Beat the BLACK FRIDAY Madness: Shopping Tips

For many, Black Friday is the BIGGEST shopping day/event of the entire year. With every store offering sales and markdown galore, shopping can be extremely chaotic and overwhelming! Because we here at Ms. S&G care about our readers and their well being, we decided to give you some pre- black friday shopping tips to help you beat the lines and crowds and come out a winner!!

• Pre-plan & Have a strategy/plan- Before you go out you should do as much planning as possible. First you should start off by deciding which products you want to buy. This will help you narrow down which stores you want to target. I would suggest you target your most wanted items first, those you know which will sell out quickly (i.e. Flat screen TV's, Cameras, Appliances, etc.). To prevent impulse purchases I would suggest bringing a list and sticking to it. This way you won't get distracted and over-spend.

Here are a few links on black friday deals that will help you with your pre-planning.

http://www.blackfriday2010.com/

http://www.bfads.net/

www.target.com/blackfriday

www.walmart.com/blackfriday

http://www.black-friday.net/

http://www.theblackfriday.com/

http://www.2010blackfridayads.com/

• Shop early- The early bird gets the worm and in this case the early bird gets the best goods and deals. Many stores are open 24 hours or open at 5am and offer certain deals during a special set time (usually 5am-10am or noon). So the earlier you shop, the more you save!
• Buddy system- Camping out at stores and standing in those long lines can be quite overwhelming for just one person. That's why I suggest taking a buddy along. You can take turns holding each others spots for bathroom breaks or to step out of line to grab other items.
• Wear comfortable clothes/shoes- While we all like to look good, this is definitely not the day to wear your favorite Christian Louboutins or Steve Madden platforms. You want to be as comfortable as possible while you scramble frantically to shop, dodge angry shoppers and maybe even stick-and-move if you have to! :). I suggest a cute track suit and sneaker. 

• Online deals: If you refuse to get caught up in the mall madness, online shopping is your best bet. Many retailers offer great online deals as well and also have free shipping. This gives you the ability to stay home and shop right from the comfort of your own home, without dealing with the hassle! 
• Be patient: Black Friday shopping is chaotic and overwhelming so in order to have a successful black friday, keep your temperament and try to be patient with workers and other shoppers as well. Because of past black friday incidences, many stores have heighten security and will be strictly enforced just in case people get to unruly.

Good luck and Happy Shopping!!