Holiday Shopping

The busiest time of year has officially arrived. Friends and families in desperate search for the perfect presents to gift loved ones this holiday season. As many know, Thanksgiving marks the start of the preparations for the upcoming holidays. Not only does Thanksgiving initiate the start of the holiday season, but the start of a weekend filled with the best holiday sales. The Friday after Thanksgiving marks a day full of sales for many to fulfill their holiday shopping needs. This day is known as the famous Black Friday. This year Black Friday fell on Friday, November 26. According to Blackfriday.com, $9.03 billion was spent on Black Friday last year, including an additional $14.3 billion in online sales. Before Black Friday even approached, Christmas sales increased by 20% since last year, stated by Lee Brown and Georgett Roberts from the New York Post.

In addition to Black Friday, the beginning of the holiday season brings about a 24-hour period full of holiday online sales: Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday occurs three days after Black Friday, giving buyers five days to buy cheap, affordable gifts for their friends and family. Cyber Monday this year fell on Monday, November 29. According to Blackfriday.com, 6% more planned to shop Cyber Monday sales than Black Friday sales last year.

People of all ages shop during the five days filled with sales. Last year, between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, there were over 186.4 million U.S. shoppers that participated in the five day period (Blackfriday.com). According to Finder.com, a fintech company that helps people globally make better financial decisions, people between the ages of 35 and 44 most oftenly participate in the event. Additionally, Finder.com also relays statistics that say women are 2% more likely to partake in Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

When it comes to holiday shopping, oftentimes the expenditures slip our minds. According to Blackfriday.com, over Thanksgiving weekend last year most shoppers spent an average of $311.75 while doing their holiday shopping. Also, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) it was predicted that total Black Friday sales would hit $28.1 billion this year (Balance.com).

We wanted to hear about our students' experiences, tips, and tricks on shopping during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Erian Oliveros: When I do my holiday shopping, I usually shop for gifts and items that don’t usually go on sale often, and items that I have needed and wanted for a while.

Sydney Po: On Black Friday I usually shop for gifts for family and friends. When shopping, I don’t necessarily have a budget because I always shop with my mom. A good tip to find the best deals is to see how much you can get a product for cheaper than its original set price. For example, Bath and Body Works there is a deal that is when you buy three, you get three.

Olivia Boles: My usual budget for shopping during the holiday sales ranges between $50 and $75. However, I would say the best holiday shopping budget would be $100. When shopping, I never have a set idea of what I am shopping for. I usually just buy whatever items are on sale—most typically clothes. On Cyber Monday, I like to shop on websites such as Amazon. Some tips I would like to share for finding the best deals are to know what companies offer good deals and to use add-ons. The add-on “Honey” offers discounts with different codes.

Kaitlin Hintelmann: On Black Friday and Cyber Monday I usually am shopping for clothes for myself and gifts for my family and friends. My usual shopping budget is around $100, but I think the best holiday budget depends on the amount of people you plan to buy for.

Abby Brustowicz: I usually don’t shop on Black Friday, but I do look for good deals. My holiday budget is whatever money I have and whatever money my parents give me. I think the best budget depends on how much you’re getting.

Meghan Tobin: I try to make my budget $100 max. It can be challenging to stay under that amount, however starting low motivates me to find good deals. I think the way to find the best holiday budget is to start small and with the intention of getting as many deals as possible. I think it is important to not freely spend money on gifts because there are definitely more important things to put money towards. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I just look for deals on any item I’ve recently wanted. Mostly clothes, technology, or room decor I look for. I try not to be convinced to buy something I need just because it’s a good price. I do happen to do more shopping on Cyber Monday than Black Friday in order to avoid the in-person chaos. A tip on finding the best deals is making sure to spend time searching and checking multiple websites before buying an item to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Always look for the best deal before quickly purchasing something!

Overall, it seems our students have great intentions and tips when buying on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The Monmouth Regional student body seems educated on how to financially manage their spending, and get the best deals and holiday items during the five days of sales.