Tuesday, November 20, 2018

How to Survive Black Friday 2018

Devon Beacham
Staff Writer

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, all are excited for the meals they are going to share with their families. But, with Thanksgiving comes Black Friday! Black Friday is the day that every shopper and sale connoisseur looks forward to each year. It’s the perfect time to buy a new video game, pair of designer shoes, flat screen TV, and so much more. However, this holiday definitely brings stress and excitement, due to the craziness that the malls across America endure. To survive Black Friday, you’ve got to be prepared! Here are some ways to help you and whomever, have a safe and successful holiday this 2018.
  Firstly, know what you want. Start creating a list of things you want to buy for yourself, whether that requires the main idea of the type of products you want, or if you know exactly what you’ve got your eye on. A way to do that is getting some research in! Look at some of your favorite stores online and see if they have started to promote their deals ahead of time. If you want to go the extra mile, write type in your notes on your phone the stores you want to go to and the deals they’re having. Of course, traditionally, Black Friday is the commencement of the Holiday shopping for your loved ones, so take advantage of that and get a good idea of who you are shopping for and what you want to purchase, so you're not running around last minute.
Next, go with friends or family. Carpooling is great for the environment plus you only have to find one parking spot! You don’t want to be wasting precious shopping time looking for a parking spot, so either carpool or have someone drop you and whomever off to avoid the process entirely! Also, traffic is typically hectic, so make sure you leave at a time that works with your party, plan out your route and times.
If you have been saving up for this event, go buck wild, spend the money you saved specifically for this and spend it well! But, for those who haven’t and want to follow a strict budget, a good way to prevent yourself from being impulsive after you have reached your max limit is by just bringing your max limit in cash! This is a perfect way to discipline your spending to keep you from splurging, which you may regret. Something about using cash just makes you feel more guilty, when you bring a credit/debit card, you just swipe, swipe, swipe!
As the day gets near, a good idea would be to get a map of the mall you will be attending and plan your mission. Figure out exactly what stores you want to visit and those you are going with as well. After you get to all your desired destinations, definitely casually visit some other stores, because you never know what you might find, especially on Black Friday.
Finally, when the day arrives, make sure you have a charged phone. This tip is very important, especially if you are with a group. With deal-hungry people causing chaos in the mall, being alone can be scary! So, make sure you have a charged device in case you get removed from your group so you can quickly locate them. Although, sometimes the service is poor in highly concentrated areas, such as a mall on Black Friday, so create a designated meeting point every few stores if necessary! Another thing: wear comfortable and loose clothing. This way you can go in and out of the dressing rooms without wasting any time.
All in all, creating a game plan and arriving prepared to Black Friday is a very wise choice. Hopefully, your Black Friday is successful and as stress-free as possible! If you don’t get the opportunity to purchase all that you wanted to, don't forget about Cyber Monday!