Black Friday ““ the day after Thanksgiving ““ has long excited the post-dinner food coma out of thousands of shoppers and simultaneously intimidated the rest. The official start of the Christmas shopping season, Black Friday brings up images of crowds lined up around the neighborhood Best Buy and people being nearly trampled in outlet malls. Here are our suggestions to beat the tryptophan and do Black Friday right.
Before you go
Clothing: Plan for the weather. It is likely to be cold, so layer and bring a few extra jackets in the car. If you’re camping out, bring blankets as well. Ditch the flip flops and high feels for shoes that are comfortable to move in.
Parking: Think about parking in advance. Even huge malls will run out of spots quickly, so leave early or be prepared to parallel park or spend extra money on your spot. Of course, carpooling is your best bet.
Plan ahead: Decide which stores are most important to you, and go there first. It is better to spend more time buying what you need than trying to visit everything. Research the mall you will be going to, and maximize your time by going to the best sales. Some stores have the best sales right after midnight, while others open early in the morning.
Morning of
Waking up: Get up early enough for a light breakfast ““ you might still be full from dinner, but hunger will set in eventually. You’ll want to consider packing a snack to keep yourself going.
Load up on coffee: While Starbucks Coffee normally opens at the obscene hour of 6 a.m., coffee shops may hold special hours for Black Friday. However, you may want to consider skipping out on the barista and brew your own for the sake of time and sanity. Waiting in line before you have your coffee is not the way to start the day.
In the store
Know what you’re there for: Come in with a plan. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the crowds or distracted by what looks like a great deal. A plan prevents you from missing out on the original deal that brought you to the store, or being sucked in by deals that aren’t as great as they seem.
Skip the dressing room: If there’s a shirt, dress or pair of pants you know you want, try it on before Black Friday. The dressing rooms will be a mad house, and waiting for them defeats the purpose of waking up early to get the best deals. Coats and shoes can also be tried on in line.
Have a meeting spot: Sure, a cell phone can help you find your friends after you’ve made your purchases, but sometimes it’s best to have a plan already established. Who knows if you’ll be able to hear your companions over the squeal of people fighting for buy-one-get-one-free boots.
Compiled by Alex Goodman, Maryia Krivoruchko, Lauren Roberts and Samantha Suchland, A&E senior staff.