Survivor's Guide To Black Friday

Black Friday - traditionally the day following Thanksgiving - is the term for a 24-hour period in which the biggest stores in your local shopping centres bust out their very best special offers and deals… while stocks last.

If you’ve decided to participate this season, you’ve made a great decision. Forget the news reports about nightmare queues, fist fights over HD TVs, and general disappointment, if you do it right, Black Friday can be the most enjoyable, and rewarding, shopping day of the year.

We’ve got a handful of great tips to get you to the end of the day, happily surrounded by tons of cool stuff, without breaking the bank.

Keep checking social media

In the days leading up to Black Friday, follow your favourite stores on Twitter, and like their Facebook pages. Frequently, flash sales and special offers go straight onto stores’ social media channels, so keep checking your phone for all the best deals. Get your timing right, and you could end up having the best Black Friday ever, without leaving your house.

Think outside the box

If you’re a bit more open-minded about what you’re looking for, you can find some great deals at non-specialist places, such as department stores, where crowds will generally be less crazy. But if it’s the latest iPad you’re after, be careful - department stores will have lower stocks than a dedicated outlet.

Keep an eye out for vouchers

Part of the fun of Black Friday is some stores like to reward and encourage early queuers by handing out vouchers, fliers or even lottery tickets. If someone hands you a piece of paper, fight your instincts to chuck it into the nearest bin and examine it closely for deals. Also, remember these vouchers can be limited, so make sure to flash any loitering employees your most winning grin, just in case they’re deciding who to reward later.

Team up

The more pals you can recruit to join you on Black Friday, the better - especially if your wish-lists vary. With some smart prioritisation, you can get everything on your list in half the time. If you do plan to recruit a small army of friends, plan it like a military operation - go to stores on quiet afternoons in the lead up to Black Friday, and map out the different sections. This will allow you to split your lists based on proximity.

Queue early (and wear something noticeable)

Okay, so queuing early goes with out saying - some shopping fans have queued up to seven hours before their favourite store opens. That said, the average seems to be around four to five hours of queue time. Dress warm, and dress bright - you should do everything you can to make employees remember you were at the head of the line. Black Friday shoppers have reported instances of being right at the front of the queue, but still not getting the deal they wanted because of low stock. These same shoppers have reported instances of kind store owners still honouring deals for early queuers who’ve missed out. So, stand-out, be charming and you might still get the deal you want.

Decide on a budget and stick to it

This is by far the most important tip on this list. If you’re new to Black Friday shopping, it might seem obvious - but it’s essential. There’s something about being confronted by so many amazing deals, in such a short space of time, surrounded by so many object-grabbing people that can give inexperienced shoppers such a FOMD (fear of missing deals) they go crazy and buy everything in sight. What was supposed to be a day of super-cheap shopping can end up breaking the bank - and we don’t want to see that happen to you. So, decide on a budget and stick to it - you’ll thank us in the morning.

Grab bargains online

If all else fails, get yourself online. Most stores will have deals available via their dedicated websites, often with exclusive discounts that aren’t available in shops. Internet shopping has become so popular there’s even a an extra day - Cyber Monday (November 30) - dedicated to special deals. So, if you miss out on Black Friday, mark Cyber Monday into your diary. Either way, stay safe, stick to your budget, and have fun shopping!