Okay, let me just start by saying that I am not one of those super intense Black Friday shoppers who stands on line all night and then spends the day running like a lunatic from store to store, only returning home once the sun has gone down again. In fact, anyone who really knows me will tell you that while I love shopping, I lose interest in it after about an hour or two…which a) makes me a really annoying shopping partner, and b) probably explains why Black Friday usually works out pretty well for me.
Here's the thing: to me, Black Friday is just another ordinary day. I don't think of it as some ritual that has to be adhered to a certain way nor do I feel the need to attend every single year. But when I do make the effort, I think it can be worth it–as long as you don't take it too seriously.
I, like everyone else, have had a few not-so-great Black Friday experiences where the store was way too crowded or lines were way too long. But I never let them ruin my day or drive me insane like others seem to do. Granted I live in a smaller town where people, y'know, don't trample each other, but regardless, I think it's important to remember that at the end of the day it's just shopping–not the Olympics.
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That being said, I do take a few proactive measures before embarking into Black Friday madness. Number one? Coffee. Jumbo-sized. You don't want to catch me without a fix of caffeine on a normal day, let alone while being swarmed by bargain-hunting consumers. Number two? I make at least a vague mental list of what I want to buy and where I want to buy it. If you go in blindly, you're guaranteed to end up feeling overwhelmed and either buying everything or absolutely nothing. Also, like I said, I'm impatient so dawdling and wandering around does not sit well with me. I go in, I look, and if I don't find anything, I'm right back out.
And my final step to success? Don't set your expectations too high. Again, I don't walk into a store expecting to find everything I'll ever need for a perfect wardrobe at a bargain price. I just browse for the things I need like I would on any other shopping trip and if they don't have those cute heels in my size, I just chalk it up to bad timing and move on.
Believe it or not, this relaxed approach has actually scored me some really amazing deals. I bought my favorite go-to party dress (you know, the perfect, sparkly cocktail one that's cute but also magically comfortable) for less than half of its original $150 price tag on Black Friday. I've also gotten two-for-one bargains on shoes (which earned me my best black pumps), a half-priced peacoat that I wore for years before the pockets finally started tearing, and several other items that have become closet staples.
So my advice to you? If you're feeling energetic and up for a little crowd frenzy, then why not? Get caffeinated and GO–just remember that the world will go on if you don't find anything. And if not, well then, there's always Cyber Monday!
Image via Steve Rhodes/flickr
