Nov 24 2008
Black Friday Virgin
This Friday marks the true beginning of the retail portion of the Christmas Season. At 4am, crazy women (and a few dragged-along men) will dawn their sweatpants and running shoes and shop until they drop… or go broke. To this day, I have not truly taken part in this shopping ritual. Although I have stepped foot inside a mall on Black Friday, it was well before I had any sort of an income to dispose of. Every year that Turk and I have been together, I have begged him to come early morning Black Friday shopping with me, but he has always vehemently declined.
“There’s no way in hell I’m going anywhere on Black Friday,” is his usual response.
But, being the socialite and sale-happy girl I am, I really want to go and see what all the fuss is about. I want to wake up way too early and fuel myself up on a Starbucks Eggnog Latte and shop my little booty off. Then, I want to sit back and people watch.
Does anyone else love sitting back in a crowded place and just watch as people go by? I totally do.
Anyway, back to Black Friday shopping. I tried convincing Turk to shop with me this year, and again, he flat out refused. So, I called his mom whose response was, “Sure! I don’t have to work that day, why not?” That’s my kind of mother-in-law! (I’m not sure she realizes that I want to shop early though… we’ll see if her tone changes when I tell her that bit of information. Hee hee!)
I have been saving all of my writing income to be able to shop for gifts on Black Friday. I plan on hitting up Target and Kohl’s, among others. Where do you like to shop on Black Friday? Have you heard of any awesome deals that I should keep an eye out for?
I’d love any advice you can give me, as I have my Black Friday cherry popped this week! This time next week, I will no longer be a Black Friday virgin.
ETA: My friend Jesse just happened to write an AC article on this exact subject. If you would also like to see Where to Find Black Friday Ads Online, click the link!
I am pretty much a black friday virgin myself. back in the day when I worked retail, I was there, but not as a shopper.
Only twice have I braved the mall on black friday, but both were mission oriented. One was to pick up my Harry Potter book that I had on reserve that came out that day and the other was to get some big deal at another store. That was it. In and out.
I’m not a morning person, so rising before the sun is not fun for me or anyone around me. I also hate crowds that move like herds of cattle. As much as I like people watching, I stay as far away from malls and stores that day.
Good luck and God speed.
~Kelly
http://www.30somethingandsearching.today.com/
Thrift stores. Because everybody is out grabbing steals for Christmas, my sisters, Mama and I hit up our favorite thrift stores and spend the day enjoying having them all to ourselves.
Last year was my first Black Friday experience. We left at 5:45 AM, and didn’t turn the key to come home until 9 that night. We went to: Kohl’s, Family Christian Bookstore, Baubles & Beads (consignment store), Too Good To Be Threw (thrift store), Target, Payless and Ross.
Unless you’ve got hold of a circular and have highlighted the deals you want, I would recommend starting in stores that don’t have a huge selection of electronics (unless-unless, of course, electronics is what you’re buying). The lines in the morning are incredibly, atrociously long. By the afternoon, though, the mayhem dies down to a standard weekend shopping frenzy.
Have fun! ^_^
Kelly- Oooh, I love Harry Potter too. Thank you for the “God speed” I think I’ll need it.
Tanya- Hmm, never thought about thrift stores! Great suggestion.