I was talking to a friend yesterday and she follows a store route each year.
She starts with Walmart and ends at Gordman's and goes to the exact same stores in between, in the same order, year in and year out. So, how do you plan your BF? Routine? Sales or Length of the lines around the building? Something else?
This year I am going by the best sale on the best desk top. After that it's breakfast and back home to bed. I am a BF wuss. The crowds and lines make me batty.

My Mom and I shop together every BF and we definitely use a route. My Aunt uses another route so that we can cover more stores, we pick up what she wants at our stores, and she does the same for us. It all works out pretty good, so far.LOL We make a list of what items we are after in which stores and we start with WM since their sale starts before the other stores we have, and then go from there.

I usually start at Walmart and price match as much as possible to save trips to other stores. My daughter gets in line wherever she is most needed last year it was KBtoys, the year before that it was Best Buy. I also had my mom and dads help the last two years but they have gone back to South America for two years now. I have a feeling I will not get as many deals this year.

I usually start at Walmart and price match as much as possible to save trips to other stores. My daughter gets in line wherever she is most needed last year it was KBtoys, the year before that it was Best Buy. I also had my mom and dads help the last two years but they have gone back to South America for two years now. I have a feeling I will not get as many deals this year.

It really does help when you can split up. Luckily, we live in a relatively small town with limited stores so we can get them all covered.(Well, the ones we need to get to, anyway.lol) Most of what we get comes from WM so that's a great place to start for us. The price matching helps alot, too.

Wing it, it's like a scavenger hunt for me.

Wing it----much more fun that way :)

I only go to one store WM and price match everything that I can. (If I wanted to go to other stores I would have to drive about 45 min- 1 hour and as much as I love to shop, I hate to deal with the crazy traffic, so I go to the WM that is 3 minutes from my home :D)

Living in Tampa Bay makes BF shopping fun since all of the major stores are neighbors to one another. I first stop at Walmart, which is 30 min away from my house, and continue on that side of the street until I reach the mall then crossover and end my shopping spree at Walgreens which is 5 min from my home. Having a system saves time and this way I can get my ads in order of visit. :)

I usually start at Walmart and price match as much as possible to save trips to other stores. .

That's exactly what I do too! Especially on the toys and movies..saves alot of time and money!! :D

We normally are always at Walmart first, then Toys R Us and Target next after that we wing it.

First the teenager and I hit JC Penney for the snow globe and any good door buster sales. Then we go stand in line at target across the street. Then, depending what kind of computer/ps2 game/cds she might want we go on to Best Buy if we can't find them at Target.

Depends on what time stores open and what is on sale. We price match what we can at walmart then usually hit kohl's target then kmart and wing the rest.

I map out a plan, but it depends on what's on sale. Best Buy is usually first. I can cover a lot of ground quickly as I live 1 mile from a Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Max, Kohl's and Menards.

Last year we did Dunkin' Donuts, then Sam's for 5 am, then Office Depot for 6 am, then Staples, then OfficeMax for 7 am, then winged the rest.

This year we'll probably cut out Sam's and OD/Staples may flip depending on who has the better sale.

But if OfficeMax decides to open at 6 am, that'll really throw a wrench in the works for us... http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Non-Smiling/Pop_Eyes.gif

We will have a plan all mapped out but I'll have to see the ads first.

I seriously only have Walmart where I live. Thats it!! No kmart/Target/Pennies, nothing. I was so very grateful to this place last year when I discovered that a few retailers items where available online. I am scared about toyrus not being with amazon this year, as I ordered a lot through them. Not to knock Walmart, but when it is the only option, it really sucks.

I alwaya have a plan of attack and hit the stores where I want the most important things first.

I seriously only have Walmart where I live. Thats it!! No kmart/Target/Pennies, nothing. I was so very grateful to this place last year when I discovered that a few retailers items where available online. I am scared about toyrus not being with amazon this year, as I ordered a lot through them. Not to knock Walmart, but when it is the only option, it really sucks.

Wow, I thought I lived in hicks-ville! Even I have a Walmart and a Kmart! I wonder if KB toys will swoop in and try to take TRU online sales. Seems like they could do well. Target is online with Amazon. Are they any good for buying toys?

We totally map out our route, it changes every year.

SIL and I were just talking about BF today. She told me as hard as it it, she can't log onto her becasue she wants to be excited on T-day to look at the ads. LOL

we go to walmart first then to big lots..those are the only stores we have in the town we go to...I hope to get some good deals on clothes at Goodies for the girls and hubby and maybe myself..lol

We have in years past usually do Best Buy first if we are going to do it at all. First part of the day until about 8 is usually planned after that we just wing it.

I for sure follow a store plan, all of my plans are made from the things I learn on this site !! Ya Gottaloveit !

all depends on what's open first and what we really want.....then we make our plan

I map out the night before where Im going. It can change year from year depending what I need and who has the best deals. Walmart was it for me and Target.

DH and I map out our route the night before - after going through all the sales ads together.

We'll go to the stores with our must have items first - then play it by ear after that.

We do avoid the major shopping district of our area if at possible though - traffic is a nightmare!

Luckily there are enough smaller districts scattered around the area to keep up quite busy! And our side of town has gotten bunch more stores over this summer/fall.

Actually, in about a month, the store phyiscally closest to our house will be Walmart! But I don't know if I want to make that our first stop - the thought frightens me...:eek: LOL!

Watching my wife, mother-in-law, and sister map out their route, is like watching the history channel as the allies plotted their invasion of Normandy, the precision, the detail, the "code words"...... it's comical almost... but if I laugh, I get hit.... that's not fun.

Watching my wife, mother-in-law, and sister map out their route, is like watching the history channel as the allies plotted their invasion of Normandy, the precision, the detail, the "code words"...... it's comical almost... but if I laugh, I get hit.... that's not fun.

Care to share the "code words" or are you sworn to secrecy? http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Banners/ts.gif

Each year I end up with one main store route and a just in case route.

Last year I planned to go to WalMart first but, woke up late and the line was just terrible so I went to plan B and headed to Macys.

There is a new Kohls opening in October here and I think I may want to head there first and then WalMart and hope to price match a few deals I may see at other stores.

I wonder if Kohls price matches.

Last year was my first time shopping on Black Friday. I make individual store lists, and start with the store that has the most items I want and/or the items I think might sell-out the quickest....and so on and so forth.

First the teenager and I hit JC Penney for the snow globe and any good door buster sales.

I'm right there with you. My mom and I have a collection of the JCPenney snow globes and the ornaments that they offered the years before that.

We usually hit JCPenney and used to do McRae's after that. They stopped doing the cracker jacks then closed down where we live so that will change our routine a bit. We then split up and go wherever. I usually hit the doorbusters at Parisian, go see what the Disney Store and The Children's Place have on sale.

I avoid KB Toys like the plague, though. No BF toy shopping unless it is something I can't get online or somewhere less crowded.:)

It depends on what we need. I usually start at Staples or CC. If I start at one I'll go to the other second.

I know I will never start at Walmart or Best Buy. Walmart is usually my last stop. Best Buy waits until later inthe weekend.

Wow, I thought I lived in hicks-ville! Even I have a Walmart and a Kmart! I wonder if KB toys will swoop in and try to take TRU online sales. Seems like they could do well. Target is online with Amazon. Are they any good for buying toys?


Hey! I actually live in Hicksville!

As for our route, it depends on the ads. I always go to Wal-mart around 4 a.m. to get my store route figured and then I get all my ad-match stuff in my cart then I go stand next to a pallet that I know will go fast then I follow my store route to get everything else. My DH goes to what ever store I tell him to go to first then goes down the store list/route until I call him after I get out of Wal-mart. DH knows by now to just follow my list and NOT to call me once it reaches 6 a.m. cause I'm not talking to anyone!

We follow no plan, its a given that I am in line at 3am, no later at Walmart. I take pride in being first. Its a sick addiction. Last year I was 8th. I thought I was gonna puke!!!
We split the lists in half. I get the majority, cause I dont trust the hubby. He gets the minor crap like the Carsons $10 newspaper cards.

Care to share the "code words" or are you sworn to secrecy? http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Banners/ts.gif

I don't think I'm in any danger with a few of them getting out, after all, I only know of one other GD'er in this outpost of 150,000 people.

First, they get their game on with the walkie talkies they got about 4 years ago (imagine my surprise when I saw walkie talkies on all their wish lists!), 2 cars, 2 gals in each, start at the same store, they either pair off, or all 4 go seperate ways in search of what they want (I've never been privy to ALL the secrets:p )

Where it gets comical is when they're giving directions to where the "goods" are. the words for directions are Larry (turn left), Robert (right), Bobby (turn around) and Frank (forward). If they're out of a certain targeted item, the word is "Ice", so they go to the next item on the list and race that way. And that's the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

I played quarterback in high school, and reciever in college, and I probably had less trouble understanding the playbook than the code/lingo they use. :confused: