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Guaranteed Human.

Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of IHeart Radio.

Good morning.

This is Laura.

Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

Today's tip is to figure out ways to shop more mindfully.

A sale doesn't save you money if you buy more than you intend.

Fortunately, there are ways to keep calm and figure out what will bring the most joy to you and everyone else.

This episode is first airing right around what we often call Black Friday, the start of the holiday shopping season.

While there are fewer in-person door buster sales these days

than in the past, many retailers still offer deep discounts around Thanksgiving. Often these discounts are

pitched as being for a limited time only. The idea is to nudge people to buy and buy a lot, because they

fear the sale will disappear. And maybe it will. But so what? If you are buying something

you didn't truly want or need, then a sale isn't saving anyone money.

It is still just extra money out the door.

But I do think there are a few ways to turn down the temperature.

One is to construct a gift list before you start looking at the sales. What do you want for the holidays? What do you want to give to other people? Ask them what they want. I am guessing that with a little detective work, most of us could figure out at least 75% of our holiday gift lists

before Thanksgiving, if we wanted.

This leaves space for extra stuff or last-minute requests,

but means most things are thought of.

Then, you can go into the holiday sales, armed, with this list.

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