The biggest shopping day in 2019 is almost here! If you failed to get the products at their best offers last year, it’s because you didn’t have a great shopping strategy. Interested in creating the best shopping strategy this year? Right after Thanksgiving, on November 29, starts Black Friday and the beginning of the holiday shopping season in the United States. People are looking for the best deals, search for coupons and discounts, compare prices and make a wish list for getting the best products at the best prices.

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Black Friday means big discounts and low prices of your favorite products, but also endless waiting, spending too much, running and grabbing items and getting nervous. That's why it's called Black Friday - in Philadelphia, it was used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that happens on the day after Thanksgiving. So, whether you’re going to wait in line or shop online, it’s important to get well-organized. Follow our tips and get ready for the biggest shopping day of the year!

1. Be honest to yourself about what you need

Getting many products at very low prices is great, but think about your budget. Overbuying can just lead to unnecessary extra costs. How much can you afford? Be honest with yourself about what you really need. Avoid spending too much on something you may never use. And make sure to decide what you need weeks before Black Friday. There will be amazing offers and you can buy the best gifts for friends, or the best gift for husband/wife.

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2. Set up a Black Friday budget

Knowing how much you can afford is crucial when it comes to Black Friday budget. Count in the items you absolutely must have, including best gadgets and gifts. Once you’ve put together a must-have wish list, calculate the absolute maximum amount you can afford and stick to it. Set up a budget and see how much you can fit in.

3. Make a Black Friday wish list

Random shopping doesn’t work on Black Friday. First, there will be thousands of people in every store waiting to buy a certain product. Second, not every sale is Black Friday sale. Set up your budget and make a wish list before buying. You can even use an app like Google Keep or Evernote, or simply bookmark pages instead of using a notebook and a pen. Stick to your wish list and you’ll be more organized while searching for your favorite products in the store.

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4. Check prices and discounts before Black Friday

As we mentioned above, not every sale is a Black Friday sale. You need to know when a discount is a real deal or the best offer. By checking up on pricing for the items on your list now, you'll have more confidence in the offers you see during Black Friday. For example, if something was $70, and now you see “Black Friday discount” and a new price of $55, that’s not Black Friday deal.

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5. Search store advertisements and websites for hot deals

Social media and ads are the best sources for finding discounts and best offers. They usually provide the most information about Black Friday sales. Visit stores’ profiles on social media, get a newspaper or search the advertisements to find out the best price. Why is this important? Just because it’s a Black Friday sale, it doesn’t mean that your new iPad will have the same price in every store you visit.

6. Find the best subscription boxes

Subscription boxes offer amazing deals on Black Friday! You can get the best gadgets or get a very unique gift for someone within a subscription box. The surprise is the main characteristic of subscription boxes, but also bundle offers, low prices, and special discounts. Subscription gifts service is there to help you pick the subscription box as a gift. But also, if you’re interested in getting unique products and cool gadgets at lower prices, enjoy the pre-order of our winter subscription box.

7. Get up early, or stay up late

Getting up early or staying up late to be first in the line is a usual thing when Black Friday comes. The biggest brands in the US will unleash deals at midnight. If you want to go for Black Friday shopping there is no space for laziness. Just remember thousands of people waiting for the store door to open, displayed on a TV.

8. Dress appropriately

Don’t try to go Black Friday shopping in a dress or wearing slippers. Most people will run, push each other and you can easily get some injuries. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes for standing in long lines. Also, check the weather before deciding what to wear and see if you need waterproof shoes. Maybe you’ll need an umbrella, too. Besides, avoid wearing a blue or a redshirt at stores. You could easily be mistaken for staff.

9. Prepare to stand in line

Getting the products in stores on Black Friday usually means long waiting. Prepare to stand in line for hours, if needed. Don’t forget to bring some refreshments to keep you hydrated during waiting. You can also bring a book to read or listen to some music on your phone. And don’t forget to wear comfortable clothes and shoes for running and grabbing the best gadgets!

10. Sign up to Amazon Prime

Black Friday is not only at regular stores. Black Friday happens online, too! Sign up to Amazon Prime and you’ll get the best offers and deals. Amazon Prime currently costs $119 (£79, AU$59), and includes Netflix-a-like Prime Video, free shipping, and Amazon Prime Reading. Besides, Amazon offers a 30-day free Prime trial to new members. Black Friday shoppers out there then will start their free Amazon Prime trial during the first week of November. Sign up to Amazon Prime and find the best gift ideas before Black Friday.