Every year I say I am going to skip on the madness, and every year I get sucked in. I have been reading articles and watching news stories that say that the deals on Black Friday are not that great, and stores are starting to offer the same deals days/weeks earlier this year...but when Target has a doorbuster deal on a $50 scooter that Braden wants for $20 at 9pm - You better believe I will be there!
I figured I would share some of my favorite (not so secret) websites and aps I like to browse in the week leading up to this madness.
If you are looking for a place to start, check out this website: http://blackfriday.com/flyers
My advice (and it SHOULD save you a lot of money!) RESEARCH and make a list! A list of everyone you need to buy gifts for, and what you plan to get each person. Set up a schedule, and plan your night/morning/day accordingly. Avoid the stores where the deals are not really deals at all (i.e. the Coach outlet...they give out extra 30% off coupons nearly every other day, avoid the 2+ hour line there!). Research the "deals" as well, all it takes is a quick google search to see what kind of "deal" you are actually getting.
And also, don't forget about yourself...sometimes the 'gift' items might not be a great deal at all, but at places like JCPenny's and Khols, you could score on some great items for your home...new bath towels, kitchen appliance, etc! Paul and I have scored HUGE in this area! A few examples of GREAT buys we have found were a $10 waffle maker at JCPenny's a couple years ago (we use it nearly every weekend), and a new knife set, normally around $200 that we got for $20 maybe (I don't quite remember the exact number, but it was a steal!) And make sure you save receipts and send in your mail rebates ASAP (like the next afternoon!)
Other places I like are Costco - because you get a free cookbook just for going in - and most people don't think to go here. Target and Walmart are great if there is something on the ad you want. At Walmart, some of the big ticket items may require you to wait in line and get a ticket before they open the boxes (I had to do this last year for the boys Wii), so you might need to take a couple people with you if there are a few items you want. Also, be prepared to get trampled on things like the DVDs, clothing, and books!!! People are crazy, seriously. Pay attention to what time the deals start. At places like Walmart, they have different sales starting at 8pm, 10pm, and 5am. So pay attention to those ads!
Another one of our most favorite places to go is the Children's Place Outlet!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE! It usually 50% off everything in the store!! We usually walk out of there with $500+ worth of clothes for the next year for the kids. No gifts, just smart shopping. Plus, I seriously love their clothing!! Great quality for a great price...and quality is really important to people like us when we plan to use the same clothes for a few kids! Skip the clothing "deals" at Walmart! HORRIBLE HORRIBLE quality!
I am by no means an expert when it comes to Black Friday shopping, but we have done this the last couple years and I have learned a great deal with each experience! And who knows maybe I will see some of you out there this year!
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