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11.27.14

Black Friday Survival Guide

Black Friday survival guide

While I’ll be shopping sales online, I thought I’d prepare a Black Friday survival guide for those of you brave enough to leave the house. I’ve definitely done the wake-up-early-shopping-marathon a couple times in my life, so I created this from my past experiences. I hope you enjoy it!

I also want to say how incredibly thankful I am for all of you. You really keep me going and are the heart of this blog. Thank you all so much. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!

BLACK FRIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE

SHOP ONLINE
My first piece of advice would be to skip Black Friday and shop online. So many retailers are offering the same discounts online and even starting days earlier. Plus, you can do it all in bed!

WAKE UP SEMI-EARLY
You don’t necessarily have to wake up at 4:00 am. Wake up at 6:00 and head out around 7:00. Unless your waiting in line to get a TV, spare yourself those couple of hours.

CHARGE YOUR PHONE
Make sure you go into the day with a charged battery and even bring a portable charger. You may be spending a lot of time on your phone keeping yourself occupied while your in long lines. You may even want to compare deals online.

PLAN YOUR DAY OUT
Make sure you have a plan for the day. Know what you’re shopping for and what stores you’re going to. You don’t want to roam the mall all frantic. No time can be wasted.

BRING WATER
With the amount of people and the amount of walking you’ll be doing, water is your friend. Hydrating will keep you moving.

PACK A SNACK
You’re going to get hungry, I can tell you that right now. Plus, you’ll need all the energy you can get (shopping is exhausting).

USE A BAG WITH A STRAP
Whether you go with a crossbody or a satchel, keep your bag light. Dump it out the night before and only pack the essentials. You’ll want to go hands free as much as possible, so use a bag with a shoulder or crossbody strap. This will be a lifesaver!

LIGHT LAYERS
It may be freezing in the morning (or all day for some of you), but you get hot shopping. You need to be able to de-layer and throw it all in your bag. Heavy coats or puffy vests do you no good. You’ll end up lugging them around all day. Go with a light jacket or sweater, beanie, and scarf.

COMFORTABLE SHOES
You will be on your feet all day, so wear your most comfortable shoes. I like to go in sneakers. It allows me to maneuver through people and run (if I have to!).

TAG TEAM
Bring a friend, take your mom, or go with your sisters. Not only will they keep you company in all the madness, but you guys can tag team the long lines. You look while she waits or vise versa.

TREAT YOURSELF TO BRUNCH
There’s nothing like ending a full day of shopping than with a big yummy brunch. Treat yourself to something good, it really makes the whole day worth it!

TAKE A NAP
Throw your bags on the floor, wash your face, and go crawl into bed. You’ve been up since 6 am and have battled a few crazy ladies. You deserve it!