I subscribe to our local newspaper for a few reasons; it is the only local source for news in our area, I’m a bit old fashion in that I actually like reading the paper and last but not least is Black Friday ads. There was a year where we didn’t subscribe to the paper and I found myself racing from WAWA to WAWA on Thanksgiving night in search of a paper with Black Friday ads. Scouring the Black Friday ads on Thanksgiving night with a glass of wine is my reward for cooking a giant meal and tolerating, I mean entertaining, family.
I’ve made the early morning dash to the stores and I’ve stayed home and shopped in my pajamas. This year I asked some friends to share with me some of their tips for Black Friday shopping.
Black Friday Shopping Tips from Black Friday Shoppers
Go through the ads on Thursday night and make decisions based on what you can get online vs what you can get in stores. Pay attention to the wording in the ads, some are in store only and others are only available during certain hours.
Several of my friends said to have a plan and have a list. Larisha, from We’re Parents suggested having a list of exactly what you want so that you don’t get overwhelmed.
Monica, from Mommy University, said she uses a small list for each store. She also suggested having a minimum amount of money that you want to save to make the trip worth while.
If you plan to head to the store you might want to go out a few days before Black Friday. In some shops like Target the store is already starting to set up and you can get a good idea of where the best deals will be shelved.
My friend Christine of Wishes Family Travel, says not to take your shopping too seriously,bring a friend and make time to grab a Starbucks coffee.
Unless you are looking for a door buster, it’s not worth your time to wait in line, says my friend Melissa, who is trying to convince me to make the late night shopping rush with her. She said stores are often restocking sales between 2 and 3 am.
My friend Lori’s advice is to hold off on shopping till Friday afternoon when the crowds are fewer but there are still deals to be found. I’ve done that a few times and have gotten a good amount of sales without the crowds.
Another tip from Melissa, Home Depot offers $1 Poinsettia but you need to be there when they open in order to get them.
While I’m not a big fan of stores being open on Thanksgiving, I’ve worked retail and sort of take it as “it is what it is”. I’m not the type to abandon my turkey dinner for sales however last year I scored some great deals online before noon on Thanksgiving. I suggest keeping an eye on Amazon, Target and Toys R Us to see what online sales they are offering.
Mama Cheaps is my go-to deals site for the holidays. Every morning she posts a listing of the Amazon Lightening deals. If you are looking for a specific toy on sale, I suggest checking this daily throughout the holiday season.
Last year while we were waiting for our flight at the airport, I happened to see on Facebook on Mama Cheaps page that the new Leappad was on a lightning deal on Amazon. I ordered it while waiting for my flight. We traveled last year during the holidays and I did the vast majority of my shopping on my smart phone.
Try not to let yourself get roped into the thrill of the deal. A few years ago I found myself wanting to jump on every deal I saw. Which led to me buying a few extra gifts that I didn’t need just because the sale was too good to pass up. No matter how cheap it is, it doesn’t save you money if you don’t need to buy it to begin with.
Regardless of how I shop I love Black Friday sales and nothing feels better than having a bulk of my shopping done before it’s even December.
Happy shopping! Any tips or suggestions to add, let me know.
Thanks for the shout-outs, Julia!! Happy shopping!! 🙂