{"id":4881,"date":"2014-11-20T22:06:08","date_gmt":"2014-11-20T22:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/jsuflash\/?p=4881"},"modified":"2014-11-20T22:06:08","modified_gmt":"2014-11-20T22:06:08","slug":"tips-for-successful-shopping-during-black-friday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/2014\/11\/20\/tips-for-successful-shopping-during-black-friday\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for successful shopping during Black Friday"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Elissa Ann McCool
\n<\/strong>Staff Writer<\/strong><\/p>\n

While some students are looking forward to Thanksgiving meals, other students are looking forward to the next day\u2019s deals.<\/p>\n

It is that time of the year again when families go as far as camping outside stores in anticipation of the Black Friday deals.\u00a0 If you have never experienced Black Friday, it is quite an adventure.<\/p>\n

Black Friday normally takes place every year on the day after Thanksgiving but this year, some stores are opening up before your Thanksgiving meal has had a chance to digest on Thursday evening.\u00a0 Stores open earlier than their usual hours to promote deals for the upcoming Christmas holiday season.\u00a0 While Black Friday can be fun, it is best to be prepared for the unexpected.<\/p>\n

Individual shoppers shelled out more money, spending $423 in 2013, up from $398 in 2012. Total spending over the four-day weekend reached a record $59.1 billion, a 13 percent increase from $52.4 billion in 2012 according to the National Retail Federation.<\/p>\n

Here are three tips to ensure you have a safe, fun Black Friday:
\n1. Shop Safely<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is best to go Black Friday shopping with a buddy.\u00a0 Shopping with other people makes Black Friday not only more fun, but also more safe.\u00a0 You should also keep your purse or wallet close to you at all times.\u00a0 Fights may break out during Black Friday.\u00a0 If a fight or huge argument does occur over an item, do not participate in it and keep moving.\u00a0 If someone picks up an item that you wanted, don\u2019t risk your safety for a deal.\u00a0 Allow them to have the item and continue searching for more deals.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom, her two sisters, and I love to go shopping on Black Friday.\u00a0 We mostly go just to see people fight over TVs and other electronics,\u201d said Inez Williams, a sophomore civil engineering major from Jackson, Miss.
\n2. Be Prepared<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are going to the Black Friday events for the deals, do your research and make a list of everything you plan to buy.\u00a0 This will help keep you focused.\u00a0 Retailers have released several Black Friday ads already, so you know what to expect before you arrive.\u00a0 You do not want to be distracted by other bargains in the store.\u00a0 It is important to know what deals are at what store so you can successfully manage your time. The stores will be packed and the checkout lines will be long.\u00a0 Bring along snacks to keep you energized as you shop and while you wait in line.<\/p>\n

3. Be Comfy<\/strong><\/p>\n

It will most likely be cold outside during the Black Friday events, so dress warm.\u00a0 You should also dress comfortable.\u00a0 You do not have to be fashionable because people will be too busy shopping to pay attention to your outfit.\u00a0 Wear flat, comfortable shoes and minimum jewelry<\/p>\n

\u201cI usually wear sweatpants and Jordans when I go out to Black Friday with my family.\u00a0 I know we will be there all night so I try to be as comfortable as possible,\u201d said Jarrett Benson, a sophomore elementary education major from Jackson, Miss.<\/p>\n

While Black Friday is a fun event, it is not for everyone.\u00a0 If you would rather not face the Black Friday crowds, you can wait until the following Monday for holiday deals. If you are brave enough for the Black Friday experience, remember to be safe and happy shopping!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Elissa Ann McCool Staff Writer While some students are looking forward to Thanksgiving meals, other students are looking forward to the next day\u2019s deals. It is that time of the year again when families go as far as camping outside stores in anticipation of the Black Friday deals.\u00a0 If you have never experienced Black Friday, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4881","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-variety"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4881"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4881\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.jsums.edu\/theflash\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}