Share Your Story & Win GottaDeal.com Black Friday Survival Kits! [Winners Chosen!]

[annie609]

Last bf we sat in traffic for 3 hours just to get to the Philadelphia Premium Outlets for the midnight opening...WOW the place was packed but what fun. Then off to Kohl's for the 5Am opening, Then time for food and more shopping. I love BF

[ajohanek]

My Black Friday experiance is not one experiance but all of them combind. A couple of years ago my Mom and I started doing Black Friday together and had such a great time that we have been doing every year since. We both have busy lives and live 3 hours apart but we make sure we do this trip every year and go all out with getting a hotel room next to a shopping district. It is a memorable experiance every year and plan to continue it and include my daughter when she is old enough!:)

[robyna]

I love Black Friday shopping! I know weird right but I go with the attitude that I know it's going to be crowded and I'm the one who chose to do this craziness so I'm not going to get mad at the lines, the crowds, etc. So with this attitude I am super nice to the cashiers, who don't have a choice but to get out of bed way before the crack of dawn, go to work to stand on their feet for hours and hours to earn the pittance they get paid. I have offered to go get cashiers a cup of coffee, a soda, anything I can do to make their day a little easier and it has paid off in big ways! A few Black Friday's ago I was one of those crazies standing in absurdly long lines to buy a Wii for my son's Santa gift and sure enough before I got to the front of the line they sold out. I went ahead and did a little other shopping and when I got to the front I was chatting with the cashier and asked if she would care for anything from any of the stores in the food court, she thanked me and said she would love a coffee! I told her I would be glad to get her one and I'd be right back unless I saw another store with Wii's in which case I'd be back after I hopefully snagged one. She smiled and said she understood and then called a manager over. After some whispering between them the manager asked my name and then directed me to another location of this same store in the mall. He said to see "Tom" and he would be expecting me. I said I would right after I got the cashier her coffee and she said no, she would wait, go to the other store. I was quite intrigued and hurried down to the other end of the mall where Tom was waiting for me with a big brown bag. He escorted me right up to the register where he opened the bag to show me my brand new Wii!!! They were saving their supply for a late in the day sale but they were so impressed with my "niceness" after standing in line for 2 hours they just had to make me smile!! Needless to say I bought coffee and pastries for managers and cashiers at both stores! Just goes to prove if you give a smile you will usually get a smile!

[firegirl719]

My most memorable Black Friday happened 5 years ago, and it was also my first. I was 7 months pregnant with my son, and my husband and I were broke, broke, broke. I remember some of my co workers mentioning that the best time to shop was the day after Thanksgiving. I had heard of BF before, but really didn't know what it was or what to expect. One of the girls there also mentioned this site, so I got on it. I couldn't believe all the stuff that was going to be on sale was already posted, and I was skeptical of this site. :) Boy was i proven wrong!

 

When the ads finally came out the following week on TG day, I was amazed at how accurate this site was. I had no list, no agenda for stores, nothing but my bff and my 150 bucks that day. I wanted to try it out, see what all the hype was about. Both this site and my love for Black Friday began on that day, even though it was a MESS. Our first store was Best Buy (NEVER AGAIN. I leave it to the pros) I did manage to get a ton of stuff for that 150 bucks and I feel in love with the rush, but I have never been unprepared since. :)

[mmspurge]

First of all, I think Black Friday is a holiday and one of the best of the year! That being said, one of my favorite Black Friday's was the first one my husband actually participated in. We had been married 2 years at that point but he had never participated except when he actually worked retail. He really wanted a plasma and my sister wanted a camera so we stood in line at Best Buy in the early evening of Thanksgiving. It was such a good time! We met some great people in line and the employees at Best Buy were actually incredibly nice. The manager told us not to butt in line because "they had snipers on the roof" and he was from new york so he had an accent which made it better! My husband was addicted at that point as he went and got a cart in line while my sister and I scavenged for all the little items and met back. It was organized and we got everything we wanted!! I love Black Friday!

[Deborah0868]

The BF I remember most was the year I was pregnant. My mom and I went to Walmart for $29 DVD players. (not for us but another family member) After figuring out that they were in the dairy department, we took off for the back of the store. We didn't bother with buggies because you can move faster without them. I got the 2 I needed and headed for the checkout. Out of nowhere this lady come barreling down the isle with a buggy and hits me hard enough to knock me down. In all the commotion my mom was the one to realize that I hit the floor but was still holding on to those DVD players! Thankfully I wasn't hurt bad, just bruised knees and elbows. LOL The lady who hit me never even stopped. I think my mom would have throttled her if she could have found her.

 

Now my hubby does Walmart. He works for Coca-Cola so he gets to the store super early and scopes it out. Last year he and the Pepsi guy teamed up to get the items on both thier list!

[momlori]

Last year was the first year my daughter joined me. She had moved out in August and needed some home stuff. We sat in front of Target at 5am chatting and then we worked the store. We got everything we came for and it was a great time for me.

[dragonlady63]

Last year was great my whole family got together and met at walmart at 3 in the morning we had A blast we had one person who did the coffee runs we all had A list one went to toys one electronics and so on then we all meet in A central place and take the items we wanted from the others cuts down on time and confussion and no disapointments that by the time you get to the next department the items are gone

[aprilmillwood]

Two years ago I got into an argument with a lady in Walmart whose yelling at people for no reason. Eventually security escorted her out 10 min before the sale started. I was glad that people who come out on Black Friday with horrible attitudes need not come. We want to find a deal not fight and argue.

[ellenb]

Last year I had watched here for the ads and told my friend Nancy about an ad from Best Buy for a computer. She was looking for a new one and this had better specs than mine! She and her husband got home from their Thanksgiving at 1:30 a.m. on Friday morning. You know how garage door lights go off after a time, so she was in the dark in her garage and fell on steps going to her door. Paramedics came and wanted her to go to the hospital but she would not go. She went out at 3:30 to Best Buy and she got the computer! Later in the day she went to the hospital. She looked like a raccoon for about a month, where she had hit her head sent bruising across her eyes! I have a picture of her with the computer boxes and her raccoon eyes!

[brina]

I LOVE Black Friday!!! This soooo puts me in the Christmas Spirit!! I love the whole atmosphere of being out in the stores. I love the excitement and the feeling of being out at 3 am standing in line with others just like me. For the most part everyone is nice and its just such a great feeling. I've been Black Friday shopping for many years and even when I don't necessarily have to go out because i've done my shopping on line, I still go because somehow its just NOT the same!!

[akula1]

The best one I did was 2 years ago. I was torn between places to go for the 5am opening. I woke up at 2am and got on-line with Best Buy and bought the $100 500w receiver and the $100 200W subwoofer. That freed me from having to lug it around and for me to hit Target for the other good deals. The receiver and subwoofer were delivered to my front door within a week.

 

Gotta Deal Rocks!!!

[mom8w]

My best black friday experiences were in my childhood. Our mornings started at Wonder World in Las Vegas. Santa arrived on a fire engine and tossed ping pong balls into the crowd. Specially marked balls received prizes. One year, my Mom lost her glasses in the melee, and my only memory of receiving an actual prize was a Fred Flintstone transistor radio. We travelled around town, and attended all of the arrivals, which were staggered through the morning.

 

After Wonder World, it was on to Vegas Village, a local grocery chain, where a Christmas parade was followed by Santa's arrival, usually by a helicopter landing in the parking lot, and the tossing of candies to the audience. We spent many Thanksgiving days constructing our parade entries, and won many prizes over the years.

 

Nowadays, I don't do well in the crowds. I live in a rural community where there is a significant population of snowbirds. Many of the items that interest me at our stores are still on the shelves later in the day, but with few of the big stores here, I do most of my b/f shopping online.

[leonewy]

Last year (2008) I stayed awake all night long reviewing and buying last minutes online black Friday offers. I went to bed at 7:30 am after buying the best gems of the day and completely avoiding the crowds. So, do not forget to check the online only super offers.

[kdc71]

I Love BF, I usually do the important stuff online on Thanksgiving day, and before I go out on Black Friday. So when I do go out its just to torment all those grumpy shoppers . Its the people that get nasty that make me crazy, so I walk slowly thru the store, in the way...pick up the last popular thing, even if I don't want it, lol. Now I have to say, if the other person says something nice, and doesn't get nasty, I'll give it to them, but if they are rude, forget it, I'll hide it someplace else in the store. Then if I hear someone else looking for it (pleasantly) I'll tell them where it is. I also like to help people out by tell them where something else is at another store, if its no longer at that store. I really just go out on BF to enjoy the day, and when I tell people that they think I am completely CRAZY!

[Buckel248]

Going back 20 years, I was 16 years old and the Greeter at Venture (remember that store?). I think the hot toy that year was an airbrush paint gun for kids. I couldn't believe the line when I showed up for work (this was my first experience with Black Friday)! Before the store opened, every time I let in an employee, people tried to sneak by me. When I finally opened the store, the very first door I opened I was shoved aside by a guy who literally sprinted to the toy section! After that, the stream of people coming in wouldn't let me through, so for the first couple of minutes, only on entrance door was open. How crazy!

 

Interesting side note: Another hot toy that year was a teddy bear that you could program to say whatever you wanted. When the child hugged or squeezed the bear, it would say whatever was programmed in. One of my friends at the time worked the overnight shift the day before Black Friday. He programmed all the bears to say, "Hug me again kid, and I'll punch you in the nose!" We got quite a few complaints.

[dymplz8]

The craziest thing I've ever encountered on Black Friday was about 3 years ago and Target had deals on matchbox cars. I have never seen so many grown men fighting over these cars. We even had to have the police called because a couple of men got into an actual fist fight. It was amazing to me.

[cmpc13]

No crazy stories to tell but just wanted to say that BF has became a tradition for my daughter and I about 17 years ago when she was pregnant with my 1st grandchild. Since then I pick her up every year between 4 and 5:00 a.m., stop and get coffee and go to our first destination. Two years ago my granddaughter started going with us and really enjoyed it so she has become apart of our BF experience. Maybe it's in her system since she actually started the experience "in the womb".:)

[BrotherFlounder]

My best Black Friday experiences have always been at Home Depot. Two years ago, in Jacksonville, they had coffee for the ten or so of us waiting at the entrance at 5:30, and were very helpful and pleasant when the doors opened. A great contrast to the organized chaos of Circuit City. Last year, I was in Kennesaw for Thanksgiving, and didn't make the doorbusters anywhere, but Home Depot still had plenty of everything at 3:00 in the afternoon. And again, they were by far the nicest and most helpful employees of any of the stores I've been to on BF.

[shanraemurry]

My very first black friday experience took place at walmart. I was 9 months pregnant, and experience contractions on and off. Of course, I couldn't miss the sale. When I was going through the store, to pick up a giant elmo doll this woman rammed her cart right into my pregnant belly. When she looked up and saw that she ran into me, she just went on. There I was in a tremendous amount of pain, and she just went on like nothing. Several bystanders checked to make sure that I was alright, and one handed an elmo doll to me, the very last one. I had to take a little rest after that, luckily my husband was with me to grab some of the other deals. After about 20 minutes of resting, we went on to other stores. I had my baby 3 days after that, and had plenty of black friday deals under the tree. It was well worth it, and an experience I'll never forget.

[mscrapper]

Last year was the first time I was really angry at shoppers at walmart. We were all standing around waiting for the black plastic to be cut off the little boy jeans and 2 women were standing there and when the walmart worker wasnt looking they were reaching in and making a pile of jeans. Then when it was time, they just grabbed their "pile" and ran. Low and behold their "pile" was the same size i needed and they took them all. I wanted to chase them down!! lol. My husband also went with me for the first time and sneaky me sent him to stand by electronics for a portable dvd player. He has already told me that he will not be going shopping with me this year :-( I love Black Friday and I love GottaDeal.com for making it such a better experience!

[nhughes]

Im going to be a rookie at this,this year... Ive seen it all,except being in the middle of the action myself. Any suggestions for this 18 year old rookie? ive seen it in newspapers,on tv and heard the excitement on the radio.. I cant wait... Those gotta deal stuff looks terriffic,too. Itd be nice to have one of those to start out my Black Friday Fun.

[tinkrbel]

I think the BF that has stuck in my mind was about 15 years ago. I was 15-16 and still not driving but I had a job and earned enough to be able to get my own pc at radio shack on BF. My mother, grandmother and I all get up before 5 and head to the mall needless to say the parking lot was packed and we just managed to get a spot not TOO far. Some crazy person that hadn't even been in the same lane at the time speeds up behind my mothers car and starts balring the horn like we'd stolen her spot. Mother and gran refused to get out of the car for a good 10 minutes after that and possibly as a result I have never driven on BF. I DID get my computer and I might even drive this year.

 

Anyone else or their shopping partner insist on moving the car after putting something in trunk? My mom is paranoid and insists on it, I always tell her to move it and meet me in store. Seems silly, I mean if someone really wants whatever they'll follow you to new spot and wait?

[Thumper501]

My first Black Friday with my sister was my most memorable. She had no clue what to expect on BF. So she was so surprised when I told her we had to go get in line at 2am. We were one of the first few to Kohl's that year. We stood around and she thought it was dumb of us to be there at early and then more and more people started showing up. Finally she said she was glad to be so close to the front of the line. Once the doors opened up people went everywhere. That surprised her as well at the hurry everyone was in. After Kohl's we went to Target to stand in line for their doors to open. She was prepared this time. LOL! And we have been BF shopping together ever since. :)

[imginah]

:) My favorite Black Friday moment was the year that Xbox 360 first came out. I was at Walmart and I literally ran right out of my shoe. This guy that had been behind me knew what I was running for, he yelled he'd get my shoe if I got him an Xbox so Ikept going! I ran to electronics, jumped over a barrier to get around a snarl of other shoppers and grabbed three Xboxes. I jumped back over the barrier and this guy that had my shoe shoved it on my foot and took his Xbox. It was the wildest Black Friday ever! I had so much fun that year!

[lakj98]

I love reading everyone's stories. Wish my DH would go out with me one year. He thinks I am crazy. At least he does stay home from work to watch the kids though. LOL!!

 

My favortie black Friday is about four years ago. This was the first year that I took my oldest DD with me. She always ask, but I rather leave the kids at home as I can hit more stores and get through faster taht way. She was 10 at the time. She had a ball. She loved helping me look for all of the items on our list and fighting the crowds. She has gone with me eery year since then.

My DD (6) wants to go now. Not sure if I will let her go this year or not.

[luvsadeal]

Last year I woke up at 3 a.m. and did my online shopping, had my morning coffee and left for the b&m stores at 7 a.m. It was calm and I found everything I was looking for except @ WM where I wanted some $4 jeans in DS's size. I left one town around 9 a.m. after 4 stores and went to the WM in another town and they didn't have any jeans in his size either. Later that day, I was going back over the ads to see if there was anything I wanted from the Sat. sales and saw we had missed the ladder at Home Depot, so Sat. we headed that way and while we didn't get the one in the ad, DH did get a good deal on another.

Since HD is in a different town from the 2 I went to on BF, I checked the WM in that town and found the jeans in DS's size still on sale for $4 each !!

We have 4 WM's in 3 towns within~15 mi. radius of us, 3 of those are 10 miles or less.

[hopeky94]

My fave BF memory (that comes to mind right now at least!) is last year at WM. My "gotta-have" item was the 500 TC sheet set for $20 for my king bed. Well, another lady was at the display with me, waiting for it to be unwrapped, but right before time she found out about the MP3 players being closeby in the former layaway area. I mentioned wanting one of those too, so in true die-hard shoppers' style, we worked out a dea: I grabbed the color/size sheets she wanted, while she grabbed an extra MP3 player for me! It was crazy trying to get to her once the chaos started, but it was fun and very worth it-- I love both of my items!! :)

 

Thanks for the survival kit contest, BTW!!

[MichaelBray]

my worst experience at a black friday -- was about 3AM waiting in the Best Buy line -- a carload of good-for-nothings swings in the parking lotdoes a u-turn and throws a couple of milkshakes at us -- i didnt get much on me but some people did --- my best experience happens every year --just hanging out every year with fellow shoppers :)

[punkie2001]

black friday really gets on my nerves but I go every year and I am looking to go this year. I am already trying to save up money to go. I know there is not much I am going to be able to get since I am unemployed but there are some things that I am looking forward to getting so we will just have to wait and see what is on sale this year.