Thursday, November 17, 2011

Black Friday???? How crazy are you?

Okay, off-food today for an open discussion:


Black Friday Ads and shopping.

BLACK FRIDAY ADS WEBSITE!!!! 


A part of me hates shopping. That part would rather be home, writing, organizing  (that's a lie, I'd rather be writing) baking (that one's true) and playing with babies!


But the fact is that unbelievable deals can be had on Black Friday...  And now some stores are opening at like midnight on Thanksgiving, right?


OH MY STARS.


I've gone out with the girls on Black Friday and we've had fun....


I've stayed home and watched babies, and we've had fun....

Here are tips for Black Friday Fun from Brad's Deals: 
 
Brad's Top 10 Tips for Black Friday Sales
  1. Research: start your Black Friday 2011 sale research on Thanksgiving day or earlier.
  2. Make a plan: identify what you want to buy, which stores have the best sales on Black Friday, and what time they open.
  3. Timing is everything: arrange stores by opening time from early to late.
  4. A fool and his money: be wary of Black Friday deals with quantity limits. If a store only has 10 items at that price, go elsewhere.
  5. Visualize: know where your items are in the store.
  6. Stay Safe: Previous Black Friday sales were honestly deadly; please don't trample or shoot anyone!
  7. Power of numbers: go with a team and attack separate stores or separate sections of the same store. Designate a meeting place.
  8. Bring a snack: only amateurs stop at the food court on Black Friday! (Or the bathroom - so go before you leave.)
  9. The quiet ones: don't ignore stores that don't advertise. They will have Black Friday deals too!!
  10. Have fun: enjoy your family, friends and deals!

So tell us your views over a cuppa Missy's caramel mocha latte with her Starbuck's syrups.  (I'm slightly jealous, maybe make that a LOT jealous)


But I'll get over it. Eventually. :)

Black Friday:  To shop or not to shop? That is the question.

19 comments:

  1. I love going out on Black Friday with my husband. We usually have only three or four specific things we're looking for, but we have a good time with (most of) the other shoppers and then go out for breakfast somewhere NOWHERE NEAR THE MALL!

    When I was younger I worked at the mall - does anyone remember B Dalton Booksellers? I loved working there...except on Black Friday. I manned the register all day - I was the only one who could punch those numbers in fast enough to keep the customers happy and keep a smile on my face at the same time.

    Yes, ancient history. This was before barcode scanners.

    This year two of my children are working in retail stores. I don't envy them!

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  2. Many years ago, I would go out and attack the mall. Usually with my mother-in-law. I think it was because I had 3 small children and knew the men would watch them while we shopped.

    Once they got a little older and life got easier, I decided it wasn't worth it to face the mobs. I would start my shopping the Monday after Thanksgiving when it was wonderfully empty at the mall!

    Nowadays, I do take advantage of some of the specials...online! I shop in my jammies. :)

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  3. Ruthy, don't be jealous. I don't have the syrups yet. I'll ask for one for Christmas. So I'll let you know when you need to get jealous. ;)

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  4. Not on your life! Like never! Wouldn't be caught dead hitting the stores!

    Is that convincing enough. I hate crowds so the savings just isn't worth it to me. I'd do the online sales though.

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  5. I don't want to be anywhere near a mall or store with black Friday deals - hopefully I won't even be driving that day! I can't believe stores are opening on Thanksgiving - I've worked this job for 21 yrs and I remember working on Thanksgiving and being lucky to find a Whataburger open - now everyone's open!

    susanna

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  6. My comment disappeared. Where has it gone????


    I think I clicked something wrongly after I agreed with Susanna!!!

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  7. I would love to go out with Dave... I love going shopping with him because he always feeds me afterwards. And he'll make snap decisions where I'm always worrying about if I can find it for $2 less across the road and down the hall in the bargain bin IF IT'S STILL THERE.

    Food. Food is the key.

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  8. I'm THANKFUL Canadian Thanksgiving isn't like this, partly because it's the second Monday in October so it would be rather a loooong time to scramble clear till Christmas.

    Somebody said on Facebook I think (can't remember who) that they loved Thanksgiving so much because it was the only non-commercial holiday left. My response is: REALLY???!

    I've known a few Canadians to pop across the border to take advantage of your Black Friday sales.

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  9. Valerie - I just had this vision of Canadians in down jackets popping over the border like popcorn...

    Ah, sorry about that. My brain is gone haywire.

    I've been trying to get my hero to propose to my heroine all morning. I finally got him to do it without sounding stupid, but now I can't get her to respond without sounding stupid.

    I think they should just go inside the house and eat pie. Chocolate pie.

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  10. Oh, how fun! You're at the best part of the book, Jan. :)

    BTW, I just got home from the grocery. I noticed they had up a sign that said they're open all Thanksgiving Day this year!! How horrible!

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  11. Boo to being open all day on Thanksgiving. Goofballs.

    Yay to proposals!!! JAN!!! I love writing proposals... funny ones. Sappy ones. Sweet ones. Off-the-cuff ones.

    Just keep it in character. Always in character. And then the words come naturally.

    I'm getting all sentimental, Jan!!!

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  12. Jan, chocolate pie...and popcorn? Time for a snack, girlio! :D

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  13. Yup, chocolate pie...or a chocolate brownie Clif Bar. The same calories as a candy bar, but more nutritious - so my trip to the grocery store before lunch doesn't get derailed too far!

    I think I'll save the popcorn for TV movie time tonight...

    My hero carried the proposal off better than he did in the first draft...but then the heroine fizzled on me for awhile. I took a page out of Mary Connealy's book - no, I didn't shoot anyone (this time!), but have you ever noticed that when her characters don't know what to say they either shoot someone or kiss someone? I took the second route.

    BIG NEWS - while I was at the store Ruthy waved to me from the book rack!!! Yuletide Hearts is in the house!!!

    ...and my 19yo son thinks I'm seriously deranged.

    What does he know?

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  14. My comment disappeared too! It was here before I went to the store - I was agreeing with Missy!

    I feel sorry for people who have to work on holidays -

    My dear husband has worked his share of holidays, but he works in hospital food service. For some reason hospital patients want to eat every day - so he feeds them. Or makes sure someone does.

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  15. I saw the Ruthy book on the shelf at the grocery store today, too! Was tickled!! Made a little squeal that would have embarrassed my children if they'd been there. :)

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  16. my view is I have to work Friday.

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  17. Oh my stars, I waitressed through a lot of Black Fridays...

    Crazy.

    And some shoppers were wonderful, some were beyond snippy. So then my challenge was to be EVEN NICER...

    And make their day better.

    Sometimes it worked. ;)

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  18. RUTHY SIGHTINGS!!!!

    JAN, THANK YOU !!!!!!

    OH, HAPPY DAY!

    OH, RUTHY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS BOOK!!!! OH, TWINKLE LIGHTS, HO HO HO AND LET'S BE JOLLY!!! ;)

    I am seriously torqued here in upstate where we got SNOW last night. Not much. And that's okay. But warmer this weekend so I'll hang the outside decorations, light the candles in the windows, and maybe...

    maybe...

    Put up the artificial tree in the living room so when my boys come home it feels like the holidays. Single sons generally do not decorate for the holidays. That always makes me a little sad. So I send them cookies.

    Cookies can fix almost anything.

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  19. Black Friday shopping is a blast! I'd never done it until about 6 years ago, when my mom and I decided to try it. We always scan the ads, make a list and plan a route around town to get what we want. While there are some crazy shoppers out there, we take the attitude that we're there just for fun. There's never been anything that we "gotta have," so that helps. We just go out for fun and surprisingly, most people we've come across are very nice and just as excited as we are that the Christmas season has begun!

    Of course, then we go home and sleep for several more hours.

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