Black Friday Shopping

Let's just start off by saying yes I am one of those crazy people who shop on Black Friday.  I wake up at 2:00 am throw sweats and a sweatshirt on and out the door I go.  

I have to say that in the past it has been better (for lack of a better word) than it has been in recent years.  It is my opinion that those of us who get up early and go shopping should get the better deals.



Last year the sales started at midnight.  Yes I know that the "really good deals" weren't offered until 4:00 or 5:00 am but it "changed" Black Friday for me.

I understand that Thanksgiving weekend is 10% of all sales for the year for retailers.  I understand they want to make a "buck."  I understand......I still do not like it.  Those of us who go shopping on Black Friday are a different breed of people.  We are insane and yes we start planning our route the minute we get the Black Friday ads.  

This is how it's been in previous years.....when I enjoyed it

Kohl's opens at 4:00 am.  Standing in line outside waiting for those doors to open is great!!  It's often cold also so we would take turns standing in line and sitting in the car with the heater going.  Inside the checkout lines are long so you have to KNOW what you want going in.  Grab and go.  It is smart to have a friend save a spot in the checkout line and you go get everything on your list (and theirs of course).  Have to be done and checked out by 4:45 am to get to the next destination.

Sears, JC Penny's and WalMart start at 5:00 am.  This takes a LOT of thought. Which store has the "I can't live without" items on it?  Where I live Sears and JC Penny's are close to each other in the same mall.  I always have to go to Sears and get my husband's items (while of course he is home sleeping).  My friend and I usually split up on this.  I go to Sears and get my list of items and hers and she goes to JC Penny's and gets hers and my list of items. Check out and meet at 5:45 am and head to WalMart.  

Once these are done we look at our other stores to shop.  What is the most important?  I always have to go to an office supply store on Black Friday to get my office supplies for the year.  LOVE THIS!!!  

I just got the "tingles" of Black Friday just writing about this (you have to be a Black Friday Freak to understand this)...then I remember....it's changed.  My friend and I went to WalMart two years ago, at midnight, got what we could (the good stuff was covered up and blocked off) and off we went. What the heck do we do until Kohl's opens up?  This took the wind right out of our sails. It is difficult to get excited about shopping when you have no where to go to do it.  Very disappointing.

So last year we are going to get that feeling back.  WalMart opened up at midnight again for their "sales" (still not the good stuff) so we are there at 1:00 am.  At 2:00 am we head out and go to another city to shop. This killed me because I believe in shopping local but we wanted that "feeling" back.  We had "fun" but it still was NOT the same.

So what are the retailers doing this year? They want to start at 8:00 PM? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! What happened to tradition? For those of us who enjoyed the planning, the getting up early (or never going to sleep), the rush of "are we going to make it to the next store," and the excitement of it all.....this kills us.  WE deserve the better deals because we did get up early.  WE deserve the "early bird" deals because we are the early birds.  Call us crazy...we really are okay with that.  Call us insane because, in a way, we are.  

If you are a "true" Black Friday shopper (you know who you are) the idea of starting at 8:00 pm on Thanksgiving night has to make you angry.  

I wish, although I KNOW it would never happen, that we could all boycott the retailers this year and no one shop from Thanksgiving through the Black Friday weekend.  The retailers say they are only giving the shoppers what they want....What about what we want?  WE are the one's who have supported Black Friday for how many years?  WE are the ones who spent that 10% of what they sold annually. WHAT about what WE want?



I am going to stop my rant right here and say this:  If you are going to be out shopping this Black Friday weekend please drive safe.  I know how I drive, or used to when there were time constraints on getting to the next store, so pay attention and be safe.

I would love to hear about what you think.

(I do not own any of these pictures and do not claim to)


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