In A Week It Will All Be Over…

...and then I can anticipate it next year!  No no, I'm not talking about Thanksgiving.  I'm talking about Black Friday!  The busiest shopping day of the year.  Black Friday is not for the weak and it takes skill to execute it efficiently.

A lot of people complain that Black Friday just isn't worth it.  And that, my friend, is where you aren't playing the game right...or you simply don't understand what it takes to truly participate in this day.  If I didn't have the knowledge that I have, Black Friday wouldn't be worth it to me either.

OK...so let me walk you through it.  Much like collecting coupons, you have to study the Black Friday flyers.  I always have my kids write out Christmas lists.  They did this weeks ago.  Not everything the kids want will be marked down on Black Friday, but that's OK.  One year, my oldest wanted an Xbox 360.  Target had them for $150.  If you spend $150, Target gave you a $75 gift card.  OK, that's great...because I have 6 kids.  Chances are, I'm going to spend $75 more on toys.  After we got our gift card, we went back in and purchased $75 worth of toys.  For spending $75, they gave me a $25 gift card.  And I was back in their spending it.  So, I spent $150 and in the end I only spent $50 on the Xbox and was able to purchase other great toys.

After making a list of what you need, decide what's most important.  Chances are slim that you will get everything you are hoping for.  If you can go with a group, then you guys can break up and go to different stores or even go to the same store but different sections of the store.  Together, decide where you will go first and get there, at least, 2 hours before the store opens.  Have cell phones.  If there is one thing you take away from all of this, do not...I repeat...do not grab a cart!  What do you plan to do with that?  Not push it, I can tell you that.  At some point, you will be packed in like sardines and a cart will only keep you from making progress moving where you need to get.

I used to have to wait until Thanksgiving to read the flyers, but now you can view them online weeks before.  Click here to look at the flyers.  Black Friday can be a life saver for many people!

Dress warm.  Pack light snacks.  Work with a partner.  Don't expect it to be a "quick" run in for one item.  AND use the self check-outs!  Think...once this is over, you can participate in Cyber Monday!