Rules to a Successful Black Friday

Yes, this is me, strung out from my "Black Friday" high last year.



Those who know me well know I like shopping....and I like to do it right. I haven't missed a Black Friday sale since my mom introduced it to me when I was 14. She wanted to make sure we got the tv and computer our family needed but couldn't quite afford. So she brought my sister and me along with her to stand in line at Walmart...in below freezing temperatures.... in Missouri....at 4 am so we could be there when they opened the doors at 6 am. My sister joked in line about how my mom was crazy and this is ridiculous. Little did we know, we had never even seen rediculous until that cold early morning at Walmart when they opened those doors. I mean....we're talk'n grown women fighting like two year olds over a tv that one stole out of the other's shopping cart while woman A had her head turned. I'm not even joking one bit...their husbands had to break up the fight. It was the best freak show I'd ever seen! I was hooked! It started out with me just wanting to go for the freak show, but then I noticed there were things that I really wanted going up on sale for insanely discounted prices. And so it began...

I post this because I've had several people ask me where the best deals are and how to get them. Here are some helpful tips to have a fun and stress free shopping adventure...

*DO YOUR RESEARCH. Every year each store that is participating in Black Friday puts out a special BF ad that will come out in the Thanksgiving Day paper. These ads get leaked to the public weeks and sometimes a month before Thanksgiving. I've had the best luck with THIS website. I like it because it shows pictures of the actual ad scan. I start checking the website about the last week in October. They keep the website updated with new ad scans as soon as they get them.


*MAKE A LIST. More often than not, my family receives presents based on what's on sale on BF. I make a list of everything I want to buy and for whom I'm buying it. I also make room for the things our family needs. (ie: king size bed sheets can get pricey but not on BF!) If you make a list you're less likely to pick up the extra things you don't need just because it's a good deal, you're more likely to remember the stores where you saw the item you want and you won't forget anyone on your list.

*MAP IT OUT. Most of the big stores will have maps of the inside of the store where the BF "doorbuster" sale items are going to be. Don't be fooled, "Doorbuster" items aren't always going to be where they usually are on any other given day. Also, map out where it is you want to go. For example, if Walmart opens at 5 am and has the best deal on that new innovative Barbie doll you HAVE to get your little girl, and Kohls opens at 3am where they have best deal on the one and only thing your husband wanted for Christmas....Go stand in line at Kohls, get what you need and THEN go to Walmart.


*KEEP IT PG-13. If you want a successful shopping trip keep the kiddos at home. I wouldn't bring anyone younger than 13 to come help...MAYBE 12. If it's an emergency and I only needed 1 thing that I HAD to get (keeping in mind my Walmart is across the street from me) I would MAYBE think about carting the girls out to hurry and get the tv and rushing back. But I wouldn't suggest it.


*FORGO THE CART. On a NORMAL shopping trip I wouldn't ever go with out a cart. Especially if I had a long list of things I needed to buy. But Black Friday is the exception. When the doors open to a store promising door busting prices on all the items everyone is wanting, but with limited quantities, there is going to be a herd of people making a mad dash to be the one to get it. Too many people get carts and then there are traffic jams in all of the aisles. Carts will slow you down and get in your way. If there is a traffic jam blocking the item I'm trying to get, I can cut through tight aisles or squeeze past people to get said item, if I don't have a cart. I suggest bringing a reusable shopping "tote" or shopping basket to fill. But what about the big ticket items that are too big to carry around the store you ask? That leads me to my next point...


*THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. Bring a shopping buddy...or two with you. You work as a team. You map out together the stores that you each want to hit. Compare lists so one person can stand in the never ending line at the register, one person can go to toys and the other can go to electronics. This does two things for you, 1)Heightens your chances of getting the things you wanted and 2)gets you in and out of the store quicker and on to the next store. Another way to play it is if there's that fancy 60 inch tv for $500 at Walmart you have to get your husband, chances are you're not going to get it if you're not in the top 10 at the front of the line. BUT...If you have a few friends at different Walmarts, your chances of getting that tv just went up!


*COME PREPARED. Black Friday is in November...which means it's cold! Not only is it cold but you're going to be colder while waiting out side in line for 2 hours! Yes, I said 2 hours...maybe more. So bring warm clothes, snacks for when you get hungry, something to do and some nice hot chocolate to help keep warm.


*PRICE MATCH. Call ahead of time to find out which stores will price match an ad. I know Walmart will price match any ad as long as you bring the ad and you show them that it is the exact same item you're wanting to match. I always check a few days before BF to see if Walmart has the exact toy, camcorder, tv, etc that I want just in case I wasn't able to get it at the original store that was advertising. It's also nice to eliminate as many stores as you can by ad matching.


*CAN IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS? The answer is YES! Black Friday deals are awesome but it can get better. Look through your coupons to see if there are any manufacture coupons for the items you want. Google printable coupons online. Search for them...they're out there! You can get printable coupons for almost ANYTHING! And remember...if there is a printable coupon for something, print it and then click "back space" so that you can print it again. It should print at least twice.


*TIS THE SEASON. Where there are shoppers there are looters. Be careful! Lock your purchases in your trunk and lock your car. Try to park in a well lit area. If you don't have a trunk or it's full, bring a few blankets to cover your gifts.


*KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING YOURSELF INTO. Far too often while I'm standing in line waiting for either the doors to open or to check out I hear Debbie Downer next to me complaining about how long the lines are, "this is ridiculous", "I'm cold", "I hate crowds", blah blah blah. It kills my buzz. There will be long lines, there will be crowds, there will be people pushing past you. Lets face it, nobody made you come. Take a deep breath and walk into it with an open mind and a smile on your face. Everyone there got up at 2 am also and nobody wants a negative Nancy to go along with it.

Have fun this year, be safe and happy shopping!