Ten tips for successful Black Friday shopping excursions
By Amanda Blas, Staff Writer blas13@up.edu
After stuffing yourself with turkey and pumpkin pie, there is nothing better to do than celebrate one of the biggest shopping days of the year, Black Friday. Whether you are a first timer or professional Black Friday shopper, here are a few tips that will have you prepared before, during and after the Black Friday madness.
1. Research and get a game plan together. Start checking out the Black Friday ads now to get an idea of what stores you want to visit, what deals you want to take advantage of and what items you want to buy. Also, compare prices to see which stores have the best deals on what you are looking to buy. This will save you both time and money, both of which are too valuable to waste on Black Friday.
2. Know your hours. Most stores open earlier than usual to celebrate the Black Friday craze. With these special hours come early bird, night owl and door buster specials. Find out what stores are having these deals to make the best of store hours. In addition, some stores end their specials at certain hours during the day. Find out these times to make sure you do not miss these sales.
3. Bring backup. Let's face it: shopping with friends or family is so much more fun than shopping alone. An added benefit? Shopping together means being able to split up and take advantage of deals at different parts of the store, not to mention being able to beat the long line at the cash register.
4. Dress for success. What you wear will definitely affect your shopping performance. Because you will be on your feet all day, be sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. If you plan on waiting outside for stores to open, don't forget to wear layers to ward off the cold. Wearing layers is also more sensible than carrying a heavy coat while shopping.
5. There's an app for that. Take advantage of the apps that tell you all about the Black Friday deals such as "TGI Black Friday," "The Black Friday App" and "Black Friday Ads." These apps will keep you updated on the Black Friday madness all through the day. Also, consider downloading the app of the stores where you plan to shop to help you shop more efficiently and possibly get in on other deals.
6. Don't forget the coupons. While stores may already have a bunch of items on sale, some offer extra discounts with Black Friday coupons. Check those out to make sure you get the biggest discount possible.
7. Pack a "Black Friday Survival Kit." Expect your Black Friday shopping trip to last a long time. Bring along snacks to curb your hunger, coffee to keep you awake and water to keep you hydrated.
8. Be prepared for crowds. You will not be the only one trying to take advantage of Black Friday. Mentally prepare yourself for a lot of pushing and shoving.
9. Keep your receipts. A lot of Black Friday purchases are impulse buys because you don't want to pass up that bargain. Be sure to keep your receipts so you'll be able to return items you don't want or need instead of running into buyer's remorse.
10. Save money for Cyber Monday. Most stores' deals do not end with Black Friday, but they expand their sales to their websites on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Black Friday. When it comes to items that were not a priority on your Black Friday shopping list, consider waiting until Cyber Monday to see if the deals get any better. Some stores also have the same Black Friday deals in the store as they do online. To avoid having to deal with the chaos of Black Friday, see if the stores you are interested in count online as well.
