I’ve already mentioned that I have a serious love for Black Friday. I love the deals, I am a crazy person that enjoys the crowds but what I love mot of all is that it marks the beginning of the Christmas season for me. I am sharing some of my top tips with you today – to make this the best shopping season yet!
1 – Prepare!
- Last week I shared some Black Friday Shopping Organizing Printables. Use them! If you really want to get the best deals on Black Friday, you need to know what is available. Do not wait until Thanksgiving Day to pour over the newspaper ads.
- Follow blackfriday.net – they post store ads early. They have already started for this year!
Start creating your lists a few weeks in advance. Then when the ads come out on Thanksgiving Day pour over them and get psyched but you won’t feel frazzled since you’ve been preparing for two weeks already!
2 – Dress Comfortably
I will never forget the year I went to Long Island to spend Thanksgiving with Scott’s family. We went out on Black Friday at the amazing Tanger Outlets and it was FREEZING!! Like 2 degrees outside kind of freezing. There were these gorgeous girls lined up down around the store to get into Coach. Most of them were dressed in mini skirts, heels, and not even a coat along with other silly apparel for the “event” I just don’t get it!
If necessary dress warm. We take gloves, and hats in-case we are waiting a while outside of a store. Wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of walking and a lot of standing in line. Don’t make the day miserable for youself by having your feet ache 1 hour into shopping.
**Note- this does not mean you have to wear your PJ’s out- you wont catch me doing that, but you will see me warm and with sneakers on!
3- Food
Bring some snacks and water for your purse. You’ll be surprised how hungry you become when you are waiting in line to check out. Plus a power bar or an apple is so much better for you than grabbing a candy bar at the checkout line. You don’t want to get on a sugar high because you will crash harder…. and trust me you will crash!
It is also important to take a break and eat a real breakfast. We always stop after a few store (once the sun is up) and go out for breakfast. It is great to rest for a little bit, and get a hot breakfast in us. We usually feel recharged and “ready” to continue our shopping adventure after we’ve eaten.
4- Don’t go alone
It is a lot more fun and efficient if you can go with a buddy. My buddy is always Scott…and sometimes people even dare to go with us (which makes it even better!). You and your buddy can divide and conquer. You are able to get in and out of stores more quickly, and are more likely to grab all of the doorbuster deals that you want.
- Keep in contact. Have your phones with you and the ringers on! If you get separated in a store you do not want to zig zag through the crowd to try and find each other.
- Know what the other person is shopping for, and do your best to try and help them get it.
5- Don’t bring your kids!
First, it is really hard to shop for your kids when they are there with you. But, let’s be honest Black Friday is just not the right place for your little ones!
- It is REALLY early / possibly even the night before! They should be and need to be sleeping.
- It would be way too easy to lose them in a crowd
- The last thing you want to do is stand outside a store with your 4 year old in the cold at 3am.
- Imagine you cruising through Target about the reach the deal you’ve been yearning for – and your preschooler needs to go to the bathroom! No thanks. And what do you do with your cart full of goodies?!? You can’t leave that unattended outside the restroom it would be gone in a hot second.
- You will be tired and your nerves will become tested much sooner than normal
- …it is just a bad idea!
6 – Store map!
This is a HUGE help. Before heading out to your stores print off a Black Friday store map. Most stores have them online, and they are SO helpful. They show the locations of the Black Friday deals. It is difficult to find a store associate that is not already helping another customer, so if you can avoid asking them where to find the “toy of the year” and just go straight for it you’ll be more likely to get it before they are sold out!
{ sample map from 2011!}
7 – Coupons!
Start looking now for coupons that do not expire until after Black Friday. Print them out / cut them out and keep them in a handy envelope paper clipped to your Black Friday Organizing Printable sheet! Keep that envelope with your organizing printables and once you check out put your receipt in the same envelope and keep it attached so you do not lose them!
8 – Take the ads with you!
Make sure you take the Black Friday ads with you! They are hard to find once you are in the store (usually only employees have copies).
- You can verify prices
- If you forgot your store map and need help finding a product it is easier for an employee to see the item in the ad, than just the name / you describing it! Time is money!
9 – BE NICE!
Just be nice. simple as that. Don’t get into a fight with other shoppers, please do not yell at store employees because they ran out of the $3.00 DVD you wanted…it is not their fault. Try to enjoy the start of the Holiday season, and what is a better way to do that than being kind?
And please – Do not trample anybody!
Have fun and be safe!!!
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom says
I’m up in Canada and we have NOTHING like your Black Friday deals. I wish!
You have some fabulous pointers and tools here.
Thanks for sharing and linking up to the #SHINEbloghop.
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
xoxo