Many Americans look forward to Black Friday just as much as they're looking forward to turkey on Thanksgiving. However, the excitement about sales and deals often brings out huge crowds of people, which can often make Black Friday shopping stressful (to say the least). Here, we've created a Black Friday survival guide. Below are 6 tips to help you survive the day after Thanksgiving.
1. Create a plan.
In order to save time, create a plan mapping out the stores you want to shop at; of course, you've already done research on where the biggest sales are, right? When you're creating your list, rank them in order of importance and distance to help avoid losing time and backtracking.
2. Choose your Black Friday shopping team wisely.
You don't need a Black Friday shopping team but if you do choose to shop with others, choose wisely. If someone is easily irritated and often gets cranky while shopping, leave them at home. Your best bet would be choosing someone who loves shopping and loves deals even more.
3. Dress Accordingly.
The lighter you dress, the better. If you plan on trying on clothes or shoes make sure that you wear attire and shoes that are easy to change in and out of. You also want to make sure that the shoes you are wearing are comfortable enough for walking and standing in long lines.
4. Shop Department Stores First.
Department stores (Macy's, JC Penny's, Kohls, etc.) typically have better deals, so shop them first. Stores that are already discounted such as Walmart or the Dollar Tree won't have as many deals.
5. Check for ticketed items.
During Black Friday sales, some stores create a certain amount of tickets for certain limited sale items. If you intend on purchasing any big-ticket items, check to make sure that they don't require a ticket. If they do, figure out what you need to do to secure a ticket.
6. Create a budget and stick to it.
Come up with a feasible budget and stick to it. Don't let Black Friday put your bank account in the red.
