How to Survive and Thrive on Black Friday

The time is upon us for turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and SHOPPING!!! Black Friday (which is quickly becoming Black Thursday) is just 4 days away and the madness has already begun. In an attempt to get the leg up on their competitors, many stores have already released their Black Friday deals to unsuspecting customers. I say unsuspecting because it’s Tuesday and I didn’t really expect to get a call from my mom saying she got to Express when they opened so she could purchase all of my favorite holiday dresses which were all 50 percent off. So I guess now is as good a time as ever to dispense my advice on how to survive and thrive on Black Friday.

 1. Do your research 

As I said earlier, many stores have either already started their Black Friday deals or the deals that start on Friday have been advertised. Use this to your advantage. Plan out exactly what you want to buy at each store so you can get the best deal. Also take advantage of early sales. Shop at these stores earlier in the week so you get first dibs on all the sale merchandise. By the time Friday rolls around, a store that has had their sale since Tuesday is going to be pretty picked over.

2. Make a list

Trust me, it is really easy to get carried away on Black Friday. You suddenly think everything is a good deal even if it’s only 15 percent off. It’s really easy to fall into this trap. However, if you do your research, as mentioned above, and make a list of exactly what the best deals are, you’ll get what you want and stay in your budget.

3. Pack and Dress Light

If you decide to brave the stores on Thursday or Friday, make sure you’re prepared. Keep in mind you’ll be trying a lot of stuff on very quickly (time is of the essence on a marathon shopping day) so don’t wear lace up boots, heels or copious amounts of accessories. Try to wear as few layers as possible, and leave the scarf and hat in the car because they’ll just slow you down and since you’ll most likely be in an indoor mall, they’ll also cause you to overheat. Make it as easy as possible to change while still being as comfortable as possible. Finally, just bring a cross body bad big enough to hold your essentials. That big handbag will only get in the way and restrict that number of items you can hold while shopping.

4. Shop Online

If you’re not one of the many that find fighting crowds at malls appealing, then your best bet might be to stay at home, heat up some leftovers and fire up your computer. If you’re a person that knows your size in every store and doesn’t feel the need to try before you buy then you might as well stay home and take advantage of the online deals. Many stores offer the same promotions online as they do in the stores AND you can generally get free shipping! This is also one way to keep from getting swept up in the Black Friday hype at the mall and stick to your shopping list.

5. Don’t be an A**hole

You know those videos of people getting trampled in Walmart because they can get 50 dollars off an iPad? Don’t be that person. It’s not worth it. You’ll have literally just celebrated Thanksgiving. Whether you get the iPad or not, I’m sure you have a lot to be thankful for. Just remember that.

x Sarah