Why You Never Need to Shop on Black Friday Again

While some retailers will be going all out with incredible deals on the day after Thanksgiving, for many, Black Friday is just another day. Better deals can be found both before and after the traditional shopping holiday.

The erosion of Black Friday started several years ago, when major retailers started opening their doors to shoppers on Thanksgiving Day. That meant the big sales started early, giving less importance to Friday. This year, many stores, including Toys R Us, Best Buy and JCPenney, will open for business at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

RetaiMeNot dubbed the trend OctoNovemCember, also known as "Christmas creep," in 2012 after noticing that 40 percent of consumers begin their holiday shopping before November. If you've noticed stores featuring holiday décor shortly after Halloween, or even before it, then you know what we're talking about.

As U.S. News Frugal Shopper blog contributor Jon Lal has pointed out, many retailers kicked off their deals early this year, with discounts starting even before Thanksgiving. He notes that many retailers will also continue to offer discounts after Black Friday and Cyber Monday passes, which puts less pressure on shoppers to coordinate their schedules around one 24-hour period. It also pays to pay attention to trends specific to the type of items you're buying: Lal says toys have the lowest prices the week before Christmas, while household items are most discounted in early December.

Another factor is the growth of online and particularly mobile sales. Shoppers are increasingly comfortable shopping from home on their computers, and with the boom of retailer and coupon apps that make it easier to track the best discounts and shop directly from smartphones, the need to trek into stores has been further diminished. Some of the best apps for coupon seekers include Brad's Deals, PriceGrabber, RedLaser and RetailMeNot.

No matter when you shop, you might be able to find the best deal of all through a little ingenuity and assertiveness: More retailers are offering price-matching deals in an effort to stay competitive. Just make sure you keep your receipts and advertisements of the lowest price you saw elsewhere when making your request.

Taking a slower approach to shopping and skipping Black Friday altogether might also lead to smarter decisions. Consumer psychologist Kit Yarrow points out that the frenzied pace fostered on Black Friday can lead to overspending and unintentional purchases that don't belong on your shopping list. These "bad" purchases are especially likely to happen when consumers feel like time is running out, and they have to buy before an item disappears -- exactly the environment fostered by retailers on Black Friday.

In fact, a new survey of 1,320 adults from Credit.com found that 3 in 10 shoppers actually feel "bullied" by store clerks during the holidays to open up a store credit card, which isn't always a good financial decision. Store credit cards often carry high interest rates and can lead to debt. About half of those surveyed say they regretted their decision to open a store credit card, and 57 percent said they avoid going back to the store where they felt so pressured. Staying home is one way to avoid that kind of bullying altogether.

Another reason to boycott stores this week is to instead embrace the trend toward DIY and homemade gifts. Even country star Angaleena Presley says she prefers to buy homemade jewelry from Etsy than from upscale retailers. In a recent interview with U.S. News, she said she plans to fix up broken items she has around the house for Christmas this year, instead of buying new things.

It's easier than ever to get creative, crafty ideas for gift-giving from blogs and sites like Pinterest. If you enjoy making granola or art, you can stay home and make presents this weekend instead of shopping. U.S. News Frugal Shopper contributor Stefanie O'Connell recommends considering consumables such as baked goods, jams and granola this year.

There are a few killer deals being released on the big day itself, and if you're willing to brave crowds and cold early mornings, you can snag some impressive deals, such as iPad Air 2s starting at $399.99 at Best Buy or Beats by Dre Solo headphones for $97 at Target.

Still, a survey of 1,000 adults by Bankrate found that only 28 percent of Americans plan to shop in a store on Black Friday -- another sign that the day no longer holds its special appeal. Since more of us will be opting to spend the day at home, perhaps shopping from bed, there might even be less competition for those doorbusters.