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

[Mandy25]

I have to say last year was the first year I went. I accidently found gottadeal.com and was so excited just reading everyones stories. I had never realized what a big deal it was till I found this site. I had a ton of fun and look forward to it this year again. I am totally hooked. We went to Kmart and the store was so full you really couldn't even walk thru the store. After we left we heard cops were called in over two men fighting over toys.

[tiggstt]

It's become a tradition in my family, years ago I would go to get the little one her presents. Now My two daughters and I go, sometimes for the fun of it depends on who has what. Our routine starts at KMart at 8 PM a return home trip to drop of the purchases and then to the outlet mall. First stop starbucks for coffee and hotchocolate and then wander to check out the sales and what we need or want or to laugh at the people in line at coach, then its off the Denny's for a early breakfast and check out the ads for walmart, penny's, toys r us and all the other stores in the mall near dennys. Usually running into other black friday shoppers and compare notes. then off to pennys for our annual snowglobe then check out the other stores in the mall aero, macys vickies, and then off to walmart.. Then its home to take a nap which the 12 year old fights me about every time. Last year my 26 year old bought thanksgiving shirts for the shopping trip. Like I said it's become a tradition that they look forward to:fluffy:

[hockeyfanamo]

Black Friday 2006 was the first time that my DH experienced a BF. It was great to see his enthusiasm and that look of awe in his eyes as we went from store to store. He thought BF was like the Loch Ness Monster....there were stories about it but he had never actually seen it first hand. It was great to get to experience that with him.

[Gporter34]

BF 2008...went to WM with my Mom and kids, looked around, started getting items I would PM. Visited with quite a few aquaintances. Hubby stayed home because he just couldn't see himself being as crazy as us who get out and shop at that time of night, lol. He couldn't sleep so he decided he would come out to WM and see what all of the fuss was about. Around 2am the kids were getting hungry so he said he would go and get them something and bring it back. Some people standing close to us heard him and asked if he would pick them up something, too. By the time he got all of the orders together, he was making a food run for about twenty shoppers and two employees. He still doesn't see what all of the fuss is about, but he said he definitely doesn't want to go through that again, lol.

[meyteacher]

My first black friday was about 6 years ago. We lived in a small town, 40 min. away from a large shopping area. This was the year Walmart had the TVs for cheap, and we really wanted one. I went by myself and didn't make it in time for the opening at 5, so when I went in, people were just standing around empty pallets waiting for them to restock. I looked around and saw a security guard near a cart with a TV already in it. He said he hadn't seen anyone around and I could have it. So I took the cart, went straight to the checkout and was out of Walmart 5 min. after I got there, late, with my TV. After that, everything seemed to go well, I was patient and calm while others were frazzled, and I still got everything on my list! Needless to say I am now a huge fan of BF! (TV still works too!)

[peifgirl]

We were at Walmart 3 years ago. Five mins till 5am the power went out. We were all ushered to the front of the store. This is a 24hr store so we could normally stand next to the pallet of what we wanted (they gave maps out). So we had to stand in the front of the store in the dark (well semi dark) till almost 10 after 5 when the lights came on. It was a mad house rushing back to where we were to get what we wanted. It was crazy but a fun year. I still got everything I went for. It ended up being that entire side of town lost power. The Walmart on the other side didn't have this problem. All the non 24 hr stores ended up opening late because of this. Luckily no reported accidents anywhere that day.

[akm2u]

Years ago I remember Target giving out goodie bags and serving hot cocoa.

[KrystalMae1231]

Brad and all others, Just want to thank you guys for the site and for putting out awesome contests to keep us temporarily not thinking about the fact that we haven't seen any ads yet. THANK YOU GUYS!!!

[Karmarose]

For the past 4 years I have Black Friday shopped alone on Black Friday. The first 3 years I could go out an hour before the openings and get all the goodies at all my stops and be the first 10 in the door. Last year, I had to fight traffic two hours before any of the stores opened locally and I was around number 50 let in the first store. I think this year will be even crazier.

[mariposa2227]

Black Friday has been a tradition for my family since I was in the 6th grade (over 15 years now), back when Target and a couple other stores gave away really cool stuff to the first X number of people in the doors. Since then we plan our routes and study up on all the deals as early as we can as though we're preparing for a treasure hunt and have to be the first ones done!

[lbass]

I'm usually pretty easy going, but come BF I become a drill sargeant. My favorite time was year before last when I "recruted" a couple girls from work to go with me and showed the map I had figured out for each of our spots, they laughed I didn't. One of those friends now refuses to ever go again. :)

[acornell2]

Last year was the craziest BF I have experienced yet. I went nice and early to Walmart because they had a KitchenAid mixer I wanted for $140. I got there and there was already a crowd forming around all of the early sale items. There were aisles lined with people in chairs with their hands on large boxes on dollies...with sale TVs in them. Apparently you could only get it if you kept your hand on it until 5am! I found the mixers....all ten of them. I asked how many were waiting for a mixer. About seven others were waiting. I couldn't get very close and I knew if I didn't do something, when 5am rolled around I would be trampled with no mixer to show for it. So I wedged myself in between two pallets of sale items. O.M.G. NOT a comfy way to spend an hour, but I was literally leaning on the stack of mixers, so I knew one was MINE! Right before 5am, there was still one mixer no one had laid claim to. An older lady came by and asked about it. She was told she could get it, but there was no way for her to get near it. Five am rolls around and I grabbed the top mixer with the intention of shoving the bottom one over to the elderly lady that asked for it. Suddenly I am in a bad action movie! Some psycho leaps over the large display behind me knocking over most of the boxes, trying to lay his hands on a mixer! He went OVER my head! I was trying to push the box with my foot and he is laying on the floor trying to grab it. The lady squeezed in and this maniac was literally in a tug of war with an old lady for a mixer at five in the morning! It was all too nuts and sad and angry for me. I grabbed my mixer and ran like heck! The whole rest of the shopping trip I was worried someone would cart jack me and grab my mixer out of my cart when I wasn't looking! You don't mess with a woman and her mixer! But two hours, and several hundred dollars later, me, my mixer and loads of other goodies were headed for home!

[coachalvin]

Last year was my first Black Friday, and it took me like a week to recover. We decided to pull an all nighter and camped at a Best Buy playing quarterback challenge by throwing a football into a moving shopping cart. We ended up getting a lot of people involved and eventually we were let in. What's next for this year? Thicker sweaters and quarterback gloves.

[kren]

Stayed up all night and got my laptop and camera stuff. I LOVE BF!

[codeblue]

Most memorable would probably be BF 2001. Every year I go out with my friend for BF but that year we were shopping for my daughter and her nephews first xmas. Well you know you can't beat Kohls 50% off fisher price and little tykes plus an additional 15%. We ran right to the toy department and loaded up. A kohls employee had to come with two wire stock carts so we could get the toys to the register. Way more toys than any two kids ever could need but first xmax and first child I suppose I went a little over board but well worth it. We had the back of her Durango loaded and had to make a drop before we could go back out shopping. On the way to her house we wanted to grab a few early brids at K-Mart and the local news station was there an noticed how full the Durango was and came up and wanted to interview us.

[Lusha120]

I don't have a horrible or particularly funny bf story! I've taken friends, sister for her first time, my mom the browser (ugh never again) and hubby. We have four kids and pack a suburban every year! I've camped at bb, hustled through toys r us, been let into old navy early (the girls felt bad, we had camped out at another store and it was 5 below...) I've never had any problems! heck I have a secret walmart i go to for my last stop (its out of town) and get all my doorbusters at 10 am! I have "special coffee" with strangers, employees will sneak me a coffee or two... I grab things for others, make friends and hold a place in line, and act friendly and curteous... I won't win, but I have a great time every year, so it's ok.

[Tessangel]

My first year here in south Florida I was in line at ToysRus at 11pm on Turkey Day. I was 8th in line and we had so much fun. I brought my laptop and lawn chair and we all sat around watching movies. Then my Hubby brought us fresh coffee and donuts at 3am!! It was one of my best black fridays so far.

[Trish1298]

I don't have a big great story I guess, my interesting Black Friday was the one that I was huge pregnant. I ended up having the baby, at 9 lbs 14oz, 2 days later. Phew, good thing I got that shopping trip in when I did. I also must add BF shopping is much more enjoyable in Florida when it's not freezing outside. Although it just doesn't get you in the Christmas mood like sitting outside a store freezing.

[leasejj]

I saw an older lady "sweep" the entire top tier of a pallet of items @ Wal-Mart into her cart. Can't remember exactly what the item was, but it made a HUGE mess since 1/2 of the items missed her cart!

[polve]

I guess my favorite memory from Black Friday was 4 years ago when DH and myself became true die-hard-core Black Friday shoppers. In years prior we went out and shopped to get the deals but never did the "camping out" to make sure we got a doorbuster prize. But four years ago our five year old wanted a computer and we didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars for a computer for our 5 year old. That year Best Buy was running an emachines computer with monitor, keyboard, mouse, windows, ect for $149. With that price how could I not get one, after reading many boards I knew there was a possibility that we would have to camp out overnight to get one. DH did a drive by Best Buy at 6pm Thanksgiving day and said there was already a line, which was scary to me since we were living in Sioux Falls SD, which meant it was freezing out and tons of snow on the ground already. DH came home got a chair and headed up to Best Buy to get in line. I frantically made phone calls to find an earlier sitter for my 5 year old. A dear friend said she would take him but wanted us to pick up her daughter (age 7) a computer as well. No problem!!!!

 

Now the reason that it is probably my favorite Black Friday isn't because of all the money we saved.....because we did save A Lot!! But it being my first time I wasn't sure how it was going to go. But everyone was so friendly and helpful that made it so enjoyableand memorable for me. That and Best Buy broke out donuts, coffee and hot chocolate around 3am for people standing in line. We were number 12ish but were able to get two tickets for the computers, ticket for tv ....while we did walk away with great deals on computers, a TV and movies. We also walked away with a "high" that we knew we would be jonesing for until the following year. Meeting new people in line, hanging out, laughing at people that arrive 5 minutes before the stores opening thinking they are getting a doorbuster, is just as fun for me as saving the money on Black Friday!!!

[MstrMind]

My father-in-law, my wife, and I usually take two vehicles and the day before map out our game plan. One year, I was assigned TRU which was supposed to open at 6:30. When I got there at 6, there was no line outside and all the lights were on. I walked on in and asked one of the employees about it and she said, "We knew everyone was cold outside and we were ready, so we just opened early." I was in and out of there < 30min!

[kimmie0712]

Last year my mom and I lined up at the new Super Target bright and early. The staff was very nice to all that were standing in line. They didn't allow those that weren't in line to come through the doors until all of the line people made it through. They also passed out Starbucks coffee. And, they had carts lined up throughout the store so if you ran to your specific area without one, you didn't have to worry about tracking one down. It was a very pleasant experience. Hoping for great deals there again this year!

[rsthayer]

the black friday experience that I remember with a smile happened about 5 yrs ago. I convinced my husband to go with me and my sister and her husband. We split up into two groups to hit different stores for bargains. My husband and I went to sears first and the first 100 shoppers in line was to get a 25.00 gift card. Well we were only about 25 people back and thought we have this one in the bag. When the doors opened people came rushing out of their cars in the parking lot and people from the back of the line rushed forward . they were pushing and shoving past us. by the time we got in the door of course we were not in the group to get gift cards. My husband was sooo mad he said "Next year I will pay you 25.00 not to even attempt this " As you can guess since then he will not go out that day and he always says "How much is it going to cost me this year to get to stay home". He just hands me money and says "have at it, you are as crazy as those other people for even going". I still go every yr and love every minute of it !!!!

[nmcnary17]

My black friday experience that I will never forget. I was 6 months pregnant and waited all night in front of Target mainly for a TV, razor for my son, and a really long list. My brother was with me (since my husband stayed at home with our son) to help me get the TV. Of course if was one of the coldest night outs. We would take turns with the kids in front of us to make coffee/drink runs and of course for me to take a run to the restroom being 6 months along about every hour to the walmart down the street. When it got closer for Target to open the new media showed up and did an interview with me for their morning show. I believe that the news guy thought that I was crazy being pregnant and waiting out side of a Target store all night BF. It was great. Got to make great friends with the kids in front of us and spend some time with my brother it really made the time go by fast. We got everything on my list and my brother was able to help me with the TV (which he also got one to). Hit a couple of other stores and then crashed for the rest of the day.

[dtidesfan]

My daughter and I watch this site every year and plan our BF around it. The year before last we saw a TV at Best Buy that we wanted so we went and stood in line around 2:00 am in the cold with the line around the back of the building. Last year, Toys R Us was the first stop. We go through all of the ads, decide what we want, choose the stores in order according to most wanted (number 1) to just a want (the last on the list) We then plan the time we will get there, and the layout of the store. When we get in, she goes one way, I go the other, we meet in the middle with our items and get in line. This way, it cuts shopping time in half by us grabbing each others items on the list.

 

I love Black Friday, it has become a sport to me!

[dmintelsgt]

I loved the one year my friend came with me, she wasn't really shopping for anything in particular and thought I was nuts for picking her up at 3am. But she was a great sport and would stand in line for me while I ran around. In target she helped me find everything on the list. We had a blast and she picked up some presents along the way - deals too good to pass up!

 

This year I've already starting lining up a posse and forwarding the GD Black Friday site to them... I can't wait! I love the planning and making lists (and checking them twice). I love the Christmas feel in the air and rush of finding a good deal on gifts! It's so much fun every year!

[StephanieD]

One of my favorite Black Friday's was the day before my wedding. We bought a lot of stuff for our home on that day. It was a lot of fun.

[darianwiccan]

My first Black Friday was 2005. I was first in line at one of the Walmarts in Dayton, OH to get the $398 HP Pavilion laptop. It was below freezing all night long. I think the temp dipped down to somewhere around 0 before we got inside. People were in tents with heaters, in their cars, but we stayed in line, toasty warm thanks to mylar emergency blankets worn like shawls under our coats. At one point, my friend went to the car to get something, and slipped on some ice on his way back. Some change fell out of his pocket, and by the time he had dusted himself off, the change had actually frozen into the puddle of ice. When it finally came time to open the doors, we experienced the usual rock concert crowd push (I think I heard the doors creaking, bordering on breaking) and then it was a sprint-race to the are where the laptops were. Thankfully I was only beaten by one person to the line. That was my first BF experience, and I have since become hooked on "full contact shopping", at least one day a year.

 

[fsims513]

Share one my Black Friday experiences.... Well, one that sticks in my mind I never want to repeat but it ended nice! Gameboys were the hot item that year. WalMart had them priced low, had limited quantity, and my son wanted one! My dad and I took turns standing in line (as did many others those freezing wee hours of the morning) in 0 degree weather. We decided that when the doors open, we would split up. I told my dad that I wanted to get the Gameboy. He looked at me sceptically, but let me have my way (I should have taken warning from his expression!). When the doors finally opened, I headed to electronics for the gameboy, dad went for the kids section for bikes. I was one of the first to reach electronics, but being 5'2" quickly put me at a disadvantage. I ended up being pushed around until I was in the middle of a mob where the gameboys were being handed out by two employees. I should have worn steel toed boots rather than snow boots for my feet were trampled and stomped on. People were jumping up and down, waving arms, shouting out colors they wanted. I became very well acquainted with a plaid shirt my face was plowed into at one point, and about had an ear disconnected by an elbow behind me. Chaos! I made my way to being right in front of the male employees but at this point arms were being thrust out over, beside, and around my head grabbing for the games. I don't think the employees could hear or see me for anything. A burly, tall dude hollered at one of the guys and admonished him for overlooking a nice little lady <grin>. Thank you Mr. Burly Tall Dude! I ended up with a "girl" color (the system was for my son!), but the lady next to me traded so we were both happy!

Since that 'wonderful' experience, I DO NOT go to the Electronics Department anywhere on Black Friday just after the doors open. I send the guys with a list on that kind of mission and don't feel guilty at all for the decision!!

[christib327]

The year before last I turned a little too fast to get into the Kohls parking lot, trying to get there before they opened. My coffee flew out of the holder and all over my pants. We did all of our Kohls shopping and I bought a new pair of jeans...then changed them in the parking lot!