? To get the absolute best deals on your Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping this year without monitoring the computer 24/7, The Verge says, take advantage of a tech assist. Price-tracking apps and browser extensions can track the prices of your most-wanted items at shopping sites such as Amazon.com, search for discount codes or search commerce sites for a specific item to find the lowest price. And they will notify you of the best deals as they appear, taking most of the legwork — and keystrokes — out of the search.
Tag: Black Friday
Black Friday Deals Arrived Early This Year
Buying stuff you don’t need is against the principles of the Organizing Blog — cluttered home, cluttered mind, we always say. But if you can get a great deal on something that you or the people on your gift list really need, go ahead and spend! Dozens of national retailers have already launched “Black Friday” sales well ahead of the holiday shopping season’s traditional launch day, USA Today reports, so there is likely something you can check off your shopping list weeks in advance. Shop early, stay organized and stick to a budget for the most stress-free holiday experience.
Declutter and Donate Ahead of the Holidays
The holiday season is upon us, and every day, retailers provide us with new incentives to spend: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday. But those thoughtful gifts and doorbuster deals can take up lots of space in an already-cluttered home. That’s why you should do a pre-Christmas decluttering, knowing that new stuff is on the way.
If you have children, there will definitely be new toys coming into the home, and you probably have huge bins of old toys that have fallen out of favor or are no longer age-appropriate. Sort through them and get rid of anything broken or incomplete, The (Mostly) Simple Life suggests, and involve kids in the process. Set aside anything that’s useful, but unused.
As you decorate the home, edit out any decorations that no longer make the cut. Whether it’s burned-out string lights, cracked tree ornaments or dog-eared accents, trash anything that’s too worn to fulfill its function. If something is still functional, but you don’t like it or want to display it, set it aside in a “donate” pile.
This is also an excellent time to take stock of cold-weather clothing. If there are items you won’t be wearing due to changes in sizes or styles, set them aside. At the same time, you can sort, streamline and store your summer wardrobe. Was there anything that spent the entire summer in your drawers and closets? Get rid of it!
Put all of the still-usable castoff decorations, games, toys, sweaters, swimwear and other goods into boxes and bags, and visit ClothingDonations.org to schedule a pickup. If you do so quickly, many of your unique but unwanted items will be available to other shoppers for purchase ahead of Christmas — making their holidays happier.
When you give away the stuff you’re not using, it can find a new purpose with someone else who can really use it. They might actually want and enjoy that stuffed Santa or those old baby clothes. And when they purchase those disused items through a thrift store supplied by ClothingDonations.org, they will help fund veterans’ programs throughout the year.
An added bonus? After you’ve done a thorough, pre-holiday decluttering, you’ll know better what you and your family need to buy new — making holiday shopping and gifting easier. Better still, you’ll have reclaimed the space in your home you need to store it. Start decluttering today — Giving Tuesday — for a happy holiday season!
Don’t Treat Holiday Shopping Like a Job
While most stores will stay closed through the Thanksgiving holiday, a handful of major retailers such as Target and JCPenney will be open late Thursday to launch the make-or-break holiday shopping season. The Organizing Blog doesn’t necessarily approve of shopping while you’re supposed to be feasting, but knows that a few readers may attempt to beat the crowds and get the best deals. Dress to go from cold, outdoor weather to warm stores quickly, Money Crashers says, and don’t treat shopping like a job. “No matter what happens on Black Friday, remember to relax and try to enjoy yourself. Shopping for holiday gifts isn’t the highest-stakes thing you’ll do this year.”
Make a Budget for Black Friday
To ensure you don’t overspend at the Black Friday sales this week, start out with a strict budget, Consumer Reports advises. Whether you do most of your holiday shopping in-store or online, decide how much you’re ultimately going to spend, and stick to that number. If you are not sure that you’re getting the best price on something, move on to the next web page or display. And if you can’t resist using a credit card to overspend, only carry cash to stores instead. Finally, check retailers’ return and exchange policies on Black Friday items to avoid paying a restocking fee or having to keep merchandise you don’t want.