5 Tips to a Successful Black Friday

Love a good deal? Most likely you will be one of the millions of other shoppers anxiously awaiting Black Friday. In the last decade, the shopping has become more and more intense. Stores are even opening their doors hours before midnight on Thanksgiving to start their sales. It seems a bit extreme, but if the public is willing to spend money at 2 a.m., the stores are willing to sell! The crush of shoppers can be overwhelming. But if you are ready to do battle with other deal-shoppers, here are some tips to help make your Black Friday the most successful one yet:

1. Shop Online. Stores are offering around 95% of their sales online. This is highly convenient for those who would rather spend their Thanksgiving day with family and friends, rather than camping out in front of the local Best Buy. To get even more special deals, “like” on Facebook the stores you normally buy from. Check their status updates and take advantage of the special deals they post. Most retailers will begin their online sales during Cyber Monday. However, more and more are starting to offer deals on Black Friday or even before.
2. Get in line early. If you have your eye on something that can only be bought directly from the store, be prepared for a wait. If you are trying to get something like a computer, TV, or other digital equipment, you might even have to camp out for a few nights. There are people that make camping out in front of Best Buy for two or three days prior to Black Friday a holiday tradition, even foregoing Thanksgiving dinner. If you want to be first in line, which you will practically have to be if you want to snatch up sale items before they disappear, then you'll need an early start. If your sights aren't set quite that high, you can wait until 5 or 6 on Thanksgiving evening to get in line at stores like Wal-Mart and Target. This should be enough time to be ready to dive into the fray at 12:01 a.m.
3. Form a team. If there is more than one item you have your heart set on, you would be wise to make the shopping trip a family event. Have one person get in line to pay while the rest run off to load their carts with the previously determined items. You can also have people stationed at different stores so that you don't miss out on a single deal.
4. Use a map. I'm not talking about a map to get to the stores you want, but a map of where in the store you will find the items you are looking for. Stores are mayhem the second midnight hits, so you'll have to have a game plan for getting around to the various areas. Even if you bring a team of people with you, as mentioned above, you'll have to assign each one to pick up certain items you are looking for.
5. Double check your deals. One thing that many Black Friday shoppers get taken in by is the promise of great deals. Before you spend money on something that is “on sale”, check to make sure that you really are getting a good deal. Go online and find out how much the item costs normally. If the difference isn't very much, or not at all, then don't waste your Thanksgiving Day by waiting in long lines surrounded by other crazed shoppers

About the Author

Natalie Clive is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers connects students with online schools that offer online courses and degree programs in their field of interest.