How do you prepare for Black Friday?

[Peppermint]

We all know we scope the ads but how do you stay organized and on track? Is anyone else as nerdy as me? I keep a binder with lists by store and coupons clipped in. I love to be organized so if anyone has any things they do, let us know! My binder isn't a full size, it's one of the small ones (around 5x7). It's just small enough that I can throw it in my purse.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Peppermint

[bribri25]

Mine is just a 5-Star Portfolio Pocket folder. Since most of it is online these days, it's not as crucial, but it used to contain my list store-by-store with the coupons paper clipped and my driving route from store to store.

 

Maybe not as nerdy but certainly qualifies for nerdy.

[TerReuv]

My daughter converted my spiral notebook to a small 3 ring binder (about 5x7). It has everything. Dividers, page protectors, pockets, calendar, etc. It takes me from Thanksgiving through Christmas Day. Baking, groceries, Black Friday.

 

Tried to upload a picture, but it isn't working for me.

Edited November 2, 2016 by TerReuv

[gina01]

I just do an excel spreadsheet.I make a column for store name, opening time, item, price, coupons, etc. Then I can sort however I need to, item or opening time or whatever, and go from there.

[queenkishaa]

I have a binder also, It has a cleaning schedule, shopping lists, a calendar, decoration inventory and what I want my "theme" for Christmas to be, you name it I probably have it. As we get closer to BF I carry a small steno pad that has my BF lists and coupons. I might be a little OCD about Christmas but It keeps me organized.

[LainieB]

In the past I used an expandable file folder, but after reading other people's suggestions on here I switched to a binder a couple years ago to keep all my Christmas lists and Black Friday ads organized. It's too big to carry in my purse, but I leave it in the car and pack a small notepad and any essential ads and coupons in my purse.

 

I have a binder also, It has a cleaning schedule, shopping lists, a calendar, decoration inventory and what I want my "theme" for Christmas to be, you name it I probably have it. As we get closer to BF I carry a small steno pad that has my BF lists and coupons. I might be a little OCD about Christmas but It keeps me organized.

What do you mean by ""theme" for Christmas"?

[tyreejames]

No need for a binder as I no longer feel the need to print ads out. The bulk of my prep is on my phone. I use the app, Santa's Bag; it allows you to enter budget, people you're shopping for, and the items you want. It even allows you to check off if it's planned, purchased, and even if you've already wrapped it. The day of will see a paper list that I've written out with each store I plan on hitting, what items are needed, and price.

 

I travel lightly the day of; swing purse underneath my jacket or hoodie.

 

On my computer I have a spreadsheet where I enter each gift purchased and if it's an online order, it's noted when it's actually delivered.

[queenkishaa]

In the past I used an expandable file folder, but after reading other people's suggestions on here I switched to a binder a couple years ago to keep all my Christmas lists and Black Friday ads organized. It's too big to carry in my purse, but I leave it in the car and pack a small notepad and any essential ads and coupons in my purse.

 

What do you mean by ""theme" for Christmas"?

Last year my theme was my husbands and I Alma Mater (Texas Tech). The tree and all decorations related to the school. So my tree was black and red and I had things through out the house related to our time there.

 

 

Sent from my SM-G920T using GottaDeal mobile app

[julz0420]

I'm a fly by the seat of my pants type of person LOL

 

I know ahead of time pretty much what I want in the order of importance. I gather up any coupons for places I use them (walgreens, dollar store, etc). Thanksgiving I just take out the ads I want and circle what I'm wanting. Then I head out and hope for the best! lol

[catholicbride11]

I make numerous lists for each store. A list of things I want when I first look at the ad, then I re-look at all the ads a time or two and compare and par down my lists. I go into Thanksgiving week with my final lists, I keep one on my phone and one on paper. Log into all the sites I plan to shop from to make sure I remember log ins and have updated info week of. I am pretty organized but no binders or formal system.

[LainieB]

Last year my theme was my husbands and I Alma Mater (Texas Tech). The tree and all decorations related to the school. So my tree was black and red and I had things through out the house related to our time there.

Sent from my SM-G920T using GottaDeal mobile app

Wow! That's pretty cool! Mines just a mishmash of every Christmas decorations I've bought throughout the years, but now you've given me something to ponder. Maybe I'll do a theme one of these years.

[tracy0504]

No need for a binder as I no longer feel the need to print ads out. The bulk of my prep is on my phone. I use the app, Santa's Bag; it allows you to enter budget, people you're shopping for, and the items you want. It even allows you to check off if it's planned, purchased, and even if you've already wrapped it. The day of will see a paper list that I've written out with each store I plan on hitting, what items are needed, and price.

 

I travel lightly the day of; swing purse underneath my jacket or hoodie.

 

On my computer I have a spreadsheet where I enter each gift purchased and if it's an online order, it's noted when it's actually delivered.

 

After reading this I downloaded an app myself called Gift List, I looked @ Santa's Bag, but liked the other one better...I still have my little notebook that I will carry for back-up in case my battery gets low or dies before I can recharge it...

[smfox74]

I do a binder with list to of each store and times open and go as a group and work together to get items from everyone's list and assign stores to each 2 people if need to be or go and conquer store together and assign roles

[Bopeep]

I keep everything in an Excel spreadsheet, and I keep the spreadsheet in Dropbox so I can get to it from my work computer, my home computer, my phone, or my tablet.  Before we go out shopping, though, we still write everything down on a note pad (store, item, price, time, etc). And we take the ads with us, but honestly there is ZERO organization to them and they usually end up all over the floorboards of the car by the end of the day.

[bluebear]

I use the shopping lists here on Gotta Deal. Make notes of coupons and such, then just print them out. It has store hours printed with the list, so that's helpful too.

[reallynow]

Back in the good old days my mother and I kept a notebook with lists, prices, add cut outs, etc.  Now I keep a spreadsheet of everything-gift lists, stores, grocery lists, menus, cleaning schedule, to dos, etc.  I use Google sheets so I can access the spreadsheet anywhere-mainly on my phone while I'm out and about.

[bribri25]

Definitely use the Shopping List feature on GottDEAL! 

[AuntJamelle]

I use a screen capture tool to take pictures of all the items I want from the ads, saved to different sections in a Word document.    I print that and take it with me to the stores.  Last year I also typed up an Excel document to keep a handle on the $ amount I was looking at spending, but that was mostly just for me ahead of time.

 

The other things I do are make sure I have clothing I'll be wearing planned well and ready to wear, a badge lanyard to hold my ID and credit/debit cards, that I have water bottles in the car and a few snacks to tide me over as needed.

Edited November 2, 2016 by AuntJamelle

[Kanyon71]

We usually use the leaked Ad's to determine what we want from where, when we get the actual ad's we verify that everything is as we think. We try to determine what we need to try and get online to make sure we actually get it. Then on turkey day we go over all the ad's again get everything stacked up with our list (usually on one or both of our phones) and then set it all aside. Whatever we get online when they go live is pulled from our list.

[MariahA]

I usually have a notebook with my lists for each store, opening times, pin number for Kmarts member program since I never remember the number, and I stick the ads in the notebook. Tear out the list when I get to the store and stick it in the fanny pack. Only time I use one, keeps my hands free and I'm more likely to notice someone messing with it.

 

I have a tablet this year, may be using it this year, would have to use a teal purse though to carry it so not sure. Will pronably stick to my notebook!

[bribri25]

... pin number for Kmarts member program since I never remember the number ...

 

UGH. Yes!! That wretched PIN just to use rewards points; c'mon Sears/KMart. You're the ONLY ONES that do this.... No one is going around using other peoples' $0.78 of points!

[mamat2011]

In years past I've done the several things.  When the kids were young i'd collect their prioritized lists, combine them on store labeled papers put them into envelopes with the correct cash. then after each store i'd check each child's list and money left.

later my daughter made me a spread sheet and I would use cash.

Now I'm back to paper since my computer didn't come with the spread sheet program. 

Once the ads come out, i'll write down where I need from which store and the money for each

Then I stay up and get as much of it as I can online then check the list of all the places I need to go and the money needed to get it

[Illinoismom]

I do a binder, tabbed, highlighted, cross reference, lists by store  

[Doresia]

We make a paper list as we go through the ads on TG, but I'm so unorganized I usually depend on my sister to keep up with things on her phone/tablet. After reading these posts, i think I will try the Santa's Bag or the Gift List aps

[ogadoga]

I have a binder that I use.  It has my list by store, dividers and a place to put coupons.  I also usually have a copy of the ad.

[nanramm]

I just make a list for each store