6 Black Friday Shopping Tips From Fashion Blogger Hugo Filipe

The streets will soon be dusted with snow, holiday tunes stream through both Spotify and the air, and of course – visa cards across this great nation will tap-tap-tap on credit consoles everywhere. It’s the most wonderful time of the year – Black Friday of course. While Thanksgiving is a holiday for food and December is a time for holiday cheer, November brings the true shopping lover’s holiday – Black Friday.

A time where the prices of exclusive items drop down to seasonal lows for an unforgettable day of shopping. Whether you’re celebrating your first Black Friday or simply looking to maximize your own efficiency on this holy of holidays, we sat down with fashion blogger Hugo Filipe to give you the ultimate Black Friday shopping guide to maximize savings and speed. What better way to actively save than with the Live Green Perks App? The Live Green Perks App gives you access to dozens of deals, discounts and events in Toronto – from day-to-day essentials like coffee and tea to clothing, eating out, activities and more! We went along for a shopping day with Hugo and the Live Green Perks App to save money AND the planet. Click here to download the Live Green Perks app and start saving today!

live-green-toronto-hugo-felipeAre you an avid Black Friday shopper?

I do shop on Black Friday. I don’t go to the States or anything like that, it’s obviously not as a big an event here in Canada, but I do try and plan my day out. I always start my day off with a nice coffee and with the Live Green Perks App I save 10% on my morning FairTrade Organic certified brewed cup at Balzac’s – which really adds up. I think the biggest tip I have when it comes to Black Friday shopping like that I always buy functional stuff on Black Friday, I don’t buy statement pieces. A lot of statement pieces usually don’t have too much of a specific season, so they’re not as big a priority.

What do you like to buy on Black Friday?

I try to use Black Friday to get things that I kind of need. This is the time to get pricier essentials like good winter jackets on sale as opposed to things I want at the moment. Things always go on sale so if you only want it you can wait for it, but if you need it then that should be the focus. I always check for discounts and deals before I make a purchase and the Live Green Perks App is perfect for helping me search with ease.

Photo by ESROQ STUDIOS

Would you rather shop in-store or online for Black Friday?

I definitely do both, depending on what stores are offering. When it comes to online shopping, I have a bump of apps and browser plug-ins that I use to get the best deal. I’ve loved using the Live Green Perks app for shopping as it shows me so many deals throughout the city from clothes to home goods, food and coffee. If you’re shopping at unique, small businesses like Off The Cuff, it pays to go in-store and see what products are available. When I last shopped there, I got an extra 10% off any in-store prices with my Live Green Perks app.

I also monitor product prices year round to make sure I’m getting the best price. The whole point of Black Friday is to get the deals you wouldn’t normally get so if a product is only $5 cheaper than it normally is – are you really getting a deal? A big tip I also have is don’t bank on Black Friday sales lasting until Cyber Monday. That’s not usually the case. Make sure that you make your purchases Friday and prioritize what’s important to you and what stores you want to visit. If you have to shop in-store, make sure you’re going to the stores at the top of your list first because if you go somewhere else or if you’re late it’s quite possible that the item you’re looking for is completely gone.

live-green-perks-app

I get a discount on Fresh with my Live Green Perks app – perfect for an energy boost after shopping! Photo by ESROQ STUDIOS

What should people prioritize on Black Friday?

I try and do my Christmas shopping on Black Friday. Electronics are always good on Black Friday. Obviously, not everyone needs to by one but TVs always go on big sales. Camera equipment is a smart purchase because camera equipment doesn’t normally go on sale. That’s what I tend to look for, stuff that I wouldn’t normally be able to find at a discount. Video games normally have such a small margin. Prioritize what you actually need and what you really want and don’t impulse buy. Don’t overkill your budget because you saw something on sale that you didn’t really need. A lot of people will buy something and justify it because it’s half price, but that’s not a good enough reason to buy sometimes. Obviously, for fashion, I’ll advocate that you buy the things you want but make sure like you’re spending your budget consciously. This is only the beginning of the Christmas season, you have another two months of sales to watch prices get those other things that you don’t necessarily need that are urgent.

To maximize your savings this holiday season, make sure you download the Live Green Perks app today! Click here to download.