Ohh Black Friday…you wicked yet rewarding time. A day full of giving thanks, now followed by mad dashes, deals, and car trunks full of bags. If you’re someone that’s shopping for everyone this year, and the Christmas wish lists are long, don’t fear, because the best shopping days are upon us! You might be wondering, how should I navigate all of these stores, what to get, and when to get it? You’ve come to the right place. It just so happens my family and I have been doing this for 16 years, and we have a pretty good rhythm.

First things first, budgeting. Bleh, talking about money is the worst, but seeing everything flash at you “DEAL”, “ON SALE”, “DEEPLY DISCOUNTED” it's important to have a budget so you don’t go overboard. Let’s be smart shoppers people! At the beginning of the Holiday season, my husband and I go over budget for all the gifts and people we need to shop for, so I know exactly how much to spend. I track all my gifts on an app called “The Christmas List”, it shows budgeting, you can add each gift and track if it’s shipping, wrapped, etc.

Some stores used to print out their Black Friday catalogs and they were distributed the morning of Thanksgiving Day. My dad is a true king and would wake up at 5am just to go pick a handful of them up for us, this was back when my mom was in charge of her company Christmas party so we were shopping for big ticket items on top of our family Christmas gifts! I think most things are online now, either way, familiarize yourself with the stores you’re wanting to hit and their deals! Lately stores have been offering their sales a couple days before Black Friday, and if that’s the case take advantage of the early deals!

Sit down with your fellow shoppers and make a list of everything you need to get. This list needs to be vocally shared so everyone knows what to keep an eye out for! If you need gift ideas, sometimes it helps just to look through the sales and see what’s out there.

Now that you have your items in mind, check the store opening times. You want to hit the big stores first; Target, Walmart, etc. Target is always the first stop for us every year. It’s where we can get the most items and it’s the most fun. I know some people think we’re crazy that we think this is fun, but it is! I usually am not a long shopper, when 3 pm on Black Friday hits and we’ve been shopping all night and day (yes we actually start Thanksgiving night, don’t sleep, and shop until the next day) then my tank gets empty, but I do find this day so much fun!

Figure out your first stop, what items to get there and then just start mapping out your schedule from there. You want to plan this out based off what stores open up first and what things are most important to get. Some of your items may not be very high demand, so you’re certain you’ll be able to get one, other items might go quick so you’ll want to be sure to hit that first so you get it, It all depends!

While out shopping don’t forget about those left behind! Whether you’re online or out in person, anything you see that you like, make sure to send a picture or link to your partner, the person who drew your name for gift exchanges or parents! Its a nice gesture, and if you’re like me who loves surprises and doesn’t want to know what you’re getting for Christmas give them lots of options so they can choose! Either way, if your spouse has failed in the past giving you gifts, help them out a little.

Utilize the power of the internet! Sign up for emails, enter your phone number, and download apps for stores that offer those things! They will give extra discounts or benefits that could make things cheaper. You can always go back and delete the app or unsubscribe when you’re done shopping! While you’re online, don’t forget to check your fave influencers to see if they have any extra discount codes to stores you’re shopping at!

Helpful tip; if you’re online shopping, abandon your cart for a while. This is a sneaky yet effective hack! Many online retailers will offer additional discounts or incentives if they notice you’ve left items in your cart without completing the purchase. Just make sure you don’t wait too long and risk items selling out!

Be Mindful of Return Policies! Not all sales are final, but many Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals come with stricter return policies. Before you buy, especially for big-ticket items like electronics, make sure you understand the store’s return policy. This is also helpful information for you in case you need to make a return if you find something else you like better to give.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be overwhelming, but with the right strategy, you can hack the sales and get the best deals with minimal stress! Don’t forget to fuel yourself throughout the day with leftover Thanksgiving food and pie, make smart choices and happy shopping!