Black Friday and Cyber Monday are full of ways to, quote, unquote, “save money” while actually spending more. Here are a few tips to use to make these “savings opportunities” actually save money for you.
- Use sale products or services as a way to replace more expensive services you’re already paying for (and then cancel those services). As an example, ClickUp‘s Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale offers a full year for $42. All well and good — you probably don’t need ClickUp’s premium features. But wait — ClickUp offers free storage! Can you use this to substitute for your $10 a month online storage service?
- Act like “Cowardly Lion.” In one scene in the Wizard of Oz, the Cowardly Lion is getting ready to do something brave, but he asks his friends for one favor: “Talk me out of it.” Before you click “Buy,” ask a trusted friend to review your purchasing plans with you. You may not need that $39 pencil skirt or $250 treadmill (especially if your plans to fit into the $39 pencil skirt involve using the $250 treadmill! You won’t.)
- Use your calendar to make sure you don’t lose the right to cancel a purchase. A lot of merchants entice you with a “Free month of service” or the opportunity to cancel a purchase if you change your mind. They are counting on you to forget about it. Before you click “Buy,” set a calendar appointment for yourself with all the details.
- Invest in your professional growth. Many learning platforms offer Cyber Monday deals. Learning something adjacent to your core expertise can be inspiring no matter what your professional situation is. As a marketer, I love Web development courses because designing web sites is relaxing for me. If you’re between gigs, professional education is a great way to beat the “holiday blues” and fill the hours between job search activities.