Black Friday is a tempting time to shop if you love the energy of crowds and the possibility of a great deal. If you have some patience, you may be able to find better prices on many items later in the holiday season, or at another time of year.
Here are five items you can skip buying on Black Friday:
Door-busters: Particularly avoid electronics and small appliances that are touted as “special deals” for early-bird customers. Why? Nationally recognized consumer expert Andrea Woroch says they’re often of inferior quality and created specifically for the big shopping event. Unless you find an amazing deal on an item you’ve already thoroughly researched, you’re probably better off paying a little more for a better-quality product with more features.
Laptops: The back-to-school shopping season is traditionally the best time to buy laptops at a discount, says Woroch. However, if you’re determined to buy a laptop during the holidays, Cyber Monday is probably a better day to shop because it’s easier to compare prices online vs. in a crowded store. As an added bonus, you’ll often find coupons to sweeten the deal.
TVs: On Black Friday, discounted TVs are often available in very limited quantities, or are off-brands vs. the newest name-brand models. Consumer Reports has reported that new TVs are usually at their lowest prices near Christmas. Rock-bottom deals can be found in late-February and early-March, when new models arrive and the older ones go on sale.
Jewelry (this includes a woman’s best friend!): DealNews says the best deals on all things that glitter definitely isn’t Black Friday—it’s in April, before Mother’s Day. December is a wildly popular time to get engaged, so jewelers aren’t likely to put diamonds on sale during their busiest month.
Holiday décor: There are always Black Friday sales on lights, decorations, trees, and more. If you’re throwing a big party and need some last-minute items to glitz up your home, you might find a few deals. However, Woroch says that the real bargains are after the holidays—up to 80 percent off most décor items! If you can wait, stock up on decorations and lights in January for next year and save yourself a bundle.
Teri Cettina is a mom of two daughters and freelance writer who specializes in personal finance and parenting topics. She blogs at Your Family Money. Follow her on Twitter: @TeriCettina