Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the shopping day retailers hope will get their businesses out of the red and into the black. Before you grab your list and head for the door this year, take some time to plan ahead.
Decide what to buy and how much to spend
No matter what your budget is, you need to have one. Decide what things you want to buy, or at least who you plan to shop for, and how much you're willing to spend for each item. Black Friday shopping is a chance to stretch your budget, but not to blow it. Make a list and stick to it.
Check out the Sunday papers
Even if you don't usually buy the Sunday paper, invest in it the weekend before Thanksgiving. All the stores with big Black Friday specials will have advertising inserts, so you can not only find what you want, but also compare prices.
To make sure you've found the best Black Friday bargains, go online to make one last comparison. Be sure to include the shipping costs of Internet items when you do. Pricey shipping can blow that low price right out of your budget.
Ready to shop?
Not quite yet. Recheck those newspaper ads and look at both store opening times and the times the special prices will be honored. Some of the best Black Friday bargains are good from 6 a.m. to noon, while some stores open at midnight Thursday night and have their best specials from midnight to 6 a.m. You're the only one who can decide if the 3 a.m. deal is worth losing sleep over. Last year, 14 percent of Black Friday sales were made before 4 a.m.
Once you know where you're going, and what time you need to be there, plan a route and a schedule. Figure in time to find a parking place and time to stand in line at each store. Black Friday shopping draws mobs looking for the same things you are, and malls and shopping centers will be chaotic, at best.
Time to head out
It's Friday morning and you're headed for the mall with the ads, your shopping list, route and schedule in hand. Make sure you have a bottle of water and a protein snack with you; Black Friday can exhaust the strongest shopper. If you plan to get to your favorite store before opening time and get in line, make sure you dress for the weather.
Remember that you have your list for a reason; don't be distracted by other sale items that catch your eye. You have a budget and everything you spend today comes out of it. You may want to do your Black Friday shopping with cash or a debit card so that you don't get caught up in the frenzy of sale shopping and buy more than you can afford. When you find an item on your list, grab it. Don't plan on coming back for it later because Black Friday bargains don't last long, and it might not be there in a few hours.
Some last minute tips
If you bought a cashmere sweater last week at full price and it's 70 percent off on Black Friday, you may be able to take your receipt back to the store and get the sale price. Different stores have different policies.
Start off in a good mood and try to keep it. Be friendly to salespeople and those waiting in line with you. If you're just going to be miserable and cranky, you may as well stay home. Nobody says you have to go shopping on Black Friday; there are plenty of people who make it a point to stay home and avoid the crowds and chaos.
Whether you choose to spend Black Friday doing battle for bargains, or taking a post-Thanksgiving rest instead, make sure you enjoy the day. Like Thanksgiving, it only comes once a year.
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