I am not blogging today as I am in Ohio celebrating my Mom’s 85th birthday this weekend, but I am hoping that my husband is already in line at Best Buy before 4:00 AM to grab the technology gifts for our kids. I will be on the road all day and so I am just hoping that the early bird will get the DSiXL this year times three!
I hate Black Friday! It seems like the stores are opening earlier and earlier this year to get the shoppers first and then hold them captive for hours in lines to check out. Here was my killer Black Friday experience.
Several years ago, we didn’t have a ton of money to spend for the kids and according to them, they were the only 11 year olds on the entire planet that did not have a Game Boy Advanced Game System. Sigh… Circuit City had a really deep discount and we needed three for our triplets. I convinced my husband we should get up before dawn and go to Circuit City and buy them. They were about $80 each so nearly a $40 each discount. We go there at 4:30 AM thinking about how smart we were and when we turned the corner of the building and saw the line wrapping all the way around the store with other parents who were smarter and got up earlier we were shocked.
We still had to wait an hour in line just for the store to open. (Note to self take a coffee mug and food next time.) We got into the store, had to wait again as they were over the Fire Marshall limit and got our three Game Boys. Then we waited in line four – yes that is right four hours to check out!
The key to Black Friday shopping is to do the following:
- Stay up all night why even go to bed?
- Better yet, sleep in your clothes in the parking lot or have an all night tailgate party.
- Take tons of food with you. You may even be able to sell some in line and make money.
- Choose your store carefully. You may never get out!
- Make sure the discount is really, really big to make it seem like it is worth your while.
- Better yet see if you can buy it online and sleep in!
Although I won’t be in Waldorf on Black Friday, rest assured I will go to the mall at night in Columbus, Ohio – see you there!