The Asian Mom’s Guide to Getting The best Black Friday Deals

Now that Halloween is officially over, it’s time to look forward to the next festive occasion…and no, we’re not talking about Thanksgiving—but that’s exciting too! :). It’s every deal lover and bargain hunter’s dream, the infamous American tradition of Black Friday. As the daughter of Asian immigrant parents, I have had the privilege of gaining years of Black Friday shopping experience under my belt. In fact, I have never found anyone as savvy a bargain hunter as Asian mothers. There’s nothing quite as impressive as watching them find the most elusive deals and bring home another stunning pair of shoes at a bargain price. While I still have a lot to learn about shopping with finesse, I present to you some worthwhile tips I’ve managed to gain throughout my years of Black Friday shopping with my mother. I’m sure there are plenty more, but hopefully these will grant you a successful Black Friday shopping extravangaza 🙂

Tip #1: ALWAYS check sales and clearance racks (or visit the tabs if you’re shopping online) for good deals — If you’re not going to the sales channels first, what are you doing?? There’s always bound to be items that are super cute and are at a much more reasonable price than before.

Tip #2: Put items you’re interested in into your cart but wait a couple of days before buying them — Usually, sites are tracking your movements and can tell when you are looking at certain items. If you wait a couple of days, they will give you reminders on the item and will also signal you when the price drops. This will help you capture those last minute deals if the price abruptly declines one day!

Tip #3: Join free rewards programs to get loyalty points and first time member discounts —  A lot of stores like American Eagle, H&M, etc. have free rewards programs you can easily sign up for with your email. This will help you get free points when you spend money at the store and also some extra coupons to use as well. (Also, it may not hurt to create a couple of accounts with different emails to get the repeat first timer discount:)

Tip #4: Use browser extensions like Karma to notify you of coupons/promo codes at a variety of stores that you can automatically apply at checkout — sites like Karma will help you find coupons with minimal effort and help you save a ton of money!

Tip #5: Always read the sales policies to see where you can price match items — A lot of stores such as Nordstrom allow you to price match items if you find them for a lower price at a different retailer. Use this tool to negotiate prices and get the optimal deal!

Tip #6: Check out Warehouse or Outlet store extensions to get lower priced items — Higher end brands like Banana Republic or Under Armour tend to have warehouse or outlet extensions both online and in store where they will sell their products for lower prices. Most of the time, the quality is the same as their original products and at a much better bargain!

I hope you take these tips to heart as you embark on your next shopping spree! I know my mom and I will be very proud to see your next best bargain purchase 🙂