With Black Friday just a little more than 24 hours away, many shoppers are gearing up for their trek through a variety of stores. Having shopped the Black Friday sales among the masses for the past several years, I’ve found a number of strategies that have helped me not only save money, but enjoy the day (or night?!) as well.
Make a list and check it twice. Write out a list of all the people you need to buy for, ideas you have for each person, and the store(s) you plan to find the items at. It’s also helpful to make a list for each store you plan to visit. This way, once you cross the threshold and take off running (just kidding!), you’ll know which direction you’re going towards.
Do your homework. Look through the sale ads and online deals. Even though the headlines scream “early bird savings” and “drastically reduced,” it’s best to look online and compare prices. Is the item your looking for really priced competitively, or is it just a marginal savings?
Determine your priorities. If there are four stores you’d like to go to, determine which store will give you the greatest savings. If you’re likely to save over a hundred dollars at one store, but only twenty-five at another, choose the store that will best maximize your savings.
Add in a dose of reality. So, let’s say you look through the ads and decide there are twelve stores you’d like to stop at. While an all-nighter could be a fun shopping trip, it may not be the most realistic option. By trying to scramble and visit too many stores with only a small amount of time, sleep, and energy, you may feel burnt out before you even begin. Make a plan that you realistically feel you can accomplish, and don’t beat yourself up over the sales that you simply cannot fit into your schedule.
Organize, organize, organize. There’s nothing more frustrating than reaching the front of the line, and being unable to find the coupon that will save you an additional 25% off your amazing door buster deals. Experience has taught me that in situations such as these, I’m likely to pull out Match Box cars, Legos, and baby wipes without coming near to the small crevice in my purse where the coupon has invariably slipped into. I’ve learned to put together an envelope or folder for the coupons I plan to use throughout my shopping excursion as well as a folder of the ads for the stores I plan to visit. I clip all of these items together, along with my list of planned purchases. This at least increases the odds that I’ll be able to find the right coupon at the right store.
Make it a group effort. Not only can you pool your resources by shopping with a group of family members and/or friends, but you’ll infuse a great deal of fun into the event as well. It’s nice to have a few friends along with you when your middle of the night brain freeze sets in, and you find yourself laughing hysterically because you can no longer compute the sale price of an item, nevertheless the overall total you plan to find at the register!
Enlist the aid of a babysitter. I love spending time with our kiddos, and most days, I love shopping with them as well. Black Friday does not qualify as one of those days! For starters, the sheer lack of sleep that most children would endure would likely make them less than pleasant as shopping cohorts. Add in a few potty breaks, a bit of a melt down due to the sugar high from ingesting half a tub of Cool Whip (or is it only my kids who manage to sneak the Cool Whip off the counter at dessert time?), and a half an hour of imploring pleas begging you to buy the best toy in the entire world, and you’ll quickly find that Black Friday shopping and children don’t mix quite so well.
Be comfy. Let’s face it. Each shopper is on their own personal quest, and chances are, no one will notice if you’re wearing your cute jeans and somewhat comfortable boots or your comfy sweats and gym shoes. It’s also beneficial to dress in layers. While you might be freezing cold standing in line outside the store, it’s likely that your internal furnace will kick on once you’re elbow deep in discounts, and standing in line with a dozens of other shoppers.
Be sure to refuel. While many of us start out relatively full from the turkey, stuffing, rolls, pies (….insert all of your Thanksgiving favorites here!), it doesn’t take long before you may be wishing you had thrown a snack or bottled water in your purse to jump start your energy reserves.
Have fun and play nicely with others. It’s important to keep in mind that the day will not be ruined if you don’t get every bargain on your wish list. Remember to be kind to others, and enjoy the experience. A smile or a few kind words often go a long way on Black Friday.
So, will you be among the masses shopping on Black Friday? Or will you be in your jammies and bunny slippers, just waiting for Cyber Monday to roll around?