Black Friday Shopping Tips

     As you approach the holidays, you want to create and stick to a budget. In today's economy it may not be possible to buy for your neighbor's cousin's dog-sitter's husband -although we know you want to-, but you have to prioritize. Write a list of the things you want to purchase, research them, and stick to your whatever budget you decide is reasonable. Target has a great price match guarantee, and if you are shopping on Amazon, try camelcamelcamel.com. Not all Black Friday deals are great deals, so do your research to stretch your dollar. This website is an Amazon price tracker so you can see how good of a deal you are getting, if any.  For online shopping (versus in-store), shop where you know. Don't pick Black Friday weekend to explore that underground website where you can put your ferret's face on a t-shirt, or buy from that link you found on Facebook for 'Joe Smith's Bathroom Mat Emporium'. It's just not worth it.  Take a few minutes to read our blog on spotting fake websites to help you determine if that Cyber Monday sale is actually a nightmare in a cozy Christmas robe. 

      Right next to "Mr. Nightmare in a Christmas Robe" is his good friend "Mr. Credit Card Fraud" by the eggnog station, and he is eyeing up those receipts you are piling up shopping for great Aunt Margaret and her fourteen cats. If it is feasible for you, try only using one or two accounts for shopping during the holiday season. This is a wise choice as it helps to limit your exposure to fraud versus using several cards and spreading out your risk. If possible for bonus points, choose to use the accounts with the best fraud protections to even further protect yourself. Also, if you are practicing a budget for your shopping and only use one card, hopefully this will reduce the likelihood that you will overspend. All of a sudden Mr. Nightmare and Mr. Credit Card Fraud are hiding in the garage like your cousin who thinks holidays are "a social construct".

We all have that friend who wears her CVS receipts like scarves and whose greeting is always "Guess how much I saved?" Let's not be that friend, but during Black Friday month, you need to save your receipts. If you haven't already, download our app (Android) or (iPhone), or make sure you have access to any accounts you plan on using to do your holiday shopping. You want to be checking those accounts regularly, so you can ensure only the purchases you made are posting. Pretend it's 2006 and you have a MySpace account, check it early and often.  If you see something that doesn't look familiar, contact your financial institution right away to get more details on the charge, determine if it may be fraudulent, and take corrective measures if necessary. Right now your CVS friend is nodding knowingly saying "See, I TOLD you I'm not a hoarder. I'm just financially responsible." Sure you are. But seriously, keep those receipts until you're sure you are in the clear for all your purchases.