How to Survive Black Friday

Most people have a strong opinion of Black Friday – they either love it or hate it.  I always enjoy a quiet day hanging out as a family on Thanksgiving, followed by an early morning of shopping the next morning for Black Friday.  Although neither of us loves to shop, this has become a tradition that my husband and I look forward to each year.  We don’t worry about being one of the first 10 people in line at 4am, but we do get an early start, spend the morning hanging out shopping together, and complete a significant portion of our holiday shopping.  If you do decide to venture out this Friday, get organized with our Black Friday survival guide:

1. Choose Your Recipients– Decide who you are going to buy for.  Do you buy for everyone in your family or do you draw names?  What about your boss / co-workers?  Kids’ teachers or coaches?  Postal Carrier or hair stylist?  Do you need hostess gifts for any holiday parties?  Whoever you choose, write them down so you don’t forget anyone.
2. Set a Budget – Whenever you go shopping, it is easy to get carried away if you haven’t set a budget.  Do this before you go shopping, and stick to it!
3. Review the Deals – Next, look through the circulars or go online to discover the deals.
4. Write Down Ideas – Write down gift ideas for each of your recipients and where you plan to purchase them.  Black Friday can spiral out of control very quickly if you start purchasing every great deal you see.  It can be especially tempting when you are standing in line next to all of their racks of promotions.
5. Create a Plan – Now that you have gathered all of the above information, you can start to put the pieces of the puzzle together.  The last step is to create your shopping plan.  The stores are so chaotic, that if you go into them without an organized plan, you are likely to waste significant time and money.  Make a list for each store.  On Black Friday, you also have to factor in timing.  Some sales are from 8-10am, others are from 8am-Noon, etc.  Plan your route based on what items are available at what times.  You also want to consider the shortest route possible to save time and gas.
6. Be Reasonable – Often the “hot items” are on sale at several different stores.  Even if an item costs a little less at another store, try to group your purchases to reduce the number of stops you make.  Remember, each stop is another line.
7. Keep it Fun! – Now that you have your shopping plan in hand, grab a buddy and go have fun.  The lines don’t seem nearly as long when you have a friend to chat with.  You can even take turns getting in line while the other one goes and gets the items on their list.  We always schedule a nice lunch to get a break from the craziness.

Follow our official Black Friday survival guide to make this Black Friday productive and enjoyable!