Black Friday Survival Guide
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Thanksgiving is basically Wisconsin’s state holiday, because it involves all of our favorite things: food, Packer football, and discount shopping. 
Black Friday shoppers rush into Target. Wikipedia, Creative Commons.
In my hometown, big box stores almost outnumber deer. (And we have a lot of deer.) There are normal stores like Walmart and Target, home improvement stores, discount clubs, even two specialty hunting and outdoors oases called Blain’s Farm and Fleet and Gander Mountain. I’m not making these names up.
These windowless eyesores are the center of one of suburbia’s most beloved holiday traditions. The night after Thanksgiving, thousands line up outside them at 4 AM (or even earlier) to score major deals on TVs, toys, and Christmas presents.
At first glance, it always looks like a miserable time. It’s dark, usually below 20 degrees Farenheit, probably snowing too. You find a parking spot far, far away and take your place at the end of the line, which by now wraps around the entire store, and huddle for warmth as you try to pull your jacket up over your nose because it’s so cold it hurts.
But there’s always something special about standing in that line. Maybe it’s that the turkey coma hasn’t completely worn off yet; maybe it’s that the holiday season has now officially begun, and the first sparks of Christmas cheer are beginning to glow in your belly. Maybe it’s that you really are miserable, but you’re standing there being miserable with people you love and making jokes about how miserable you all are together--and somehow, that makes it completely un-miserable.
For me, it’s never really been about the discounts or the stuff. I just love the ridiculousness of it, of being up in the cold in the middle of the night with my family and then running around together at Target like crazy people. Even if there’s nothing I really want, I go each year for the experience.
And that’s the attitude everyone should go in with. Treat Black Friday as a fun bonding experience and holiday tradition, not a take-no-prisoners mission to get a $52 TV. That being said, I have gotten my share of doorbuster items in my years as a Black Friday shopper, and I know the ropes by now. So no matter what’s on your shopping list this year, here are some tips to make your experience successful and fun.
DO scope out the options beforehand.
Go online or get a copy of the Thanksgiving paper and peruse the ads for all the major stores in your area. Decide on a couple stores that are your priorities, and choose which you’ll go to first—you’ll probably have to line up at a store before it opens to get one of their doorbuster items.
DON’T just limit yourself to big-ticket items.
Sometimes the best deals are on the smaller, less-expensive items, and those items are often easier to get without a fight. Some of my favorite Black Friday purchases have been $2 DVDs and a $10 handheld picture printer.
DO make a game plan.
Decide which items are the highest priority. The doorbusters and electronics will go quickly, so head to big-ticket items first as a group (better to navigate the swarm) and then divide and conquer to grab the smaller stuff. Some stores like Target and Walmart will even pass out store maps beforehand with the location of specific items.
DON’T get caught up in the “sales.”
When you’re considering buying a big item, make sure to look up its full price on Amazon first. Sometimes the deals aren’t as good as they seem, and saving $10 on a huge item isn’t worth fighting for it.
DO go with buddies.
Black Friday is no fun alone. Besides the day being a great bonding experience, it’s also really hard to push a cart with two 52” TVs in it by yourself. So whether it’s family or friends, make it a group activity.
DON’T be obnoxious.
You can always spot the ones in line who are in it for the kill. They wait crouched on the balls of their feet, eyeing the automatic doors and sizing up their neighbors to see who will be the easiest to plow down on their way to the Xboxes. It’s the holidays. Don’t be a meanie.
DO bring coffee and snacks.
If you want a big-ticket doorbuster item, you’re going to have to get there early. Bring sustenance—thermoses of coffee or hot chocolate and granola bars are always good bets. My mom and I usually hit the 24-hour Starbucks for a holiday drink before getting in line at a store. We have also been known to bring Tupperware containers of pumpkin pie and plastic forks in our purses, but we don’t talk about that one so much.
DON’T check out without editing your selection.
It’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of the deal and grab things that you don’t really need. Do yourself a favor and scan the contents of your cart before checking out.
If any of you will be in Wisconsin, look for me—I’ll be the girl in line at Target in the knee-length parka stealthily eating pie out of my purse. It’ll be a terrible and wonderful four hours. I can’t wait.
Reach Staff Reporter Gigi Gastevich by email here.
