Black Friday versus Cyber Monday

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It's ironic that I've been talking a lot about tips and savings for Black Friday when I'm not really a fan of the shopping day myself. I get that it's a tradition that many people enjoy with friends and family. You are going out for the fun of being together all while you save a few hundred dollars. That's friends with (savings) benefits :)

I know there is value in shopping on Black Friday. The year we bought T's computer, we considered waiting in line for the Best Buy Black Friday deal. That is until Paul drove by the store at 5 PM on Thanksgiving Day and saw people camped out. We agreed then that the $100 savings wasn't worth it for an overnight stay on the sidewalk. Plus, I ended up saving the same amount after Black Friday anyway – score one for my savvy shopping skillz!

My mom is a Black Friday shopper. She loves the thrill of being the first one in line and getting that gift card or whatever it is that you get for standing in line and being one of the first few in the store. Since she's going out, I find out what stores she is planning on hitting that day (since I know you have to plan and prioritize shopping). I look through those ads to see if there are any items on sale that I may have on our shopping list.

There aren't always a lot on my list for mom to pick up for me. Mostly because I know that the Black Friday deals are also available online. If I somehow missed them Friday online, I know they will be back in a few days on Cyber Monday. My rule on Black Friday purchases is that I need to save more on the item over what I would normally pay if I purchased it online at a regular sale price (using the ways to save below). Which leads me to…

10 Reasons I Prefer Cyber Monday Over Black Friday

1. I'm at home.
2. I can earn cash back.
3. I can earn double cash back on many stores.
4. I can use online coupon codes.
5. I almost always get Free Shipping.
6. I can use the discounted gift cards I purchased.
7. I can do a comprehensive price comparison to see if the cyber sale price is truly the best available.
8. I can visit a brick and mortar store on Monday and see if they will offer a price match on the Cyber Monday online price.
9. I'm not getting in a fight with someone over the hottest Elmo toy that I didn't even want but I was moving to get to the toy I actually wanted.
10. I'm at home.

This of course assumes the Black Friday shopping you do is in-store. Yes, I realize my being at home was on there twice but there is something to be said about shopping from the comfort of your home, saving money on gas and avoiding bodily harm.

If for some reason the deal isn't available on Cyber Monday, I know from recent years that many deal will be back before Christmas. I realize it can be a risk to wait for the Type A shoppers. Even if you need to purchase an item at a higher price, you can possibly get the same net savings in the end when you use coupon codes and shop online through cash back sites.

Of course, the other piece in this puzzle that has nothing to do with a specific day or season is buying all of your gifts throughout the year to save just as much, if not more. You can do that online too. Have I convinced you that shopping online is the best thing since sliced bread (which you can buy online)?

Just for fun, I asked this question in a poll here if you want to answer on which shopping strategy you prefer. You can also leave a comment and let us know as well! The options are below :)

Whatever you do, I'm happy you are reading Savings Lifestyle and letting us help you save even more, online AND in-store, throughout the year! We love giving you the best deals to help you save on what you need so you can spend (and save) more on what you want!

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, All-Year Long Shopping or a Combo?