Black Friday Shopping Tips

Unless you save all your shopping until 11PM Christmas Eve, Black Friday is bound to be the most stressful shopping day in your holiday season. But it doesn't have to be. Though you can't control the crazy behavior of your fellow shoppers, there are some ways to minimize that stress. Try out these Black Friday shopping tips to navigate your way to smooth savings.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

Strategize

First and foremost, go into Black Friday with a game plan. Know which shops have the deals you want; don't just hit the mall in the middle of the night. Not only will you wind up frazzled making your way through the throngs of people, you might not come out with anything! Make sure you clean out your car before hitting Black Friday, just in case you wind up doing more shopping than originally intended.

If you plan to hit several stores, it's a good idea to plot your course. See how long it will take to get from Store 1 to Store 2 if there's a wide gap between them, so you don't miss out on when a sale starts. Some stores open earlier than others, and some offer staggered sales as the day goes on. Knowing when you need to leave one place to get to another will improve your chances of coming out with those limited items.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

Call Ahead

Don't rely on published or online Black Friday ads to tell you what's going to be waiting for you in the wee hours of the morning. Call the store you're going to visit a few days before Black Friday and ask questions about the sale. You'll need to know what time that particular store is opening, and what time the sale prices begin and end. If you've got your eye on a specific item, ask how many that store is getting in stock and whether they'll offer rain checks. Things can vary from store to store, so call multiple locations of the same store if there's more than one in your area. This can mean the difference between getting a limited stock item and making the trip for nothing.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

Dress Appropriately

The middle of the night is the coldest time of the day, but it can get very hot very quickly in the middle of a huge crowd. Dress the part for going shopping on Black Friday by preparing for both extremes. Depending on where you live, you might want to wear a winter coat, with a lighter jacket or hoodie undeneath and a t-shirt as your lowest layer. This way you'll be able to strip down in the store without freezing when you get outside. Be sure to also wear sensible non-slip shoes, such as sneakers or winter boots. Shopping isn't worth getting injured or sick.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

Take a Sidekick

To speed up your shopping, take someone with you. This person can hold your place in line while you grab a few more things, or pull up the car while you're checking out. If you've got a big enough network to do it, it's may also be helpful to have a few shopping partners on your Black Friday excursion. Some stores still wind up with a line of people waiting for them to open, so having someone in that line can make all the difference. By combining lists or splitting up, you can hit even more sales.

Shopping on Black Friday could save you hundreds in addition to helping you get your hands on the hottest holiday items. Keep these Black Friday shopping tips in mind as the big day looms closer, to avoid disappointment and shopping stress.