Best Friday-After-Thanksgiving Sales in Green Bay, Wisconsin

That time of year is quickly approaching again - where the city streets are filled with holiday cheer and all shopping areas magically turn into a madhouse. But it all seems to be kicked off with a particular day, which is greatly anticipated by some, and greatly dreaded by others. Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving, is the marked start of the holiday shopping season. Not only standing as one of the biggest shopping days of the year, it's recently become known as the best day of deals on items that are normally a lot more expensive.

If this is your first year of attempting to step out into the public on Black Friday, then prepare to brace yourself. It's likely you will become frustrated, cranky, and perhaps downright angry as the day goes on. But if you're a bargain-hunter, then you should know that it's worth it in the end. Either way, before heading out into the bitter cold for a long day ahead, you should at least have a somewhat-decent plan in mind.

Make a Choice

Just about every store in the city will have an After-Thanksgiving sale. You obviously can't venture out to all of them at once, so the first thing you need to do is decide ahead of time where you're going to be at first. If you already know exactly what you want, then it shouldn't be as big of a problem as it might sound. But if you're one of those (like me) who normally just wants to go out and take home some great deals as you see fit, or if you want a lot of different particular items but just can't decide which ones you want the most...well, no matter what kind of plan you come up with, everywhere you go there are going to be things - and probably things that you really want - that are completely out of stock.

It helps to make a list sometime beforehand. I understand that a lot of people probably aren't as much of an organized freak as I am, but it can really save a lot of headache to narrow things down. Start by writing down exactly what sales items appeal to you the most. Now, which of those items do you REALLY want? Which ones can you do without? Which do you feel you need?

This process itself may seem a tad bit difficult, but it's really not. You might even just want to go out and window shop until something perks your interest. One of the greatest things about this, is that you can "window-shop" in the circular ad before ever stepping outside of your house.

The Best Sales Are in the Morning...

...so you had better be sure to get a good night's sleep. Especially if you plan on being amongst those standing in line in the pre-dawn hours for the best-priced merchandise available. These are the items that stores place conveniently on the front page of their "Day-After-Thanksgiving" sales ad, and the first ones that are sure to grab your attention. Of course, these are also the items that generally have the smallest amount in stock, and they go very quickly. Even in the off-chance that one or two is left behind, most stores end their sales on this type of merchandise at a certain time, e.g. 11 AM.

Know a Store's Layout Ahead of Time

One of the worst things ever is making sure you're at a specific store at 5 AM, only to realize that you have absolutely no clue where the items you want are. Doing some research beforehand minimizes this, as trying to figure it out at the last minute in the middle of a running, pushing crowd is far from fun.

Don't Try "Hiding" Items Beforehand

I'd make a big speech on how it isn't fair to other customers, but what it really comes down to is that it's pretty much a big waste of time. It might have worked better a few years ago, but now most retailers are well on top of things and check all over the store for hidden items before the big day. Not to mention every store has an inventory list - it's sure to be noticed if one (or a few) of the top-notch sales items are missing, which usually aren't even in stock at all before Black Friday. Besides, if you're caught doing this, you can really get in trouble.

Instead, Check Store Policies and Buy Ahead of Time

A lot of things you plan on buying for a cheaper price on this day may already be sold in the store. A great way to save time and money is to buy these things before hand - and then head straight for Customer Service on the actual sale day. Many stores offer price adjustments for sales, but to be sure check the policies beforehand.

Bring a Team...

...and split up among different locations - whether in the same store, or at different ones. If you couldn't decide where to be first or what items you couldn't do without, then try dragging along a couple of friends or family members to start the day at a different place than you are. This can help your chance towards getting all that you want.

Price Matching

To save even more time and money, you might want to consider carrying several different ads with you and trying to "price match" at a certain store. Wal-Mart in particular is great for this, as they usually match their prices to ones that are lower elsewhere. This saves you time by going to one store to get the majority of what you want or need, and not losing any money from it. Just remember to bring those ads to prove it, though.

You Might Want to Bring a Bag

Or a box/carton/whatever. At least, if you intend on actually buying a lot (particularly small- to medium-sized objects). One of the things I've learned in the past, is that shopping carts go more quickly than the sales items on this day. There's almost nothing worse than attempting to carry a million items to the nearest cash register, with the risk of dropping and even losing some of it amongst the raving crowd.

Don't Get Stuck in the Parking Lot

A real time-waster when traveling between stores is trying to get out of the parking lot. The huge mass of people trying to leave in a hurry can cause huge traffic jams in just a little block of space. I've found that it's actually a lot easier to park as far away as possible from the store's entrance. Most people naturally tend to want to park closer; if you're at the back, it'll be that much easier to get out when the time comes.

Consider Shopping Online

Most of the big-name stores have the same sales online as they do in-store, but I'm not sure that many people have actually picked up on this yet. Even better, when you order online you're generally ordering from a warehouse, which is almost sure to have more of a particular item in stock than the physical location. A lot of companies even offer free shipping as part of the sale, or when you spend a minimum amount. But the best thing about this one is, you miss out on the crowds and still get all the best bargains.