I love shopping during the holiday season. My favorite day to shop is Black Friday. I know many disagree because the crowds can sometimes be overwhelming. There are ways to avoid the crowds (at certain stores) and get the items you are looking for. Shopping outside of peak Black Friday hours is a great way to avoid large crowds. As the years have gone by, Black Friday has made its way to Thanksgiving Thursday. This is mainly because most people are not working on Thanksgiving but often return to work the following day (Friday). Companies believed that the idea of making Black Friday shopping accessible to those people would help boost their profits.
Bestblackfriday.com is a great site to find deals, it has a list of deals to be had on Black Friday. Also, they have included a list of retailers that will be closed on Black Friday. This site offers ads prior to Black Friday and even some store maps of where specific items can be located. Store maps can be your best friend, it makes a positive impact on your shopping experience when you don’t have to search for items in a large store. Theblackfriday.com website also posts deals and early ads for Black Friday.
A few tips for you prior to making a big shopping trip. Make a list. At our home around Thanksgiving we have an art night. Each person in my family gets a 5×7 index card to list whatever items they may want. Then we decorate the cards with glitter, crayons, marker, etc. I write down the sizes of shirts, pants, and shoes on each person’s card. When we are ready to shop my husband and I can split up and take the cards and we know exactly what the children want and their sizes (this works for your significant other as well). Another great tip is to set a budget for each person. We do this at the beginning of the year so that we can save the amount of money we need prior to November.
At Walmart, I pair the store ads with the store map so that I can quickly find each item. Walmart tends to be one of the busiest stores for Black Friday shopping. They offer a daily shopping guide from Thanksgiving Day until Sunday. There are certain items I like to purchase from Walmart like; pajamas, kids’ toys, and electronics (if we need them). This is one of the best time to buy electronics (Computers, TV’s, etc.) because they are usually deeply disconnected.
Old Navy, I go to for denim jeans. I love their jeans, especially for my children (their waists are small and Old Navy has the elastic insert in the jeans). On Black Friday, Old Navy usually has the jeans and pajamas half price and they also offer super cash and other incentives, like their opportunity tickets to win free money.
Outlet malls; If you are shopping for someone who likes handbags, designer clothes or other designer items. On Black Friday, Check out the Michael Kors and Coach Stores. You can buy a handbag for less than half the price of a traditional department store. Many of the outlets stores also offer additional percentages off your purchase.
I hope you gained a few good tips to prepare you for your holiday shopping trip. Holiday shopping should be fun and festive! Remember stay positive and patient. Until next time, stay frugal!