The Spread

By Cassidy Williams

If you’ve never gone out shopping on Black Friday, you’re missing out on a great American tradition. Going out to face the cold, crowds, and traffic may seem like the last thing you would want to do after a day devoted to stuffing your face, but it’s always worth it. Now, I’m not suggesting you be one of the crazy people who wait in line all day for a television. If you really want a big item or electronic for cheap, your best bet is trying to snag one online. Deals in stores often go online on Thanksgiving or are offered on Cyber Monday. Black Friday is more fun if you’re not stressing out about a specific item. It’s fun if you just go and experience the craziness that is American consumerism. Here are some quick tips for making your Black Friday worth your money.

Be Observant — For starters, Black Friday is people-watching in its greatest form.  There is something about the entire thing that is insanely entertaining, and it gets you incredibly excited for the holidays. Know your surroundings, check out the aisles of familiar stores before hand and even create a map to locate your destinations. 

Deals! Deals! Deals! — Black Friday is also the best time to go present shopping. Literally everything is on sale, so you can make people think you spent a lot more on them than you actually did. If you are worried about the crowds, avoid any stores that sell toys (Target, Walmart, Best Buy). Smaller stores at the mall still have great sales and are normally much more manageable.

Go In Groups — Also, do not go alone. It’s a lot more fun if you have someone to share the craziness with. Gather up your friends, family and significant others! Tis the season for shopping and gift-giving! 

Make A Schedule — Lastly, make sure you go right when stores open.  Trying to go later in the day is a complete waste of time: sales have often ended, everything is over-picked, workers are moody, and the people-watching just isn’t the same. Luckily, many stores now open at midnight so you no longer have to wake up early.  You simply have to still be awake at midnight. 

Have Fun! — In all honestly, Black Friday is incredibly hard to explain.  It’s an indescribable rush, and every time I wear the shirt I bought for $1.75 last year I feel a certain sense of pride.

So, grab your shopping bag(s) and make sure you’ve got all your credit cards, coupons and coffee! I challenge you all to join the madness and make Black Friday shopping a tradition.