Lincoln BBB gives tips to shop smart during Black Friday and holiday season

Shopping, budgeting and scammers can all get out of hand during the holiday season.

We talked to a representative from the Better Business Bureau on Friday, to keep you, our Channel 8 watchers, ahead of the madness.

Black Friday is quickly approaching and the BBB wants you to be mindful of where and how much you spend this season.

“Black Friday has morphed into black November, so we have a lot of retailers that are taking advantage of the short distance between thanksgiving and December and they’re giving us some great hot deals,” said Tami Barrett, a BBB branch manager.

The BBB watches the trends and says more and more people are looking for sales online. They’re checking retailer’s social media like on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

But while Barrett says shopping online has become more prevalent for good deals, scams are on the rise.

“We encourage the public to go the BBB.org to make sure the retailer is a legitimate one before they shop,” said Barrett.

She adds that paying by credit card can be a good option because if there are any issues, it can be disputed. She advises to watch out for scam emails like “Secret Santa” or “Secret Sister”.

“They want you to buy gifts for people and then keep on buying gifts and then in return you’ll get a gift at the end,” said Barrett. “That’s all a scam. please don’t get involved with that one.”

Another tip she says is to make a budget and stick to it, which can be tough in the moment.

“We are overwhelmed by the excitement of door busters and limited quantities and just the excitement from others in the crowd on wanting to get merchandise that you want, ” adds Barrett.

She says for some people, a trick to stay in your budget is to only take cash, so once you are done, you can’t go over.

Barrett reminds the public to shop local, as Lincoln business owners appreciate it and by shopping local, you have unique treasures and invest in your community at the same time.