Who is Looking Forward to Black Friday?

[SantasGirl]

Some BF tips...

1. If you google "Black Friday Ads", you can find sites that put the ads up early for several popular stores and you have the good fortune of seeing who has what. This also allows for some comparison shopping or planning what stores to hit first. If you can round up some girlfriends, you can each hit a different store.

2. I leave my DH at home sometimes and go with my daughter. That way, if they don't have it at the store, we call home and he trys to buy it online. The internet is usually swamped so it can go pretty slow.

3. Check the ads carefully. Last year we went to Walmart for the 5-9 specials - only to realize that the laptop we wanted was an all day deal.

 

[Colleen in PA]

I love Black Friday shopping! Before I was married, I'd hit the stores before dawn with my entire family (mom, dad, brother, aunts, etc...) Now we celebrate Thanksgiving with my DH's family and the only one I've been able to "corrupt" is my wonderful SIL. We'll leave my boys with nana and shop til we drop. I usually don't need anything - by then I'm generally done shopping, but I love the hustle and bustle! My SIL starts her Christmas shopping then!

This year I'm borrowing an idea from these boards and making us "survival kits" for the all day shopping extravaganza...list of stores & a map of the outlet mall, bottle of water, chocolate (of course), mints, maybe a Christmassy pin to wear? Oh and a red pen to cross off items on our lists!!! What else?

 

[Minta]

ME!!!! I love Black Friday! I have been shopping BF for about 14 years now. Last year I had to work so I only got to go to Walmart before I had to go into work. I missed everything else. I can not wait for it this year!

 

[Cathymac]

Here's a link to my favorite Black Friday site. Interesting!!

 

[housewife2]

i am. cant wait. i like getting out there early checking out all the sales just being out with all the other people in the wee hrs.

 

[qltmrkt]

I don't shop Black Friday anymore although I do like going to some of the craft shows that are around that day. There is one in Raleigh that has been going on for over 20 years. It's held at the fairgrounds. So if you are in the Carolinas and have a chance to go, do it. It is worth the hassle of parking!

 

[Cathymac]

I'm hoping to be done Christmas shopping by then, but two of the big gifts I plan to purchase are electronics and I'm wondering if I would be better off to wait until Black Friday to get them (provided they are on sale) or just go ahead and get them before that day, so that I know I'll have them..??? I'll figure that out.

I'll probably wait to see the ads before I decide on shopping early or not. As many of you may remember from past years, we host DH's side of the family on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for Thanksgiving lunch, so I usually spend most of Black Friday cooking and cleaning. Most of the shopping I do on Black Friday is for groceries-you can get amazing deals on turkeys the day after Tgiving. LOL-that's not nearly as grim as it sounds, I truly enjoy it! I have long since decided to devote Thanksgiving weekend to just Thanksgiving-Christmas begins on the Monday after Tgiving around here!

 

[Colleen in PA]

I'm hoping to be done Christmas shopping by then, but two of the big gifts I plan to purchase are electronics and I'm wondering if I would be better off to wait until Black Friday to get them (provided they are on sale) or just go ahead and get them before that day, so that I know I'll have them..???

Cathy - check out the return policies for the electronics. You may be able to buy them in advance and return them after Thanksgiving if you find them cheaper on Black Friday. Personally, I would buy them before BF since many stores only have a limited inventory of sale items. It is easy to get shut-out when it comes to electronic games and other equipment at that time of year. I remember that the Amazon Kindle was sold out well before BF last year...my SIL had a hard time even finding the Sony reader. JMO!

 

[MissBrittany]

I'm hoping to be done Christmas shopping by then, but two of the big gifts I plan to purchase are electronics and I'm wondering if I would be better off to wait until Black Friday to get them (provided they are on sale) or just go ahead and get them before that day, so that I know I'll have them..??? I'll figure that out.

Don't forget about Cyber Monday! And like last year, I think most stores will have good sales for a few weeks before Thanksgiving.

 

[ChristmasCheerSpredr]

Miss Brittany- I agree on the sales leading up to the big day- like Toysrus will be having Geofforey's birthday sale coming up in October - I ALWAYS try to hit that one, I will get things for the toys for tots bins and such at that time also

 

[mom24hr7dz]

I am really excited our dd who is in her 1st year of college 2,500 miles away from home will be coming home for Thanksgiving break we are going to check out the ads on Thanksgiving night and decide where to go on Fri. and get our shopping hopefully done. Than we will have lunch together at her favorite resturant( Olive Garden). We are both having shopping withdrawels LOL cause she was my shopping buddy. She told me she is so excited and can't wait. I can't wait either. I miss her lots but we get to go see her this weekend for family weekend DH and I are flying out for a 3 day trip can't wait.

 

[ChristmasCheerSpredr]

that is so exciting that your daughter is coming home! Have a safe trip when you go to see her!