Staying Zen On Black Friday: A Survival Guide

So, the countdown to Black Friday is on (approximately 3 weeks, 12 hours and 58 minutes from now). The ads are pumping and the truly committed are literally mapping out stores to maximize their time. And I’ve got to come clean here – Black Friday still sort of terrifies me. A few years ago I would not have even considered entering the mass throng of people to save a few dollars on something. A few years ago, the economy was quite robust and retailers were not offering the kind of rock bottom deals exclusive to Black Friday either.

Remember the infographic we posted a couple weeks ago? Well, if you look closely you will see that November is THE month for electronics and with four very electronically engaged people in my household, you better believe I will be looking for those deals. To offset any anxiety I may have about tackling the big day this year, I have created some tips for staying zen on Black Friday: a survival guide, really. Please take what you can and share your tips with me as we get closer to that date (approximately 3 weeks, 12 hours, and 56 minutes from now).

Every ad I see about Black Friday is another opportunity for me to get distracted. For me, that means I could wind up walking out of any store (or online) with a large number of “deals” but without even tackling my Christmas list.

So, it’s time to make my list and start prioritizing. What do I really want to take care of that day? More importantly, how much do I really want to spend?

Thankfully, between ads and social media and newsletters I can find out ahead of time where the best prices will be that day. The newsletter subscriptions alone are a huge help.

Another bonus: I can see if any of the major deals are available online, which means I can shop in my pjs with my morning coffee and without the crowds. In fact, 90% of my own shopping will be done this way.

This is for the couple of items that I absolutely have to go to the store for:

DO’s – comfy clothes, water bottle, cross body bag, coupons in hand, and a shopping buddy to alternate between dropping off the car and waiting in line + store hours in case I want to be first/last to avoid the masses

DONT’S – children (left at home!), husband (also left at home), no straying from my list, and no buying super cheap out-of-date electronics just to save $20 (the better ones are cheaper that day, too)

For some people, getting out in the mess and stumbling on a crazy deal is part of the fun of Black Friday. For others like myself, saving money and knocking out my Christmas list is the goal. By the end of next week, I should have steps 1 and 2 completed and I will be on my way to preparing for that final step. Fingers crossed that I not only survive Black Friday, but I come out a winner!

DSLR Camera’s

SD Memory Cards

Hard Drives

SSDs

Any Tech Accessories

Smartphones

Off brand 42 inc TV

Laptops

Cookwear

Blueray DVD players

DVDs & Video Games