Mama Knows Best

I was writing these tips to Katy at ConstantChatter.com for a post she’s writing up and I figured I would share my tips with all of you as well.

My Tips for Shopping on Black Friday

First and foremost, the one major tip that I would tell ALL Black Friday Shoppers, BRING A FRIEND! This is so important, especially if you are planning on getting a lot of items. The technique my parents used was that my dad manned the cart at the end of the aisle while my mom rushed down and grabbed what was good. The reason this is important is because sometimes the aisles (especially ones with hot toys that are not put on end displays) can be packed with people. Also, it is nice to have at least 2 people, because one can run through the store for that wicked hot item (2 years ago it was the Rocker Gaming Chairs that my husband made a mad dash for while I started on smaller items).

That leads to my second tip, know what you want. All the ads are released in the Thanksgiving paper, and some earlier or online. Look through them, mark them up, circle things, make a list, whatever works best, just don’t miss a store. Sometimes one store may have only one great deal, but it can be a doozy of a deal. Such as the $4 appliances Wal-Mart seems to be featuring every year now.

After deciding all the items you are going to get and which stores you have to go to, my third tip is to map out your attack plan. I will share a story from two years ago to explain this:

So, you can probably gather a few more tips from my little story there, but since I am having so much fun with this let me make you a list.

1. Bring a friend.
2. Know what you want.
3. Map out your attack plan on the stores.
4. Double check the store hours.
5. Get there early.
6. Be prepared for the weather conditions ahead of time.
   
7. Consider all your wanted items as HOT.
8. Waste no time.
9. Keep your eyes peeled in case they place items in an awkward area.
10. If you can’t find something, ask a store employee immediately.