It’s that time of the year! Steals, deals, and sales are all part of successfully scoring some great buys at your favorite stores during Black Friday. Whether you are getting up at the crack of dawn or later in the morning to stock up on Christmas gifts for friends, family, and yourself; here are some tips to help you prepare for the crazy shopping experience.
Power Meal
Fill your stomach with turkey, graving, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry, and pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving is the best holiday for food and savoring every taste of it. You are going to need to eat up so you have plenty of energy to burn while running around the mall hitting up all of your favorite stores. The best part is the leftovers, which you can enjoy after a long day of Black Friday Shopping.
Nap Time
After a grand feast to fulfill your appetite, you may want to take a nap to rest up and get some sleep, because some stores start opening on either Thanksgiving Day or very early on Friday morning. Your sleep schedule will be off, so a nap will help you not be as fatigued while you stand in line waiting to checkout.
Make a Plan
Depending if you are going to just one store, multiple stores across town, or a mall, you need to make a plan of where you want to go and in what sequence. Check out the times that each store will open at and decide the order of your shopping spree. You may also want to check out the ads or online deals and coupons beforehand so you are prepared once you enter the store.
Find Your Group
Find a designated buddy or a group of family/friends to go Black Friday shopping with so you all can take turns standing in line if someone’s feet get sore, or you need to use the restroom. You can also cover more ground faster if the group splits up and goes to different stores. The more, the merrier.
The Black Friday Essentials
In your purse or bag, make sure you have: a fully charged cellphone, cash, credit or debit card, a list of where you want to go, coupons/ads, snacks, water, and any personal items. It is good to at least have a granola bar and water so if you get hungry waiting in line, you can snack on something. With all the walking and running around to each store, you do not want to get dehydrated. Make sure to have some extra cash so you can splurge on a Starbucks drink to get that caffeine boost to help you continue shopping!
You are now prepared for your 2015 Black Friday shopping experience. I will be participating, and I always look at the store ads while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade to help me plan my shopping spree. So know you have some tips and tricks to help you get ready for the first day of holiday season shopping. If you decide to sleep in and skip the craziness at the mall, there is always Cyber Monday!