OT - anyone going Black Friday shopping? | Arthritis Information

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I went once - and only once.  I never actually went in.  It was several years ago and I decided to see what all the excitement surrounding this consumer holiday was all about.  I was going to go to a few stores at Gurnee Mills (a big outlet mall nearby).  I drove there at about 5 in the morning and the parking lots outside my stores (Kohls was one; can't remember the others) were crazy packed.  There were lines outside the stores.  I parked the car, ate my drive-thru McD's breakfast and watched the show for a while, then went home and went back to bed.  Never again!!!!  I do most of my holiday shopping online these days - Amazon.com, Newegg.com, Overstock.com.  I don't have to leave my heavenly bed!!! I can even holler for one of the boys to bring me a cup of coffee! MIL & I go every year. Have since I have been married to her son. We recently have gotten hubby to go with us the last few years. We even got FIL to go one year.

 
We are planning on gettnig up around 3am and be at the store by 3:30am. We just like to go. We always hit Wal-mart first, as that is the closest to us. Then after Wal-mart we go eat breakfast and then decide if we want to drive 40 mins away to some other stores or not. Most times we do. We just make a day of it. We usually come back home around 2pm. And then nap a couple of hours before dinner.
 
We just like to go because it is something we have done for nearly 10 years now. It does not really matter if they do not have much of anything we want to buy, we just go anyways.
 
It is pretty fun! Too bad we do not live closer to Toys R Us. I would LOVE to make it to one of their day after Thanksgiving sales! I LOVE Toys R Us!
 
Oh and MIL already has a plan for where the kids will be that morning. Usually we get my mom to stay the night at my house and she watches the kids while we are gone, but this year my mom will not be able to watch them, becuse she is still recouperating. So... MIL said she will let the kids stay the night over her house and FIL can watch them while we are gone.
 
We were wondering what we were going to do with the kids. Not anymore!
Wow joonie - you're much braver than me!!!  Be sure to let us know how it goes!!! No for me too.  I lay low on Black Friday. On-Line shopping sounds good- my youngest just finally gave me his links.My hubby and 2 daughters and son in law go every year!!  Wouldn't miss it for anything!  After we make our game plan (after Thanksgiving dinner) we attack, then we go eat breakfast!  I love it and we all have a ton of fun!  We leave the 3 younger kids with a friend to spend the night so they don't have to get up that early!

My hubby, daughter and I are going.  It's a fun novelty thing to do.  Driving off into the night (3 am) and then it's the thrill of the hunt!  It's also a great time for people watching, which can be fascinating!

I visit some websites which help you plan for Black Friday, and I have to say there is a lot of grumbling this year that the sales are not going to be that great.  People leak out info on what some of the prices will be, and things aren't looking good for the big "doorbuster" deals.  Apparently stores are suffering so much, they really can't afford to give the usual big discounts this Black Friday.  Some folks are calling it Sad Friday or Bleak Friday! 
Good luck to those braving the crowds!!!!I am, technically, but am not going  into the local Kmart and certainly absolutely am not going to a mall etc
 
we live way way out in the boonies in a small town. we have a kmart,  2 dollar stores, 3 groceries, an auto zone and a tractor supply.
 
oh yeah radio shack and fashion bug..
 
 walmart is 35 miles away in another small town.
 
 
nearest mall is minimum 75 miles one way on bad roads.
 
BUT jakie needs a bed, he's outgrown the crib but good  so  I'm going to the mattress store near us and getting him a bed they are having a HUGE sale  I went a few days ago and andy told me to come back for  really good prices.
 
I go every year with my sister!  We've been counting down the days since October!  It is the only thing we get to do together without any kids or husbands.  We don't even go to bed....we head out around midnight and finally crash around 11 am.  We even have matching shirts that we wear!  We just love it!  Last year we were on the news and another year we made the front page of the newspaper! 
 
OH just makes we wish I had more money and lived closer to those stores.
 
Is this like the sales we have hear with low cut prices? Our christmas sales have started already with prices slashed 50% to try and encourage public spending. The credit crunch must be in everyones minds as even that hasnt helped.Joonie, I go to slickdeals.net, and click on the Black Friday forum.  Also I like blackfriday.info  -  I'll have to check out the website you mentioned too.  Thanks!We've gone to my parent's for Thanksgiving for 30 years and then go shopping at the 2 biggest malls in Anchorage the next day, but we don't do the getting up early on Black Friday business, just get up Friday morning and head to the big city. May have been making a money mistake for years, my oldest brother does this middle of the night stuff with his wife and DD. I guess I should ask him how it works out, we've just never bothered. What time do the sales end? This Friday we've been invited to dinner at DD's boyfriend's home, an hour north of Mom's. I don't want the girls to grow up, this is getting complicated and we may not even go to town on Friday.Before we retired I would go shopping on Black Friday with a group of girlfriends.  We'd hit Macy's, Neimen and some of the other high end stores.  I was always on the hunt for the perfect shoes at rock bottom prices, also sweaters and purses.  It had to be at least 75% knocked off the retail before I'd buy.  I still have some of the shoes and purses.  In the late afternoon we'd head to Target, Walmart, and Kmart.  There were always plenty of Christmas decorations and merchandise left over after the morning onslaught. 
 
It's so much more fun to do with a group of friends or family.  We always had a fabulous lunch someplace that we wouldn't ordinarily go.  In fact, we'd save up all year for that one day of shopping and splurging.
 
Now that we spend the winter in Mexico, Black Friday isn't a big day.   At least I don't think it is - maybe at Walmart, Costco in Puerta Vallerta.  Christmas decorations, lights, the fun Christmas stuff is so reasonable to begin with, I don't need a big sale.  We go to market every Thursday in Dec. and 1/2 the market is handmade Christmas items.  Christmas is a huge holiday in Mexico. 
 
I do miss Black Friday and the friendships but I've replaced it with other traditions.   Lindy 
man, the ONE thing I want is 0!!!
 
When we go Friday... we will be helping MIL spend her money [QUOTE=meme]I WON'T GO YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!!!! I worked retail for over 20 yrs there is no way in he!! you can get me to go!!!! I have seen where customers have been let into the store like the running of the bulls and knock over a full glass counter because they wanted a stupid furbie!!! I have seen a woman attack a salesclerk because the store didn't have the latest items for the bratz dolls, etc. I prefer staying away from the big stores. Hubby and I are taking our mothers to s small town here on Friday go to a couple little gift shops they like but WE ARE NOT GOING NEAR THE CRAZY PLACES!!! I won't go to a shopping mall till after Christmas now I don't like crowds and I don't like nasty people who wait till last minute to get their kid their Christmas present and can't understand the hottest toy on the market is no longer available. I am with Jasmine it would be more entertaining watching the people going nuts to get in to the stores. meme[/QUOTE]


I feel the same way!!!!!!!!!! I hate going anywhere with huge crowds!!! I also work in retail for over 20 yrs. I work in a grocery store that also caters holidays and also has it's own Kitchen food, Holidays are a Nighmare!!!!

Nope. My husband and I are going to watch our sweet baby boy Grandson. I always enjoyed getting out among the people. We would go in a store and I would have my husband get in line, as I shopped he would wait, I would then give him my selected items and he would pay. We saved a lot of time. I always went for the deep discount items. Loved planning my day. I would go this year but I promised to baby-sit. Would rather spend time with the baby any day!

 
 
 
 
Fact: I am ugly , fat, I suck, and this place rocks!
[QUOTE=inflamedOnline]Nope. My husband and I are going to watch our sweet baby boy Grandson. I always enjoyed getting out among the people. We would go in a store and I would have my husband get in line, as I shopped he would wait, I would then give him my selected items and he would pay. We saved a lot of time. I always went for the deep discount items. Loved planning my day. I would go this year but I promised to baby-sit. Would rather spend time with the baby any day!Fact: I am ugly , fat, I suck, and this place rocks![/QUOTE]
 
hey, this place rocks............................guess what...........you SUCK!
Needless to say there is no Black Friday here so I wont be going
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