99 replies to this topic

[youngjhawk]

Becky in Kansas City here. Been lurking on gottadeal for longer than I've been married! Lurked for a year, been official for 7 (gottadeal, not marriage. ha ha), have two daughters aged 3 & 2. Hub's pretty cool; now when planning his days off each year, he takes my birthday, AND black friday! We'll be buying for the kids, neices/nephews, parents, and brothers/sisters. Mostly for the kiddos, though.

[jstluvem]

Becky in Kansas City here. Been lurking on gottadeal for longer than I've been married! Lurked for a year, been official for 7 (gottadeal, not marriage. ha ha), have two daughters aged 3 & 2. Hub's pretty cool; now when planning his days off each year, he takes my birthday, AND black friday! We'll be buying for the kids, neices/nephews, parents, and brothers/sisters. Mostly for the kiddos, though.

Hey neighbor !
Christine in Independence....shopping for 20+ years !! ......my amazing husband of 26+ yrs. tried BF ...too tuff for him..lol.
One 16yr.old left at home(out of 8)
9 grandbabies and 1 due in December
3 generations now BF shop together !

[momlori]

I have been doing BF since I was a single parent with 2 young kids (around 18 years). I drug my BFF out the third year out and she has been me shopping buddy since when time and distance allow. I have step children (adults really) now and have gotten the youngest and her SIL out last year as well. We are looking forward to this year.

[bpr]

My wife and I have been doing BF for almost 20 years now (It was somewhere around 1993/94). At least that's what I remember. We used to go to KB Toy Works/ Toy Castle at 2 am and they would open around 5 or 6. As the years went by, we would get there earlier to stay in the front of the line. Now it's just insane no matter where we go, lol. Our son goes shopping now too; not really for himself though. He likes me to task him to find things I want, lol (Divide and Conquer). I signed up on here back in 2005, but was a lurker before that.

[mamat2011]

Tina, Started Bf shopping with my friend and her family about 25 years ago. married for 12 years. have 5 children 23,22,19,18,12 and 2 granddaughters 4 years and 6 months. I black friday shop for everyone including my mom and mom in law for all the children in our family; plus Christmas children. I have been posting since 2011 and appreciate being able to organize a plan ahead of time. i've shopped in cleveland, parma, columbus, urbana, springfield, south point, logan, lancaster ohio. long Island ny. nicholasville, lexington, ashland ky. huntington, wv. Soo where ever i am I shop!!!!

[monster2369]

I have been dong BF since 94 when I was 8 mos pregnant with my oldest. One year my dad had to pick me and my mom up outside of the store b/c we had so much stuff, that year we were shopping in Manhattan. My kids are old enough now to enjoy going with me. This year will probably mellow since we don't need much so it will be mainly clothes shopping

[Elmck]

My wife and I have been doing BF for almost 20 years now (It was somewhere around 1993/94). At least that's what I remember. We used to go to KB Toy Works/ Toy Castle at 2 am and they would open around 5 or 6. As the years went by, we would get there earlier to stay in the front of the line. Now it's just insane no matter where we go, lol. Our son goes shopping now too; not really for himself though. He likes me to task him to find things I want, lol (Divide and Conquer). I signed up on here back in 2005, but was a lurker before that.

I really miss Toy Castle!! We have shopped in so many of the same places!!

[bigjimslade]

Been doing BF for 8-10 years. Got hardcore about 6 years ago.

[ann1e88]

I have been doing BF for about the last 10 years. For several years went to WV to shop with my sister in law but then last 7 in Pittsburgh. My husband is the line waiter while who ever else I drag with me helps me gather the hot buy items. Been on here since 2006 love getting the preview. Can't wait!

[thanksgiving67]

Hi from the Cincy OH area...been a black friday shopper for about 15 years. Been on other sites...first year here. I'm excited about bf..can't wait..need to start getting my self in shape for the big date...not as quick I used to be! Recruited my 18 year daughter to go with me last year...she's backing out on me this year! I really wish they would at least go back to 4/5 am hours. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday...and we really did not get to enjoy it last year.

[DeanH]

Toyed with BF during the early 1980's, but got introduced to hardcrore BF'ing in 1986 by my ex-wife's family. Completely hardcore BF'ers, they were. Got me really hooked and haven't missed a year yet....although some of my shopping preferences have altered over the years.

[noehlp]

Hello; my name is Patty and I have an addiction. I have been addicted to GottaDeal, Black Friday, and not paying retail price for nearly 8 years now.

[angelicswtnss]

Jenn- Praying for your husband. I'm Sandra, a single mom of 2. I have been BF shopping for about 10 years now. I've shopped in Georgia, Il, and now CT. My DS 16 went with me for the first time last year and is really looking forward to this year. Hopefully I can get my mom to babysit my 3 year old but I don't see that happening because she loves BF as well, LOL. I'v been a member of here since 2006 (can't believe it's really been that long) and love it. I found some great deals thanks to this site. I'll be shopping for my family and myself mostly. Everyone wants electronics so i'm really waiting for those ads to start coming out so I can make a game plan.

[txgurl]

I'm Kristal, happily married 9 yrs in Dec. we have two boys 11 and 8. I have been BF shopping for around 7 years, it's now become a tradition w/ my two sisters to get all the sales ads, pull up this site and sit around my mothers table after eating making a list of everything we want and working on our strategy. My husband works in retail so he works every year but even if he didn't he said there is no way he would ever be w/ us, he's seen fights, ppl taking from baskets that weren't theirs and just all around craziness! Good memories are one year at Target I was getting two ds games for my son. I took the last one of a game a guy standing there wanted. I felt the Christmas Spirit and gave it to him. Almost right after I did that, I saw my sister start yelling at a woman. I was lost at first until she told us that the woman took a toy out of someone elses' basket. She was escorted out of the store, my sister was thanked by the victim. From then on we dubbed her our security.

[chilimak]

I am Elena from Edinboro PA. I have 3 kids ages 15, 13, and 10. I have been bf shopping for about 12 yrs now and have been coming to this site for 7 yrs. I will be buying for my 3 kids and my husband.

[Thumper501]

I have been shopping BF for 9 years now.

[TazErase]

Seems like forever... The first Black Friday I did was in about 1995. At that time I showed up to KB Toys at about 7am, 5 minutes before they opened, lol. That was a long time ago, lol.... I have since been first or second on line at Best Buy for the past 7 or 8 years. Each year I have gotten there earlier and it has become a major rush that I look forward to every year. I am planning to arrive nearly a day earlier than I arrived last year since I'm in the papers every year and the newspaper often contacts me about a week prior to Black Friday for hints of what the big items are, who has the best deals, etc.

[racerfan]

Hi TazErase I was wondering where you were. I may be hanging with you again this year...

How has your year been? I have not seen you on here at all

Seems like forever... The first Black Friday I did was in about 1995. At that time I showed up to KB Toys at about 7am, 5 minutes before they opened, lol. That was a long time ago, lol.... I have since been first or second on line at Best Buy for the past 7 or 8 years. Each year I have gotten there earlier and it has become a major rush that I look forward to every year. I am planning to arrive nearly a day earlier than I arrived last year since I'm in the papers every year and the newspaper often contacts me about a week prior to Black Friday for hints of what the big items are, who has the best deals, etc.

[mcwalker]

I've been here way too long...

"You can check in any time you like, but you can never check out..."

[mcwalker]

I have been doing BF for 6 years, this will be my seventh. I joined GottaDeal in November 2006, just a couple of weeks before my first BF while doing research. I live in Queens, New York City, but have done BF in a few different locations as we often travel for Thanksgiving. My "regular" area for BF is Nassau County Long Island, but I have done it in suburban Chicago and Weatherford Texas. This year it will be Lancaster Pennsylvania.

[tehlilone]

I'm a lurker that appears usually around the holidays every once in a while. If I stayed on here year-round I'd end up spending too much money. I warn you... it's late at night and I can't sleep so I'll be writing my Black Friday life story for you to read I've been going Black Friday shopping probably since I was 7 or 8 years old. I'm 25 now. My mom would wake us up in the early morning hours and bundle us up. We'd pass by McDonalds and then start hitting up the store openings for freebies! Snow globes, gift cards, ornaments, bobble heads, radios, etc. My mom would sometimes drop my older sister off at one store so she could get in line and then we'd run to the other, get the freebie, then run back to my sister. It was only after we hit all the openings that we'd pick a store and start shopping. We got mostly clothes and toys. And there weren't a lot of concerns about supplies running out. We started doing more electronic Black Friday Shopping in the 2000s when I started high school. I got my fiance (then boyfriend) to join me in the maddness during our first year in college. He hadn't done it before. If they went shopping it was usually in the early afternoon after most of the crowds subsided. His dad was a marine so he had access to the MCX and NEx (price match + no tax = win). We started small with DVDs and I think the largest thing they got was a TV. I usually gave him a list and we'd both try to get it and just return if we got doubles. I might have no partner in crime this year though since he'll be stuck in training during Thanksgiving. I've shifted more towards online sales but I still love the rush you get from being in the crowd. I also still go for freebies. Last year we I dragged my mom with me to Old Navy. We got the free waterproof digital camera last year. I hope I get freebies this year. They're fun and free! I used my camera quite a bit this past year, especially at the beach. I live in CA and I plan on shopping mostly for myself. I've gotten pretty good about getting/saving gifts for people when the opportunity presents itself. I'm constantly thinking about birthday/christmas presents when I go shopping so I don't really use Black Friday for others.

[catholicbride11]

I've been BF shopping since 2007, I had no need for it until I had my son. Now as I am getting older and now engaged I have my son, step kids, in laws, nephews etc. to buy for. Ah the days when I was 21 and only had to buy for myself =)

[TazErase]

Hi TazErase I was wondering where you were. I may be hanging with you again this year...

How has your year been? I have not seen you on here at all

I look forward to it. We had a great time last year. I have plans in place to be first again but I'd say to be safe figure about 12 to 24hrs earlier than last year. I figure within the next few weeks the local paper will be contacting me again since I'm pretty much the "Black Friday Correspondent" lol. We may also have a few others joining us this year. I usually wait to do recon about a week early and I'm going to try getting the director of security to allow tents this year. I'll let you know how it goes as it gets closer. The avatar pic I'm using os from when I was first on line in 2010. Last year the paper arrived a little late and they didn't put our pictures although they did mention our names in the paper as well as that I held my title as first for the past 3 years and that I am always first or second for the past 7 years there, lol. I think you met Glenda, her and her friend always competed with us for first place, last year she joined my team since her friend moved out of state. The pic for my avatar is Glenda, my daughter, and me from 2010.

[TazErase]

I'm a lurker that appears usually around the holidays every once in a while. If I stayed on here year-round I'd end up spending too much money. I warn you... it's late at night and I can't sleep so I'll be writing my Black Friday life story for you to read

I've been going Black Friday shopping probably since I was 7 or 8 years old. I'm 25 now. My mom would wake us up in the early morning hours and bundle us up. We'd pass by McDonalds and then start hitting up the store openings for freebies! Snow globes, gift cards, ornaments, bobble heads, radios, etc. My mom would sometimes drop my older sister off at one store so she could get in line and then we'd run to the other, get the freebie, then run back to my sister. It was only after we hit all the openings that we'd pick a store and start shopping. We got mostly clothes and toys. And there weren't a lot of concerns about supplies running out. We started doing more electronic Black Friday Shopping in the 2000s when I started high school.

I got my fiance (then boyfriend) to join me in the maddness during our first year in college. He hadn't done it before. If they went shopping it was usually in the early afternoon after most of the crowds subsided. His dad was a marine so he had access to the MCX and NEx (price match + no tax = win). We started small with DVDs and I think the largest thing they got was a TV. I usually gave him a list and we'd both try to get it and just return if we got doubles.

I might have no partner in crime this year though since he'll be stuck in training during Thanksgiving. I've shifted more towards online sales but I still love the rush you get from being in the crowd. I also still go for freebies. Last year we I dragged my mom with me to Old Navy. We got the free waterproof digital camera last year. I hope I get freebies this year. They're fun and free! I used my camera quite a bit this past year, especially at the beach.

I live in CA and I plan on shopping mostly for myself. I've gotten pretty good about getting/saving gifts for people when the opportunity presents itself. I'm constantly thinking about birthday/christmas presents when I go shopping so I don't really use Black Friday for others.

That's a great camera. We used it in the pool this summer. In the past I bought a video camera and spent about $200 more on a waterproof case to take it under water, this was so much easier and better quality since that video camera is now about 8 years old, but I loved that I could go under the water with it.

[misstaken]

Hi everyone! I just realized this year that I've been doing BF for 7 years. I started going alone but the past 3 years I've had dh with me. We leave our kids, ds-11 and dd-14 with my parents overnight. We have been in TX and different parts of WI. This year we will be in the Milwaukee burbs. Let's see...what else? I'm 33, have been married for 14 years, and we have 3 cats. And I enjoy long walks on the beach. LOL! Nice to meet you all!

[Victoria0419]

Hello!!! I'm Victoria and have been shopping on Black Friday for about 5 years or so. I have been lurking on gottadeal for the past 2 years and decided to join this year I will be shopping in Orland Park, a suburb of Chicago. I can't wait for the ads to start rolling in!!

[noehlp]

Hello!!! I'm Victoria and have been shopping on Black Friday for about 5 years or so. I have been lurking on gottadeal for the past 2 years and decided to join this year I will be shopping in Orland Park, a suburb of Chicago. I can't wait for the ads to start rolling in!!

Glad to hear you joined the masses and signed up! If you need help navigating the forum, just ask; GottaDeal is the friendliest bunch of deal seekers. Welcome aboard!

[AuntieJul]

BF shopper probably for 8 or 9 years, since I've been with my husband - who used to go out with his mom for BF and introduced me to exactly how well executed it could be And on GD forums probably for 6 years? I heard about it on the news when I was living in Philly and have been getting the newsletters ever since.

[missjuglia]

I'm Julia! I'm a college student (graduating in May... yippee!) originally from Southeast Missouri. I've been Black Friday shopping since I was 16. I usually go with my mom and sister, and last year we took my college roommate from Zimbabwe who didn't even know what Black Friday was. We usually stick to what's in our area which is Wal-Mart, JCP, Sears, Office Max, and a few other small chain clothing stores. Might try going to the city this year depending on what is in the ads!

[jaymacfla]

Taz, Can you post your picture so we can get a better look at it? I have a similar Newspaper article, but it gives a different verbiage for our addiction!