Mastering Black Friday: Smart Shopping Strategies and Budgeting Tips

What if you could transform your chaotic, impulse-driven shopping habits into a finely-tuned strategy that saves money and reduces stress? Join me as I recount my evolution from a spontaneous Black Friday enthusiast to a meticulous planner, bringing my best friend along for this exciting journey. This year, with hurricane damage prompting some necessary household upgrades, my priorities are clear: essentials like housewares, towels, and furniture. We’ll also discuss those surprising pre-Black Friday gems I found at the Nike outlet and track down the perfect pair of headphones.

Expect to walk away with practical insights on smart holiday shopping, from efficiently managing gift lists for children to navigating the early-bird crowds without losing your cool. Discover how thoughtful gift-giving can help avoid unnecessary purchases and why multiple smaller gifts might be the way to go. Wrapping up, we'll share crucial safety and budgeting tips, like why cash can be your best friend in keeping you accountable and secure. Dive into our $1,500 Black Friday budget and learn how to plan purchases to avoid the traps of impulse buying, ensuring you make the most out of this festive season without breaking the bank.

Chapters

• 0:35 Black Friday Shopping Tips and Deals
• 10:22 Strategies for Smart Holiday Shopping
• 16:34 Safety and Budgeting Tips for Shopping

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:35

Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of the Gag Is Pod. I am your girl, charlie Shante. Thank you for joining me on another. Alright, I ain't even gonna cut that part out, we're gonna start over again. Welcome to the Gag Is Podcast. I am your girl, charlie Shante. Thank you for joining me on another episode. Oh, this is fun with today because it is Black Friday.

Speaker 1: 1:05

Now, if you know me, you know I love to shop. If you follow my personal page, you've seen I did the suspect challenge with New Face a couple of weeks ago and I gave him a thing, face a couple of weeks ago, and I gave him a thing and he was like, when it was my turn, he was like suspect, always buying clothes every two weeks, but always judged me for what I spent my money on. And I was like okay, there you have it. You have to bust me out like that, but you know it is what it is. You know. So, like I always say go know it is what it is, you know. So, like I always say go ahead and grab whatever it is you're drinking, grab your snack, come in and have a seat so we can go ahead, get this thing started. Um, so I'm gonna talk about what I'm gonna do for today, for black friday, because after that I'm gonna go hit these streets and uh how I shop and you know some of the tips and tricks that I use when I shop that I feel maybe will be helpful for you guys as well. So today I'm drinking on some good water, because we y'all know your girl been sick all month and between cold, allergies, getting flu shots and stuff, your girl is spent all right. Now that we done got us a little swig of water, you know. All right, let's go ahead and jump into it.

Speaker 1: 2:25

So, welcome to black friday. Black fly, la, la, I don't, I gotta get my words together today and I ain't cutting none of this out. So y'all finna hear all these bloopers because I ain't got the kind of time. Welcome to Black Friday. What we buying? Well, I'm glad you asked.

Speaker 1: 2:42

This year, black Friday going to hit a little difference. Now, I ain't going to lie, I used to be one of them people. We're going to eat during the day on Thursday and then we're going to go outside. But now Black Friday starts today. It actually starts on Friday. It ain't like midnight Thursdays, no more. But I ain't gonna. I used to miss some days. We used to get up super, super early.

Speaker 1: 3:04

Um, I it's only been a few times that I can remember that I actually came outside on a Thursday, on like a Thanksgiving today, to actually go shopping, like, and I think I didn't even go out to buy nothing y'all. I think I went outside just to like, be outside, just to be well, let me go see what the rest of you crazies around here doing. I think that's what I did. But Friday, boy, I had Friday sold up, like. I was like in the past, before I became money conscious, I used to be like, all right, I'm just going to take this money and I'm going to go outside and whatever side tell me is what, what we finna get. You know, I didn't have a plan, I didn't have a budget. My budget was when I ran out of money Cause, and we're going to get into that. And when I say run out of money, I don't mean like my car declined, anything like that. I'm going to get into how I shop for Black Friday, because I kind of have a method to my madness. I call it my little budget. It's like my little budget hack or whatever For Black Friday this year, y'all know, my house got affected by a hurricane.

Speaker 1: 4:14

This year I'm looking for a lot of houseware, I'm looking for a lot of towels, I'm looking for furniture. Some of the stuff in my garage got messed up so I'm just looking to replace some of that, like some of my tools and some of my gym equipment, stuff like that. You know, I'm not going to go too big because I know the better sales are going to be coming for, like gym equipment and stuff, like in January when everybody, you know, starts their fitness journey over. But there is a few stores that always have a banging sale on towels, face cloths, housewares and stuff like that. So me and Bestie finna go hit the store after this and just make it a girl's day and, you know, just go get the Black Friday deals. However, I will say housewares is one of the things that's very good on Black Friday. A lot of the other stuff is good clothing, shoes and stuff like that. I feel like the deals are better pre Black Friday because, like a couple of weeks ago, I went to the Nike outlet and Nike had like the deals are better pre-Black Friday because, like a couple weeks ago I went to the Nike outlet and Nike had like the sale, and then they had an additional 40% off. So I ended up getting new face like a couple of pair of shoes, some sweats and some different stuff like that, and I think I only paid like $200, which is still considered. One of the pair of shoes that he got was originally like $139. So to be able to get two pair of shoes and some clothing to go with it, I feel like it was a good steal.

Speaker 1: 5:49

I'm also in the market for some more headphones, like I have these that I record with, that I go to the gym with. But I'm used to having like three pair of headphones, so I'm used to having these pair of headphones that you know I go to the gym with. If I travel, um, I prefer over the head versus in the ear just because of the altitude and the pressure, but for recording I like the in ears, um, and so my mama dog ate those up. So I tried to call myself buying just like some little old cheapy ones like the that are not wireless and let's just say that's not gonna work for your girl, because I've had them for maybe a month and I done washed them things already like they got tangled up in like my um in my clothes. So I figured that's not good for me. I need something wireless. They still work, by the way, but I need something wireless.

Speaker 1: 6:36

So I'm on the hunt for some headphones. I've actually seen some good headphone deals that I like on Amazon. I haven't checked Target or anything like that, because I know a lot of places have been very tight-lipped about the sales that they're having and different stuff like that. So when I get outside after this we're going to find out what the sales is. But if they advertise them ahead of time, then yes, I'll go ahead and take a look. But as of right now, I don't know. Well, ok, I ain't going to say I don't know. I'm going to say I ain't look. Yet you know, I'm going to be sitting in the car with my little coffee like hey, nick, like what you see on the app Um, and then let's talk about if it's a deal or no deal for me. This is just my criteria. You ain't got to use it, but this is just how I do.

Speaker 1: 7:30

If something ain't at least 35% off or more, I'm not getting it. Because when you think about it, 10, 15, 20, because when you think about it 10, 15, 20, that's just merely taxes. That's just like you're like yeah, well, charlie, like you know, it's still money off. It's money off on the taxes. And then when you take a look at it and I forgot what I looked at and so what stores do is they mark up to mark down. So if something is $29, they used to be $29. They mark it up to $35. This is just an example. They mark it up to $35 and then they bring it back down to $28. And it's kind of like well, dang, like that ain't really a sale because the original old price used to be $29. So you're not really saving anything on it. So, 35% and higher.

Speaker 1: 8:27

You've got my attention, especially if it's something good, something that I want. We all know 50 is better, but we do know that some stores have flash sales. So I would suggest, get in on them. Flash sales, like, if you have to get up, you know well, by the time you listen to this, it's already gonna be time to be up. So, um, you should already, you should be heading to the store listening to this. How about that? Um? And when you get to, wherever you're going, you should be like well, let me get out a pen and a piece of paper. But, yeah, let me pull out my phone and, you know, go to that note section, be like, let me jot down some of this stuff that charlie talking about, because sis might be on the sun. But, um, yeah, like it gotta be a deal, don't be falling for this 10, 15, 20%, because you merely just taking the taxes off. It ain't nothing. It ain't nothing but little taxes. You know what I'm saying you? Just a couple of dollars, little pennies here and there. You know, whatever my notes is on my phone today, y'all, I don't have my notes on my thing in front of me. So if y'all keep seeing me looking down, look away, because my notes is on my phone.

Speaker 1: 9:40

Um, what's the best time to shop? Right now, cause this episode come out at 5 AM. So right now you should be on your way to shopping, cause after I finished this, I'm getting ready to go. So that should let y'all know what time I'm recording. It's like hella early in the morning, um, so that should let y'all know what time I'm recording. It's like hella early in the morning, so y'all should be getting ready to go. Um, I feel like the best time is early in the morning because think about a lot of people not gonna get up. Um, a lot of people are just gonna be like well, whenever I wake up, I'm gonna go to me. I feel like you miss out on so much when you do it like that because you like all right, I'm gonna get up and go whenever I go.

Speaker 1: 10:22

But by that time, like most of the good sales have gone, the stuff that's left is stuff that's been picked over, and I like the fresh cream of the crop. I don't like the stuff that's been picked over. And then you might see something on sale that you like and they don't have your size because you didn't go in that joint early in to now. And then they be like you know, we don't have any in back stock. What I've been learning is what they have out on the floor is is their inventory? Um, a lot of stores don't keep a lot of that bulk stuff. And then I know here, uh, a lot of stores in the mall got damaged and so they don't have that big inventory and what they have out is kind of is like what you see is what you get, um.

Speaker 1: 11:04

So I always say get up and get early, and then by the time all of the other people get up, you know you don't have to be out there with that madness, because you know traffic is going to be crazy and you know people are going to um, and you know people are going to. People are just going to be out here crazy and just just crazy. And I'm the type of people I don't like large crowds. So I'd rather go early, you know, and just get it out the way with, because by the time everybody out there being crazy, I didn't, came back to the house, took, took me a shower and laid down because I'm finna, watch me some football anyway. Okay, the game come on today at 3 30. So I'm finna be back in the house. I'm gonna be done, picked up my little items in a little bit I'll be back in the house, okay and um, shopping for children. I know a lot of y'all.

Speaker 1: 11:59

This is the time of the year that you shop for your children and, yeah, you know, got a shot for them kids. Now, I, my kids are older, so I'm not, I'm what you want. Give me your list and I must see what I can do. Okay, I'm not finna, tell you. Uh, let me consult with Santa, cause I am Santa, okay, I'm Mrs Claus and I'm the Grinch at the same time. Give me your list and let me see what I can work with. I think, like Lorenzo got a X-Box or something PlayStation or something on his list and I'm like bro, like he already got one of his Christmas present, which is the iPhone 16 that we had already agreed upon because he's had the same phone since elementary so I felt it was time for him to get a new phone. So that's one of his present, one, his big present. So I'm like you're not gonna get like a whole nother big present, um, like an xbox or something like that. Like we're not finna do that.

Speaker 1: 13:01

But for kids, um, my tip and my strategy is, if I'm shopping for children, I always inventory what it is they already have. Say, for instance, your child puts on their list you know I want some more Legos or whatever, whatever. But I know my child got a gazillion Legos already that they don't play with. Why would I go waste my money to buy something more of something that they already have that they don't play with? Why would I go waste my money to buy something more of something that they already have that they don't play with. You know, that's just like my rationale, and I do the same thing with clothes.

Speaker 1: 13:40

A lot of times parents use this time of the year to get more clothes and you know, kind of like, kind of like a refresh or reset for you know, like the second semester of school, like your May through, I'm sorry, your January through May type of clothing. So you know, like the second semester of school, like your May through, I'm sorry, your January through May type of clothing. So you know, kind of refresh their clothing. So what I always say is go through your kids' clothes first before you go out and buy more, because then you don't want to come up with the overabundance. And I've done this before. I've not gone through New Faces clothes and I've gone out and bought all these clothes.

Speaker 1: 14:13

And so what in turn happened is during the summer, when we ended up going through his closet, he has so many clothes that I had bought for him, but he had already outgrown them, even though I bought them bigger. He had already outgrown them because I didn't go through his clothes, and so those clothes didn't become part of the rotation. Um, and so we ended up having to give him like brand new clothes away because he had an overabundance and we couldn't see that he had new stuff, um, that he had new stuff that he had not worn. So I always say go through and take an inventory of what you have, just to prevent. If it has a hole in it, if the collar is stretched out, if it looked like after two more washes it's gonna be too small.

Speaker 1: 14:57

If in the next three months it looks like you're gonna outgrow it, go ahead and get rid of it and get something newer, um, get something bigger. That way, you know, and it's kind of like you're deep cleaning at the same time. You know you're going through your person at the same time. So that's what I kind of use when I'm searching for children and I also I'm very realistic. So, like I said, new face won't like even see the xbox or place I don't know one of those but it's kind of like can am I going to spend this four, five hundred dollars on this one item or am I going to take that four, five hundred dollars and spread it out to get multiple things? You know, that's kind of where we are, because I'm not going to spend this four or five hundred dollars and then, on top of that, go get you some more stuff. You know like I have a budget in my head and I'm going to stay under that budget. So I say so again, if you're, when you're shopping for children, I just say keep it realistic. Don't add more clutter to whatever you already have, because if you me, I don't like a lot of clutter. Like we're not finna, we're not finna. Do all of this. You know we're not finna, do all this. So I would say declutter, take an inventory of what you have before you go to the store. Staying on budget, we might be here all day Staying on budget, Y'all know, and if y'all don't, y'all need to go back. Probably about 20 episodes.

Speaker 1: 16:34

I am a cash person. I do not like debit cards, I do not like credit cards. I like to use cash. I feel like cash holds me more accountable for my spending, because when you're swiping a card, you're not keeping a mental of okay, I just spent $300. So if I had 7,000, now I got 6,700. We're not doing that because we just like oh, we got approved, okay, okay, cool, it got approved. Oh, it's approved, okay. And we just swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe.

Speaker 1: 17:10

So what I do is I go and I take money out the bank and I say, for instance, if my budget for Black Friday is $1,500, I'm going to go to the bank and I'm going to take out $1,500, right, and I don't want to hear that ain't safe, whatever, whatever. Let me finish, okay, let me tell you how I do it. I go get the 1500 and I, um, and I'm like that's, that's what I got to stay within and this, this is the 1500. This gotta be for everybody that I need gifts for, like this is not just for one person. I got to make this 1500 stretch me. I'm I always go over and it's just what it is.

Speaker 1: 17:55

But I also have a rule, my budget as well. With a budget like $1,500, that means that we're going to have in our household that's considered a heavy Christmas. What I do is every other year we have a heavy Christmas and then the next year we get a big vacation, so that we're not big vacation, heavy Christmas, like all in one year, just to keep the budgeting together. So this year is a little different. We're going to have a, a medium, a medium, a medium Christmas, because I believe we are going on a trip next year. I'm not sure. It's just too many variables to say right now. So I said we'll do a medium Christmas. So in the event that we do end up going on the trip, then we didn't, I didn't have a heavy Christmas and I'm not putting into a trip as well, so I'm not overextending myself when I go out to the stores, say I have this $1,500, I'm not going to take the whole $1,500 in there.

Speaker 1: 19:04

One thing that I learned is I do not take backpacks, I do not take large bags to the store with me because, remember people, there are people out there who know y'all are, who know we consumers are out here spending money when we are loaded with cash. One of the things that I do is I have a cross body and I wear it across my body and I always put the buckle in the front. So if you're going to steal from me, you're going to have to reach across me from the back or you're going to have to run up on me and snap it and pull it like that. One other thing that I do in if I feel like it's going to be like a lot, like a medium crowd, I'll wear my crossbody. If I feel like it's going to be a large crowd. What I do is I have a little small wallet and I just put a certain amount of money in there and I strap it to my bra, like I'll loop it around in my bra so that it's in my bra. So even if you were to run up to me, you can't just snatch it from me. You're literally going to have to snatch me, snatch my shirt, my bra. It's going to take you a lot of work and by the time I figure out what's going on, then I'm going to have to inflict a little violence upon you. So those are some of the ways I stay safe.

Speaker 1: 20:22

I never take whatever the amount that I take out, whether it be $500,000, $1,500, $2,000, how much ever money I take out. I never have that much money on me at all times. You know I never keep all that money on me at one time. Um, I'm a refrain from saying you know my other, like how I hide my money during the holidays, just in case I run into somebody out there and they'd be like there. Go Charlie over there, this is where she keep her money at whatever, whatever, but cross body or on my person. I also have a crossbody belt, so I have a belt bag that you know I can use as well, because if you're going to steal my belt bag, try to steal it like that you're going to have to unbuckle my belt to kind of steal it. So I always make sure that you know I have my items secure.

Speaker 1: 21:16

I don't take unnecessary stuff with me. I don't take unnecessary stuff with me. Typically in my bag I only carry my, my license, my or ID card and In my money. I don't carry extra debit cards. I don't carry any extra that. Just in case some kind of fluke that you know my, I, my purse gets stolen or something like that, all of my information is not in there. All of my cards are not in there. I don't have to call and cancel a lot of cards because I be seeing places and I be seeing people pull out their whole wallets with all their stuff in it. They drive a license, they social security card, all their credit cards and all of that and I'm like, no, like, less is more. That's just how you got to do, because you know you got to safety safety first. You know you got to safety safety first.

Speaker 1: 22:02

Also, like I said, even when pertaining to children, even when it pertains to us adults determine what you're looking for. That way you avoid impulse shopping. Because we know it's like going to Target Target always tell me what I need when I get in there. Anytime I go in there, and I get exactly what I need and I don't go haywire, it's a good day for me, um. So impulse shopping gets a lot of us because you'll be like, oh, I ain't know, I needed that, like. So just make sure you go in there with a plan so that you can uh avoid impulse buying and, like I said, make sure uh, realistic budget.

Speaker 1: 22:40

And I've already told y'all I like I prefer cash. Like now, if it's like a big purchase or something, I may use a credit or debit card, just you know, just because, um, in case something happens, and then I kind of need proof of that because with, with cash, you know you can get a receipt. But you know what I'm saying. I just feel like you get a little cash. I mean you know you can get a receipt, but you know what I'm saying. I just feel like you get a little cash. I mean you know it has a better tracking record, if that makes sense, like if I need to verify something or something was wrong and I need to return something. Clothes is a little easier, you know, but with big ticket items or electronics or something like that, you know, sometimes you got to have a little something that's a little bit more concrete.

Speaker 1: 23:23

Don't be in the store getting these people credit cards. Y'all don't need them, like cause you're going to get them, cause they'd be like, if you apply for this credit cards a day, then you can get 20% off, you know, on top of what you already spent today. Don't fall for it Now. If you have credit cards, if you have credit cards and you're trying to get points and stuff like that, I would use my credit card. However, if I ain't got the money to pay it the next month, I'm not going to go spend $3,000 on my credit card knowing that I can't pay $3,000 next month. If my budget is $1,500, then I know I'm going to spend $1,500 on my credit card. Or I can spend $1,500 on my credit card to get these points, but I know I can pay it back because that's what my budget was already. I ain't going to put nothing on my credit card that wasn't on my budget. But again, I prefer cash. I know I'm going to probably have to take a credit card here with me a little bit, because I know Nick gonna be like, girl, put that on your car, get the rewards and then just pay it off. And I'm like, yeah, you right, you know. So I ain't telling y'all what to do, I'm just telling y'all what I do. So, yeah, so that's kind of how I shop for Black Friday.

Speaker 1: 24:37

I did do some shopping last week. Um, I did a little treat yourself. Um, I got some sweaters. And it's crazy because the sweater that, um, that I was looking for, I had looked at and I was like I was like this is a good sweater, but I was like I ain't trying to pay full price. And then I was in the mall, um, by accident, uh, a couple of days later, in the shirt, the sweater that I want to have actually went down to 40 percent off and I was like, ok, that's more like it. And I went ahead and grabbed up a few of those, because Florida participated in winter this year Like or fall or cooler weather they participate in. Y'all see all these short sleeve shirts behind me. I ain't really got no jackets and stuff either. I had to buy me a couple pair of jeans and stuff. I was like, oh, this is ghetto.

Speaker 1: 25:28

Um, now I said we're gonna avoid impulse shopping. So if I were to impulse shop this year, I don't even know, I don't even know what I would buy. Like I know it's impulse. So it's like Charlie, like how would you know what you're gonna buy because it's impulse shop, but I don't even know what I would buy. Like I know it's impulse. So it's like Charlie, like how would you know what you're going to buy? Because it's an impulse shop? But I don't.

Speaker 1: 25:44

I like I feel like I got to be a category. Like I haven't even gone through all my clothes yet. So, like all the clothes that I bought, you know last week, pre-black Friday, like they don't even have hangers for them yet, so they still in the bag. So that means I have to go through these clothes. So y'all probably gonna see some of this stuff probably gonna be going away. Y'all gonna be like, oh, the background look different.

Speaker 1: 26:10

Um, so I don't know, I might get me some jewelry or something. If they have like a good sale on jewelry, because I'm a sucker for necklaces, even though I ain't got none on right now I'm a sucker for necklaces I might give me some jewelry I don't know, and then again I might not get nothing because I really don't need nothing, like I got everything I want. Oh, one other thing. And so when you're on the budget I'm sorry y'all my allergies is trying to take me out, but I ain't going to edit that out Y'all, finna, get all these sniffles and wiffles on budget.

Speaker 1: 26:52

So say, for instance, we're going to use that fifteen hundred again. So say I go out today and you know my budget fifteen1,500 and I only use $600 of it. Then the rest of that goes for next year. Like that's how I do it. Like I roll my money over. It's kind of like them rollover minutes. Like I roll my money over to the save fund so it can either go for next Christmas or it can go for the trip, and then that's just less money. I gotta leave, uh, during the year. All right, so yeah, so that's the Black Friday episode. I just tell y'all, ask y'all to make sure you stay on budget, stay cognitive of your money, stay, stay aware of your surroundings. You know I'm saying don't overdo it, um, and just have fun with it. And you know we coming up on the end of the year and you know this, this year zoom by. You know like it went um.

Speaker 1: 27:54

So I hope y'all had a good thanksgiving. I hope y'all ate. I hope y'all living room outfits was on point. I hope y'all ain't end up in nobody's house that had nasty food. You know, I hope that you had an amazing day. I hope you watched some football yesterday. I mean, yeah, yesterday. I'm like dang, what's today? I hope y'all watched some football, you know, and I hope you just enjoyed your loved ones and you were thankful for what it is that you have and everything that you're going to get. And you know, I hope there were any complaints yesterday. I hope there weren't any family dramas yesterday. You know, and I'm just hoping that you and your loved ones had an amazing day yesterday and you got full off of whatever type of food you indulged in.

Speaker 1: 28:44

Um, I ain't good with cracker barrel. I let them do the cooking um, but I hope you had a good time with your family and your friends. I hope you got some rest. Um, if you're off today, kudos to you. If you're not, and you're at work, it's all good. You know, I'm saying make that money, don't let it make you. So go ahead and close this thing out. The song lyric of the week is michael blue buble is beginning to look a lot like christmas because that thing coming up Friday like uh 29th, uh, less than 30 days. Wow, christmas is in less than 30 days. Wow, wow, wow, wow. Oh, I just thought of an impulse buy y'all. I think I'm gonna do elf on the shelf this year for the kids. Yeah, I might have to maybe have an elf on the shelf today, but yeah, let me get up out of here.

Speaker 1: 29:51

Please remember, if you have not already, please like and subscribe to this podcast. Wherever you listen to your podcast, whatever streaming app, make sure you like it, you subscribe and share and, most importantly, you are leaving a review so that when you leave a review, I can shout you out. Please make sure you're following the instagram page. The gag is pod at instagram. Please feel free to follow my personal page as well Smartfit, underscore, oki, both of those pages on Instagram. Please make sure you are following us on YouTube as well, so after you listen to this, you can go view this as well. And over there on Instagram, same name, same handle the Gag is Pod. If you want to work together, if you have any capital if you want to work together. You, you have any capital if you want to work together, you have any collaboration ideas or anything like that? You can hit me on the email at thegagispod at gmailcom. Until next week, I am your girl, charlie Shante. This is the Gag Is Podcast. Bye, guys.