Brown Thursday and Black Friday Tips

Brown Thursday is here and Black Friday just hours away. Before you hit the streets at unbelievable hours, prepare yourself with everything you need to know before you get shopping—after all, knowledge is power.

Before you go out and start shopping...

1. Find the ads: This is where it all begins. You can find scans of advertisements and other information from major retailers on a variety of sites, like bfads.net, blackfriday.info, and blackfriday.gottadeal.com, but my personal favorite Black Friday information source has been SlickDeals.net. SlickDeals.net has a constantly updated page with uploaded scans of all major Black Friday ads (located here), and the website also created a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet (located here) organizing all Black Friday items into one neat place, so getting a quick overview of items and prices won't require having to scan through tons of color ad pages. Once you've gotten a general idea of what you're interested in buying...

2. Prioritize your list: It's probably impossible to get every single thing that you want on Black Friday (I know it is for me), so prioritize your items so you know exactly what you're getting and where you're getting it. Try to have a printed list on hand with model numbers and prices for reference, because it's going to be hard to remember what's going on amidst all of the chaos.

3. Learn the rules: Many stores are having special store hours specifically for Black Friday and now on Thanksgiving Day. Knowing the number of units in stock can be helpful—most ads usually print store minimums for reference, or if you're really hot for an item, scope out the store just before closing the night before, find the exact item's location, and remember it or stash it in a secret location.

4. Coordinate with others: If you can, go with at least one friend or family member. Not only will it help pass the time in the wee hours of the night, but having a friend/ally will also help you be able to pick up hot sale items, and they'll also be able to hold your place in line while if you should ever need a bathroom/food/random break. If you want "doorbuster" sale items from multiple locations, coordinate a "Strike Team" with other Black Friday adventurers to divide and conquer. Strength in numbers is always nice to have on your side. Additionally, if you can, try and make friends with others in line. This will not only help pass the time, but it will also keep order and will keep "line-jumping" to a minimum.

5. Pack accordingly: If you're thinking about waiting in line with just a coat, think again. As someone who has done many overnight camp-outs, I have to personally recommend that you bring a fold-out chair, a blanket, something to do (Nintendo DS or PSP is nice, or you can go old school with a book), snacks, and water. Trust me, if you're comfortable, the time will pass much faster, and you'll have a much better experience to remember.

Ready, Set, SHOP