Are Black Friday Sales REALLY that great or is it just the thrill?

[Jen8112]

I understand people probably don't "want" to bring their kids but if I didn't have a babysitter I just wouldn't go. There are plenty of sales and clearances before X-Mas that it's not like the kids would have nothing if not for BF. BF is not a necessity, no one "has" to go.

[rjncmj]

I'm with you! Especially more than 1, including an infant and preggers to boot? Nope, you'll enjoy BF a whole lot more without the kids and probably get a whole lot more deals :-) Not to get too personal...but you did bring it up...but I'd probably look for a sale on something to avoid #6.

YIKES! That is very rude! The OP was asking for thoughts on taking her kids out again on BF with another one in tow this year, or looking for sales on other days. NOT your opinion on how many children she should have. Geez!

[Nate Dogg]

I have brought my kids with me every year since they were little. We have only had one year where I worried about anyone's safety and it was the guys jumping in line, not the kids. More likely to be bit by a shark swimming than be caught up in anything like that. They enjoy camping with dad and telling all their friends they were on TV (happens almost every year). It has always been about the deals with me, although the last 2 years the deals have been lacking. 2 years ago I actually got out of line early Thursday morning because there was nothing I wanted when the last minute sales did come out. We had to scramble to get a thanksgiving dinner ready (apparently pizza and chips not good enough for thanksgiving unless you are in line to get the wife a new laptop). lol.

 

I think we have this discussion every year on this site, and every year I still think it is OK to bring young children as long as you have a plan, enough help and equipment to keep them warm, fed and safe, and are responsible enough to handle the stress and crowd size. Not for everyone, but definitely works for us.

[Rockfordmom]

You got in line prior to Thanksgiving morning without wanting to purchase anything advertised on sale?

[samisma]

YIKES! That is very rude! The OP was asking for thoughts on taking her kids out again on BF with another one in tow this year, or looking for sales on other days. NOT your opinion on how many children she should have. Geez!

[Aurion07]

I do it for the fun and tradition, the deals are a sidenote for me. My kid is only 2 and he came with us the first year (slept all warm and snug in his buggy while dh and I had fun together) but came with us later in the day the second year (great grandma volunteered to watch him since our washer-dryer had to be purchased at 4am). I don't know what we will do this year. His safety has never been in question (I live in Miami and have never seen any situation on BF where anyone's safety is an issue. Weather is definately not a problem either.) But for convenience we may make other arrangements this year. I love going with DH so I hope he won't prefer to stay home with the little man. What I love most is the adventure with my husband. My second fav thing is that people are nice, fun, and in a holiday mood (mostly ;-) ). And, finally, by Sunday I have 99% of chirstmas presents wrapped an under the tree, which makes for a stress free holiday season.

[Buckeye Shopper]

I have done BF 8 mos. pregnant but never taken my kids, it would be fruitless for me. BF just kicks off the countdown until Christmas for me. I have gotten some really good deals on BF but in most cases, it's the thrill for me and tradition. I would also like to add that I'm not as hardcore as I used to be. I roll in after the lines have been allowed in the store and such. The older I get the more people annoy me, and it's just too stressful. I prefer to start the day around 5-6 AM and see what happens.

[Rockfordmom]

Everyone that says that they do it for "fun and tradition" or the "thrill" - do you sleep out? And if yes, you really sleep out because of fun and tradition and the thrill and not for the sales? If I didn't specifically want something that I thought they would be out of if I wasn't in the front of the line then I'd stay home and just go later in the day, the lines to pay are much shorter then. I'm just asking, is shopping on Black Friday the tradition or sleeping out in lines the tradition?

 

And to everyone that says crowds aren't that bad, is Rockford the only place that you get shoved and pushed when the stores open? Over the past several years at one time or another I've been near the front of the line at Best Buy, TRU, Sears, Target several times, Kohls several times and Menards several times and I have been pushed and shoved every single time when the doors open and while waiting in line to pay at some of those places too. Almost got trampled at Menards once. There are places that it's not like that?

 

I brought my 8 year old daughter to $1 flip flops at Old Navy last summer, I would never put her through that again.

[Jen8112]

For me it is for the thrill but I would not be there if it weren't for the sales. In my area if you want a doorbuster you have to be near the front of the line to get them. A few years ago I was at Walmart at 10pm the Thanksgiving night and was like 5th in line. It was a mad rush of shoving to get in the door and to the carts. Last year we started at TRU because they opened at midnight. We were there about 8pm and were about 9th in line. It was very orderly as they only let in about a dozen people at a time and I was out of there before the line had barley budged. From there we went to Walmart, because I didn't need a doorbuster, and they had opened up at midnight for people to stand in line at each doorbuster and they handed them out in a orderly fashion at 5am. I was out before them because I had my cart full and was waiting at the checkout line around 4am. I was out of there at about 5:05. Target was the only place I got to after they opened and it was very crowded but I got what I wanted, again no doorbusters, and didn't spend too much time in line. Last year was a lot more calm all around because of the death a couple years ago. I still would not bring my kids though. I was out of the house before 8pm and back at almost 8am. My kids were safe in their beds the whole time! :)

 

BTW, in my area I don't even go near Best Buy. I tried one year, got there about 9pm Thanksgiving night and there was already 150-200 people in line. I have NO idea when they started lining up but I will assume it was around noon. I love BF but I won't ruin my thanksgiving over it.

[bfaddict1977]

Originally Posted by lelee24

I'm with you! Especially more than 1, including an infant and preggers to boot? Nope, you'll enjoy BF a whole lot more without the kids and probably get a whole lot more deals :-) Not to get too personal...but you did bring it up...but I'd probably look for a sale on something to avoid #6

 

 

you know that is VERY rude. And you have nerve! geeze! Where do i report your post? I ENJOY taking my kids out on bf and they are always dressed warmly and NEVER crying. Else we wouldn't go. Geeze! How rude and insulting that is.

[rjncmj]

Jen8112 said it all for me. Pretty much the same experience I had last year except replace Target with Kmart and at WM my husband waited in the door buster line while I shopped and waited in the checkout line. And I totally agree with loving BF but not enough to ruin Thanksgiving over it!

 

I've never experienced shoving or pushing in lines around here. I have actually experienced crowds starting to fill isles and people just stopping and waiting. That's when I start weaving and maneuvering my way through. Sometimes people are surprised by that. I'm not from this town and don't have the patience bred into me I guess.

 

I don't like to take my children because-

1) they would slow me down

2)they don't have the stamina

3)I buy Santa gifts for them on BF

 

If I was a single mom, did not have anyone to watch the kids and knew my children could handle long shopping trips, I probably would take them to to get the deals on clothes, pj's and such.

[BruceLee]

Id make a thread about last years exsperience but people are adding in here so.. Like Ive mention before it usually sucks going to BF because I would rather go with somebody to get items but nobody wants to go that early with me. Anyways talking about stores and crowdness/bringing kids(safe?) Ive seen people bring kids/even little ones into the store, hell I even remember my parent/aunt with me and a little kid in the cart on BF. And from what Ive seen then and now I really don't think bringing kid in my town to BF is the greatest but you got to do what you got to do. Many times on BF to this day I tell my GF who will run into me heels this time with cart(usually an old lady each year constantly doing so) Most years its so busy and packed and to crowded when nut stores just open the door for everyone to run pass you. I had a guy next to me knock down few people just shoving.. its like a mosh pit where people pushing the whole crowd through the doors and if you fall oh well. To add our local Target store finally stopped giving carts to people because it was crazy to see people tring to get one and run with them and all they did was hurt people each year. Last year they finally taped off all carts. And if you want big item you got a store employee walk with u with it in a cart. I live not in the biggest/smallest town but we got crazy people on BF. Last year was huge at target. I litterally had to wait in the parking lot for over an hour just to get the crowd in. Finally Target shut the doors after so many people went in cause it was to crowded of people you couldn't move barely in the rows.. I was skipping through bra and pantie section to try to get around(yet couldnt) and it was stand still due to lack of judgement.

[Nate Dogg]

You got in line prior to Thanksgiving morning without wanting to purchase anything advertised on sale?

lol. Yep, sure did. I was thinking there might be something good as a "secret sale" like they did the year before. We got in line Tuesday that year, and Tuesday night tent city poped up. It is amazing what happens when people think you know something they don't. One guy got really upset when we left early Thursday because he was not planning on getting in line until Thursday morning. Said we made everyone line up early by being on the news.

 

I regret that after 17 Black Fridays this may be my last. The deals are just not there any more. I have not spent more than $200 the last two years on Black Friday (less than 10 % of my budget) when I used to spend it all. I hope this year will change my mind.

[tinkrbel]

I regret that after 17 Black Fridays this may be my last. The deals are just not there any more.

That's kinda sad but totally understandable. I remember going out for killer deals I would be upset about not getting and now it's more like "I could use this" or "if they have this MAYBE I'll get it". It doesn't help me being a clearance shopper year round I guess. When you can get great sales year round 50% off or less doesn't mean much.

[mcwalker]

I started just four years ago, after many say the "really good deals" stopped happening. I would still say I have gotten some really good deals, but the deals alone aren't enough justification and I enjoy the "crazyness" of the early shopping. I go around 3 in the morning (never actually camp out) and haven't been at the very front of any line (where jostling is likely to be worse), but I have also been rather surprised to actually get most of the deals I was looking for, including some of the "headline" deals.

[tdanette]

I still think there are pretty good deals BF for most but I think with a site like Gottadeal, I get spoiled so BF just doesn't seem quite the same deal-wise. But I love getting out there, people-watching, and chuckling to myself when people are scrambling for an item that I found here 2 weeks before at a better than BF price. I probably didn't pay sales tax either.

[arci122]

Great deals if you work it right, and the thrill of the hunt can't be beat. Also, a day with no husband or kids is the icing :)

[Klownicle]

Its Black Friday every Friday if you know how to shop right.

 

For me its the thrill of getting out and expierencing the holidays at the stores. The tradition of it all is there. I always end up having more fun then I would with drunkin relatives and turkey.

 

Bring on the sales baby. *pitches tent*

[Rebirth]

Now it's more of the thrills than the sales. The online deals are much better than in store especially Amazon.

[mrstoots]

For me it's a combination of tradition and the sales. My sister and I shop together and we have our rituals: morning coffee at Dunkin Donuts, then Walmart, off to the mall, get to Christmas Tree Shops first because they have 20% off your entire purchase until 9:00 am (you have to be in the store by then), Sears, FYE (for the past few years they've been having a buy one, get one free sale on DVD TV shows; I'm working on getting the entire MASH collection...only five more seasons to go!) and any other stores that strike my fancy...

[bigjimslade]

For the MASH dvd's try Barnes and Nobel and the online store for Family Video.

 

I was at a BN store here in Dallas and they had alot of the TV series for 50% off including MASH. I got Columbo on DVD for 50% off.

 

For me it's a combination of tradition and the sales. My sister and I shop together and we have our rituals: morning coffee at Dunkin Donuts, then Walmart, off to the mall, get to Christmas Tree Shops first because they have 20% off your entire purchase until 9:00 am (you have to be in the store by then), Sears, FYE (for the past few years they've been having a buy one, get one free sale on DVD TV shows; I'm working on getting the entire MASH collection...only five more seasons to go!) and any other stores that strike my fancy...

[rsthayer]

for me it use to be the killer deals that made me do it ..........now it is more of a shopping day with friends and the fun we have. If we manage to snag some good bargains then great if not oh well ! I done a lot of shopping on line last year and got some amazing deals with a lot of times getting free shipping to boot ! I love going out on BF more for the thrill of hunting the deals and I love to watch and listen to people that are out also .......you get some really good laughs !!

[bfaddict1977]

that;s how i feel too. if i get the deals, great. if not oh well. it's all about fun and should be too.

[sdd1068]

For us it has turned into a family tradition. The hubby and I head out early.. Not necessarily looking for anything ( I've usually already ordered it online) but just to see what we can find and watch people that don't know about Gotta Deal make total fools of themselves!! Now that's entertainment !!

[iggypop123]

it used to be about the savings. last year that officially ended. its now only thrill

[bigjimslade]

I just think the savings we had several years ago are not there.