Black Friday Shopping Tips & Tricks

Black Friday is the day that officially kicks off the Holiday Season. It's a day where savings are huge, and deals are everywhere. If you shop correctly, you can get monster savings! If you're heading out on Friday Morning, or for that matter Thursday night, you may want to follow a few of these helpful pointers and tips!

Let me first just say, I am a serious Black Friday Lover! I love the hunt, the deals, the crowds, everything about Black Friday. My girlfriend and I will head out as early as Thanksgiving night, and wait in lines, it's the day that we look forward to each year. Now we don't typically buy a lot of items, or spend all that much, it's more of a thrill to be out shopping without any time constraints, without kids, no appointments to be at, etc.

After years of doing this, we have come up with quite the attack plan, that I think will help many of you as well.

First, get ready a day or two before. Look at the ads, and the open times. If you have four or five must hit stores, check to see what time each one will be opening. Opening times on Black Friday vary greatly. Hit each store in the order that they open, to increase your chance of getting the items you want.

Thanksgiving Day is when any coupons for Black Friday come out, so check your paper, and clip any coupons that you think you are going to use, place in a small envelope so you know where they all are. Also if you are going to be purchasing small everyday items for stockings etc, pull out those coupons from your coupon stash. Black Friday is not the day to be toting around your coupon binder.

Be sure to bring ALL the Thanksgiving Day ads with you, when your out shopping. Many stores price match, and if you have one store that your at, that carries the same item that you were planning on getting at another store, see if they will price match, thus eliminating your trip to the next store. Usually the only requirement for price matching is that it must be an advertised price, so if you have a sale ad with you, it's much easier. For additional time saving, I will usually sort my ads, by the order in which I am going to shop.

Make sure to bring some munchies with you in the car. When your waiting in line at 3 am, you realize just how hungry you are, and that can really hinder how you shop. You spend more time thinking about your stomache than remembering to pull out that 20% off coupon you may have. Snacks that are individaully packaged are great to throw in your purse or pocket. 100 Calories snack packs, bagged nuts, etc. Think Protein! This year I will be packaging up several portion sized baggies of Cashews, a few small pieces of chocolate, and some bottled water.

If you don't get the hot item that you're looking for, don't fret over it. There will be many more sales before the holidays. I will typically purchase the "Big" item before Black Friday, so I can shop without having to worry that I won't be able to get it. If it means that I have to pay slightly more, well, to me, it's worth the piece of mind, and shopping on Black Friday is just fun, and exciting, instead of stressful.

What if you find the same item you purchased before, only now it's $50.00 cheaper? I will often buy the same item at the Black Friday Sale price, if I see it, and then return the item I bought at the higher price several days later. Now, being that everyone and their grandmother is out shopping, you have to decide what your price is... By this I mean, if you see the same item you purchased before and now it's $5.00 cheaper, is the aggravation of having to go get the item and return it in a few days worth $5.00? Would you do it for $20.00 in savings? $100? I have a price break already set in my head at $30.00 or more. At $30.00 I will infact buy the item, and then return the other item with my original higher priced receipt, several days later. (Typically I will wait until the weekday, so that lines are much shorter.)

You can actually go one step further with this, and if you have one or twom items that you have already purchased, bring your receipts with you, buy the item at the lower price, and then return the item you just bought, but use your other receipt. If it is indeed the same item, this method should work just as well, only know you don't have to make a second trip, just head over to the customer service desk with your item, and the older receipt.

Okay, Good luck shopping this week everyone!