Top Tips to Shopping Black Friday & Cyber Monday like a PRO!
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Oooooh it’s one of my favorite sale times of the year (aside from back to school sales!) – Black Friday & Cyber Monday!! The time to get the BEST deals on everything from toys, household goods, electronics, appliances, and so much more! Whether you prefer to shop online or in stores (or both!) the frenzy can really be quite overwhelming as you dive into which retailers have the best prices and items in stock. I’m so thankful for my U.S. Cellular smartphone to help me stay on track with which stores have what sales and what I’ve already purchased!
Phone are such a blessing! I remember growing up, and even when we were first married, I didn’t have the luxury of so many organizational apps and information available at my fingertips everywhere I am! We’re heading out of town for the holidays so one of my hands-down favorite apps for traveling is Google Maps! That may sound silly but I’m pretty good at getting lost! Plus the visual of a constant map following my location sure makes me feel a lot better about where I am going! BUT did you know that Google Maps ALSO offers store specific maps for popular locations like Best Buy, Toys R Us, and more? It will show you were products are in the store so you don’t have to run all over the place looking for them! Talk about a time saver – Ingenious!
Another one of my absolute hands-down favorite apps for the holidays (and really for year-round) is the Amazon Mobile app. I couldn’t live without this one because I price compare all the time! Thanks to U.S. Cellular’s 4G LTE network (up to 10 times faster than 3G!) I use this app while we’re on the road looking up gift ideas, household items I forgot to purchase, and shopping for pretty much everything under the sun!
One app that I haven’t tried yet but I’ve heard a lot about is the Key Ring app. Remember that pile of reward cards sitting in your wallet? (that I occasionally clean out and then don’t have when I need them?!) Yeah – you can put all of those into your app and scan it from your phone right at the register! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve missed out on gas savings or reward points because I never have the right reward cards with me!
Here are a few other tips:
1. Write down your list of items with lowest price and organize it by store.
2. Know exactly what stores open at what times and prioritize your list first by big ticket items, and then by store location.
3. KEEP all of your receipts in an envelope! You’re bound to need to return something!
4. Pack some snacks! Seriously – if you’re gung-ho about snagging those sales make sure you have a snack or 2 in your purse!
5. Keep your phone handy! From calling a spouse for deals, using apps, or just checking the time you’ll need it!
AND of course don’t forget that the FREE parent/child cell phone agreement is STILL available here!