Black Friday 2016 Shopping Survival Guide: How To Save Money; Which Retailers Offer The Good, Bad And Ugly Deals?

Thanksgiving is almost around the corner and few more days American shoppers will find themselves at every brick-and-mortar retailer that will give them the best bargain and cheapest deals come Black Friday shopping weekend. Retailers such as WalMart, Target, BestBuy, and GameStop will pull all the stops to entice customers to their stores. With this, there are few strategies that bargain hunters should consider that will help them find the lowest prices without setting up a tent outside a big box store.

The New York Times suggest using discounted gift cards, which can be acquired from websites such as Raise.com and Giftcardgranny.com. Joannie Demer, a co-owner of thekrazycouponlady.com, considers discounted gift cards as a strategy that works year-round. They offer savings between 8 and 12 percent during Black Friday.

Demer advises Black Friday shoppers to get the best bargains between December 10 and 18. She explains why December 19 onward is a big NO because retailers are less likely to reduce prices.

According to Forbes magazine, consumers should not turn their Black Friday shopping into an all-day affair to take advantage of the sales offered. Some shoppers are less gung-ho about spending a ton of time away from their family due to the reason that they can get good deals at other times.

USA Today outlines a list of shopping tips for Black Friday aficionados. Shoppers need to scour for Thanksgiving ads and map out a game plan. They are told compare prices by doing Google search or using a comparison website. Wearing comfortable shoes and dress is a must as well as the need to get in line early at the store.

Fortune magazine predicts that 137.4 million shoppers will hit retailers over Black Friday weekend, based on data provided by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The NRF sees an almost four percent increase in holiday season sales.