Black Friday . . . Worth The Bruises and Lack of Sleep?

‘Black Friday’ is the term given to the day after Thanksgiving. It is known as the biggest shopping day of the year and the first day that retailers finally make big profits (going out of the ‘red’ into the ‘black’, financially speaking). To entice consumers to get into their stores, many companies will offer large discounts on coveted items. These sales start as early as 12:00am Friday morning.

Along with sales, deals, and freebies, Black Friday also strikes fear in many. It is common to find long lines camped outside of stores, stampeding, grabbing, pushing, yelling, and more as people fight to get limited supplies with little to no sleep. Last year, a couple of people even died when they were literally run over by hundreds of people flooding into one Wal-Mart when the doors opened. That being said, is it worth it?

It depends. I have gotten some really great deals on big-ticket items during previous Black Fridays. In some cases, such as with clothes, I was able to stock up for the next year. Like what? Here are a few scored last year:

• Char-Broil Gas Barbecue $149 (reg. $299) from Osh
• Wii Lego Rock Band Game $0 (reg. $39) from Old Navy
• Frost-Free Girls’ Jacket $15 (reg. $34) from Old Navy
• 32″ Vizio 1080p HDTV $249 (reg. $600) from Sears

To get these great deals without putting yourself in bodily danger, good planning and self-control are needed. Here are a few tips if you plan to shop during Black Friday:

• Make a list of the items you are looking for
• Research deals (bfads.net or blackfriday.info)
• Sort into importance and sale hours
• Plan a route
• Pick one store to stand in line at then leisurely hit others later
• Leave children at home (it’s better for everyone)
• Don’t try on clothes – just them exchange later
• Try not to get disappointed if items/discounts are out of stock

Electronic and toy stores are the most busy. Some stores, like Sears, may allow you to buy it online for the special price but you can pick it up in-store later in the day. OSH and Kohl’s seemed more mellow and the deals lasted a bit longer.

I hope you get some great deals!