Black Friday is arguably the most hectic shopping day of the year, with throngs of people aggressively scurrying through stores searching for discounted products at the wee hours of the morning. However, if you’re willing to brave the crowds and participate, you may stumble across some fantastic deals that will save you cash, something that is greatly needed during the money-consuming holiday season. If you plan on purchasing clothes, here are tips that will ease and expedite the shopping process:
· Wear shoes that are both comfortable and easy to slip into/out of. Last year, knowing that I would be walking a fair amount, I decided to put on a comfy pair of sneakers. While they did provide proper arch support, having to take them off and then re-tie them every time I tried on a pair of shoes or pants became a hassle. I would recommend wearing a pair of comfortable ankle boots with a wide opening that allow you to slip them on and off with ease.
· Search for items that don’t require going into a dressing room. Jackets/coats, shoes, accessories (scarves, hats, etc…) are ideal while dresses and jeans make for more trouble and effort. With Black Friday crowds, the lines for dressing rooms will likely be unbearably long and time-consuming.
· If you do come across an item that needs to be tried on, make sure that you browse the entire store before placing yourself in line so that you don’t find yourself repeatedly waiting because you found something new to try on. Also, bring multiple sizes with you since there is a good chance that you will not be receiving help from a store attendant.
· Opt for a cross-body purse in lieu of a hand-held purse. Or better yet, bring a wristlet containing your ID, money, debit/credit cards, and your phone and stick these items in your coat pocket. With all the shopping bags you’ll be carrying, it’ll be best to keep your hands free of an additional, heavier purse.
· For those shopping in Chicago and other areas starting to experience chill, make sure to have a light t-shirt on underneath your coat. The temperature difference between the interior of stores and the outdoors is rather drastic. After having ice cold wind blown against your face, entering a heated store may warm you up in an uncomfortably quick pace. The hundreds of people bustling around the store won’t help much either.
· Acknowledge the discount but don’t let it overshadow the actual product. I admit that I have purchased certain pieces with the mindset of “Eh, it’s cheap. I’ll get it even though it doesn’t fit me well/the fabric is questionable/insert other poor excuse here”. The deals offered on Black Friday will make the temptation even harder to resist. If you don’t sincerely like an item, there’s a good chance that it’ll end up collecting dust at the bottom of your closet. So while you may have scored it at 60% off the original price, if it is never worn, it will be money wasted.
Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday!