Have you heard about those people that go shopping at like 2am the day after Thanksgiving just to get cheap stuff? Crazy right? I'm totally one of those people! I live for Black Friday! I am so anxious for Friday, I cannot sit still, my adrenalin is already pumping. I've been looking at the ads for weeks now checking for who has the best deals. I've planned my attack route, created a list of who gets what from where... the list goes on. I am a serious Black Friday shopper, I would even dare to say competitive. This is not my fault, in fact it runs in my family. I won't be with them this year, but every year the whole family goes out together to face the crowds and awesome deals. When I was in high school all of the girls on my mom's side of the family (mom, sisters, grandma, cousins, aunts) would meet at the mall before the sun came up, these are some of my favorite memories.
This year I'm braving the cold and crowds with a friend who is a Black Friday virgin. I've told her I get a little crazy on Black Friday but I don't think she believes me (my husband is worried we won't be friends after).
Being the Black Friday expert that I am, I've created a little survival guide for you because I would hate to hear that any of you got trampled!
There are several places online where you can find Black Friday ads available for you to view. I use
www.theblackfriday.com. They seem to always have the ads first. The research is very important to your Black Friday experience. Don't think you can go out at midnight having no idea what the stores even have, you have to go with a purpose, with specific items in mind. Sure you'll find other stuff along the way, but knowing what you are looking for will help you to shop quicker and get out of one store and onto the next much faster. You may also want to call which ever store you are going to to make sure they have a certain item and how many of that item they will have. This could be a game changer, so be prepared.
If you are wanting a TV or other popular items you need to get to the store EARLY. To get there early you need to find out when the stores open. Be careful not to get trampled. I've never tried to get a big ticket item so I like to show up about a 1/2 hour after the doors open because the store still isn't too crowded or picked over and I don't get trampled (nor do I assist in the trampling).
Unless there are two of you you will have to prioritize your shopping list, unfortunately you can't be two places at once. Let's say there is a really good deal on a gift you've been eying for your mom at
Target, BUT there is an unbeatable deal at
Kohls on a toy that your kid has been asking for for months, AND they open at the same time. Where do you go first. It's a tough call to make. I usually go to Kohls first and get all my shopping done at one time, but this year
Old Navy is bringing some good deals so I don't know where to go first! Keep in mind that they might not have a large quantity of hot ticket items like TVs.
If you haven't already make lists. I make a list of people I need to buy for and what I'm buying for them according to store, That way I know exactly what I'm shopping for and I don't forget about anyone in the rush. I also have back up gifts planned so if plan A is gone, I can just go to plan B or C without getting flustered. If I'm not sure what exactly I want to get them I at least make a list of ideas, so if there is a good deal on one of those ideas I can go with that.
One thing I've learned from experience is dress smart. You want to dress in layers that you can remove so you don't get overheated, but also think about trying things on. If you are planning on trying some things on yourself, wear things that can easily be taken off and on, and maybe even thin t-shirts so you can try things on over your clothes and not wait in dressing room lines (always a little embarrassing, but no one there will remember you!). Also if you don't want to deal with the crowds there is always Cyber Monday!
I hope this guide is helpful for you! Don't get hurt out there!
Original image found here
