Black Friday Best Practices

Black Friday Hacks

Tis the season to find great deals!

For those of you who know me well, you know how much I look forward to Black Friday. It’s the one day a year shopping becomes a sport, combining my two favorite things in life. If Black Friday was an official sport, my family would be the 1992 Dream Team.

How to become the Michael Jordan of saving money.

When I was a little kid I dreamed of the day I would be old enough to join my aunts and cousins in the madness. One of my first memories was in a Toys R’ Us, likely around 3 am (kids, you used to shop through the night on Black Friday, like true shopping warriors). My aunt Kelli was making her mad dash to the checkout line with a coveted Razor Scooter, when a lady blindsided her, grabbed the scooter from her cart and tried to beat her to checkout. Fear not, what that woman didn’t know was my aunt is inducted in the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame and absolutely no one was going to take that scooter from her that night, or ever. It was a major Black Friday power move.

When I say I’ve seen it all, I’ve seen it all. Another Black Friday on a snowy, dark evening the midnight rush for $1.50 bath towels at Target had just begun. We properly stretched and got ready for combat in the parking lot and began our sprint into the store as the doors opened. While hurdling over one of the large red balls in front of every Target, out of the corner of my eye I see a lady run full speed into a moving Jeep. She went down hard but got up and hobbled in through the entrance with the heroism of a soldier. Did the Jeep stop to see if she was okay? If you have to ask, you’ve never lived through a Black Friday.

The last story I’ll share is one of my favorites. Walmart from 2-4:00 am used to be prime time. By these hours of the night you are usually on your third Starbucks, are getting numb to the fluorescent lights and are running purely on caffeine and adrenaline.

This particular year digital photo frames were released. They were quite the rage for gifting, especially when 60% off during a doorbuster sale. To my left, I see two soccer moms throwing elbows vying over the last two frames on the shelf. What Walmart hadn’t accounted for was one woman jumping to get the frame while the other tried to pull her down, resulting in the entire display/shelving unit falling on both of them. The next sight I see is the woman who jumped for the frame scooping them into her arms, blood dripping down her forehead, bolting with her coveted frames to the checkout line. Minutes later the paramedics show up and insist she come with them to get stitches. But not this shopping legend, she had the ferocity of Michael Jordan driving down the lane with two seconds left on the clock. She stood her ground in line and insisted that they were free to stitch her up but that she was not giving up her spot. One by one, the slow claps and chants started around her. It still brings a tear to my eye this day. I’m sure she wears that forehead scar like a badge of honor and still smiles every time she looks at that digital frame.

Can you really ever have enough flat screen TVs and Crockpots?

So now let’s get to the good stuff. How do you embark on Black Friday? What are the best practices? Do you have to be a little crazy, shameless, ruthless, savvy and highly caffeinated? Yes. Is it worth it for a $10 crockpot? Also yes.

How to Beat the Long Lines.

If you are attacking Black Friday in a tribe like the Benson women do, efficiency is key. Where shoppers lose the most valuable shopping time is parking the car and waiting in the long lines. Here are the workarounds- upon arriving at the store have someone designated as the getaway driver. They will drop the shoppers off at the front door and circle until they get the sign to be back at the front for pickup. Never waste time parking! Make sure you are gassed up and driving the biggest SUV in the family, you’ll need the room.

Secondly, as soon as you walk into the store have someone get right into the line. Typically the youngest, most novice shopper in the family gets this duty. By waiting in the line immediately while others are grabbing the items on their list, you are destined to be at or near the front of the line by the time shopping is complete. If you happen to get to the front of the line prematurely, just let other shoppers go in front of you one-by-one until your crew is ready to checkout. #protip

A few additional hacks to skip the lines. If there is a beauty or jewelry counter (Kohls, Walmart, JC Penneys, etc.) they will almost always let you check out there instead of the main lines as long as you buy one item. Totally worth the time saved! Also, there’s no shame in scanning the line for someone you know, it’s called leveraging your network and this crude behavior is only allowed one night a year. Circle back to above where I mentioned being shameless is required.

Equipment

With so many people in a condensed space and the fact that you never seem to have great cell phone reception in stores anyway, two words- Walkie Talkies. Sure, you might look crazier than Rachel from Friends blowing the whistle in the bridal store signaling for Monica to help her, but Black Friday is not the time to worry about your image. When you need instant communication and your texts aren’t going through, have a backup plan! Apple Watch also has Walkie Talkie functionality for my techies out there.

While we’re talking about uncool Black Friday staples, next on the list… Fanny Packs. Luckily in the modern era, there are some options that are slightly less nerdy and 80’s aerobic instructor-ish. See here.

Comfy shoes, I can’t stress this enough. Whatever tennis shoes you can bob, weave and sprint in the best- wear those. Shop my faves for Black Friday: here. The last thing you have time for is stopping to tie your shoes, so make sure you can slide your tennies off and on effortlessly.

Yoga pants with pockets, this is key! You do not want to be weighed down with tote bags or purses. Your arms will be full enough carrying all of your finds. Here are some of my fave leggings with pockets for your phone/debit card/walkie talkie/etc. Shop here.

Preparation

Between online ads throughout the month of November and the glorious day-of ads in the local newspapers, there is no reason to not know exactly what you’re getting and have it itemized in spreadsheets or in a note/checklist on your phone. Almost all stores will price match, so have the lowest price that you have found ready to go at the register. It also doesn’t hurt to pop into the stores the day before to get a lay of the land and take pictures of where the items are located that you are shopping for.

Hopefully my fellow Black Friday Warriors found this helpful. I’m so excited to hear about your great finds and crazy stories. Tell me all about them here. Black Friday is not for everyone, for those that prefer to hit Cyber Monday from the comfort of your bed and jammies instead, I fully support that too! My mother once told me when I was an infant my first sentence was “I want to go shopping” as you can see, nothing has changed 31 years later.

Happy holiday shopping everyone!!