How to make the most of Black Friday and Cyber Monday

The days are getting shorter and shorter, the supermarkets are bursting with gingerbread and advent calendars for as far as the eye can see, and our inboxes are overflowing with “%%%” announcements. There’s no doubt about it. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are upon us!

Each year on Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving, prices plummet – providing the perfect opportunity to get a great deal on Christmas gifts. Or did your cell phone just break recently and you can’t afford to buy a new one otherwise? Then now is the perfect time, too!

But to make sure you don’t go on a shopping spree that leaves your bank account empty and your home full of things you definitely don’t need (e.g. donut machine!), we’ve put together some useful tips and tricks for the shopping event of the year.

How to make your Black Friday & Cyber Monday shopping a success

1) Write yourself a wish list – and stick to it! Do not buy anything impulsively, just because it is (supposedly) super cheap.

2) Pay attention to whether discounts seem disproportionately high. Because then the probability is also high that the stated “starting price” is not the real one, but it is a much more expensive price recommendation from the manufacturer. Therefore…

3) Use comparison platforms to check the prices at different online stores against each other. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the prices of products you’re interested in, days if not weeks before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

4) Don’t forget to consider additional costs like postage when comparing prices.

5) With flash deals (” Only today!”) or supposedly low availability (” Only a few left in stock!!!”) you should be careful and not let yourself be pressured into buying.

6) Temptation is almost unbearable every time you look at your phone? If you have shopping apps on your phone, turn off the notifications and ideally unsubscribe from all newsletters as well.

7) Afraid you’ll miss a special deal on an item on your wish list? Then set a price alarm that will inform you as soon as your desired item is particularly cheap. Some portals like idealo offer this function.

8) You want to use Black Friday or Cyber Monday to buy all your Christmas gifts at once? Then set yourself a fixed budget and note down everything that you make in the various stores. This way you can keep track of your spending and avoid any unpleasant surprises.

9) Buy only the things you can afford. In any case, you should avoid taking out loans for shopping. These “consumer debts” can add up very quickly due to tempting conditions such as 0% financing and will be a financial burden for years to come.

10) Try to avoid installment purchases too, and don’t purchase via invoice because you don’t have this amount in the bank right now. This way you only postpone the “problem” – and may even risk overdue fines!

If you follow our tips and tricks, nothing stands in the way of a successful shopping experience! You want more useful information about Black Friday, your money and financial “Do’s and Don’ts”? Then follow us on Instagram and stay up to date. We are also always excited to receive a message with your personal shopping hacks! 🛍