Black Friday Extended!

Black Friday Extended!

Unless you have been living under a rock the past month, you have probably heard more than you needed to hear about Black Friday!  Black Friday used to be the initial day of discounted holiday shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  Now, the lines are blurred as the big retailers; Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and Amazon have been offering discounts for weeks. 

As per Adobe Analytics, and with American consumers spending a record $9.8 billion shopping online last Friday, the importance of online shopping cannot be ignored!  This is the first time that smartphone mobile orders could outpace desktop computer-generated retail sales.

The retail federation estimates that $966 billion will be spent on holiday gifts from November 1st through year-end.  Experts agree that many of the best deals are still to come, so don’t fret if you haven’t started your holiday shopping yet! 

Brian Kelly from “The Points Guy,” was interviewed on Good Morning America and had several outstanding tips.  The takeaway is that anytime one is shopping online, one should either click through a cash-back portal or an airline miles shopping portal every time, to buy the same goods and services.  By doing this, one earns regular points for using their credit card, then extra points or cash back for clicking through the portal.  The reasoning behind this is the portal companies get rebated from retailers, and they pass some of those rebate savings on to you! 

If you are on a fixed salary, aside from getting a second job, the best way to improve your financial position is to reduce your expenses.  Check out my 5 tips below for BIG savings:

  1. Add the Honey Google Chrome extension to your computer: On your laptop, IPAD, or desktop click www.JoinHoney.com and add the FREE extension. This extension (not for mobile phones) automatically searches for the best prices (often less than Amazon and eBay) and notifies you immediately at checkout.  
  2. Download the FREE app called IBOTTA: IBOTTA is a money-saving app that allows you to redeem cash back on certain purchases you make in-store or via mobile phone.  You select the item you plan to purchase, then you submit verification inside the app to prove you have bought the item.  Once you have done that, IBOTTA will add the rebate amount to your cash-back balance.  When you redeem a rebate (once it hits $20), you can redeem your cash back for retailer gifts or get ACTUAL CASH through PayPal or Venmo.
  3. Download the Rakuten FREE app or browser extension: Rakuten (formerly EBATES) works like all cashback sites (like IBOTTA) by sharing the commission that they receive from retailers.  You are paid every 3 months (IBOTTA usually posts cash back in 48 hours) for purchases made during the spending period, and you can get cash-back bonuses for joining and shopping.  These 2 platforms give you an opportunity to make money by buying things you would ordinarily buy!
  4.  Consider using EBAY for items you are interested in: EBAY, founded in 1995, facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website www.Ebay.com.  EBAY is the world’s online marketplace and many good deals can be had by bidding or just buying at their offer price, often with FREE shipping.
  5. Consider using Poshmark as an alternative to eBay: Poshmark, founded in 2011, is a website where people can buy and sell new and used clothing, shoes, and accessories.  It is FREE to list an item for sale on Poshmark.  After the item sells, Poshmark deducts a fee from the final order.  For sales under $15, a flat rate of $2.95, and for sales above $15 the fee is 20%.  On the higher priced items, EBAY might be the better choice.

I know this could be a bit overwhelming for new online shoppers.  The most important thing is to have a plan and budget and follow it!  Happy Holidays!