Black Friday, Small Biz Saturday and Cyber Monday — oh, my!

After we get our fill of food this Thursday, it’s time to make the shift to filling up our carts. Friday officially kicks off the holiday shopping season, and despite the differences between all the deals, the strategies for having a savvy and successful Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are actually all pretty similar.

Have a Plan and a Plan B

The best shopping, whether in-store or online, will come as a result of knowing what you’re looking for. Have a plan of how much you are going to spend, and exactly what that will be on. You should know what you’re buying, for who and what section to find it in. And because of the volume of shoppers and deals, it’s wise to have a back-up plan of what you may need to settle for — or a back-up plan to just wait and not buy anything that day if what you want is out of stock.

Understand the offerings

Once you’ve made your list of what you need, make sure your selected vendors will actually have those items in stock and on sale. Check the sales flyers, ads and emails of your planned stores and websites to make sure that the items you want are included at the price point you’re willing to spend. Pay close attention to any time limits on sales, especially for online shopping.

Stick to a budget

For brick and mortar stores, this is a little easier if you just use cash. However, when you have a plan laid out, you should be able to have a budget in place alongside it. Know that when you have everything on your list, your budget is also maxed out — no impulse buys.

Don’t get tricked by the flash

In the buzz of holiday music, shiny red signs, and giant displays, it’s too easy to get swept up and believe that everything you see is a great steal, or something you need. Remember, even on these mega sale days, not everything is a good deal or even a deal at all. It’s likely that items will be repositioned in the store with the same regular price advertised in a bigger, flashier way in an effort to persuade shoppers.

Perhaps the most important tip is to remember that at the end of the day, it’s all just stuff. So be kind and enjoy the experience — consider any deals you get a bonus to the fact that you’re tackling your holiday shopping so early. Way to go, you.