This weekend promises some of the biggest sales of the year. Here’s how I minimize my spending and redirect my impulse to buy things I don’t need in exchange for things I already use.
Black Friday Week Buyer’s Survival Guide
This week is an excellent opportunity to capitalize on some incredible discounts, but not in the ways you may have previously participated. Instead of buying tons of tech, the latest iPhone, and a bunch of random junk to clutter up your home, check out my personal approach to actually reduce your spending this week instead.
First and foremost, it’s important to sit down and take inventory. What are some household necessities you already purchase and will continue to utilize on a regular basis? Think cleaning supplies, air filters, water filters, etc.
Next up, you’ll need to make a list of some personal necessities that you rely on. This can look like medical devices, supplements, and personal care items.
One of my favorite ways to save big this week is on pet essentials. I have a dog and a cat who are deeply spoiled, and I spend a ton of dough on their food, supplements, and treats every month.
This last list should be your shortest, as it should contain some of the bigger purchases you may have been putting off for a while. Think home or vehicle repairs, and even tools and materials to repair things yourself.
Here is my ultimate list for buying clearanced goods for top tier savings. I am a pretty big proponent of “stock up and save” on essentials, meaning I don’t have to buy things again for the next 6-12 months. All of the links to companies below are non-affiliate unless otherwise stated. I will not earn any income from you utilizing the links below.
Prescription Glasses. Yep, this is hands down the best time of year to replace your beat up, glued-together spectacles for extremely low prices. Simply snag a prescription from your eye doc (be sure to get a pupillary distance measurement, or measure at home with a printable ruler). Last year, I got a pair of prescription transition glasses (including all protective coatings) + a pair of prescription sunglasses for under $100. Check out the deals on Eyebuydirect.com, Zennioptical.com, and GlassesUSA.com
Other Medical Devices. Whether you need to upgrade your home blood pressure reader, or you are hoping to try our one of those fancy temperature gadgets for fertility and cycle tracking, there are sure to be some sweet deals on devices our lovely healthcare system chooses not to insure. It’s a great time to try out a menstrual disc, cup, or support a local business making reusable pads, too.
Supplements. I don’t know about you, but I spend an arm & a leg on my fancy Magnesium L-threonate supplements, Fish Oil, and several other staples. I try to wait for a big sale, but sometimes I run out before the opportunity strikes. Use the rest of this weekend to scout out the best deals on the goods you already stock your medicine cabinet with. I use trusted distributers like Vitacost.com for most of my supplements, and suggest staying far away from Amazon for these items.
Laundry Detergent. This shit is expensive, especially if you buy the non-toxic and environmentally conscious stuff like I prefer to. My favorite is Biokleen (all of them are great), and I usually find some great deals online around this time. While you’re at it, snag some Biokleen Dish Soap & Dishwasher detergent, too. This stuff is insanely powerful and super easy on the planet, too.
Water Filters. Face it, tap water is full of chemical contaminants and residual heavy metals from our pipes. I like to use an affordable but super effective countertop water filtration system called Zen Water. It uses a ceramic particle filter, a 7 stage filter containing resin balls and charcoal among others, and has a re-mineralizing rock tray to add some nutrients back after the heavy duty filtering is done. The best part about this filtration system? The ceramic filter lasts 1+ years each, and the 7-stage filters last 6 months. You have to buy direct from the manufacturer (the knock-offs leak), but they have some great deals on filters that will last you an entire year.
Skin & Hair Care. We all use it, and we all need it. While there are certainly products in these categories that aren’t quite essential, even the basics are getting more and more spendy. Get some sweet deals on the goods you already use, or swap out some of your excess skincare products for some Hemp Witch Multitasking Essentials in a discounted bundle until Monday 12/2.
Toilet Paper. Yep, even this stuff goes on sale during Thanksgiving week, and it’s something most of us can’t live without (unless you’ve got a fancy bidet). Stock up on the most essential basics at staggering discounts that even Costco can’t beat out.
Fancy Snacks. You heard it here first. Save on your insanely high grocery bill by buying organic pantry staples, shelf stable, and fancy snack foods from many online retailers at a huge discount. Vitacost does some great deals on food, but my personal favorite that I have been gatekeeping for a while is the online Discount Grocery store called Martie. This link gives you a $5 discount, and also gives me $5 if you use it on your first order. It’s the only monetary benefit I receive from this entire list!
Ditch Your Phone Carrier. If you use one of the big guys as your phone service provider, you’ve probably had it up to your eyeballs with their fees, horrendous customer service, and the shady promotions they run during the holidays. This week, I spent a lot of time doing a lot of research, and found the absolute best deals on unlimited phone service & new phone deals.
First up is Visible, a service that is technically owned by Verizon and uses their towers, so you’re guaranteed to have consistently good service. There are absolutely no hidden fees with visible, and right now, you can ditch Verizon or TMobile and hop on a Visible Unlimited plan for a discounted rate of 2 years for $20/m, or 2 years on Unlimited Plus for only $35/a month. Visible is also offering a brand new, free Iphone 13 if you pay for 1 year of service (at an even steeper discounted rate) in full ($395), but that’s not even their best deal. If you use their promo code and buy a used phone from Backmarket, a certified refurbisher, you can get THREE YEARS of Unlimited Plus Service locked in at only $30/ month.
Mint Mobile is another smaller but up and coming service provider that is touted as having some of the best customer service in the business. They have more plan options than Visible, and are offering a Black Friday deal for $15 for 3 months of unlimited service, or the option to pay in full for 12 months at just $360 ($30/m). They have some other deals going as well, so be sure to check out their website for the fine print.
For me, the best part about these deals is that I am not required to trade in my current $1200 device and then participate in a shady rebate program over 36 months (which is then voided if my device breaks or if I make any changes to my plan-resulting in my owing the remainder on said device)
Last but certainly not least on my list of Thanksgiving deals are subscriptions. Not only are all Subscription As A Service (SAAS) products taxable for business owners, they are essential for many of us! Check out current deals with the following services:
Grammarly Pro (50% off)
ProWritingAid (50% off, a Grammarly dupe)
Quikbooks (70% off for 3 months)
Peacock ad supported Streaming ($19.99 for a year)
Adobe Creative Cloud (50% off!)
Kindle Unlimited (3 months for $1)
For more streaming deals, check out this Business Insider Article
For more Software Deals, here is a great list
At the end of the day, you don’t need to buy anything at all if you don’t want to. As a HUGE bargain hunter, I like to use this weekend to my advantage to save big on the things I already use, and to renew some of my software and subscription services that I previously cancelled due to their price gouging (looking at you, Hulu, however, I won’t be renewing as an act of pure rebellion!)
If you are interested in supporting my small business this week, check out the product feature of the week, available at a discounted rate in our Pain Warrior Bundle
🌿✨ Feel the Relief with Pain in My Grass Salve ✨🌿
Say hello to your new favorite herbal-infused CBD salve, Pain in My Grass—crafted to tackle aches, pains, and inflammation. Available in 1oz and 4oz sizes, this small-but-mighty jar is packed with the healing power of nature, meticulously designed to work as hard as you do.
💪 Herbs That Work Together:
Arnica: A trusted anti-inflammatory to reduce swelling, muscle soreness, and bruising. Perfect for post-workout recovery or everyday pain relief.
St. John’s Wort: Known for its nerve-soothing properties, it targets sciatic, spinal, and nerve-related pain while promoting healing.
Cottonwood Buds: Packed with natural salicylates (nature’s aspirin!) to ease joint and muscle pain while calming inflammation.
Yarrow: Boosts circulation and accelerates recovery from minor injuries, making it a go-to for sprains, bruises, and more.
✨ Why You’ll Love It:
Infused with full-spectrum CBD for an added layer of pain-fighting power, helping to calm both muscles and nerves. CBD dissolves tension on contact, wasting no time getting down to business.
Always third-party lab tested for cannabinoid potency—you can trust that every jar delivers the relief you need.
Heavy duty & deeply nourishing, it absorbs quickly with the added support of Ecocert emulsifiers leaving a satiny, nongreasy finish, so you can use it anytime, anywhere.
💡 Pro Tip: Keep the 1oz size in your purse or backpack for on-the-go relief, and grab the 4oz size for your home self-care stash.
🎁 Shop now and experience the herbal synergy of Pain in My Grass—your body will thank you!
