Black Friday Survival Tips

Have you been diagnosed as a shopaholic, unable to pass up a great deal?

This year, however, many are paring down spending, so here a a few tips to survive the day’s craziness:

· Get the gift list ready early – put it up where the kids can see it so they remember what they asked for and will not be tainted by all the ads they’re about to see in the next 4 weeks.

· Invite friends along for the fun – two are better than one – and three are even more fun. One can hold the place in the checkout line while the other(s) shop, then take turns.

· Check out the specials ahead of time – know what you want and how much it’s going to cost. Keep to your list. Or not – there’s always an unadvertised special or two!

· Map it out – plan where you’re going – and when – ahead of time. Time limits will help you keep moving.

· Eat lots of food at your Thanksgiving Feast so that you’ll go to bed early – and drink a lot too (um, water). In fact, if you offer to do a lot of the cooking and serving, you can “beg off” earlier and have the legitimate excuse of being tired.

· Train your dog weeks ahead of time to go for a walk at 3am – there’s no “snooze button” on a dog.

· This year some stores even had sales that started at midnight – go for an all-nighter – it’ll be just like you were back in college. Enjoy coffee & pie at 3am while you gear up for the next store.

· Bring along a few bottled beverages – water, coffee, energy drinks – anything that’ll fit in your purse. You never know when you’re going to get out of there. You don’t want to walk into a store with a coffee cup, but you need sustenance.

And if you’ve missed the “deals” at this years’ Black Friday, it’s not too late to share the wealth with the local schools when you shop & dine at “The Commons at Calabasas” – they’re giving back 5% of your spending. For more information: http://www.shopcommons.com/promotions/