Black Friday is a big day for bargain shoppers, but it takes a lot to be successful. After getting the newspaper on Thanksgiving day, you are bombarded with advertisements and they can make your head spin. As a avid Black Friday shopper, I’d like to share some of my tips and tricks that get me the best deals.
First, make a list of who you need to buy for. It can be very confusing when you look at the advertisements and see 50% or 75% off and you can get caught up buying a lot of things you don’t really need. If you’re on a budget, stick to who you need to buy for, this will really help as you’re looking through your ads.
Second, while looking through the ads keep a close eye on opening times. Some places are opening as early as midnight, while others will open at 5am. Remember, if there are really good deals, people will be there waiting. If a store opens at 5, you may need to get there at 3am to wait in line. This is what we do each year at Target, wait outside, in the snow at 3am…..crazy? Maybe, but fun none-the-less. Places that open later will give you time to get to earlier sales then rush over.
Third, while waiting in lines, make small talk with the people around you. You might be looking at getting the same thing or you might find out it isn’t a huge deal because no one else wants the item you are seeking. We have worked with people in lines to say, okay, you want this, if I get there first I’ll grab two and hold one for you. It works our great and we all end up with what we want.
Fourth, think about the stores you want to head to. If you are looking at Best Buy for a great deal on electronics, you will need to be camped out on Thursday evening. People get there super early and will stay all night long. If you don’t know how a store is on Black Friday, ask friends that go shopping or talk to people that work at that store. Make plans in advance to make sure you don’t wake up so early to find out you are 100th in line and won’t get that toy you were hoping for.
Fifth, start looking for deals now. Many major stores, including Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Toys R Us, are offering great deals right now. There are deals of the day, weekend sales and a lot more. Check out your favorite stores and sign up for their advertisements. You’ll get emails about sales that you may not have known about otherwise. What if you could pick up all your presents before Black Friday is here? You could actually sleep in the day after Thanksgiving!
Here is a checklist of things you will want to have and take with you on that early morning:
- Layers of clothing – it’s freezing outside but the stores are warm.
- Make sure to have gloves, hats and scarves!
- Handwarmers!! You can buy these in a lot of check out lanes or in the hunting section. After opening the package, your handwarmer will radiate heat for about six hours.
- Hot Chocolate or Coffee. It’s early and you’ll want a warm drink along with the caffeine to keep you moving!
- Bring your advertisements! You’ll get to the store and forget what you wanted at that particular store. Also, Wal-mart price matches, so if you have ads, you can get the same deals there.
Hopefully these tips will help you to get the best deals possible. Keep you eyes open and when those doors open, go for the hot ticket items first so you don’t lose out.
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