Black Friday shopping can be crazy. I did my first Black Friday outing when I was a freshman in high school. I went out with my best friend around 11pm and we hit up all the best places to find the best deals. I may have only come out of that Friday with a $3 pillow and a few clothing items but the most fun part is just participating.
Fast forward a few years to 2014 when I went with my boyfriend to score a 50″ smart TV for $200. I know how to find the deals and also have a few tips on surviving the nightmare of Black Friday shopping. If you’ve done it, you know.
To sum it up if you’ve never gone shopping on the night of Thanksgiving into the next day of Friday, it’s a whole lot of people, zero sleep, and chaos everywhere. People rush to the stores as early as they can on Thanksgiving day (some even camping out for days) to be the first in line to a store having a great sale. Once the doors open, people rush in to find the deals they’ve been circling in magazines the days leading up to the event. With limited supplies of certain products, people can get mean. It’s all a bit ridiculous if you think about it. Which is why I only do my Black Friday shopping online nowadays.
If you plan to go out shopping, here are a few tips from me for how to survive the craziness.
Tip #1 | Wear Something Comfortable Yet Useful
I like to have pockets. It’s easier to store your phone or ads with the items you are planning to buy in an accessible place so that you have a plan and can go in and get out. Comfort is key as well since you could be out shopping alllll night long and into the next morning! Most nights are chilly no matter where you live during this time of year so be sure to have something to keep you warm like a sherpa denim jacket.
Tip #2 | SNACKS
Don’t be caught hangry! Instead of begging a friend to bring you some food while you stand in line to get into the store you’ve been waiting in for hours, bring some snacks. Be prepared. Your thanksgiving meal will wear off and you’ll be hungry soon enough. I suggest energy bars, granola, and a bit of candy or chocolate.
Tip #3 | Plan Ahead, Then Plan Some More
You can only shop at so many places in a certain amount of time. You won’t be able to get all the doorbusters at all your favorite stores so you need to plan out which ones you really care about the most. I suggest going to a mall or shopping center that has most of your favorite stores. That will make it easier to get to more as apposed to going to one place then driving to the other side of town to hit up another place. You have to compromise. Then plan out what your plan of action will be. Depending on limited stocks, the best sales, and popularity, you’ll want to make a list of stores in the order of which you will visit first.
Tip #4 | Be Kind
All of those workers that are in store helping you checkout and find certain items have likely been there all of Thanksgiving day, away from their families. They have also been working like crazy to get the stores ready for you to shop. If something sells out and you didn’t get one, it’s not the employees’ fault. Be kind to them and use your manners. The same goes for other shoppers. Be nice to everyone you see. You WILL run into rude, mean, and aggressive shoppers. It’s unavoidable. Show them kindness and hope that they show kindness in return.
If you go out shopping on Black Friday, use my tips and you’ll do just fine. If you plan to shop from the comfort of your home like me, be sure to research which websites have what deals beforehand! One store I’ll definitely be shopping is Old Navy. And I’ll probably be wearing this jumpsuit while I do it. I’ve been wearing it nonstop. It’s perfect for errands, for lunch dates, and for hanging out around the house.
Get My Look
Jumpsuit | Jacket | Shoes
(all c/o Old Navy)
Thank you to Old Navy for sponsoring this post!
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