Tips & Hints To Survive "Black Friday" Shopping

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It’s that time of year again! But before you start lining up at midnight or raiding the mall, here are some things you should keep in mind! Trust us. You’ll save money and time. You’ll thank us later.

1. DO YOUR RESEARCH

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Start with a plan and make a list of things you want or you are looking for. Are you buying for yourself or for other people? Are you looking for the "doorbuster deals" or are you okay with deals that you don’t have to wait in line for 7 hours for?

2. HAVE A BUDGET

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It’s going to be very tempting to keep spending money all day, but you have to cut yourself off at some point. Know when to say no to those cute socks or stocking stuffers if you are already over-budget!

3. LEAVE SOME ROOM IN YOUR BUDGET FOR EXTRA GOODIES

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Even with all the planning in the world, you are going to find something else that catches your eye that YOU HAVE TO HAVE. So pad your budget a little for those unexpected purchases.

4. DON’T ASSUME THAT THESE ARE GOING TO BE THE BEST DEALS YOU WILL SEE ALL YEAR

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Black Friday is the perfect time to buy TVs, laptops, computers, small appliances, clothes, and seasonal gift foods. Home furnishings and other items are better left for after-Christmas deals. If it isn’t at least 30% off, you can probably do better.

5. PACK A BLACK FRIDAY SURVIVAL KIT IF YOU ARE CAMPING OUT OR SPENDING THE WHOLE DAY OUT...

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Intense shoppers need to go into survival mode! Bring some healthy snacks, water, and wear comfy shoes so you don’t have to stop! This is the for the ultimate SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP people. Bring layers if you are going from morning to night and even bring a phone charger if you are planning on tag-teaming with some friends! Some stores are even going to offer Wi-Fi so you can navigate the deals online while at the mall!

5. PLAN OUT YOUR TRANSPORTATION

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Are you going to drive or take public transportation? Maybe you’ll have your friends or family drop you off? If you are planning on driving, know that parking will be hard to find and that traffic coming in and out will be terrible! If you bike, maybe you’ll have too much stuff to carry.

6. DON’T FEEL COMPELLED TO LINE UP AT MIDNIGHT (Unless you want the hot doorbusters)

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Contrary to popular belief, you DO NOT have to line up at midnight or wake up at 2 am. There will be so much stuff that the retailers are trying to get rid of! Trust me. You can still find good deals at 6 pm. However, if you are looking for the 1 of 5 doorbusters a store if offering, then you will probably have to be there Thanksgiving day.

7. SHOP ONLINE

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If you wake up early enough, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own bed! There will be plenty of deals ONLINE the night before Black Friday, the morning of and of course, Cyber Monday.

8. STAY CALM AND SAFE

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At the end of the day, realize that it’s JUST SHOPPING. People have been trampled and gotten into fights over the tiniest things. Just don’t go there. If you start getting stressed out, maybe it’s time to go home. Or just take some time-out, get a pretzel, breathe, and think about the important things.

9. ENJOY YOURSELF!

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Shopping should BE FUN! Go with friends and make it a social outing! Maybe end the day with dinner and a movie! Once it stops being fun, its time to stop.