Happy Tuesday friends! I’m sure everyone is gearing up for the holiday on Thursday whether you are hosting, traveling or just a guest. We are in full prep mode as well but, of course, I am also prepping for Black Friday to help make it as fun and as smooth of a day as possible.
We have been doing Black Friday as a group (moms, sisters, aunts) for over 15 years now. So crazy to think that we were doing Black Friday when we had newborns and were sleep deprived moms and now my 13 year old daughter and 15 year old niece are joining us this year. So much has changed since the days when we woke up way before the sun to line up at Target for the 4 am lines to get in. In the last few years, I have had people ask me if we still do this tradition since so much of the shopping can be done online.
I’m here to tell you that yes, it can be done online, and some of it is for us, however, as much as we love a good sale and have become expert bargain shoppers, the bonding experience, laughter and fun we have outweighs even the best sales.
Since we have been doing this for so many years, we pretty much have a game plan mapped out in advance and learn new tips and tricks every year. Today, I thought I would share some of our schedule for the day, along with some of our favorite sales.
To start, since Thanksgiving sales now start on Thursday, we have a pact that we keep that day as our family day and don’t sacrifice our family dinner time for shopping the early sales. If there are items that may go quickly, this is the perfect time to sit around and snag them online as soon as the door busters are available.
We still love to get an early start on the day, however, since there is a large group of us so it typically takes some serious time to get all of us through each store. Generally, we always start at Target since that is the store where we all need items and usually takes the longest. This year, Target is not opening until 7 am so we may modify our plan if we can get into another store earlier.
In addition to great sales, Target also does a promo on Black Friday where you get a 20% off coupon good starting the week after Black Friday when you spend $50. Some of us use it to stock up on our Christmas decorations, grab more gifts or even do our grocery shopping since you can’t pass up 20% off your entire order. Plus, if you have the Target Red Card, it equates to 25% off. Who can’t use an extra 25% off at Target right before Christmas?
Even if the major electronics aren’t on anyone’s list, Target is a great place to stock up on gifts for everyone, including teachers, friends and family. From some of our favorite blankets, to pajamas, DVDs and toys, all of us usually check quite a few gifts off our list at this stop. I know one of the items I have my eye on are the weighted blankets. I have been wanting one and already have a couple gifts in mind with them.
Bed, Bath and Beyond is generally the second stop on our route since they always have the 25% off your entire purchase coupon. I don’t shop there regularly but with the coupon, it is the perfect time to stock up. Every year, we always find one great item that is a steal and everyone grabs it. Last year, they had mini potholders that were such great quality. Of course, we all now own a pair! This is where we can usually find some great gifts that we didn’t find at Target. Plus, this year, my mother-in-law has some kitchen ware items on her wish list so I plan to grab them on the sale.
Since the center near our house has the majority of the stores we like to hit on Black Friday, we tend to stay in the same area which makes it easy to get around and keep track of each other. Once we are usually refueled with breakfast and coffee, we head over to the center with some of our other favorite stores like Old Navy, Bath and Body Works and Dicks Sporting Goods.
Old Navy usually continues their 50% off sale into Black Friday. For those of us with cards, we will sometimes check this one off the list before the holiday since it can tend to get pretty busy and messy inside the store the actual day of. Still usually walk out with more deals found however!
Bath and Body Works is always a stop for us as well. They run a promo every year that includes a tote bag filled with items for $30 when you spend $30. I have taken advantage of this special for several years when the bag is nice and I know I can gift some of the items inside. This is always a great day to stock up on their other specials, which usually include a Buy 3, Get 3 promo. I always stock up on hand soaps during this promo and this year, I plan to try and grab some gifts to store for after the holidays as well. With a busy 13 year old daughter and lots of birthday parties to attend, having some bath items around always ends up saving time later on.
I will share a trick I learned in the last couple of years but haven’t gotten confirmation of for this year. The last few years they have done a promo on Saturday that includes a blanket instead of the bag. Since we don’t always have a need for the bag, the blanket is perfect for us or as a gift. The quality of the last ones we have gotten is so good.
Dicks Sporting Goods is another great 25% off entire purchase opportunity. This is where we can stock up on gifts for the men and the Hydro Flasks that rarely ever go on sale. I plan to grab some baseball pants for my son and take advantage of the sale price, even if they aren’t a Christmas gift.
Loft has become a favorite stop in the last few years as they generally have 40-50% off the entire store. This is a great chance to scope out any holiday outfits anyone needs or just take advantage of the sales prices and stock up. My current favorite pair of jeans is from Loft so I am hopeful I can find another pair this year.
In years past, we have headed to a mall later in the evening but have found that most of the mall sales aren’t as great and generally can be taken advantage of online much easier than trying to locate parking. If time permits, we will try to hit up any stores we can and finish off the day with a late night dinner.
Sound exhausting? It definitely isn’t for the faint of heart and not all of us make it from the crack of dawn into the evening hours but we all walk away with a carload of gifts at great prices and most importantly, full hearts and another year of memories to cherish. So, who is brave enough to get out there with us this year? Whether you shop in store or online, Happy Shopping Friends!