By Miranda Dellamaria
It’s almost time for the best day of the year: Black Friday, the only holiday where you’ll find soccer moms throwing punches in Target at 4 am. Here are some tips to beat the crowds, get your presents, and successfully navigate Black Friday without ending up in a “Crazy Black Friday Shoppers” Youtube video.
1.) Carry a purse.
This one is a must. Sorry, but for men who are looking to do some Holiday shopping, but you should definitely carry a murse or just go along with one of your girl friends. You don’t want to be the girl (or guy) who breaks down crying at the register because your credit card fell out of your pocket. Rule of thumb for Black Friday: whatever you lose in the store, you are probably never going to get back. Make sure your credit cards and cash are stored in a way that is secure and accessible, since you also don’t want to be the girl or guy who holds the line up digging around for spare change.
2.) Research deals ahead of time.
This can be done online or in-store. In fact, the best way to figure out what items might be going on sale for Black Friday is just to befriend one of the store workers. They’ll know what the best buys are going to be and are usually happy to help you prepare for them. It’s also worth it to check out where everything is located in the stores you want to hit up beforehand. It will help you get in and out both easily and quickly.
3.) Get your parents to drive you.
It’s not the coolest thing in the world to get dropped off by your parents anywhere, but trust me on this. Parking on Black Friday is almost impossible. Every terrible driver in your town will want the same cheap T.V. you’re trying to get at Best Buy, and they’re not going to abide by the rules of the road to get it. If your parents don’t want to wake up ridiculously early to take you shopping, then recruit a friend. If you’re going to multiple stores, the two of you can switch off who drives and who goes in to make the purchases.
4.) Dress warmly and get comfortable.
This one’s for the people who brave the long lines outside from midnight till their favorite store opens. It’s going to be freezing while you’re waiting in line, so don’t be afraid to get bundled up. Also, consider bringing collapsible chairs and blankets to make your wait more comfortable. You’d have to have a buddy for this one, but really, you should not tackle Black Friday alone. Keep the chairs and blankets out until the store is just about to open, and then one of you can return them to the car while the other saves your spot in line.
5.) Go to bed right after Thanksgiving dinner and get coffee the minute you wake up.
Shopping is exhausting enough on its own, especially on the craziest day of the year where everyone is literally willing to throw punches over cheap kitchenware. It also happens to fall after an already stressful holiday where you had to deal with your entire family. It can be a nightmare. Drink coffee and go to bed early the night before. Not only will it keep you alert and awake, but it will help you stay sane in the madness and keep you out of those “Black Friday fights” YouTube montages.
6.) Be polite to the workers.
Though it seems like you are having a bad time on Black Friday, the workers are having it far more worse than you. They have to deal with people screaming, pushing and breaking merchandise all day, so please try and make their day a little easier by not being rude.
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*Image Sources:
http://heidelblog.net/2013/11/black-friday-subjectivism-christian-liberty/
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-not-to-buy-on-black-friday-2013-11
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2852585/
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2014/11/19/12-shopping-secrets-black-friday-ninjas/
The Spread 