How To Make A Budget For Black Friday And Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Two of the biggest events retailers use to lure shoppers into spending impulsively.

Welcome to ✨ the peak of retail chaos ✨

How many times have you seen advertisements for things you wouldn’t have even thought about until they popped up?

Countless.

This is a key example of how marketing tricks you into thinking you need to buy stuff.

It’s unsurprising that stats show 42% of shoppers regret what they purchase on Black Friday.

And while some retailers tout deals as “unmissable savings”, some Black Friday deals aren’t really deals at all.

Take a seat because It’s time for a reality check ⚠️

If you were going to buy the item anyway and it’s half price, you’ve saved 50%.

Well done.

If you weren’t originally going to buy it, and you only bought it because it’s half price, you’ve technically wasted 100% of your money.

Not so well done.

Don’t become just another stat. You’re worth so much more 💅

We’d much rather you boycott Black Friday (keep scrolling to enter our competition), but we realize you’re a grown up and can make your own decisions. And for some people, it’s a fun family thing to do.

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Budgeting tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

If you’re planning on shopping during these chaotic times, try creating a budget you can actually stick to. Times are tough, don’t let marketing lure you into making impulsive purchases.

We’re not here to lecture you on how much you should or shouldn’t spend on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s totally up to you what you waste your hard earned money on 👀

But to avoid overspending this year, you might want to try the following tips:
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✔️ Set a spending amount

‍This is vital for not overspending. Set a limit for any items you’d like to buy. Look at your income and see how much money you could set aside for shopping.

✔️ Create a gift list

If you’re exchanging Christmas presents this year, make a list of gifts you want to buy and see if they’re actually cheaper on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

✔️ Shop around

If you’re shopping online, use price comparison sites like CamelCamelCamel and Google Shopping to see if the deal you’ve spotted really is the best deal. And if you’re shopping in-store and you've found something you want, take a couple of minutes to compare the price online to see if you can get it cheaper.

✔️ Relax

Finally, relax. It’s easy to get caught up in the madness. Before you know it, you’ve spent $100 on stuff you didn’t even need.

Don't get caught up in it all.
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To help ease you into the world of ✨ budgeting ✨ and get you prepped for two of the most stressful days of the year, you could try the 50/30/20 rule:

🚃 50% of your income for needs

🍔 30% of your income for wants

🐖 20% of your income to savings and debt repayment

For more budgeting tips, check out How to make a budget with Cleo. It’s totally free and it could stop you from regretting those impulsive buys this holiday season 🎄
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💙 84% of Cleo users feel better about their money after using the app for at least one month 💙

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‍What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is one of the most profitable retail days of the year. Retailers offer deals and discounts to kick off the holiday season.

It’s basically that one time of year stress levels raise by 100% as consumers all over the world queue for hours outside of stores so they can get their hands on the “unmissable” deals.

When do Black Friday sales start?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. Harsh really, making people run around stores frantically whilst still bloated from the feast the day before 🦃

Years ago, Black Friday would just be a one day kinda vibe. But as the years have gone on, we’ve seen retailers introduce sales weeks before the big day.

✨ Blurred lines ✨

We’re already seeing tons of early discounts from a number of big retailers like Walmart and Target.

And Amazon Black Friday deals have probably already made their way into your inbox somehow (that’s if you shop there 🥴).

How long does Black Friday last?

Technically, Black Friday ends as soon as Cyber Monday begins (November 28th), but many retailers will still have deals and discounts lingering around for some time after this.

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What is Cyber Monday?

It’s the biggest online shopping event of the year.

Cyber Monday was introduced back in 2005 as an online shopping equivalent to Black Friday after e-commerce retailers felt as though they were being left out.

Sad times.

It’s usually a 24-hour online shopping event which starts on the Monday after Thanksgiving but similar to Black Friday, sales often start before the big day.

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Is Cyber Monday better than Black Friday?

Business Insider says Cyber Monday is generally a better day to shop for tech deals and smaller gifts and it’s now even bigger than Black Friday with sales reaching a record high of $10.8 billion in 2020.

So, if you’ve got your eye on any electronics, it might be worth checking on Cyber Monday to see if you can save on those items you were going to buy anyway.

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And if you really wanna protect your money this year, try Boycotting Black Friday.

This year, Cleo’s boycotting Black Friday. And if you want a shot at $500, jump on the boycotting bandwagon and join Cleo as she busts the biggest Black Friday myths.

🛍️ To enter:

1. Download Cleo from the App Store or Google Play and connect your bank account
2. Type “boycott Black Friday” in the app Cleo will reveal why capitalism’s favorite holiday is a scam
3. Screenshot it and share on Twitter or Instagram and tag us (@meetcleo) so your friends can join the boycott too.
   ‍PSA: you’ve gotta be following us to be eligible. Duh.
4. Go cold turkey and spend nothing on Friday, November 25, 2022 (groceries, gas, etc aside, you gotta eat)
5. We’ll announce the winner the following week on social next week 🚀
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If you are planning on shopping during Black Friday and Cyber Monday (who wants a shot at $500 anyway), check out these retailers who have changed their return policies.

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Ready to try out the best money app in the world?
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Big love. Cleo 💙