Black Friday Archives - Kids Ain't Cheap

Black Friday can make even the sanest shopper pull out her hair. It’s uncommon to get through the day without facing at least one time-consuming and frustrating problem. Since almost everyone is up before the first light of dawn, standing in line in the cold or in the rain, it’s little wonder that most people are lacking in holiday spirit. However, you can make your day easier just by making sure that you minimize the potential Black Friday problems before they come up. Preparation is key in this regard.

Only Carry the Cards You Will Use

Pickpocketing and identity theft are both quite common on Black Friday. Make sure that you are aware of your financial information, purse, wallet, and everything else during the entire trip. Even doing this, you may still discover that you are information was stolen. To minimize the damage, only carry the actual credit cards and debit cards that you plan on using. If possible, you might even consider getting a black Friday specific credit card with a set limit of no more than $1000 or $2000. If it is a Visa or MasterCard, it should be accepted at just about any store. As for checks, only carry a few at a time. Do not carry your entire checkbook. The same goes for your passport, Social Security cards, and other things. You will need your driver’s license, but if you’re not leaving the country, leave your immunization records, marriage certificates, birth certificates, Social Security cards, and everything else that you may carry in your purse or bag behind.

Pack Essential Medical Supplies

Make sure to pack ibuprofen, Tylenol, or whatever else it is that you used to treat headaches, cramps, and pains. If you’ve been Black Friday shopping before, you know they can be a madhouse, particularly when they are deals out there like, “Save 25% on Macys promo codes in addition to double coupon value plus bonus points.” You don’t want to have to give up your place in line because of a headache. Also pack Band-Aids, Neosporin, Q-tips, hair ties, decongestants, and throat lozenges. With these things, you’ll be able to stand in line for far longer.

Have a Clear Route Planned

Make sure that you know where you’re going and when you need to be there. Having a clear route planned in advance can help you avoid a lot of the stresses that you otherwise face. If you are going to be in an area that you aren’t familiar with, make sure you have a GPS as well. If you live in a larger city like Chicago and Detroit, it may be a good idea to have a GPS anyway. It’s not unusual for cities to cordon off certain portions of the street for celebrations, parades, and the like.

Preparing for Black Friday problems doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Just make sure that you only carry the information that you actually need to make your purchases. Carry nothing more. For medical supplies, make sure that you pack painkillers and other essentials to make sure that your day isn’t derailed by common maladies. And to save time, get your route planned in advance.

Have you ever battled it out on Black Friday morning?

Brian

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

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(via Falling Fifth)

I have ventured out on Black Friday a time or two. The first time I ever did this was during the Furby craze! These annoying little robotic toys were all the rage during Christmas season 1998 or 1999. I didn’t have children at the time but one of my BFFs did. These chatty creatures were in such high demand that each customer was only allowed to purchase one at a time — and my friend had two kids. I thought it would be fun adventure to get out there with all the other bargain hunters — plus, I wanted to help my friend. So we met at a department store at 3:30am the day after Thanksgiving.

For those of you who are avid Black Friday shoppers you are probably thinking, “What? 3:30am? You must have been at the back of the line!” The rest of you are probably wondering, “What the heck were you thinking?”

Well, we got our Furbies but it was pretty wild out there. My friend and I made our Black Friday outing an annual tradition for about 4 years. I think the only other super great deal we got was a Barbie Dream House for her daughter, which was normally $100 and I think it was on sale for $40. Even though we were far from the front of the line we got it and it was worth it — her daughter was thrilled on Christmas morning.

Is Black Friday really worth the hype?

For many people the answer is yes. For me? The answer is yes and no. Sure there are great deals to be had but you have to to get up ridiculously early to even have a chance at some of the hottest items. I’m not saying you won’t save money because you will, as long as the items you go out for are still in stock by the time you get there. Retailers leure you into their stores with promises of crazy low prices on specific items but they usually only have a few of these items in stock. So let’s say that you see a 32″ HD TV advertised for only $99. If you are one of the very first people at the front of the line you have a good chance at getting this item. The bad news is, you may have to skip the pumpkin pie to start standing in line before the sun even sets on your Thanksgiving Day.

Online retailers take notice of Black Friday sales and the folks at Amazon.com are constantly dropping their prices to one up other retailers. So if you don’t want to wait out in the freezing cold or throw elbows with the big boys and girls, you might just want to start shopping early and do some research so you can find the best deals on and offline. Another great thing is that a lot of stores today will price match competitors if you have the ad with you. This can help save you time and money.

Now for the record I’m not saying shopping on Black Friday is a bust. I do like to hit the stores after I have slept off the tryptophan from the day before and had a few cups of coffee. I usually get out around 10-11am. By this time the crazy has settled and there are still a few Early Bird Specials to be had.

If you do want to venture out:

Have a plan

Look at the ads and decide which stores and what deals you want to take advantage of. Write it down!

Got coupons?

Bring those too. There are often retail coupons, which you can find online that can be used in addition to sale prices but read the fine print just to be sure.

Don’t take it too seriously

Have fun! Make a plan to shop till you drop, then meet friends for breakfast or lunch. This can help you de-stress. Plus, it’s fun to compare deals.

What do you think about Black Friday? Are you a die hard shopper or do you stay away from the stores as much as possible on that day?