Friday After Thanksgiving Shopping Guide

I've never been much of a Black Friday (Friday after Thanksgiving) shopper. The idea of venturing onto the road with deal-hungry shoppers, standing in long lines, and battling for the most sought-after items just didn't strike me as fun-and I like my shopping to be fun. I like to take my time and pick thoughtful gifts, and I like to search for the best deal, of course. I've seen the news reports of angry shoppers, their brawls, their overall dissatisfaction. What do they get out of this I've wondered. But year after year, time and again, I kept hearing from my neighbors, my friends, my own sister, that there were deals to be found-and good deals. Deals found only by those brave, Friday after Thanksgiving shoppers.

I was convinced, but not ready to jump right in. Last year on the day after Thanksgiving, sometime in the late evening, and with my sister in tow, I headed to our local Target. No traffic. No lines. No crazed shoppers. Did I have the right day? I wondered if maybe I was too late for the renowned deals. The store had probably sold out of some hot items, but I wasn't in search of an X-Box , the latest Elmo craze, or a deeply discounted DVD player; I was planning a completely brawl-free shopping excursion. Walking up to the store I thought could it really be this easy? Maybe the worst was yet to come. I ventured in with an open mind and low expectations. I was ready to prove every bargain-hunting shopper wrong. How good could these deals really be? Was it really worth all of the effort?

What I found was deal after deal after deal! Deals that I couldn't believe. That I had never seen. That I knew I would not see again. Before long I had a shopping cart full of Christmas goodies and was scouring the store for things I knew I was forgetting. At some point it didn't matter whether I needed an item, all that mattered was the deal, the tag that indicated the retail price had been slashed significantly, that said if you wait until tomorrow, you'll be sorry. I could've spent hours in this one store, and before I knew it, it was over. Just like that. Shoppers were headed home, heads held high. There was a real sense of accomplishment. I was sold on the merits of this shopping day. I was officially initiated.

This year I'll be out there on Black Friday looking for deals, but I plan to be prepared. I'm taking a cue from other friends and having my children prepare lists early. I'm searching for advertisements in my area so that I can map out a plan of attack. (And maybe I've discovered a secret of my own by waiting until later in the evening to hit the sales.) The seasoned shoppers know the stores that have their items in stock, at what price and the time the store opens. They get there early and stand in line so that they can get the items before they're all gone. They generally do their shopping in a single location, like a mall or a Wal-Mart, and they often have a shopping buddy (this could have something to do with backup). Would you believe the most radical Black Friday shoppers actually go to their favorite stores ahead of time and hide the items they want to purchase?

Here are some basic tips for your Black Friday shopping:

1. Check for Ads. About 2 weeks before Black Friday, retailers start to circulate their advertisements in newspapers and in print. Check your local newspapers for special flyers and promotions.

2. Make Your Shopping List. Once you know what items you want to buy (and you may want to use some advertisements to figure this out), make a shopping list that includes the stores that have the item and their advertised prices. This will help you map out a game plan for finding all of your items at the best prices. You should weigh price and location equally. Get as many things as you can in one trip, and try to focus on the store where you'll get the most savings overall.

3. Check the Details. Be sure to look at the fine print on the ads. Some sales start at 6 a.m. and last through the weekend, while others offer special savings only during a specific time frame like 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Still other sales will begin at 12 a.m. and go through the night.

4. Be Prepared. Expect long lines and lots of traffic. Fill the car with gas, bring some snacks and wear comfortable shoes. It could be a long day!

if you want even more tips, there are entire websites devoted to serious insider tips. The goal of these sites is to give shoppers a jump on the Black Friday ads. Black Friday 2008 is already under way with many ads making their way onto the home pages with weeks to spare. Check out these sites for more information: www.blackfriday.com, http://blackfridayads.com, and http://bfads.net.

I'm making my list and checking it twice, but I don't know that I'll transform into a fanatical Black Friday shopper. You may never find me hovering in line in the wee hours of the morning clutching a glossy ad and a dream of deal. There's something to be said for sitting around eating left-over turkey and pulling out the Christmas decorations.

A Little History on Black Friday

The day after Thanksgiving is referred to as "Black Friday." Although there are several theories on the name, it mostly likely came from the change in financial status of the retailers. The biggest shopping day of the year, it's said that retailers start making money that day, so they're in the "black" (the accounting term for profitable). The day also "officially" or "unofficially" kicks off the holiday shopping season. Retailers are usually tight-lipped about deals until about 2 weeks before Black Friday when they finally issue ads for specific deals. Many offer deep discounts on regular prices, especially on electronics.