The ultimate Black Friday survival guide

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the fourth Thursday of November) and has been regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the US since at least 1932.

It is a day of big deals, bargains and promotions for American shoppers.

The day has become popular in South Africa, as has Cyber Monday, the following Monday (27 November) when online shoppers take to cyber space.

One of the major reasons for the existence of Cyber Monday could be that after spending Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends in the US, employees return to work where they shop online for whatever purchases they missed on Black Friday.

For all those planning on joining in the Black Friday madness, here are a few tips: 

Prioritise your shopping list

List the items you want to buy by store and then by their importance.

Focus on finding the most important items first at each store.

Have a Plan B

Due to the sheer number of people shopping, there will be items that you can’t find or that are sold out.

Add other items to your list for this eventuality.

Once you have your list ready, decide which stores you will need to visit first.

Start with the one that has your most important item.

Take the locations of the stores into consideration.

Take a friend along

It’s more fun to shop with someone close to you, but it’s also more practical.

You can split up to find things in different sections of the shop.

No kids allowed

Children will be a distraction as they will want stuff that’s not on your list.

Also they will not enjoy themselves due to the crowds, the pushing and rushing around as well as the time spent standing in queues.

Stick to your budget and pay cash

Before you make your list, you need to decide on your budget.

Once that is decided, draw cash.

Leave the credit cards at home.

You’ll reduce impulse shopping if you only use cash.

Chat to people in the queue

Chat with the people around you.

If you see something they have that you want, ask where they found it.

Most people will keep your place in the line for you, while you dash off to get the item.

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