Your Holiday Shopping Game Plan

Picture it: The mall. The weekend before Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa. You fought for 2 hours for a parking spot over a mile away because you overslept when the alarm didn't go off and you were out of coffee. You're on the prowl. Trying to finish up the shopping you put off. You're coming down the escalator when you spot it in the toy shop window. The last [fill in the blank] latest and greatest doo-dad your kid wants and can't possibly live without. But just as you think you've made it, almost down the escalator, three other mothers are zipping through the sea of last minute shoppers toward your prey! You zip, you zag, you push, you make lunge for it.......but you're too late. You contemplate an attack, but when the others pounce, you realize such an attempt would be futile...and possibly painful.

An image like that is enough to make you shudder and wake up in a cold sweat! There's a better way if you're one to procrastinate. Making lists is good, but here's an upgrade! Try signing up for free email updates from Black Friday websites. They are not just for the insanity that is BLACK FRIDAY. They send you ALL of the sales leading up to it so you can be a few steps ahead and get "it" before it's gone. Whatever "it" might be. I started doing this last year. I signed up for several, but the two I will use again this year are: http://www.black-friday.net/ and http://www.blackfriday.org/. There are sales that start THIS WEEK and run until Thanksgiving. Then there will be new sales from then on. For those of you who DO participate in the black friday feeding frenzy, they will email you lists of what is going to be where and for how much! Yeah. Knowing in advance how much stuff will be on sale for is a great way to stay on budget! Don't forget that Wal-Mart and a few other places price match!

So, LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!

http://www.black-friday.net/

http://www.blackfriday.org/