How to avoid black friday spending traps

3. IMPULSE BUYS AT THE READY It’s hard to resist impulse buys, particularly during the holiday season. Long lines give you a lot of time to browse, and stores make it very easy. “Retailers

rely on crowds to create a sense of confusion with shoppers,” Bodge says. “They may do things like put pricey items up front, place them at eye level, and put buzzy, colorful add-on things

right near the register.” You didn’t need that gold wrapping paper before, but now you do.  HOW TO AVOID IT: Santa isn’t the only one who should have a list. Create a plan and a budget, and

stick to them. Inflation is high, which means you’ll get less bang for your buck. Just because something is on sale or would be a nice additional gift doesn’t mean you need to purchase it.

If sticking to a budget is really hard, shop with cash and leave your cards at home.  4. STORES MAKE IT TOO EASY TO PAY Whether it’s buy now, pay later options or 20 percent-off offers for

opening store credit cards, retailers make it easy to pay for your holiday hauls. They also make it easy for you to overspend by offering these deals quickly online and in stores. In some

cases, they have sales reps roaming the floor with mobile tablets, opening credit cards for customers on the fly, Bodge says. The problem is that the bill will eventually come due, and if

you don’t have the means to pay, you could end up in financial trouble. HOW TO AVOID IT: Store credit cards and buy now, pay later aren’t bad as long as you’re aware of the costs associated

with them, Bodge says. Store cards tend to have a high annual percentage rate (APR) if you carry a balance, and there are fees associated with buy now, pay later if you don’t pay your bill

on time. ​ 5. BOGUS BONUSES  Spend $50 and get $10 off, get 20 percent off when you spend $100, and buy three, get one free are common offers during the holidays. Online, retailers will

throw in free shipping if you spend a certain amount.  “They make you think you’re saving money, but if you’re spending more than you planned just to get the deal, it’s not really savings,”

Dvorkin says. “My advice? If you didn’t want it in the first place, walk away.” HOW TO AVOID IT: Be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking you have to spend more to save more. That

only makes sense if you can’t get the item cheaper elsewhere and it’s something you buy a lot of. If you’re grabbing this or that to raise your bill and get the discount, put the items down

and breathe. Do the math to make sure it’s worth it, Dvorkin says. Chances are it isn’t.  6. STINGY RETURN POLICIES While many large retailers extend their return windows for the holiday

season, some merchants enforce stricter policies that might end before you’ve even had a chance to give your gift. Charging for returns of online purchases has also become more common, with

more than 80 percent of retailers polled last year saying they had recently started charging for at least one return method. HOW TO AVOID IT: Read return policies carefully before making

your purchases. “Store return policies vary a lot, but they’re all posted on their websites,” says Kimberly Palmer, a consumer expert at Nerdwallet. 7. RETAIL SCAMS This one is not executed

by retailers, but rather by scammers looking to take advantage of the uptick in online shopping around the holidays. Fraudsters use fake emails, text messages and social media ads to entice

victims to click on links that either install malware on their devices or direct them to bogus websites designed to mimic those of actual retailers where they can capture the shopper’s

credit card information. HOW TO AVOID IT: Rather than clicking on links sent by email or text message — no matter who convincing they appear — type the retailer’s website directly into your

Web browser to take advantage of any potential deals. Palmer also suggests using a credit card to pay for online purchases, since they come with stronger consumer fraud protections than

debit cards.